Mirror Realm

by Jenn Nixon

  “I know you don’t trust me, so, whatever you have to ask, ask.” Jack rounded the shelf and paused in front of the counter. Zorin remained on the other side looking into his eyes again, wishing they seemed familiar, but easily saw the pain and suffering he carried. The man shook his head. “You look exactly the same as I remember.”

  “This form doesn’t age.”

  “Damn, I…I had no idea.” Jack pressed his hands together and tapped his chin. “Odds are likely one of you will remember me, soon. I’m sorry….you first. Ask your questions.”

  Protecting Rune and Cyndra and if his story turned out true, Jack, was his only task. His only mission. The one thing he could do properly. Zorin nodded, forming the first of a dozen questions he had in mind, ready to interrogate and vet him thoroughly before he set eyes on either caster again. “What do you remember before the flare?”

  “Almost everything, my childhood, parents dying during that last big fight in New York. Silvio and Evie arguing about whether or not to give me my mother’s crystal. I remember the guard leaving to stop Mergan’s army. You telling me to be strong the last time you took me flying,” Jack said, running a hand over his forehead. “I didn’t want to leave them.”

  “Silvio knew keeping you apart was the safest way for you to grow up,” Zorin said, realizing this wasn’t an interrogation, rather a reunion and homecoming and he needed to treat it as such. Jack had all the right names and events. He wasn’t soulless and spoke the truth. “Do you remember the flare, Jack?”

  “Yes.” He nodded and shut his eyes. “And the…”

  Zorin shuddered. “You saw the bomb?”

  “I was playing with the young ones, Rune, another little boy, and a girl who looked like Cyndra. I rushed them all into the lighthouse when I saw the flare. I shut the door just as the cloud rose—”Jack sighed into his hands. “Sorry. It’s not easy, seeing some of these memories again.”

  “I understand, caster, all too well.”

  “Then you believe me?” His hands fell and his glazy eyes brightened then widened. Although he was a few years older than Rune and Cyndra, he had the same youthful caster appearance and spirit.

  “Yes, I do,” Zorin said, extending his hand and trust with the crystal bond.

  Jack clasped his hand and smiled.

  Zorin, unable to recognize Jack’s lineage via his casting power, at least confirmed he was a caster by sensing it.

  “Good, because I’ve got plenty of questions too and—”

  “Rune and Cyndra will be back soon.”

  “I have to remember to thank her for the food. Kyle always talked about how kind she was, suggested I meet her, but I never did.” Jack sighed, glancing toward the privacy curtain.

  Tension filled Zorin’s neck. “Why not?”

  “Guess I didn’t want to encroach on his friendship with her. No one wants his dad hanging out with their friends.”

  “He is your child? That’s how he saw me,” Zorin said, but Jack shook his head.

  “I adopted him. He’s a siphon.” Jack rubbed the back of his neck, this time turning toward the exit. “I struggled with telling him after I realized what he was. If no one else remembers I don’t see the harm…”

  Zorin pressed his lips together and sighed. “There’s much we need to talk about. I’ll call the others and bring you up to speed, the story is long and difficult.”

  “I’m certain I know most of it, Zorin, but I need to know the rest. Tell me everything.”

  Hating the fact that he had to tell another caster the harsh truth of what Mergan and the humans had done to the earth, and what awaited them on the island, Zorin leaned back against Cyndra’s counter, projected his message to her and Rune, and then proceeded to tell Jack the grim details.

  Cyndra walked out of the village centerhall with an offer in her hand and a dagger in her back. The council offered more than she expected yet nowhere near what her trailer was worth on the fair market. Dealing with autocrats was never fair. Their way or no way when it came to Turner’s Village regardless of the good one did for the community as a whole.

  She folded the sheet of paper and looked up to the sundial atop the only religious building in the village to see she had almost two hours until sunset. Two hours to make up her mind, sign the contract, and deliver it to the postmaster for notary and say goodbye to the village.

  She needed to stall a little longer. Not enough time passed since almost getting what she needed from Zorin. Her greedy libido wasn’t satisfied. Her power wanted out too. One of them was going to win. And soon. She knew which one she preferred, but it seemed unlikely.

  As she shoved the offer in her front pocket, Rune came around the bakery on the opposite corner, seeing her through the thinning market crowd. The nearer it got to dark, the fewer people lingered.

  I just met ‘Jack’, Rune projected, making air quotes as he approached.

  “Not buying his story?”

  Rune shrugged. First Tulli then Jack appears.

  “Seems a bit wishy-washy to me, too.”

  Zorin’s talking to him now. We shouldn’t leave them alone too long.

  “I’m sure we’d know by now if there was trouble,” Cyndra said, shrugging, already seeing where this was heading. Jack was the same caster from the journal. Here, in her village, the entire time.

  You ready to head back? Seems like you’re still jittery.

  She nodded, leading the way to the alley she liked to use to bypass the locals, hoping the extra-long walk would shake awake the jitters. Halfway to the main drag where she kept her trailer, Zorin’s voice echoed through her head, which brought them right back to the surface. When Rune glanced over, she figured he heard it too.

  Guess we have another caster on our side.

  “Yeah, seems like,” she said, slowing her pace.

  What’s the matter now?

  “I thought it was worse when something just felt familiar, feeling nothing is—” Cyndra stopped and rubbed her cheek. “I know there’s nothing I can do, I’m just overwhelmed right now.”

  I can’t imagine how you feel, but I’m happy to help however I can.

  “Right now just keep me cool, all right? I almost blew my top before.”

  Rune lifted his brow.

  “Got angry. I have some books in the trailer you need to read.” Cyndra crunched her hands into fists to keep her powers from stirring the closer she got to Zorin. Every time she did, her fire seemed to taunt her, heating her cheeks simply because she thought of him. She didn’t know how she was going to keep a lid on her energy the next time he stared at her with his invasive eyes.

  Cyndra paused when she reached her neighbor’s trailer and took a deep breath trying to settle her power. Rune, unaware of her internal fight, walked into the trailer then held the door for her.

  She followed Rune into the shop, where Jack and Zorin were standing and chatting quietly. The gargoyle’s eyes locked on hers, shooting shocks down her spine. Cyndra glanced at Jack instead, only to see his warm, genuine, smile.

  “Hi,” he said, lifting his watercaster hand.

  “Pleasant afternoon,” she replied automatically as if he were a customer in her shop.

  Zorin leaned against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest. “I’ve filled him in on just about everything. I think he’s the Jack from the journal.”

  “Keaton?” Cyndra said, frowning when she realized she said it aloud.

  “What?” Jack looked between her and Zorin, confused, and then turned to Rune. “What’s Keaton?”

  It may be your family name. Mine’s Maelstrom. I didn’t remember either.

  Jack sighed and shrugged. “The most important things seem to be the last gaps filled.”

  Cyndra and Rune both nodded.

  “Evie didn’t know if all our memories would return, it was her biggest regret,” Zorin said, catching Cyndra’s eye and tilting his head toward Jack.

  She didn’t know what to say. Nothing would make up for what h
er grandparents had done. “I’m really sorry.”

  Everyone’s face dropped.

  For what? Rune said, frowning.

  “For everything they did…the good may not outweigh the bad, but I’m going to try to fix it,” Cyndra said, clasping her hands together as an added precaution. Keeping her attention on Rune and Jack helped too. “Evie shouldn’t have altered the wraiths. Innocent people are in that mirror because of her, including my own cousin. The new casters are in danger and may not even know it. We’re lucky they didn’t get you, Jack. And because of Silvio, no one knows the truth about what happened. On top of that, the barriers they put up made things worse. They made everything worse.”

  “Think you have that backward, firebug. If it weren’t for your grandpar—”

  “What did you call me—” Cyndra gasped and stepped back as the memory of Jack swinging her in the field on the island flashed in her head. Next, a flood came rushing into her mind. “Jack-Jack?”

  Jack’s eyes turned glassy as he nodded. “Please tell me you remember.”

  “I…” Cyndra approached him slowly, trying to ignore Zorin’s cool stare on the back of her head. When she looked into Jack’s dark brown eyes, most of her time on the island became clearer in her mind. Cyndra nodded, threw her arms around him, and squeezed. “I do.”

  She remembered lying in the fields looking at the stars. Chasing her father around the lighthouse and playing with Pristy, Rune, and Jack. As he hugged back, Zorin cleared his throat, while Rune just stared and smiled.

  “I can’t believe you were here this whole time,” Jack said softly. “So weird.”

  “Been super weird the past couple weeks.” Cyndra chuckled and leaned back slightly, glancing to Rune. “My time on the island is coming back.”

  That’s great, Cyndra, Rune said, smiling.

  “Good for Jack, yeah, I’m not suspicious of him anymore, but I don’t remember anything that can help us.”

  “Help you what?” Jack asked.

  “Find the remaining caster mentioned in Evie’s journal,” Zorin added. “You were only left with the crystal no letter?”

  “Yes, Silvio was certain I’d remember enough after his energycast faded and the shield dropped,” Jack replied, rubbing his thumb over the brand on his right hand. “By the time I remembered you, you had gone. I’m not strong enough to find anyone. I don’t remember my lessons yet.”

  We have the journal back on the island, it has plenty of instruction.

  Cyndra nodded, grinning at Rune. “We’ve had the crash course, right?”

  “Quite,” Zorin said, trying to catch her eye.

  Instead, she ducked behind the deli counter, searched the remaining stock of juice boxes, and pulled out enough to share. “Thirsty?”

  “Thanks,” Jack said as she tossed him a fruit punch.

  Cyndra handed another to Rune and gave Zorin the last apple juice. When his fingers grazed hers, the excitable energy slipped through their bond. His cheeks darkened. She swallowed and spun around, cracking open the drink flap and taking a huge sip. At least he was keeping his promise to leave the siphon open, though, she wasn’t offering much.

  “How many casters are left?” Jack glanced around the group. Rune shrugged, finished his juice while Zorin continued to stare at her from across the room.

  “Not sure,” Cyndra sighed. “Pristy, my cousin, is in the mirror along with another male caster we saw a few days back.”

  “Those wraiths you mentioned?” Jack eyed Zorin who nodded in response.

  “We were heading to the Southzone to look for you and a girl named Tulli Chan. Ring a bell?”

  “Sorry, no.”

  Rune sighed then she frowned at his frown. I know you don’t want to go—

  “We have enough caster power to remove all the barriers—”

  “How?” Zorin asked, staring her down.

  “From the mirror,” Cyndra finished. “All five elements are here.”

  “No.” Zorin shook his head. “I’m not a caster anymore, Cyndra.”

  “Bunk,” she said, shaking her head. “Fine then, we go find Tulli, because I’m sure one more caster with half a memory is going to help me decide to do what we all know is the only thing we can do.”

  “Which is?” Jack asked.

  “Let everyone out of the mirror and deal with the consequences.”

  It’s not the only thing we can do and you know it, Rune projected, shaking his head then turned to Jack and Zorin. Going into the mirror is still a better idea than anything else we’ve come up with including going to the Southzone.

  “I wanted to send notes.”

  “We would not have found Jack with a note,” Zorin said, drawing her ire.

  “What about the other casters?” Jack glanced over.

  “We only know about Tulli in the south. Hopefully, she’s still there, you’re obviously not,” she answered, needing to make a final decision on way or another.

  “The rest, we have no knowledge of their location,” Zorin finished.

  We go south. Rune voted.

  Zorin nodded.

  “Southzone it is,” Cyndra mumbled, shoving her hand into her pocket and pulling out her four hundred dollar buyout offer. “We’ll have enough to get there.”

  “When are you leaving?” Jack asked.

  “Probably not until tomorrow, I want to see Milo and Freddie before I leave and need to rent something that’ll fit the three of us.”

  “Four, but if you wait until the afternoon, I can get us on a private train car on a cargo haul. Straight through to SZ, three hours shorter than a commuter train.”

  Really? Rune’s eyes lit up.

  Cyndra blinked. “You want to go with us?”

  “Of course.” Jack grinned.

  “Just like that?”

  Jack smirked and chuckled before shaking his head. “I’ve known I was different my whole life, Cyndra. Remembering everything these last few weeks, remembering all of you, it’s like finding that missing piece, finding my home again.”

  “Same thing Rune said,” she blurted, trying to shake the blush from her cheeks when everyone stared at her. Cyndra glanced down at the offer in her hand. Even if they didn’t need the funds, she’d didn’t want to live in the village anymore, another caster being here didn’t change that. “This is dangerous, with real risks. You’re sure you want to come with us, Jack?”

  “I’m sure.”

  With a hopeful Rune at her side, Cyndra caved, knowing she couldn’t stall anymore. “I’m okay with taking a train. You guys?”

  Rune glanced at Zorin who nodded, since he usually went along with whatever they wanted.

  “Then it’s settled.”

  “Once I see Kyle off—”

  “Yeah, about that. How do you know him?”

  “He’s my kid,” Jack replied, grinning.

  “No way.”

  “Adopted.” Jack shrugged. “I wanted to pay it forward. Found him in a group home just like mine found me. There was an instant bond between us. Even though I didn’t know what made me different until recently, I figured he was the same. Since I’ve awakened, though, I know he’s a siphon. Haven’t told him, yet.”

  “Might be best, he’s going to training and there won’t be any casters there,” Cyndra said, sharing a look with Zorin.

  “Very true. I should get back, go through the gift you offered and help him finish packing. You’ll be here in the morning, promise? I remember how you liked to run off to explore.”

  Cyndra blushed and nodded. “We’ll be here.”

  Jack swallowed her in another warm, friendly hug, and then shook hands with Rune before eyeing Zorin and offering to shake. “I’m really happy you’re all here.”

  “The feeling is mutual.” Zorin attempted an authentic smile, shook hands.

  Cyndra knew it wasn’t, but Jack beamed in response before winking over at her while heading to the exit.

  Well, I’m glad this one’s legitimate. Rune leaned
against the deli counter and rubbed his eyes. We really needed another ally.

  “I agree. I only wish I could remember him,” Zorin said, meeting her eyes.

  “I wasn’t on the island very long, six months maybe? He was the oldest, automatic babysitter. I think Rune was the youngest.”

  Did he remember the flare? Rune, who still couldn’t recall it, luckily, asked. Zorin nodded, holding back something since he wasn’t answering only gesturing.

  “Keep talking to him, maybe something will trigger memories like it did me,” Cyndra offered as she collected the empty juice boxes and tossed them in the half-full wastebasket behind the main counter. She turned to Rune, handing him some of the dollars from her other pocket. “I do want to clean this place up so…maybe you can get us something to eat? Only two choices really during the week, whatever’s on barbeque or the sandwich cart. Most restaurants here don’t open until the weekend.”

  Sure, Rune said, not once arguing, and heading for the door like a good friend.

  Cyndra watched him go and waited for the door to click shut before she glanced back to an empty shop and sleeping room. Knowing the distance would help both her and Zorin right now, she didn’t contact him or use her powers despite wanting him near, hoping she could get enough done before the next problem arose.

  Chapter 6

  Soaring over Turner’s Village for the second time, Zorin was certain no other casters were in the area. He couldn’t be sure of the siphons, not in this form, he only detected crystals, casters, and the creatures Mergan had transformed. The voluntary search distracted him enough to clear his thoughts and right his mind. Easing the stress from his body, he glided through the air, circling back toward the forest behind the market where Cyndra kept her trailer, letting the thought of her warm his chest.

  Despite all the extra information and a new caster to worry about, Zorin always returned to Cyndra. Her desires were as dark as his were. Removing the image of the lust in her eyes out of his mind seemed as impossible as forgetting the feel of her skin, the power of her touch, or her wild words. They shared the same internal strife. Cyndra felt it more and suffered worse. Her lack of a caster education forced her powers to manifest through her emotions, a dangerous method of casting, even for the strongest of their people. Zorin had to help her, not tempt her, and that’s exactly what he’d done when he broke his promise and touched her in the trailer. He couldn’t cave again.