The Mirrored Souls

16.

I sit down with Darce, Neriah, Leon and Marv at a table in Moribund as it's closed for a few hours until we figure out a plan to keep out Edur's way. Neriah hasn't really said anything feeling guilty for even letting this all happen while in charge of keeping me safe. Darce is eyeing Leon with eye daggers, Leon is just looking at me and Marv is sitting back enjoying the show playing out in front of him. Breaking the ice I say, "Well, we know he's stronger, quicker and smarter than all of us combined..." Not liking what I said Darce scoffs, "Smart my ass." Neriah hits Darce on the knee and tells him to watch his mouth since Leon told them how that's his father.

"I'm sorry but can we just address the elephant in the room?" Marv questions Leon and me.

Confused, I raised my eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

Marv presses his lips to say it but both Neriah and Darce give him a look that makes him back down while raising his hands up, "Fine. Fine, nevermind."

Me not being able to fully unlock that side of my abilities, I feel left out as Leon smiles knowing what he was going to ask.

"That's so not fair." I say crossing my arms.

Leon leans into my ear saying, "He asked if me and you had something going on," I start to blush then think back on that dream I had and blush more.

Darce notices leaning back with his cold expression that Neriah looks as well getting uncomfortably jealous out of nowhere thinking of me as Odette and not Oriana.

Marv leaves getting us drinks wanting everyone to be relaxed and not so filled with tension.

"Leon? Is it? How did she even get trapped wherever she was and you happened to play the knight in shining armor?" Darce asks.

Hearing the rudeness in his question I look to Darce with a look but he disregards it still going, "I mean did you like seeing Oriana in danger? Wanted her to get close so you could...I don't know, fall for you?" This time I stand walking away from the space we were in going to the bar where Marv is. Shaking up a cocktail he looks at me, "I would give you a word of advice for dealing with those two up there but it wouldn't work anyways," he shrugs, pouring into five glasses. "Why is he being that way?" I say still needing some type of insight to Darce Baird. Marv chuckles while handing me the drink but I put it to the side as he says, "You have the face of his first love and seeing it with someone else and not him himself or his brother? Well it's a recipe for chaos sweetheart." Sighing I look back to where the guys are sitting then back at Marv, "But I'm not her...I'm just Oriana." Marv nods, "I think Darce sees that sometimes but centuries of memories overpower just a few days or weeks with a replica of the real thing that was real once." Actually knowing what he meant I sigh looking again feeling sorry for the both of them.

****

Edur is sitting on his snow covered throne he had made just for him on his snow covered home while making an orb appear then disappear.

snow covered home while making an orb appear then disappear.

"They think they can hide forever? Oh, they have no idea what they are up against."

He says talking to himself and the army of negative mirrored souls he has control over to do his bidding.

****

"Are you hungry?" Neriah asks knocking on my door as I pack a few things, not being able to stay home scared Edur will find me quicker.

"Can you actually make me this," I showed him one of my moms recipes.

Taking a glance he nods, "Yeah I'll have it made," about to walk off into the kitchen he stops not seeing Leon. "Where did your guest go?" I stuff my mom's journals in my bag, "He went to make a realm so that his father won't find me for awhile." Neriah makes a questionable look then asks, "And you exceeding your gifts? How are you going to do that in hiding? You have to be able to travel to help those mirrored souls who need it." I push my curls back looking at him now, "I'm going to get it done Neriah...I'm not going to leave my mom in the Specter." Irritated at this point, I leave the room with my bag until I see a man dripping in the middle of the hallway.

Dropping the bag in place my nose bleeds and the Specter shakes the house as more mirrored souls surround me.

"Neri-" I yell out trying to warn him but they pile onto me, covering my mouth as they bring me into the floor as a hole forms.

Fighting to stay where I was I dug my nails into the floor keeping my upper body from going all the way into the dark deep hole beneath me.

"H-Help me!" I shout out feeling the souls scratch my legs painfully, almost like I'm being put in a shredder.

"Use your abilities!" A voice says, reminding me of what I can do.

Closing my eyes I think of a place I can go and see Darce being thrown into his realm in the middle of his room in Moribund.

Drinking a gin and tonic he puts the drink down, helping me up.

"What happened?" He asks sternly but mostly worried.

Neriah calls out to me as I brought him here too without trying to.

"He has an army," I try to stand on my own but see my legs are covered in red slashes, open and bleeding.

Helping me to his couch, he calls out to Marv and he enters covering his mouth.

"Oh sweetheart you smell like complete death and blood all in one."

Darce tells him something while holding me closely not wanting me to pass out.