by Alex H Singh
“Wh… who are you?” Esther Anna asked.
The girl swooped down closer and when she tried to speak, she could not hear her.
“What did you say?” The apparition seemed friendly, but Esther Anna kept her guard up. She couldn’t help but notice the girl’s lack of wings, and her legs ended in a wisp of smoke.
“Help… me! Can… hea… me?” The girl’s voice cut through the air, but only some of her words came through.
Esther Anna’s eyes widened as she heard the girl’s voice come through. She nodded and gestured with her hands that she was able to hear her. “Yes? I can hear you, but only partially. W-What are you trying to say, and who are you?”
“An…Ca..ly. My name…Anah…ly.”
Her eyebrows furrowed. Why couldn’t she hear her clearly? The eerie glow of her necklace pulsed slightly. She thought this was all a dream; It didn’t seem real at all. She took a deep breath and listened again.
“Carly. My name is Anah Carly.”
“Anah Carly?” She repeated. “Your name is Anah Carly.”
The girl lit up with excitement as she nodded, and the glow from both her form and the necklace was brighter than ever.
“Okay. Anah. What are you doing here? Are…are you a ghost?” Esther Anna asked.
The girl shook her head and spoke, and the glow around her dimmed significantly, the light in tune with her mood. She seemed rather upset. “I used to work as a maid in the palace of Tibethia. I worked for Princess Noelle LaChance.”
As she said this, Esther Anna’s shoulders fell. She remembered that night vividly, when she saw that maid hanging upside down over the tub. Precise cuts…so much blood. This girl’s story didn’t have a happy ending.
“I was in her room cleaning. She suddenly came in and dismissed the guards. She touched my head, and I lost consciousness. When I came to, I was tied. I was hanging upside down over a bathtub and the princess stood there with a knife in her hand. I screamed for help. I worked in the palace long enough to know that sound carried down the halls—but somehow, no one could hear me. No one came to my rescue. I don’t know how long it all took…but it felt like an eternity…”
Esther Anna’s head bowed slightly in sadness at the girl’s story. She felt an ache in her body as if she could feel her pain.
“Then she cut me. She drained my blood into the tub and proceeded to bathe in it. I think she used it in a spell…a ritual, to maintain her youth. I don’t know how, but I was trapped inside the necklace… your necklace… and have travelled with it ever since. I tried many times to call out to you, but you couldn’t hear me.”
The queen nodded, mournfully. It irked her to know that Talia wasn’t the first victim of Noelle’s evil schemes and spells, and she felt terrible for the spirit of Anah Carly, for having suffered the same fate. Not to mention, her soul was trapped inside the necklace…It made her sick to think about what might have happened to Anah if she hadn’t taken the necklace from Noelle. Her spirit would have been lost, wandering forever. Noelle probably didn’t notice that it was missing at all.
She took a deep breath in and exhaled heavily. It was strange that Esther Anna was able to accept the presence of spirits faster than she could with magic—but she was also prone to believing in being watched over by her mother and brother, so ghosts and spirits weren’t too far off for her beliefs.
The thought of Noelle killing the young women for their youthful blood disturbed her. Her father was a kind and loving man, yet his daughter had turned out to be so evil.
“That’s not all.” Anah Carly said.
The queen arched an eyebrow. There’s more?
“Yes…” Anah Carly nodded, though she still seemed grim over it all. “After she was done with me, she did something else. The princess healed the wound she inflicted upon me and she chanted…she spoke words I didn’t recognize, a spell, perhaps…and then she cut me loose. There was a secret space inside her room. A room within a room, a table etched with strange inscriptions and markings. My body was placed on that table…and then, she left.”
A room within a room? Esther Anna raised her eyebrows. Why murder someone and then heal their corpse? Did Noelle keep her other victims there?
It was as if the girl had read her mind.
“I was the only one in the room. For days, she pored over her book and she sent word that she was in search of various artifacts the book dictated, and she offered to pay handsomely for it. A boy from the kingdom helped her. She hypnotized him and wiped his memory clean of any task she had for him. Even though I was considered dead, I was able to get a good look at the book as she read it over my body. I was well-maintained, as if she was purposely keeping me in the best shape possible.”
Esther Anna felt the suspense rise in her gut and she swallowed uncomfortably. Noelle didn’t fully kill her, but she kept her preserved. She was preparing some sort of ritual, and Anah Carly’s body was an instrument in that.
“I believe she’s planning to transfer her soul and consciousness into my body. I’m so scared that her preparation for the initial phase of the ritual is nearly complete. I can’t be sure.”
“How do you know all this?” The queen asked.
“I don’t know my Queen. I think it’s quite possible that when she healed my body, she healed it rather well. I feel its pull every now and then. It wants to be united with me again. The spell she did seems to be aimed at keeping any other soul from inhabiting my body. But I feel the pull even now, I can feel the call. Also, because of the connection, I can hear dealings that go on within the palace. But it’s not very strong as the spell keeps trying to sever the connection permanently. Holding on is getting to be difficult.”
All of this was overwhelming and rendered Esther Anna speechless. There was no way she could have anticipated that Noelle planned to inhabit a new body. But why? The answer came easily, and she felt somewhat foolish for even asking. Anah Carly was a beautiful woman. Even in the spectral form, she displayed such beauty that Esther Anna could not deny. Though a little older than Noelle’s current form, her plan was to take the body of another young woman due to her own vanity.
Esther Anna wondered what would happen to Anah Carly’s spirit. Perhaps she would be trapped as a spirit forever—or maybe even pulled into an afterlife if she overstayed her welcome on earth. Her thoughts on the matter poured into her mind, and as was the standing trend, there seemed to be questions or theories without answers.
What would Phillip think? She couldn’t wait for daybreak to speak with him.
“Anah, during your time in the palace, did you ever encounter a demon? He has wolf-like features, and glowing red eyes. A towering creature who carries a lot of weapons. He’s rather deformed and ferocious. Terrifying too. He chased after me before I…I accidentally found this place.” Esther Anna omitted the part about Phillip’s news that the same demon who’d hunted her had tried to penetrate the barriers to the fairy kingdom. He was determined to find her, but the wards were too strong.
The girl’s eyes lit up with immediate recognition and as she responded, the necklace glowed bright. “I know him, your highness! His name is Damien. The princess summoned the woodsman from the Black Abyss specifically to hunt you down. I fear him, your highness. The princess’ control isn’t absolute…”
There was a weight to her words that was lost by Esther Anna, but still, she nodded. There was so much to learn about the world of magic and she struggled to remember it all if she was to survive her current mission. The mention of the Black Abyss was something new, and Esther Anna noted it was something to research. As questions began to rise in her mind, she noticed that the floating girl was starting to fade away.
“My body’s call grows stronger, my queen, and I can’t resist. I will be back as soon as I can.”
“Yes. I’ll speak with you soon, Anah.” The queen nodded to bid her farewell, but the necklace glowed once more.
“One last thing before I go, your highness.” Anah stood before her with a weaker glow th
an before. “The Princess…She has him. Princess Noelle has Adam.”
Chapter 7
Present time. Kingdom of Tibethia.
Swirls of mist appeared all over the mirror, and Noelle observed it with a small level of disinterest.
Noelle’s prisoner was strong. He had been able to break his confines and make himself visible on several occasions, but this was not easy. She grew bored watching it, but his face gradually appeared in the reflection. He looked even angrier than he usually did Noelle felt her interest piqued slightly. She’d always wondered the circumstances that had warranted his meeting with the queen. He had assumed the role of her brother so seriously that he even retained the shape even after she let him know she knew exactly who he was.
Maybe it’s time to get the full story… she thought to herself as she walked towards the mirror. A small smile played across her lips, one of cunning and pride.
“So, you show up again. When will you just give in to the mirror? You keep fighting, and while that’s certainly admirable, it’s an effort in futility. You know that… don’t you?” She pouted, though it was all for show. “Adam, wasn’t it?”
The personage of Esther Anna’s brother banged against the glass from the inside. He bared his teeth in a feeble attempt at being intimidating or ferocious. The look only made her laugh.
Oh, this is too much fun… She thought to herself as she watched him fight against the barrier, futile attempts to break free. His resilience was admirable, if not annoying to the princess. Still, she wondered what had the queen done to inspire such loyalty. A creature like himself wouldn’t generally retire himself into a recurring role of the beloved queen’s imaginary friend.
“You really think you’re winning, don’t you?” He growled.
“I don’t think, shape-shifter. I definitely am.” Noelle said, proudly.
He glared at her in disgust, fuelled by a hate that burned from deep within. He’d gotten close to the queen when he met her as a child by taking the form of her late brother. It was originally to help her, keep her calm and happy, as he was drawn to her infinite penchant for good. He wanted to watch her grow, as a supplement and surrogate to the brother she’d lost. He wanted to help her come into her full potential, but then…Noelle happened.
Noelle laughed at his predicament.
Adam hoped Esther Anna knew what she was doing. For the first time in twenty years, he was not beside her to help her in her time of need. She was a smart girl who was also resilient. Noelle’s only downfall would come from the queen, and he thrived in knowing that she was out there devising a plan to take her down. Adam wondered what her plan of action was, and secretly hoped that it didn’t involve returning to Dormality. However, resources and options were limited, and there was a chance the fairies would not assist her, so there was a high possibility that she would end up back in their home kingdom. The anger rose again, and he aggressively struck against the wall of his invisible prison.
He knew no matter how much he fought against the barriers, the only means of escape was if someone came to extract him. When would that be? Adam longed for it to be Esther Anna and any other cavalry she could provide, but then he feared that her presence here would mean by capture of the princess, or even worse…she’d be killed. Part of him wished there was a way to let her know that he was fine, a way to send a message to let her know not to worry about him. Most importantly, he didn’t want her to take the blame. This wasn’t her fault…it was his.
That night, after the commotion had started and the guards had been dispatched to find Esther Anna, he’d stayed behind and scoured the palace in case she was still inside. It was because of this folly that the princess sensed him here, and with the aid of her dark magic, she rid him of his spectral camouflage. Noelle captured him and forced him into the Mirror of Lies.
“You’re fascinating, you know that?” The princess grinned as she leaned into the mirror.
“How so?” He spat through gritted teeth. He desperately wished he could just reach out and rip out her face with his hands. Lately, his thoughts towards her had been more and more violent, as the confines of this prison cell was throwing him farther into a rage…and insanity. The Mirror of Lies combined with the sight of the evil princess inspired his inner savage, a part of him he had gone through a great deal to keep under wraps.
“You’re powerful. A creature with the ability to change into absolutely anything. I mean, anything! Yet you chose the form of a little lost girl’s dead brother. That’s a little macabre, not to mention depressing. There are other ways you could have ‘helped her’.” Noelle scoffed, “Were you going to turn into her dead mother if being Adam didn’t pan out?”
The man in the mirror listened to her questions, but he didn’t answer. He wasn’t obligated to offer any. None of his reasoning mattered to anyone except Esther Anna. Noelle was completely oblivious of the concept of good. She was the exact opposite of the queen.
Her lip twitched as she stared at him, a true sign of a spoiled girl who was not used to being ignored or defied. Though, instead of getting angry, she just smiled, until finally bursting into a fit of laughter.
Adam narrowed his eyes. He was convinced she’d gone insane.
Silence. Noelle had stopped laughing almost as fast as she’d started, and the scowl that tainted her perfect features had returned. “I just realized I didn’t need to ask you anything. I let curiosity get the better of me. I mean, you’re my prisoner, and not even an interesting one for that matter. I don’t care why you did that, because that has no bearing on me. I do know that you are an important part of her life and if she’s truly as pure and kind as the book says she is? Well… If she knows you’re here, then there’s no way she’ll leave you here with me, to be tortured, or even die by my hands…She has first-hand knowledge of how adept I am at killing people…shape-shifters alike.” Noelle winked. “So, by all means, Adam. Silence is your virtue. Don’t say another word, because you don’t have to. Your voice doesn’t matter. Your presence does.”
Noelle giggled.
Adam loathed that smile, and the giggle made the bile rise in his throat. He felt sick. He hoped that someone would make a move against Noelle, and soon. She was gradually becoming unhinged, and a lot more unpredictable. He could feel the familiar tug take a hold of him as he sank back, deeper into the mirror. He resisted slightly, but the mirror would not take no for an answer. He was all alone within the reflective prison. He no longer had his beloved Esther Anna. Before long, the swirls of mist slowly appeared over the surface of the glass and he faded away.
Once the reflective surface cleared, Noelle caught sight of herself in it. I really am beautiful… She mused. It wasn’t a bad thing that she wanted to preserve herself, but the dark book was seen as an instrument of villainy. The princess chuckled at the hypocrisy of it all.
She was special.
No one could tell her otherwise
Present time. Fairy Kingdom of Fandrela.
Prince Phillip stared wide-eyed at her as she relayed her story to him the next day. She’d pulled him into her room to give him the details. His eyes strayed to the necklace on her neck for a moment and he proudly commended himself for piecing it together. Esther Anna told him everything from beginning to end and spared no details about the ritual the princess performed on the specter’s body.
Apart from the blood spell that she performed, she also did soul transference? It was complex magic, carried out only by seasoned practitioners of the arts. The princess was so young to be attempting such a spell. He was astounded by the plan. The fact that she had singlehandedly wiped out her father’s kingdom and stolen his throne, as well as fallen into studies of the dark arts gave him a chill.
The queen seemed so down about it all. Prince Phillip wished he could provide more, or comfort her, but there was not much else he could do except support her by helping with the plans. They had gotten proof that the princess had Adam, and they knew he was alive, trapped inside of a mirror.
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No one was safe.
This only reinforced his decision.
“I had a feeling he was taken…I just hoped he’d gotten away. I wish he did. But now…” Esther Anna’s voice cracked, “…now, I don’t know what to think. What does she want with him? Oh Phillip, why couldn’t he have gotten away?”
Phillip stood up and walked over to her. He stood in front of the queen and wrapped his arms around her for comfort. She melted into his arms and sobbed quietly for a while. He was upset over it as well and had hoped they could save Adam. He knew for a fact if anything happened to him, the queen’s own light would dim. It would change her, and she would never be the same again. Phillip held her until she stopped crying.
“Thank you.” She sniffled as she wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry, I wish you didn’t see me like this.”
Prince Phillip grabbed her by the shoulders and stared into her eyes. “Don’t apologize. Not to me because I understand how you feel. I’ve lost friends too. Not under the same circumstances, but I know what loss feels like and I understand how you feel. It’s okay.” As he spoke, the look on his face reinforced his confidence.
For a moment, they stared into each other’s eyes.
“I swear to you,” Phillip was entranced by her gaze, “…nothing will happen to your friend. I swear to you on my honor as Prince and warrior of Fandrela. I will do whatever it takes to get him out safely. He and Anah will be just fine.” Phillip wasn’t sure if she truly believed him or if he even believed himself, but at that moment, those were the words the queen needed to hear. He wanted her to know she wasn’t alone, and that he would do anything to help her. “You have my word.”
His eyes glanced down at her lips. They parted slightly and her eyes, still slightly wet from unshed tears shimmered slightly as she peered up at him, her gaze unwavering. He felt an inordinate pull towards her and knew for once that there was no fighting the urge. Phillip had fallen for her, and it was the first time he could freely admit it to himself. Her hands were clenched into fists but still none of them moved.