Mirror Realm

by Jenn Nixon

  “Have some good news,” Jack said, reaching out to squeeze her hand.

  “Don’t keep a girl in suspense…”

  Rune laughed. That’s one of the first things you said to me.

  “I do like my sayings.” Cyndra shrugged, blushing when they all grinned at her. Zorin inched closer and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She leaned against him. “So what’s the news?”

  My father and I did talk to the siphons. I told them Evie’s theory about them being diluted energy casters.

  “Which means we are all one big community,” Jack continued, nearing the door. “They’re ready to set up a council, but they want to hear from you first.”

  “Shit,” Cyndra said, rubbing her forehead. “Why me?”

  Zorin squeezed her closer. “Unfortunately your grandparents created your importance to this entire situation, Cyndra. This new course of events started with you and the journal. Tell them your story.”

  Meeting Rune’s eyes, she felt a little calmer when he added. We’ll all be right there with you. Pristy, too, she’s outside with her father, uh…

  Jack finished, “Prete, and Lily, too.”

  Cyndra nodded, trying to remember what her uncle actually looked like. “I think we should leave the recovered crystals in here until after…How many do we have?”

  Rune frowned. Two hundred and forty.

  “And how many people?” Zorin asked.

  “Four fifty-two casters and a hundred and twelve siphons.” Jack rubbed the caster brand on his hand.

  “This is going to suck,” Cyndra grumbled.

  “Damn, we’ll have to search for more,” Jack murmured.

  Good thing you can sense crystals, Cyndra. Rune shrugged.

  “That helps a little.” Cyndra rolled her eyes, knowing that was the least of their problems.

  “I’m sure they are all tired of fighting. Let us hope the losses suffered bring about a swift peace,” Zorin said, gazing toward the lighthouse door.

  So many conversations she was not looking forward to having were waiting right out there. Finding that mountain hideaway sounded better every second. Knowing she couldn’t stall, Cyndra held out her hand for Zorin, who appeared equally concerned, and exited the lighthouse behind Jack and Rune.

  The murmurs and nasty words started the moment they stepped outside. Getting into a verbal war with these people about Zorin, right now, burned in her chest, but she needed to listen to her friends. Keeping a firm grip on her gargoyle’s hand, Cyndra tugged him into the middle of the group where Bale, Lily, Pristy, and Uncle Prete, who she vaguely recognized, and a few others she didn’t know stood. Not in the mood for hugs, she kept a few paces back, glanced around at the group, then the casters and siphons standing around the grounds.

  Unsurprisingly Bale stepped forward. “Good afternoon.”

  “Same to you,” she said with the slight dip of her head.

  Zorin nodded.

  “I’m sure Rune told you we agreed to set up a council, many of us have questions to answer,” he said, including himself among the group. “We’ve agreed to three casters, three siphons, and three of the newly awakened to form the council.”

  “However, you can’t be one of them,” Lily said timidly as she moved alongside Rune’s father. “Nor can I.”

  “Okay fine,” Cyndra conceded. “Who decides the charges or whatever and who’s doing to the tribunal?”

  Jack tilted his head. “Each side has come up with their grievances and those they wish to hold accountable.”

  “The tribunal will have a jury which works in conjunction with the council,” Lily said, glancing around the group. “Each person gets a fair hearing like we’ve done in the past.”

  “How many people are we talking about?” She glanced up at Zorin. He squeezed her hand, keeping their bond strong.

  “Roughly a hundred,” Lily answered.

  “Thank goodness for small favors,” Cyndra said, sighing, and rubbing her forehead.

  “Zorin Thorne is listed as well,” Bale added.

  Cyndra jerked her head, felt the fire in her belly rise through her chest. “Do you have any idea what he’s been through to try to save all of you? Do you know what your son and I went through?”

  “Rune’s told me some—” Bale began, stepping back when she stepped forward glaring at him and the rest of the group.

  “Well, let me tell you a little story about the day I came to the mainland after you casters, siphons, and the humans out there decided toruin the entire world,” Cyndra barked, slipping her hand from Zorin’s grasp as she eyeballed half the people in the crowd who dared to look back. “I don’t see any of your younger people here, maybe they should be, to hear how many children and parents and grandparents died from radiation poisoning or lack of food or lack of shelter the first few years after your flare and their bomb.

  “Pristy and I lived in a truck for five years with Silvio, moving every few days, searching for safe zones, scraps of food, scavenging for anything to fetch a price as the world around us continued to die.” Cyndra breathed in, feeling Zorin’s potent energy on the air, doing his best to keep her calm, which seemed to be working. “When I was thirteen, things started to turn around. People stopped dying, the safe zones spread, new grass and trees started sprouting up, and farms got bigger. All this time, all any of us knew was that a solar flare created the darklands and ruined the world. A month ago my grandfather died. One week later, I received a journal from Evie, her crystal, and awakened when one of Mergan’s casters came after me trying to steal my powers.”

  Cyndra weaved the details of her story, meeting Rune and Zorin, and their entire journey, leaving only the private moments no one needed to know about, surprised to see the group hanging on every word. As she spoke her truth and studied the reactions of the casters and siphons, Cyndra spotted a familiar face or two from the pictures left in the mansion. Reaching the end of her story, she moved back toward Rune, Jack, Zorin, and Pristy, half-smiling at her mother, still a bit weirded out about the whole age thing.

  “The moment Zorin freed himself of Mergan’s control, he went after her, to stop her, but…Evie made the ultimate sacrifice, something she said she should have done before. While I’m not sure I agree with that, they’re both gone now and Evie’s last wish was for us to work together and heal the planet. That’s what I’m asking for too. I learned my entire life was basically a lie less than two months ago and all I did, all we did was try to stop Mergan and save you. So, do your tribunals. Punish people even more if you really must, but that barrier isn’t coming down until the council agrees on how we all proceed going forward.”

  “That seems fair enough,” Lily said, surprising almost everyone except Bale and Rune.

  “What about our pendants?” someone asked from the crowd.

  “Not all of them are here.” Cyndra sighed. “We should let the council decide that, too.”

  “Who picks the members of the council?” a man she didn’t know asked as he emerged from the crowd.

  Zorin’s face tightened and his fists quaked at his sides. “You.”

  The man narrowed his gaze. “You’re Mergan’s pe—”

  “Captive is the word you’re looking for,” Jack said, glaring at the man and the rest of the group.

  “I mean no offense.”

  “No, but you were willing to deal with Mergan to leave the prison world,” Zorin said.

  “Only to save my people and escape that realm,” he replied, lowering his head. “I never meant you harm.”

  “I should ask for your name on the list…but I won’t. Mergan has done enough damage,” Zorin replied, reaching out his hand. The man shook it.

  Cyndra smirked at the surprise on Bale’s face.

  Jack finished answering the original question. “I suggest we take time to choose our own council delegates and reconvene here this evening.” Rune shot him a look. “And we’ll have some food for you all to distribute.”

  Grateful for the r
eprieve, Cyndra returned to Zorin’s side, slipping her arms around him, feeling him shudder when his anxiety rippled through their bond. She gazed up. He was staring straight ahead, emotionless.

  “What?” Cyndra turned back. Although Pristy was smirking, Bale and Lily both appeared sickened. “Really? Even after everything I told you?”

  “You don’t know what he did!” Lily screeched as Bale gently clasped her hand. Cyndra spun around, her elements provoked, and stood guard in front of Zorin. His hand moved to her shoulder and his voice entered her mind.

  Listen to her, Cyndra.

  Signing, she dropped her shoulders. “Then tell me.”

  Her mother, who had the same color hair and similar mouth, wiped away a tear and tugged her hand from Bale’s, looking at him the same way she looked at Zorin. “I was fighting with a group in Massachusetts, holding off the siphons from attacking the last of our homes they hadn’t driven us out of. It must have been my fourth year of fighting…anyway. The casters I was with wanted to start a storm, we need water and moved to the coast. Zorin found me. Told me Mergan had captured your father, Ben. It was a trick. Mergan stole my crystal and banished me to the mirror.”

  Cyndra frowned. “And I’m really sorry that happened to you, but now that you know he wasn’t in control—”

  “He still decided to transform, Cyndra,” Bale added with a bite.

  “No—” she attempted.

  Zorin squeezed her shoulder. “I will tell my story at tribunal. It’s only fair I am treated the same as the others for my deeds.”

  Cyndra locked her jaw.

  “Good,” Bale said with a nod as he reached out for her mother’s hand and broke from the rest of the group. “We’ll regroup at the mansion and finalize our council.”

  Rune smiled at his father, but stayed with her, Zorin, and the others. Cyndra glimpsed over at Jack, who seemed to be more comfortable giving orders than she was.

  Pristy, of course, spoke up first. “Whew, that was way tense.”

  Yes, quite. Rune projected, sharing a sigh with Jack, who now had his eye on Bale. He’s coming around, Jack, I’m working him hard, don’t worry.

  “We’re going to need every advantage,” Zorin said, gazing down at Cyndra, still worried, but more hopeful than he seemed before. “No matter what.”

  “So what do we do now?” Pristy asked.

  Cyndra sighed. “I want to check on the mirror—”

  “Oh, Evie fixed it when she came through,” Jack added. “Forgot to mention it…she wanted to make sure everyone could get back through without it, you know, imploding…”

  “But when Mergan died, her whole cast was broken along with her and Evie’s barriers, so the mirror’s probably just a mirror again,” Pristy said.

  “No way,” Cyndra said, gaping. “That’s crazy.”

  Whole situation is crazy, Rune projected with a smirk. I’m going to help with the food rationing and housing. Jack’s going to gather the names of the accused and council members, pick a few random rotating juries so everything is fair.

  “It should be you three on the council,” Zorin said to the guys and her cousin, while Cyndra nodded, agreeing. “Tulli and whoever the other caster is who went through, they don’t have as much knowledge as you.”

  “I’m down if you are,” Pristy said with a shrug.

  Rune nodded.

  Jack gazed down at his right hand and sighed. “Yes, of course, I’ll do it…I want to get this settled quickly. I don’t want to be trapped on this island.”

  Cyndra’s heart dropped, holding back the welling tears in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Jack.”

  He gazed up. “No, Cyndra, you did the right thing. Now they need to do the same and solve their issues. I just hope it’s fast.”

  “Zorin may be able to get through, we’ll have to test it,” Cyndra said, feeling her gargoyle’s eyes on her. “Back door. Mergan may have been evil, but she was brilliant.”

  Let’s keep that between us for now, okay? Rune smirked and everyone nodded.

  “I still want to see the mirror.”

  Pristy shrugged. “Well, I’m going to go find Tulli. She’s adorable isn’t she?”

  “Definitely your type, cuz.” Cyndra nodded.

  “Very cute,” Jack said, winking. “I saw her in the garden looking at the pea pods earlier, you should take her some.”

  “Awesome, thanks,” she said before darting for the garden.

  Rune smiled. I made acquaintances with a couple of siphons, Carmela and Rayvon, they seem eager to work with us to find a solution, so I’m going to ask them to help with the food, get to know them better.

  Cyndra glanced around. “Okay, then…I guess we meet back here for dinner? Say, six?”

  Everyone nodded again.

  Jack and Rune went toward the lighthouse.

  Zorin gazed down at her, finally smiling again. “I love how defiant you are, even on my behalf, Cyndra.”

  “Pretty sure that’s hardwired…it’ll come in handy when I want to rile you up before taking me to bed,” she said, adding a bit of fire to her siphon.

  “I knew you enjoyed tempting me, taunting me…”

  “Wasn’t always on purpose, swear,” she replied, moving closer. “And I really do want to check the mirror.”

  “Apparently,” he said, sweeping her off her feet and into his hold. He dashed forward, extended his wings, which made her quiver and himsmirk, and lifted off the ground, rising higher, filling with excitable energy. Without teasing him more, Cyndra set her head on his shoulder, ignoring the soft gasps, and growing power below, and only looked up when he landed at the edge of the hallway leading to the former prison room.

  “Do you know what you’re going to say to them?” she asked, wishing she hadn’t when his face dropped.

  “The truth. Enough casters will be in the room to know otherwise.”

  “They’re gonna ask for a statement or something, you need to be ready. Remember, it only seems like a year to them, they’re still thinking…” Cyndra shook her head and walked toward the prison room. “I’m trying to keep it together, Zorin. I don’t know if I can this time. I saw the look on her face, Bale’s eyes…those wounds are still fresh for them.”

  “And their information is already faulty. I didn’t want to be transformed like this, only stronger to help. This form is all Mergan’s doing.”

  Cyndra paused at the doorway, turned back, and placed her hand on his chest. “I’m sure in time I can convince twelve casters to help me—”

  “No. You cannot siphon—”

  “Shut up and let me finish, you idiot,” she snapped, narrowing her eyes at him. “What if twelve of us work together and try?”

  “Perhaps. It’s no longer a priority,” he said.

  “It’s not?” Cyndra lifted her brow at him when he didn’t answer and his cheeks darkened. “Hmm?”

  He jerked his chin up. “The mirror.”

  “Oh, no…what was that?”

  “Cyndra,” he barked. “The mirror.”

  She spun around, the silver glass of the mirror rippled. Zorin’s fingers wrapped around her wrist. He dashed backward taking them to the doorway. The mirror’s movement stopped and it looked normal again. Cyndra lifted her hand, trying to see if she could sense any elements around or on the mirror. Shaking her head, she glanced over to Zorin to see him doing the same. “Anything?”

  He lowered his hand. “Energy for certain, I’m unsure what else, it’s too faint, seems to be coming from inside.” The mirror liquefied again. Zorin slowly wrapped his arm around her waist and stepped back into the hallway. A silvery shape formed in the middle.

  Shit.

  Look, Zorin said, tensing behind her, crushing her to his body.

  As the silver parted, a face took shape. Becca the soulless slipped out of the mirror and wobbled. Both of Cyndra’s hands sparked with elements. Zorin’s muscles tensed and he hardened against her backside unexpectedly.

  “I’m not here to fight,�
�� Becca said, holding up her hands. “Evie helped us by fixing the mirror. I want to help you, now.”

  “How?”

  “There’s one more barrier on the island, around the lighthouse.”

  Zorin glanced down at the same time Cyndra glanced up, realizing their guess was right. He narrowed his eyes on Becca. “It doesn’t only keep out wraiths, what else does it do?”

  “It’s the key to the human’s memories.”

  “How come it didn’t come down when I—”

  “Only Zorin can lower it, Evie didn’t say why,” Becca said. “We’ll stay in the mirror…we won’t bother you if you don’t bother us.”

  “Deal,” Cyndra said, sighing immediately after. “If I find a way to turn you back…I’ll throw a bottle through or something.”

  “Zorin can come and go freely.” Becca glanced back. “Thanks, Cyndra. I wish I had listened before. Good luck.”

  “You too.”

  The former caster walked through the mirror without looking back. Cyndra didn’t hold back the sigh of relief. “Whoa.”

  “Whoa indeed,” Zorin chuckled tersely. “I am glad the wraiths are no longer an issue.”

  “Likewise,” Cyndra said. “I should still put a barrier around the room.”

  “I don’t think we have to worry about anyone coming here, Cyndra. If you haven’t noticed, everyone is on the west side of the mansion.”

  “This is going to be a mess. I’m not cut out for community building…” Cyndra walked to the edge of the hall, staring down at Rune’s staircase. “You know what I told Jack?”

  “What?”

  “That I wanted to live in a cabin, in the mountains, near a lake. And he said, alone, and I said, no, with you.”

  He smiled, dipped down to kiss her softly. “I would like that.”

  Cyndra stroked his cheek. “Truth is, it doesn’t matter anymore, where I live, as long as you’re with me. Home. I finally understand what it means. Wherever you are is home.”

  Chapter 36

  Zorin’s heartbeat tripled, hearing such sweet words from his caster, his love. Cyndra’s touch, always laced with a hint of fire, remained tame. The desire in her eyes, however, never dimmed. When the sliver of fear tainted their bond, he drew her into his arms, wishing he knew how to ease her mind from the uncertain future they faced.