Vampire Girl (Vampire Girl #1)(17)

"You will see soon enough. Modern technology does not work in our world. We cannot bring anything with us that was made with machines or advancements our world doesn't have."

I frown at that. "Why?"

"It's part of our curse."

He offers me his arm, and I take it, trying not to let my hand shake too much.

And then he pulls me into the mirror.

I close my eyes, half expecting to crash into glass, but instead I sink into thick liquid. It doesn't feel wet, and I can still breathe.

My head spins, and lights and shadows play against my eye lids. I'm scared to open my eyes, to see what I've committed my soul to.

"You can look now, Princess," Asher says. "You're home. Welcome to hell."





Chapter 5


PRINCE OF WAR


––––––––

"Beware the princes of hell."

—the Warden

I open my eyes and suck in my breath. I was expecting fire and brimstone. Pain and suffering. Endless torture. What I see is something out of a fairytale. We stand on the bank of a lake, having just stepped through a large, ornate mirror that matches the one in the mansion back home. It's night, and a full moon is out. Another moon, a crescent one, hovers by its side. The stars are bright and big in the dark sky, much larger than the ones in my world. Before us, water stretches out into the distance, shimmering in the moonlight, and beneath the dark surface something glows a pale blue.

"Those are moon fish," Asher says, noticing my stare.

I look around and see more of them. I want to dip my hand in to splash at them, but for all I know they are carnivorous and would eat me as much as play with me. It's a peaceful moment, but I haven't forgotten where I am and why.

"We don't call this place hell," Asher says. "Here, it is known as the Isle of Inferna." He turns back to the mirror we just came from and places a hand on it. When he pulls his hand away, the reflection of the mirror shifts, the glass swirling in colors until a new image appears. At first, I can't tell what I'm looking at.

"This is Inferna," Asher says, pointing to what I can now see is a map. It looks like a floating island with seven concentric rings in the middle. I touch the center, which all the rings seem to protect, and the map zooms in, showing me a three dimensional close up of a grand castle.

"That's High Castle," Asher says. "I will be taking you there directly."

I shift my finger to see a wider view again. "What are these circles?"

"Those are the seven realms, each ruled by one of the princes. There are other maps of our kingdom but it's best seen from an enchanted mirror. For safety reasons, however, there are no mirrors allowed within the realms. Anyone wishing to travel by the gateways must come here, to the edge of the outer region, and then use the canals to get where they wish to go."

That's when I see a boat float up to the shore and stop for us. "Aren't we a bit overdressed for travel by boat?"

There is snow on the ground, and my heel sinks into it as I follow Asher towards the boat. I would have stayed in my jeans if I'd known we'd be traveling this way.

He side-eyes me. "Your dress will be fine."

I sigh as Asher climbs in first. Colorful pillows are artfully arranged on the wooden seats, and the prince sinks into them, watching with amusement as I navigate my way onto the precarious floating wood. It sways and I stand still, one foot on land, one in the boat.

Asher chuckles. "It's charmed to always stay upright. You can't tip it if you tried." To prove his point—or terrify me—I'm honestly not sure which, he grabs the sides and shakes the boat.

It moves, but only a little. He grins. "See? You're safe."

Emboldened despite his attitude, I climb in and recline against my own pillows. They are surprisingly comfortable.

Asher says something under his breath once I'm settled and the boat begins to glide through the water. "I've never been on a boat before, but I'm pretty sure it usually involves motors or rowing."

"Your world may have the marvels of electronics, but we have magic. In a toss between the two, I'd always choose the latter."

My eyes widen. "Magic? Real magic?" For some reason, this is harder to grasp than demons and vampires, though I'm not sure why. Particularly since I just traveled to another world through an enchanted mirror.

"Real magic. Wielded carefully, of course. In the wrong hands, magic is dangerous. There are laws about the proper use of magic, for everyone's protection."

"So you can wield magic?"

"Not exactly. I—really anyone—can use a spell once it's been cast. But vampires and demons cannot cast magic."

"Then who casts the spells?"

"The Fae," he says, then falls silent.

I have so many more questions, but he doesn't seem to be of a mood to talk anymore, so I entertain myself by getting to know my new world. The lake we've been floating on has begun to narrow, taking us into a canal with forests on either side of us. We pass between two giant walls that span as far as I can see. At least six stories high, they seem carved from one mass of gray stone. Above us, connecting the two walls, hangs a metal gate forged from interlocking beams.