Glass Souls (Reflection Book 1)

by Clairisa Campbell

  “Our shadows here are just light being blocked, the definition you're used to. Before you ask, there would have been no way Luna could have been killed by her own shadow.”

  His voice caught on the word “killed.” It lingered in my head. I didn’t like the idea either. If we found out I was definitely Rayne, then did that mean Luna had been killed for sure? The thought left a bad taste in my mouth.

  Loic was glaring now. I looked away.

  "I'm sorry."

  "Don't worry about it,” he said shortly. “It’s an innocent question.”

  "You don't look like you believe that."

  "Rayne, just drop it,” he huffed.

  "Okay.” I sighed, trying to find a way to change the subject.

  Loic continued to lead the way down to the next door. He muttered something under his breath.

  “Even before Rakesh attacked, this place gave me the creeps."

  “It is awfully dark in here.”

  “Yeah.”

  “And endless.”

  “The endless part is a spell to protect the Light Weavers. Those who continue are viewed and only those they allow will reach the door. The first time I brought Luna in here we wandered twenty minutes because they wanted to know if she could see through the spell.”

  “And the darkness?”

  “I suppose it helps them read things better. Light Weavers are able to read lifelines of Reflections and Originals.”

  He pointed to the threads above us.

  I blinked. “That’s what those are? Lifelines?”

  “A representation of them. When a Reflection is born, they are linked to a thread that is given to the Light Weavers and from that, they read the Reflection’s magic potential and life path.”

  “So, like fates?”

  “Yeah. Many things that happen here seem to be mixed in your worlds mythologies.”

  “Could it be the other way around?” I blurted.

  He laughed. “Could be.”

  We heard an echoing cackle in the air. Loic moved, standing in front of me with his arm out.

  “It’s nice to see that we are still thought of after all these years," a woman's voice crackled.

  The hallway ended, and the door rushed up to meet us. My heart jumped with the walls’ sudden movement but Loic relaxed. He opened the door, and we stepped into the new room. This one was completely covered in glowing threads that met at the center.

  The room itself was large and circular. Three shapes were visible at its center.

  “Rayne.” Loic gestured me forward.

  I walked close to him, wary of this place, until we got to an inner circle pattern that surrounded the shapes. Three elderly women stood above us; their faces sealed with stitches. Each stitch seemed to be formed by a single glowing thread one thread sealing away certain parts of them. My muscles stiffened, and I inhaled, stopping myself from outwardly gasping. Holding in the fact that their appearance shocked me. Sadly, hiding it didn’t help how I felt. My skin tingled, and I could hear my heart beginning to race. I exhaled the breath I held and forced a calm to wash over me. Compared to what I felt running from formless earlier, being afraid of what these women looked like seemed silly. I stared forward and continued to look over the figures.

  “Don’t be afraid child. Come closer.” The voice paused. “Rayne Higgins.”

  I froze. How did she know my name?

  The voice continued. “I know this may seem strange, but we mean you no harm. We just need a good look at you.”

  I was still locked into place. The one who spoke to me came forward and pulled me into the light, grabbing at the thread that was attached to her. She had one eye partly open and the edges of her lips sealed shut. She looked much older than the other two.

  “These threads are our own,” she spoke. “They are weaved to give us no end.”

  So, they were stitched up like that to give them eternal life? Weird.

  Would Luna had to have done the same thing? I’d guess eternal life might have been worth that, but my fear wouldn’t allow me to accept such a deal. The other two Light Weaver’s mouths were fully sewn shut. One had both of her eyes open, sealed at the edges. She looked at me with sad, tired eyes. The only thing they all had in common was their long white hair that dragged behind them as they approached. Some of the strands rested on the glowing threads, giving the women spider like silhouettes.

  I soon noticed that each of them had spindles of thread in each of their hands. Some of the spindles reflected light and some gave off light.

  “Ah, if it isn't our..." She stopped and thought. “No. It's the princess's’ body, but the Base’s soul."

  Loic froze. His eyes dulled, and his chin and shoulders stooped. I looked at him, but he wouldn’t make eye contact with me.

  “Ah, you guessed this was the case, boy.”

  Why would she say that? He confronted me about believing I was Luna. She’s saying he had doubts this whole time.

  “Loic?”

  His fists clenched, and he glared at her. His stance now firm like he was ready for a fight.

  “The princess, what happened to her? Where is Luna's soul?" His voice had a sounded monotone, like angry. Like he was choking back what he really wanted to say.

  Each of the women behind the speaker pulled out one of each thread. To the left, a glowing thread; to the right, a reflecting thread.

  “Both souls created at once on the sacred day of the dark moon..."

  A new moon? Mom might have mentioned that but thinking back on it, Chase also said I was born three months before Luna. How was it the same day? I thought about it and a small memory came back to me. I remembered Mom saying I was born prematurely and then it hit me. The day I was supposed to be born must have been when Luna was born. Maybe that's how these links worked. It was predetermined but didn’t include birth complications.

  Everyone was staring at me. Was I thinking out loud? I swiped my hand over my face and felt a few tears. Why was I tearing up? Relief? Fear? Guilt? I wasn’t sure. I wiped my eyes and focused back on the woman as she continued her story.

  “Separated, yet, joined. A shadow ensnares one. Fate ensnares the other... "

  The reflective string was pulled out of the bundle further. By the time it freed itself, it was revealed that it was much shorter than the glowing string being pulled from the other bundle. Loic gritted his teeth, understanding what that meant.

  “The one snared in the shadow is snuffed out."

  Loic’s face darkened.

  “Tihsllub!!” Loic yelled. He raked his fingers back through his hair. His face twisted in frustration, anger, and sorrow

  “She can’t be dead. You trained her in the arts of magic. How could she just be gone?”

  “You would do well to be silent, boy,” the woman's voice was firm.

  Loic grunted clenching his fists. “Luna was stronger than that. She was...”

  “EW. DIAS. ECNELIS!” The three women said in unison. Many of the strings they held wrapped around Loic and pushed him back against the wall.

  My mouth opened, wanting to call out to him, but I stayed silent. I didn’t want to be caught as well.

  “It can’t be.” Loic winced, as the threads seemed to get tighter against his struggling.

  The lead woman approached him, wrapping a single reflective strand around his neck.

  “The guilt in your past has blinded you, not that you could ever see to begin with. Even the strongest can pass unexpectedly. Yes, the princess was indeed strong, but she was also a child. An infant in the pool of time.”

  She looked at him sternly. His face remained furious.

  “You too are merely a child in the grand scheme of things.”

  Finally, Loic looked down at the threads entrapping him.

  “Face the truth child. This is the truth as we see it.”

  I turned to the women as they shifted positions to look directly at me.
/>   “The princess, Luna Thgilniar was killed by Rakesh Krad. Her soul shattered, unable to pass on. Ceasing to exist as she was."

  My heart dropped. I wasn't sure why, but a terrible pain came over me. Then, I remembered a part of my forgotten past. A truck crashing. I had been lying on the forest floor when I was ten. I jumped with a strangled gasp. The women all turned my direction.

  “The day the Original lost her memory was the day of Luna's destruction. Those events happening simultaneously bound them. Now the Original can inhabit both bodies.”

  Loic stayed silent. I couldn't help but speak.

  “How is this possible? I've never been to this place before a few days ago. If we were bound, then why didn't this happen when I was a child?"

  “It is your fear of mirrors, child. You stayed far from our grasp, far from the magic of this world. You were never in close enough contact. You were too far to be reached or found."

  "So, I was afraid of mirrors before the accident?"

  "Yes. Only Luna knew who you were, but instead of drawing you closer she kept you from mirrors. She appeared as a ghost to you to keep you safe. We couldn’t find you, and neither could the enemy."

  “Rakesh couldn’t find me?” Had he been hunting me all this time?

  “Exactly. Magic is a useful tool for both allies and enemies. Those who have magic can be tracked by others with magic as easily as humans breathe.”

  "So, she knew Rayne would be in danger?” Loic chimed in. “Even as a child?"

  The woman tugged the strings back and Loic was freed. After calmly speaking, it seemed he earned his freedom. He landed and kept his eyes on the strings until they rejoined the bundles in the women’s hands. He then rejoined me, his mismatched eyes watching the women warily.

  "Luna had always had the gift of insight. But as a young girl, she couldn't use it well. She only felt dread and pain coming to Miss Rayne. So, she kept her safe. Her powers and connection stayed hidden. However, when the Formless found you, Rayne, your powers were awakened to protect you, with Chase’s help."

  “Wait, so I always had powers”

  “There are a few Originals that do. In your case, the ability to see Formless is one you’ve always had. Seeing shadows just out of view, hearing things, feeling like you are being watched. These are all things that show you’ve had potential. Then there was the second Formless attack.”

  “So, I really did…beat them?”

  “Yes, you did.”

  I stepped back. I actually did it?

  “And you mentioned Chase helping earlier?” I asked

  Loic put in, "Chase was an adviser to the king. He was Luna's direct guardian. He knew what I was going to say in the museum about the princess—About you possibly being her Original. During that first attack I felt something. A similar, I guess pull that Luna’s magic had. But Chase silenced me. It wasn’t safe to be voicing such observations until we knew for sure.”

  So, Chase had believed Loic after all? If he did, he was good at hiding it.

  “And why wasn’t it known earlier.” I asked switching my gaze towards both Loic and the weavers, asking them all the question.

  “We believed Luna’s Original was dead, to be honest. There are ceremonies to locate them at birth but when no one was compatible that day, we gave up. Royalty does not leave Mirror Image so there was no danger of a paradox. Luna hid you even from all of us. If we would have known you existed, we would have to protect both of you, but then Rakesh would have found you sooner.” Loic admitted, shrugging his shoulders.

  The Light Weaver women stepped near us. "Rakesh is still aware of the existence of this girl. He will come after her. We will inform Chase. He still has ties here even after his exile."

  Loic nodded and he bowed his head at me. "I will protect you, Rayne. As long as you have a connection to Princess Luna, I will not let him lay hands on you. I swear on my duty as a knight."

  Shock filtered through me. That was an intense promise. Did connections fade over time? Or did Loic mean forever? I wasn't sure what to say. My thoughts were interrupted as a hand full of strings wrapped around me, and the woman, at the center of the other two, pulled me close. I hid my shaking to try and not seem rude, but she didn’t react. She pulled me up and whispered in my ear.

  "You have something he wants.” One of the strings that gently wrapped me broke off from the group and wrapped around the crystal around my neck. The clear thread got brighter as it reflected the light now coming off of the stone. The woman tugged the string back and spoke again. “Rakesh Krads desires are set, Be careful lass."

  "What does he want?"

  "If we say he will only find it sooner. Even this place could have shadows lurking. Now, take flight and be wary, child."

  "Wary of what?"

  The woman showed me the strings in her hands. I felt a tug on my heart. The strings felt familiar. I wasn't sure how, but I could tell they were mine and Lunas. Both of the strings turned black, and a third string appeared. I didn't understand what that meant, but my heart still skipped a beat with fear. This fear was the same as when I saw a mirror. Tears filled my eyes, and I looked away up at the woman.

  "Be wary of your own darkness."

  I felt the wind get knocked out of me. Then I was being moved backward. My vision blurred, and I heard Loic call out to me. But his voice faded. The last thing I felt was falling into mud and then darkness.

  That darkness was replaced with the water of the in-between.

  I opened my eyes and saw the shadow again. All menace and danger.

  “I will find it.” His voice echoed.

  What was he looking for? What did it have to do with me?

  “I will break through. I will…”, he paused and looked around. “Someone’s here.”

  I froze. Did he know I was here? He looked my way but didn’t react to looking directly at me.

  “No, perhaps not.”

  He couldn’t see me? I wanted to speak. My attempt only got me a mouthful of water.

  ‘Who are you?’ I mouthed, and the shadow froze, the shadow spoke plain English this time, similarly to Isha who rarely seemed to speak backward around me, or like chase and Loic who only seemed to speak backwards to keep conversations between themselves.

  “Who am I?” he answered. Looking around for me and the reaction change.

  “This place is full of lost souls; I suppose I am among them.”

  A lost soul? The shadow seemed to shift.

  The phrase from before came back. Thgin Rorrim echoed through my mind

  I unwittingly repeated it out loud. “Thgin Rorrim.”

  The shadow turned, looking around again and still not pinpointing my location. I could speak to him? Weird.

  The shadow spoke. “Mock me all you wish. I will find it and break through. No fellow lost spirit will dissuade me.”

  With that sentence, he vanished, and the pressure of the water overtook me.

  ~

  When I awoke, I was in the museum's spare room, once again as myself. Chase stood over me and blocked my view of the left side of the room.

  "Sorry, Rayne. You are afraid of mirrors still. I figured you wouldn't care for Loic’s grand entrance."

  "Stop babying her old man. I'm back."

  I looked at Loic. He was soaking wet from head to toe. Chase threw a towel at him.

  “Welcome back. I trust you’ll clean up the mud you tracked in.”

  “Of course!” He dried himself off a bit. “Give me a break old man, I just walked in.”

  "Great time to pass out princess." He muttered.

  Chase glared at him.

  "Loic, silence. It wasn't her fault. The Light Weavers can be forceful with their magic."

  "Yeah, yeah. You didn't have to carry her through the mud." He winced. “The steeds didn't appreciate the dirt either by the way.”

  “So that’s what took you so long.” Chase scoffed.

  “Proud
creatures, not wanting to get their scales dirty.”

  Chase turned to me. "Care for any tea, Rayne?"

  "No, thank you.” I paused for a moment as Chase met my eyes. I mumbled, “So, we have our answer now.”

  “Yes. We know you are Rayne, without a doubt. From what the Light Weavers sent me; it seems Luna saw this coming."

  Loic tossed his shoes off near the mirror, drawing my attention. “Why didn't Luna tell us? Why couldn't you read what she was doing at least? Damn it, Chase! You were with her every day and you read minds."

  "With direct eye contact, may I add. We couldn't make eye contact with royalty. Remember that Loic."

  "Such a stupid rule. We could have protected her."

  "Loic.” Chase’s voice was iron. “The damage is done."

  "It's like she never existed. I'm sure they told you. Luna’s soul shattered. She didn't even make it to the afterlife. She's…” He stopped, his voice straining. “She's only a memory."

  His fists tightened, and he pressed his lips together, trying to calm himself down. My heart ached for him. Loic continued to pace. Chase rose to reach to him, only to be smacked away.

  “Loic, I know how you feel.”

  “How, old man? I was her bodyguard. I was supposed to take care of her, and I screwed up and now… Now I'm just supposed to accept that she's gone? That's the really messed up part of all this.”

  Chase watched him with a frown. Before he could speak, Loic started up again.

  “You and those old hags, you're just so calm about this. Doesn't it bother you at all?”

  “Of course, it does, Loic.”

  “Then why am I the only one saying how screwed up this all is? Luna’s gone! I promised her I would protect her.”

  He punched the wall and muttered something to himself. I didn't hear the words, but I knew what was happening.

  I'm sorry Luna. Echoed in my head, in Loic's voice.

  My heart sank. I felt horrible for him. He was consumed with the regret of not being able to help someone they cared for.

  I wished I could help him feel better. I wasn’t sure how, but I could do was try. I stood and tapped Loic on the shoulder. He glanced at me.

  "Loic. I’m sorry about Luna, but she protected me when she could have let me die and protect herself. She must have had a reason."