by Jenni James
“No matter what the future holds for us, we will still be friends. I will not leave you wholly. I would not be able to treat you the same if you married another, but it does not mean you will lose me completely. Snow, despite my wishes on the matter, you should always follow your heart and choose the man you feel would be the best for you.”
She groaned. “I cannot think of such things right now.”
“Then let us speak of something else.”
“Please?” She smiled. “What would you like to talk about?”
“Probably the one thing we would be best to remove from our minds altogether, yet neither of us can since it will weigh constantly upon our thoughts.”
What does he mean? She met his gaze and then it hit her. “The mirror.”
“Yes.”
“What should we do? Is there anything we can do?”
“Hope and pray it does not affect her as the legends say.”
“Are you speaking of the Lythereon Mirror?”asked Raven from across the room.
Snow looked up to see Terrance and Raven watching them. “Yes. We are attempting to decide if there is anything we can do to protect Mother from it.”
“Wait a moment.” Terrance approached. “Do you mean to tell me your family is in possession of the Lythereon Mirror?”
Raven walked up to the group as well. “Did you not see the gift my mother opened from King Herbert?”
“Yes, but I would have never imagined it to be the cursed looking glass. Are you certain?” He looked at each of them, his hand unconsciously reaching for a sword that was not there.
Snow nodded. “My father would have never presented such a gift to her if it was not the exact thing she wanted.”
“Oh, my word,” Terrance whispered as he glanced at Raven.
Snow could tell he was concerned about leaving Raven to face such a mess on her own, and yet wished he was anywhere but in this castle.
“Precisely,” Corlan stated. “We are all very apprehensive.”
“Do you believe she will hang it here in the castle?” Snow asked.
Raven sat down on the sofa next to Snow. “Where else would she put such a beloved gift?”
Snow folded her arms, the heaviness in her chest doubling. “That will make everything dashed awkward for us.”
“Not just awkward. It will be much worse than that,” Terrance exclaimed.
“’Tis true,” Corlan said. “If that mirror resides in the castle with us, we are all doomed.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
CORLAN SLAMMED THE ANCIENT book shut as he sat upon his bed. He watched as a small cloud of dust rose from the book. It would seem the mirror was completely unbreakable. The only person who could do so was the person to whom it belonged. Anyone else who attempted to destroy it would be sucked within its realm and either lose their life or become a servant of the looking glass.
If it could not be smashed, that would explain why the thing still existed. The legend went on to say that those who owned it became so engrossed with its power and the new freedom they experienced that they would never destroy it. They became so obsessed that they could not fathom life without it. Every single owner of the mirror to date had died protecting it—prostrating themselves over the looking glass, guaranteeing it would not be harmed, forgetting, of course, that it could not be, except by them.
Corlan tossed the heavy tome upon his dresser and walked over to the window. His mother had heard tales of the mirror when she was a little girl and had always been enthralled by them. He remembered her reciting the legend of the mirror almost reverently to him and Raven when they were children. His mother used to jest that she would become the first female ruler of the mirror and would change the world with it.
What fool would have sold that mirror to King Herbert?
No, that was unfair. Anyone hoping to make a profit from an unwise king would certainly have sold it. The true question was, how could his mother and new father be so oblivious that they would ignore all the warnings associated with it and add it to their collection?
This was madness.
His eyes hurt from the hours of reading the different reports. If the stories were to be believed, as soon as his mother hung up the mirror, it would awaken to her and everything would change from that moment on. Bad luck would befall their enemies. Bizarre instances would need to be addressed immediately, such as natural disasters, disease outbreaks, and war. Though the owner of the mirror would always be victorious, it would come at quite a cost to the people around them. Many of their subjects would die due to the odd occurrences.
The owner of the mirror would become irrational, power crazed, and slowly show signs of mental illness. The stories varied depending on the person. Some of them took a few years to lose their wits completely, while others began to show signs of lunacy very early on. In two instances, they were proclaimed incapable of rational thought within the first week.
Corlan had decided the night before that he would have to break the mirror himself and stop this mess, which was why he had been searching through the ancient book to find a solution. However, after reading the different firsthand accounts, he was even more worried now than when he began.
Why would his mother risk so much to do something so completely selfish?
He pushed away from the window. Not one of the stories said that the mirror protected the families and those living near the empowered being. As far as he could tell, many of the family members lost their lives, along with those in the kingdom.
It was time he paid his mother a visit and hopefully get her to see reason before it was too late.
The king had left earlier that morning to take care of some farms in the eastlands, so Corlan knew his mother was alone. He hesitated a moment outside her rooms before knocking upon the door.
“Yes?” she called.
“It is I, Corlan.”
“Oh! Come in, dear!” she exclaimed. “Come in and see what I have done.”
He opened the door and walked in. His mother was across the room with her back to him and beckoned him over with her hand.
“You must see this! Look. Is it not the most beautiful thing you have ever beheld?”
It took a moment for him to discover she was not wholly ignoring him as he approached—she was watching him through the new looking glass upon her wall. The mirror had her so transfixed that she would not even welcome her son properly.
With a feeling of dread, he came to stand next to her. “So you have done it. You have hung the Lythereon Mirror.”
“Yes!” She giggled and clapped her hands, her gaze admiring its intricately carved wooden frame.
He had never seen her behave in such an undignified manner before.
“Is it not the most fascinating thing?” she asked. Slowly she turned from side to side, admiring her slender figure. Indeed, her whole person seemed to be even more attractive when one looked at her through the looking glass. Corlan could not dismiss the fact that her copper hair shone with more brilliancy, her blue gown had a richness to it—almost as if it had not been worn before—and her skin glowed with a luster he had never known.
“I am alluring,” she whispered. “This mirror makes me the loveliest woman who ever was.” Nudging him with her elbow, her eyes never leaving the reflection, she asked, “Do I not look like a girl of nineteen or twenty?”
“Aye, you do.”
“Is it not captivating?”
This was not how he expected this conversation to go. “Mother, it is an illusion. It is not real. There is no reason to be captivated by such trickery.”
“Look! You appear the exact same as you always do. Only I have changed in the mirror.”
Corlan looked at himself and blinked. She was correct. Not that it mattered overly much if he did appear different, but it would certainly imply that the legend was true and the mirror was already showing its power. “How long has this been upon the wall?”
“I had the footmen hang it for me just now, about fiv
e minutes before you came in.”
Only five minutes? He must remove it at once, before she had a chance to awaken it. As hastily as possible, he stepped in front of her and began to pull it down.
“No!” she shouted.
The thing would not budge. He yanked again. “Yes, Mother. This is evil. It is cursed and will ruin us all. I love you too much—we must remove it.”
“Corlan, enough! I do not care if you are my son; I will kill you if you take it off the wall.”
Amazed, he brought his arms down and turned around, blocking his mother from seeing her reflection. “What did you say?”
Her eyes blazed wildly. “You heard correctly, though if it bears repeating, I will do so.”
“Mother, it has already affected you. Do you not see how possessive you have become? The legends are true! This mirror will drive you to madness. It will destroy you!”
She put her hands on her hips. “I fully understand the legends. I have always known of the power this particular looking glass possesses, but I do not for one moment believe it is affecting me! I will not allow it. It is an object, Corlan, something upon my wall.”
Waving her hand for him to move, she continued, “I have wanted the Lythereon Mirror since I was a girl. It has been my biggest wish to own it and use it for good to help change this world. You know this! I have told you of my dreams countless times. Yet now, when I finally have it hanging upon my wall, you want to take it down? You, my son, are the one who has become possessive and mad. Not I.”
He was about to speak when he noticed green mist coming from the frame of the mirror. “What is that?”
“Mirror?” His mother pushed him aside completely. “Mirror? Are you attempting to speak to me?”
“Do not talk to it!”
“Hush, Corlan. Silence yourself or leave this room immediately.” The green mist continued to pour out onto the ground. “Mirror?” Melantha’s fingers reached out and played with the smoke. It twirled about her hand and wound up her arm.
“Mother!” He wanted to pull her away but found himself frozen, completely unable to move his body.
And then he watched in growing fascination as the green mist rose from the ground and completely enveloped her, twisting and winding itself around his mother from her feet to the tips of her hair. It covered her in a mystical green glow.
His jaw locked and his breathing became labored. Slowly he felt his airways closing before him as his mother chanted in an eerie voice he did not recognize.
“Mirror, mirror, on the wall.
What splendor have ye provided us all?
Here we be, both good and proud,
Wise man, foolish man, the brave and the cowed.
‘Tis I who stands by the glass
Thine utmost exemplar to be at last.
Ye with all thy wisdom foresee,
And remember—give the glory to me.”
CHAPTER NINE
CORLAN PULLED SNOW INTO the library and put the large book of legends back where it went. “I am telling you, it was the most terrifying thing I have ever witnessed.”
“It sounds like it was!” she exclaimed, still speaking in a hushed tone. “Did the mirror converse with her?”
“Yes!” He looked around the room. Seeing they were completely alone, he walked her to the furthest point from the door, yet positioned himself so he would know if anyone came in. “There I was, frozen, not able to move, and the mirror came to life. A man’s head could be seen speaking with my mother—it was not her reflection at all! My ears were shut off and I could not make out what was being said, but I am telling you, whatever it was, my mother has not been the same since.”
“Yes, I said hello to her a few moments ago and she gave me a look that would have shot daggers if it could.” She clutched his arm. “What should we do?”
“I do not know. I will try to ascertain what exactly is happening to her, what lunacy is beginning to control her mind so we may discern what she plans to do. But, Snow, I warn you now—do not ever go into her quarters again. Do not do it.”
He paused as a maid came into the library and put a small book upon a shelf. She curtsied at the couple, but quickly went on her way.
“When I was finally released from the bizarre enchantment the mirror placed over me, I collapsed to the ground. It took several deep breaths before I was well enough again to walk out of there.”
“Corlan, no! Do not say such things. I cannot bear to hear of you experiencing this.”
“I am fine, truly. However, until we can come up with a better solution, it is best that you and Raven stay clear of her completely. Do not even be tempted to take a peek at that mirror. I worry about the evil it controls.”
She nodded before her wide eyes grew more concerned. “Corlan, I am so sorry this is happening to Melantha. How difficult for you to face. ‘Tis not fair.”
“No, it is not, though I worry for your father as well. Herbert is a good man, and from the legends I read, almost every spouse of those who owned the mirror were killed.”
She gasped and covered her mouth.
He could have kicked himself for being such a fool. Why would he say such a thing to her? That was the absolute worst thing to reveal at such a time. “Snow, I am sorry. Forgive me—I should not have let that slip.”
“Nay.” She shook her head, blinking.
He could tell the emotions were too much for her. Good heavens, now he had made her cry. Such a charming prince had never existed before. “I am a dunce!”
“You are not. I need to hear the truth no matter how painful it is. If I am not aware of what is actually happening around me, how will I be able to prepare for it?”
Seeing her blue eyes shimmering with tears, he could not help himself. “Snow, I vow I will not let him die. I will protect your father at all costs.”
She smiled and stood up on tiptoe. Tugging his arm toward her, she pulled his large frame down to meet her much smaller one and then, surprisingly, kissed his cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I will be forever in your debt.”
The mirror’s dark magic must have done more to Corlan’s brain than he realized, for in the next second, he clasped her shoulders and kissed her upon those full red lips. They were softer than he had imagined, and his heart soared when she let out a little moan and kissed him back.
“Corlan!” bellowed King Herbert.
The shout was so loud that at first he thought her father was in the room with them. Instantly they jumped apart as he looked around the empty library.
“Corlan, my son! I need you now!” The shout ricocheted off the castle walls.
Glancing at Snow’s startled features, Corlan held her hand and they ran from the room.
“Where are you? You are needed at once!” Now Corlan could tell Herbert was in the main hall.
“What do you think is wrong?” Snow asked as their feet flew down the grand staircase.
He could not begin to answer and so therefore remained silent until they came to her father. His mother was already there, holding her husband’s arm. Raven stood next to them.
“I am here! What is needed?” he asked as they approached the king.
“I must leave at once—there has been an uprising with the Yandren court. We are to go to arms immediately and meet them on the outskirts before they invade here in the center of Olivian.”
“Yes, sir,” Corlan replied, his heart pumping. “I will get my things promptly. Expect me to ride within ten minutes.”
Herbert walked forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. “No, my boy. I need you here to protect the women.”
“What? I am the greatest swordsman you have. You need me on the battlefront.”
“Nay. I need you here!”
Had he done something wrong? “Why?” He tried to hide his disappointment and be obedient, but it was extremely difficult. How would he be able to protect the man if he was not fighting with him?
“You are the best in the land, but I love these wom
en with my life, and so I leave my best to protect them. I must, or I shall worry every single night and day I am gone.”
Corlan nodded. “Very well.”
“I want you to know that I visited with Hibbens two days ago and changed my last will and testament.”
Snow gasped.
“I have named you my heir, should anything happen to me and then Snow. You are as much a son to me as any other man could be, and so, I naturally leave it all to you.”
Overcome, Corlan hugged his new father. “Sir, I thank you. Though, to be perfectly clear, you are not allowed to die.”
Herbert chuckled and pulled back. “I have no plans of having my existence ceased at this early stage in my life.” He looked at his new queen, and her hand went out for him. Corlan watched as the king pulled his mother close and kissed her. “I will be back before I am missed,” he said.
“Then you tell a falsehood, for you are already missed,” she exclaimed as she kissed him again.
Their display reminded Corlan of two very sweet lips he had tasted recently, and he looked over at Snow. Her smile at seeing the love of their parents only made him adore her more. There was not a selfish bone in her body. How kind were her thoughts for everyone. She looked over then and blushed when she caught him staring.
King Herbert’s last words were for his daughter as he caught her up in a large bear hug. “If need be, show them all how I have taught you to fight like a lion. Remind our enemy that you are more than a pretty face. And Snow?”
“Yes?”
“I love you.” He patted her back. “Trust Corlan with your life. He will see that nothing harms you.”
CHAPTER TEN
THE HOUSE BECAME QUITE melancholy after King Herbert left. Snow found herself worried ill most days for his safety and prayed for his quick return. A week after he had gone, Snow and the others were in the game room attempting their hand at whist. She was particularly anxious today because of the rain—it did not allow her a chance to wander outdoors and forget her troubles.
They had all been keeping a careful eye on Melantha. Snow had seen her scowl in her direction more than once that day. And just after tea, she had grabbed Snow’s arm and cornered her in the small alcove near the library. “Where are you going? I did not give you permission to walk these halls.”
