Reflection: The Stranger in the Mirror

by Rachel R. Smith

  Finally reaching a point where he could observe the pair without being spotted, Rian carefully maneuvered into a sitting position. One of the last cicadas of summer chirred shrilly nearby, but he could still hear Raysel and Caeneus well enough. Rian folded his arms across his chest tightly and watched the pair sparring in front of him. He should be able to determine whether or not Raysel was in on the secret by how he behaved during practice. Rian knew how protective Raysel was of his sisters. He was far too chivalrous to harm a woman—even if it were for training. Thinking back on it, Raysel had been surprisingly protective of Caeneus earlier, by rushing into the ring after the match.

  Rian slapped a mosquito on his arm reflexively then froze, hoping the sound hadn’t called attention to his hiding spot. Neither Caeneus nor Raysel seemed to have noticed, so Rian exhaled a long breath with relief. The pair continued to spar, the rhythmic clacking of their practice swords echoing throughout the clearing uninterrupted. Rian noted that Raysel held the sword in his left hand, rather than the right. He was holding back by not using his dominant hand, but doing so wasn’t unusual for an instructor with their student. It tempered the difference in skill levels to a degree and provided good practice for the instructor as well. Being able to use the sword with both hands was an essential skill, particularly in the event of a debilitating injury to the dominant one. Even using his left, Raysel was still better than many of the other Ohanzee members at their best. Another bug buzzed by Rian’s ear and he flinched, flapping the air to shoo it away.

  Raysel suddenly jabbed toward Caeneus’ left shoulder and was just barely blocked. He quickly side-stepped and swung again, this time at Caeneus’ sword arm. The blow connected with a resounding crack. Rian winced at the same time that Caeneus groaned and dropped his sword.

  “Are you alright?” Raysel asked.

  Caeneus grimaced but nodded yes. Even from Rian’s position in the brush, he could tell Caeneus was in pain.

  “Let us continue then,” Raysel replied indifferently.

  Caeneus stooped over to pick up the dropped sword and moved into position. Raysel nodded, readying himself as well. He counted down and the sparring began again. Caeneus’ movements were much slower now, but Raysel continued relentlessly. He struck at Caeneus’ opposite shoulder and was blocked, then sidestepped as before, swinging at the sword arm. Caeneus tried to dodge away from the blow but wasn’t quick enough. When the sword landed with a crack once more, Caeneus cried out in pain and dropped to the ground.

  This time Raysel didn’t ask if Caeneus was alright. He returned to the starting position and waited for Caeneus to rise. To Rian’s surprise, Caeneus only lingered a moment before standing and readying himself.

  Rian lashed out at yet another bug as it landed on his forearm, careful to brush it away rather than slapping it. Male or female, Caeneus was definitely tougher than he had initially given him credit for. In the clearing, the pair started over. Caeneus’ reactions were even slower than they had been before. It was not long until Raysel drove for the shoulder again. Caeneus managed to deflect the blow with a glancing shot from his own sword and tried to dodge. This time he threw up his left hand to block the anticipated strike to his sword arm. Raysel landed the blow anyway, connecting first with Caeneus’ open palm and then once more to the upper arm. Caeneus dropped to his knees, and Raysel returned to the ready position, waiting.

  That was enough for Rian. He got back onto hands and knees and carefully crawled out the way he had come. Though it appeared to be cruel on the surface, Raysel’s behavior wasn’t really. It was the same method that any Ohanzee instructor would have used. It was a highly effective way to learn, but also very painful. Based on his observations, Rian knew one thing for sure. There was no way that Raysel would use that method of teaching if he knew that Caeneus was a girl. Either Caeneus was really the brother of the girl from the masquerade or her identity was being kept a secret from Raysel.

  *******************

  A little while later, Raysel called an end to the sparring practice. Nerissa dropped to the ground and sprawled on her back, staring up at the darkening sky. “That’s probably about the same color that my arm is going to be tomorrow,” she said wryly.

  Raysel walked over carrying his bag of supplies. He reached inside and pulled out a canteen of water for each of them. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I told you when we began training that I wouldn’t treat you differently than I would anyone else in the Ohanzee.”

  Nerissa sat up, wincing as she moved her arm. “I would not want it any other way, Raysel. I knew training would be difficult from the beginning.”

  “If I were to go easy on you, it could end up costing one or both of us our lives one day. That being said, if I have to cause you injury, then you will at least allow me to patch you up afterward.” Raysel reached into the bag again and began pulling out a bundle of cotton gauze and various salves.

  One corner of Nerissa’s lips quirked upward. “You tell me that after every practice,” she said. “One day I will be good enough that you won’t have to patch me up afterward.” She pulled the light outer tunic over her head with a groan, revealing the white sleeveless top she always wore. Wearing two layers made it easier for Raysel to treat her injuries. It made him feel better to attend to her wounds himself, and from Nerissa’s perspective, it saved them from having to see Ildiko after practice.

  “I look forward to that day,” Raysel replied. His brows furrowed together at the sight of her arm. It really was turning a deep shade of purple already. He sorted through the jars until he found the right one.

  “It feels good outside tonight. Why don’t we eat by the waterfall?” Nerissa suggested. Raysel gently smoothed the salve onto her upper arm. It produced a sensation that was simultaneously soothing and cooling. He followed with a generous application of a clear gel, the smell of which made Nerissa’s eyes water, and finished by wrapping the area in gauze.

  “That sounds good. It’s been too hot lately to spend any more time outside than we have to,” Raysel agreed. “Where else are you hurt?”

  Nerissa held out her left hand, where her palm and thumb were already puffy and swollen, and Raysel set about dutifully applying the salve.

  Chapter 22

  Full Moon

  Two pairs of sandals sat in a jumble at the base of one of the trees opposite the waterfall. Not far above them, among the leaves tinged red and yellow, dangled four bare feet. The aroma of food wafted through the air, mixing with the mossy scent of running water. The moon, now three-quarters full, illuminated the boxed dinners that Raysel and Nerissa held on their laps. The food was cold, having been packed by Ildiko earlier in the day. Nerissa smiled with pleasure as she took a bite of her chicken. The sauce, made with lemon and orange zest, was refreshing after a long day of training. The salve Raysel had put on her arm earlier also had a numbing effect, so while the pain was still there, it was dulled sufficiently enough that she could still enjoy her meal.

  “Ildiko never fails to make delicious meals,” Raysel said before stuffing the last forkful of herbed rice into his mouth.

  Nerissa snatched up the last piece of chicken. “I’ve eaten a lot of good food, and Ildiko’s cooking is definitely close to the best,” she agreed. She swung her feet and leaned back into the branch behind them contentedly, though gingerly.

  Their conversation was interrupted by a sudden yell—an unintelligible whooping—followed by a loud splash as something large hit the water. Not even a second later, an identical call echoed through the trees and another pale mass vaulted into the water.

  Nerissa blinked. It took some time for her to process what she had just seen. Those two men had appeared to be completely… She shook her head as if to clear the image. No, surely they wouldn’t have been.

  A moment later, however, her suspicions were confirmed when Raysel yelled out, “Put some clothes on you two! You’re not the only ones here, and I shouldn’t see a full moon for a few more days!”

  Nerissa st
ared down at the tray of food in her lap, studiously avoiding looking up at the pond again. “You’re ruining our appetite too!” Raysel added.

  Two heads bobbed up and down in the water as the pair swam toward Raysel and Nerissa. “It’s too hot for clothes tonight!” one called back.

  “What’s the harm? There aren’t any women around anyway,” the second one added.

  Raysel squeezed Nerissa’s good shoulder comfortingly. She laid her hand on top of his. “It’s fine, he’s right. As far as he knows at least,” she murmured.

  “It doesn’t matter,” he replied. “I don’t particularly enjoy the sight of their bare bottoms either.” Raysel put the lid back on his empty tray and slid it inside his bag. He hopped down from the tree as the two swimmers neared the shore in front of them.

  “Is that you, Raysel?” one asked.

  Nerissa dropped down beside Raysel. “Oh, the new guy is here too!” the second one said. He stood, having reached the shallow edge of the pond, and walked toward them.

  Nerissa’s eyes widened at the sight of him, and she whipped her head away to stare fixedly up at the sky.

  “For the last time, get back in the water! Neither one of us wants to see you naked!” Raysel said, exasperated.

  “I was going to introduce myself to Caeneus,” the first one complained, jumping back into the water with a splash.

  “That’s not exactly the proper way to introduce yourself, brother,” the second one scolded. He turned back to Nerissa and Raysel. “It’s alright, he’s decent enough again.”

  “Sorry, I wasn’t thinking,” the first one said sheepishly. He knocked on his skull and laughed. “It’s totally hollow sometimes.”

  “His might be, but mine isn’t,” the second one chimed in.

  Raysel sighed. “Caeneus, meet Cole and Eloc,” he said, gesturing to the pair, who were now standing in chest-height water.

  They waved back simultaneously and called out “Hello!” in eerie unison.

  “Good luck figuring out which one is which. No one in Darnal can tell for sure,” Raysel said.

  “Not even our mother,” the first twin chimed merrily. “And that’s how we like it.”

  “He’s Cole and I’m Eloc,” the second twin said. “If you’re ever in doubt, Cole is the one with the hollow noggin.”

  Cole huffed and folded his arms across his chest. “You shouldn’t be giving away our secrets,” he said, now pouting and sticking his tongue out at his brother.

  “Believe it or not, these two both specialize in hand-to-hand combat, but that isn’t their most valuable talent. Their family is known for being expert disguise specialists,” Raysel explained.

  “We can be anybody we want to be,” Eloc boasted.

  “Even women!” Cole added.

  Nerissa’s brows rose. That was quite an impressive—and useful—talent indeed. “Seems you two are more than just a couple of skinny-dipping goofballs,” she said.

  They both guffawed. “Oh, I like this new guy!” Cole said.

  “We work hard all day, so we deserve to have fun at night,” Eloc replied. “Want to swing off the rope with us?” he asked, pointing at a rope that dangled from a tree limb on the opposite side of the pond.

  “I-I-I’ll pass,” Nerissa stammered.

  Even in this dim light, Raysel could see that her face had turned bright red. “We need to be heading back now,” he told the twins.

  “We’ll be off then,” Cole said.

  “It was nice meeting you. See you around!” Eloc added. The pair turned at the same time and dove under the water. Two pairs of bare bottoms popped above the surface briefly before disappearing completely.

  At that sight, Nerissa spun away, rubbing her eyes. “Are all men that, ah, comfortable around one another?” she asked Raysel.

  He rubbed his forehead and chuckled uneasily. “No, those two are definitely a special case. I hope they didn’t shock you too much.”

  “I was just surprised. It’s not that I haven’t seen such a thing before,” she fibbed.

  Raysel gave her a sideways glance, one eyebrow raised. “That’s a surprise. You never showed a bit of interest in any of your noble suitors that I’m aware of.”

  Nerissa flushed crimson all the way to her ears. “You make it sound like I’m a prude, but you’re right,” she finally admitted. “I have definitely lived a sheltered life until now. I suppose in the future ‘Caeneus’ should not be quite as flustered as I am.”

  “I don’t think you’ll have too much to worry about. Those two are…” he paused, searching for the right word, “unique in many ways.” He squeezed Nerissa’s shoulder then reached up to fetch his bag from the branches. “Let’s hurry back,” he said as a splash and riotous laughter echoed behind them.

  Nerissa couldn’t agree more.

  *******************

  Raysel and Nerissa arrived at Einar and Ildiko’s home a little while later. Based on the number of shoes in the entryway and the rumble of voices from within, it seemed that Einar had visitors. Raysel followed Nerissa into the kitchen where Haku, Hania, and Einar were seated around the table. Ildiko nodded to them from where she stood behind the countertop island, drying dishes. The conversation paused momentarily as they entered, then continued after Einar motioned for the two to join them at the table. Raysel passed the table to walk over to Ildiko and fished their dinner boxes from his bag. He quietly thanked her for the delicious meal and then pulled a chair over to take a seat beside Nerissa. They both remained silent, waiting to be addressed first.

  “I agree that the twins would be a good choice for this mission,” Einar said. “A group of all men would be more conspicuous to any Senka present compared to a group of men and women.”

  “Yes, the twins’ ability to disguise themselves as females would be advantageous in this situation,” Haku replied.

  Hania propped his chin on his fist and turned to address Raysel and Nerissa. “We are preparing a mission,” he informed them. “Raysel, you will be the lead.”

  “What is our objective?” Raysel asked.

  “My informant, Erik, has been monitoring the movements of a woman in his village for many months. The woman, Shae, earns a living as a plant oil purifier but is also a renowned prophetess. Her behavior has been suspicious. As you may be aware, Queen Echidna was seen visiting Shae’s home the day before the attack. While the warning message was sent in the morning prior to Echidna’s visit, it is unclear whether or not the two had contact before then,” Hania explained.

  Nerissa’s eyes widened. She had heard mention of Erik’s observations several times now in reports from Hania but had been unaware of Shae’s direct connection to the attack until now. Beside her, Raysel curled and uncurled his fists, listening intently.

  “You think that Shae may have had prior knowledge of the attack and sent the message under the guise of a prophecy?” Raysel asked. He stilled his hands, but Nerissa could feel the floor vibrating slightly as he tapped his foot near hers beneath the table.

  “We can’t rule that out,” Haku replied. “It’s possible that Shae knew there was no way to get the message to Niamh in time. She and Echidna could have conspired that plan as a ruse to get Erik out of the village before Echidna’s visit.”

  “That would be very troubling. It would mean that Erik’s role as our informant has been compromised,” Raysel said slowly.

  “That is one possibility,” Einar answered. “On the other hand, she may have known ahead of time and betrayed Echidna by sending a warning. Or the prophecy could have been genuine just as she told Erik that day. We haven’t determined where Shae’s loyalties lie.”

  Raysel nodded. “Has there been continued contact with Echidna?” he asked.

  “Not that we are aware of,” Hania said. “However, several new pieces of information have come to light recently. Erik’s wife overheard a conversation between Shae and her daughter. The two of them were talking about going to the University Library to search for a book that conta
ins an ancient prophecy about Casimer.”

  Nerissa inhaled sharply. Erik’s wife must be quite an accomplished spy to have been able to obtain such detailed information.

  “Is this prophecy a message of some sort to help Casimer?” Raysel asked.

  “Unfortunately, we don’t know anything more about the nature of the prophecy,” Einar grumbled.

  “What we do know is that Shae and her daughter are planning to visit Niamh for the Fall Arts Festival at the University. As far as Erik has records, neither of them has ever been outside the village. Their sudden decision to attend the festival has to be related to their search for the book.”

  Nerissa’s thoughts immediately flew to Charis. Her friend seemed to know every book the University Library held. “Perhaps Charis would be of assistance to us in finding the book before they do,” she suggested.

  “Her knowledge may have been helpful under different circumstances,” Einar said. “There is a further complication, however. Casimer’s nephew, Amon, is a close contact of hers. He has been studying at the University for the last year.”

  “I know him,” Nerissa said.

  “It is possible that Amon is not merely studying at the University, but instead is there acting as an agent searching for the book or the prophecy under Casimer’s orders.”

  Nerissa exhaled and leaned back into her chair. She knew Amon—and liked him—despite Charis’ distrust of him. Perhaps Charis’ suspicions were not misplaced.

  “If Charis became involved, it could put her in a potentially dangerous situation,” Einar finished.