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“It’s okay,” he said soothingly, rubbing my back. “Just breathe, Thimsal. Nice and slow.”
I did as he said, focusing on the feel of his hand on my back and the sound of his voice.
But the hands that were choking me didn’t go away. They only tightened their grip, as if they were trying to strangle the life out of me.
I gasped for air, but it was like I was underwater. I couldn’t breathe. I thrashed against the invisible hands, but they only tightened their grip. I tried to pry the fingers off me, but it was no use. There was nothing there.
Instead of panicking, I concentrated on his gold cat-like eyes and the silver locket with freshwater pearls triskeles of Prince Maedras in front of me. His face was a blur, but his eyes were clear as day. His mouth was moving, but no words were coming out.
I tried to focus on his lips, but it was like they were moving in slow motion. I could see the concern etched on his face, but I couldn’t hear what he was saying.
The darkness was closing in on me, and I knew I had little time left. I forced myself to look at Prince Maedras’s eyes and mouthed the words“Help me.”
Other voices joined his and Darith’s hair brushed my face as she leaned over me. Her lips were moving, but I couldn’t hear what she was saying either.
I focused on Prince Maedras again. His face became hazy, and blood trickled down my throat. I tried to scream, but no sound came out. Only gurgles and gasps.
And then everything went black.
∞∞∞
I woke up gasping for air, my heart pounding in my chest. It was just a dream; I told myself. Just a dream.
But it felt so real. Too real. The sky outside was purple with the first light of dawn. Next to me, my little sister, Tilila, sat in a field of flowers, picking one and twirling it between her fingers.
I tried to get up, but my body felt sluggish. It was like I was moving through molasses. I looked down and saw that my arms and legs were wrapped in heavy chains.
“What’s going on?” I muttered, trying to tug at the chains.
“Tilila,” I called out, but she didn’t hear me.
She turned around and smiled at me, but her eyes were pitch black. She stood up. I tried to take a step toward her, but the chains held me back.
“Tilila, what’s wrong?”
And then she walked towards me. No, not towards me. Through me. I turned my face away, but I still saw her. She was coming closer and closer until she was right in front of me, her black eyes boring into mine.
An orb of lightning crackled to life in her hand, and she hurled it at me. I tried to scream, but it was too late. The lightning hit me square in the chest. My hands flew to my heart, trying to stop the pain, but there was no pain. Only cold.
Tilila gestured to me to follow her. The heavy chains around my limbs fell away, and I staggered to my feet. I looked down and saw that my body was transparent. I could see the grass and flowers right through me.
I hesitated for a moment, but then I followed her. What else could I do? Where else would I go?
The breeze ruffled my hair and roses brushed my cheeks as I walked through the meadow after Tilila. The sun was rising, but I didn’t feel its warmth. Only the cold.
A large redwood tree loomed ahead of us. As we got closer, I saw a small door set into the trunk. Tilila opened it and gestured for me to go inside. A black cat with gold eyes peered out at us. It beckoned us to follow, and I did. I turned around to Tilila, but she was gone. Only a blackbird perched on the branch of a nearby tree watched me with beady eyes.
Life and death.
The black cat led me down a long, dark tunnel. I couldn’t see where I was going, but I trusted it. It seemed to know the way.
The darkness was so thick that I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face. The only sound was the soft padding of the cat’s feet against the ground.
After what felt like hours, we came to a stop. The cat meowed softly, and I felt it brush against my leg before it turned. A sliver of light appeared, and I squinted, trying to see what was inside.
It looked like a throne room, but it was empty. The only thing in the room was a large mirror. The cat gestured for me to go to it.
I approached the mirror warily.
