Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 89023 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 445(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89023 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 445(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
“Look into the mirror, Ryet. Stare at yourself.” He does this, not even blinking. “Now close your eyes and imagine the good part of you. The light, the part that holds your soul.”
Ryet, Lucia, and I had a long discussion about the wording of our spell. Which is what this is, which makes it evil in and of itself and I hate that, but why split hairs now? I’m a witch, that’s all there is to it.
We don’t think we have souls, but we feel like we do. And we’re gonna hold on to that feeling. That’s how I split myself in half and I guess I can thank Paul for that idea because that’s the lie he told us so we would go into the Guild dreamwalk while those scions fed on us.
And it worked. At least I believe it did. And belief is a big part of magic, so Lucia has told me. I am the keeper of my soul. That other me, the one I sent into the endless scarlet mist with the baby, she’s just a husk with the evil inside her.
I am good, and pure, and filled with light.
I got that part from Ryet because he filled up with light when he ate the Darkness, which has to mean something, we’re just not sure what.
“Did you find it?”
Ryet nods. “Yeah.”
“OK. Now find the ugly, evil, dark part and push it away.”
I look into the mirror now, and I watch as the reflection of Ryet steps backwards. “Keep sending it,” I say. “Make it keep going.” And then I continue watching as that other Ryet steps back, and back, and back until it’s hidden in the blood-colored magic.
Ryet, the one on this side of the mirror, lets out a breath. “That’s it?”
I shrug. “I guess.”
“How do we know it won’t come back?”
I extend the mirror out towards Lucia, who is waiting off to my right. “Because it’s trapped in there now. On the other side of things. And Lucia is gonna take this mirror with her when she leaves, so…” I look at Lucia. “It’s your problem now.”
I say it kind of jokingly, but she’s looking at me with a very serious expression. “Thank you.”
“For giving you all the evil in existence? You’re most welcome.”
“I’ll take good care of it. I promise. And if you ever need it back—”
I put up a hand. “I won’t. Trust me. I’m here for the duration and I won’t be splitting myself apart ever again.” I slip my arms around Ryet’s waist and lean up onto my tiptoes. “Whatever happens now, it’s us against them.” Then I kiss him. We linger in this kiss for a little bit, but my work is not done, so I pull back first. “I’ll see you in bed in a few minutes.”
“You’re sure you don’t want me to stay?”
I shake my head. “No. This is just a place for Lucia and me.”
“OK. See you at home.” He still looks like demon Ryet, but we’re in the mist so it kinda makes sense.
I watch as he fades away, and then Lucia and I are alone. I turn to her and smile. “Your turn now. Are you ready?”
She is. I know she is, but she looks uncharacteristically nervous. And I completely understand how she feels. It’s that second-guessing you get when you make a really big, life-changing decision and you’re just about to go through with it when you start doubting yourself.
I’ve felt this way more times than I can count.
“It’s the right move,” I say, smiling at her.
Lucia doesn’t look convinced. “But I’m not you.”
“Nope. But I still think they’ll love you. I mean, look at it this way, Lucia. You’ve got all the dirt. All the tea, girl. You’ve got all the latest news. And they know nothing. They’ve been living in their little dreamwalk ice castle for thousands of years. They’re starving for outside information. They have to be. How could they not?”
Lucia shrugs up a shoulder. “They’ve evolved past petty gossip and the corrupt human consciousness?”
I scoff. “They wish.” Which makes her smile. “They’re dying for news. And you were there. First-person account. And how could they not want news of me? I mean, I get it. I’ve been gone for thousands of years. Maybe they don’t remember how they got there, but if I were them, I’d keep that story alive. You’re the epilogue they’ve been waiting for. They’ll probably worship you before all the excitement’s over.”
Lucia spits out a laugh. “Great. That’s all I need. Pseudo-god status.”
But she smiles and I know that all my encouragement helped. So I extend my hand and she takes it. Then she holds up the mirror and we both gaze into it.
The next thing I know, we’re there. Back in that same dreamwalk she took me to. But thousands of years in the future.