The Fallen Hero by Katie Zhao

Author:Katie Zhao
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

CHAPTER

17

The scream belonged to Ashley. “Look!”

We’d moved away from the base of the Mountain of Knives, but the Underworld seemed to have shifted while I’d been talking to Ren and not paying attention to my surroundings. We stopped in front of a huge, glassy building with double doors. It didn’t look particularly dangerous from the outside, but I was certain there was something terrible on the inside, like fire-breathing demons or green-bean casserole.

“It’s the Chamber of Mirrors,” Moli said in a hushed voice. She backed away from the building.

I wasn’t sure why she was so freaked out. “That doesn’t sound so bad. Much better than Mountain of Flames.”

“Or Mountain of Knives.” Ren cringed.

“You don’t understand. The Chamber of Mirrors messes with your mind.” The petrified expression on Moli’s face was so intense that I got the feeling she was speaking from personal experience. “It shows sinners their crimes, their regrets, their deepest fears …” She shuddered. “It shows them their true selves.”

I had no idea what that meant. Would the Chamber of Mirrors show that pimple I’d hidden so painstakingly with concealer? I looked at Ren. He shrugged.

“Fine. We’ll just avoid the Chamber of Mirrors, then,” Jordan said. “Piece of moon cake.” He stepped around the building. As we all followed him, I heard a low growl come from off to my left. I turned—and suppressed a scream.

Demons. At least ten had snuck up on us, and now the multicolored, snarling beasts were fast approaching with pointy, lethal-looking weapons in their hands.

Drawing my sword, I looked right. Even more demons poured in from that side. We were surrounded.

“Um … guys?” Jordan said. “H-how ’bout that Ch-Chamber of Mirrors?”

“Sounds good to me!” Ashley yelled, already sprinting for the doors.

The demons lunged at once with a horrific collective shriek. Ren, Moli, and I kept the wave of demons at bay as the siblings headed for the building.

I sliced the first demon clean through its midriff and kicked a second one in its chest. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a third demon swipe at me with its sharp claws.

“Faryn!” Ren grunted.

I ducked at the last moment. My heart pattered with fear at the air swishing above my head.

As if giving me strength, warmth traveled from my sword down to my fingertips. My weapon lightened and vibrated until it felt like an extension of my body. With grace that I didn’t even know I possessed, I drove the point of my sword upward into the demon’s chest. It wailed, and with a puff of dust and smoke, it disappeared.

“Ew.” I coughed, waving the particles away from my face.

Moli yelled, “Run, Faryn! Ren! And, uh … what’s-your-face!”

“My name is Jordan!” shrieked Jordan.

Lunging blindly with my sword, I managed to connect with demon skin as I turned toward the sound of Jordan’s voice. He was holding open the door to the Chamber of Mirrors and waving wildly at us.

I didn’t check to see how many demons I’d managed to defeat or how many more were hot on our heels.

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