The Mirror Maze

Chapter 13 - 100% Done

"Who was that guy?" Said Grace.

I shrugged.

Ever since we'd got up Grace had been questioning why someone was trying to kill me. For some reason, she just would not let it go.

"Why was he trying to kill you?" Grace persisted.

I shrugged again. "You've met me. Form your own conclusions."

Grace ignored these wise words of wisdom. "Are you an ex criminal? Did you kill someone?"

"Yes!" I snapped, "alright? Yes, I did. I killed someone." I narrowed my eyes. "Do you really think it's wise to question me?"

Graces mouth had fallen open.

I sighed. "I'm joking. Gods, I can't believe you believed that."

"Riiiight." Grace said.

We were walking down to the great hall for breakfast. Usually I sat either with Aaron or by myself. Today, it appeared like I had a companion - albeit an annoying one. Maybe I did prefer sitting by myself...

I grabbed some bacon and eggs and stomped over to an empty table. I sat down with a thump and started to gnaw on some bacon. Grace popped out of nowhere and sat down with a plate of pancakes sloshed in maple syrup.

I gave her a sidelong look. I'll be honest with you, I'm not really a morning person. Social interaction before 12 is a big no-no. I shovelled food into my mouth. Bacon and eggs with a steaming cup of coffee restored me a little. I gulped a mouthful of the bitter black heaven and the colours in the room seemed to come into sharper focus.

"So," I said, facing Grace, "why are you in this hellhole?"

"What?" She said, "what do you mean?"

"Why are you here?" I said, " you don't seem too foul for a sorcerer."

"Oh" Grace blushed "I only just found out that I'm a sorcerer. I don't really know much about it yet."

Well that changed things. "Then what are you doing here?" I said, "Run, go home, return to your ordinary life before they get you."

"I don't understand." Grace said, "what's wrong with sorcerers?"

I raised my eyebrows. "More like what's not wrong with them." I sighed. "It doesn't matter. I'm going to say this one more time. Go. Home."

"I don't have a home." Grace blurted, her voice shaky.

"Huh?" I said. Not my most articulate moment.

Grace swallowed. "It's... complicated. What matters is I have nowhere to go and the Queen has promised me a place in the sorcerer's community if I complete one... task for her. So, no offence, but I'm staying."

Grace looked so defiant that I could see there was no point arguing about it any further.

Before I could think of anything to say Kiki appeared opposite us.

"Kiki?" Grace and I said at the same time.

We turned to each other in shock. "You know her?" We said in unison again.

"Grace. Iris." Kiki nodded respectfully. "The Queen wishes to see you both."

We followed Kiki to the throne room.

"This is your fault." Grace hissed.

"It's your fault." I retorted. "You teleported us."

"You were the one consorting with a criminal."