The Mirrored Souls

20.

Music is making me dance in an empty garden with a fountain tricking in the background with the doors opened and the curtains flapping in and out as I twirl. My feet feel the cold stoney path as I keep roaming around the garden path and into someone's arms. Their arms wrapped around me lovingly, like I was the only thing they adored in the whole entire realm. My hand snakes up to their chest then chin and when I thought I knew who it was another arm reaches out and grabs my hand guiding me to the back end of the garden, almost touching my lips with their thumb until i'm snatched into the last and final arms belonging to Neriah.

"Where are you going?" He asks huskily while letting his nurturing side stay at bay but his dominating side take over all at once.

Shocked by this I search his eyes as they wander to mine and he holds the nape of my neck leaning in.

"Is...this...real?" I breathe out nervously.

A smile forms on his face as he looks to the top of my head then down at my nose, absolutely amazed by seeing me this close.

"It's as real as I fe-"

The door to the room I'm staying in opens and I see Marv holding a bottle of water and a plate with a bagel on it with fruit on the side.

"Neriah made me bring you this...said you would be hungry from being asleep for as long as you were after the incantation you did last night."

Itching the back of my head I see flowers in a glass vase in the corner of the room on the nightstand that was there too.

"Neriah too?" I point to the roses displayed.

Marv nods, "Said it was your favorite and would remind you of your mother," walking up more he hands me the food and water then steps outside where Leon is arguing with Darce.

"You're acting all godly like you even give a rat's ass about her when you probably have some hidden agenda towards her," Leon throws up to Darce's face making him infuriated.

"Repeat that," Darce eyes start to change until I made my way down in just a silk robe that was left with a night slip under.

All three men including Marv look up to where I'm standing as if a piece of art came to life and presented itself like it was on display.

"Oriana..." Neriah lets out sheepishly while Darce's eyes gaze all around taking me in piece by piece as Leon does the same but trying to show modesty by looking away. "Why can't you all get along?" I ask laying my hands on the railing and leaning over just a bit letting my curls hang from both sides of my face looking down at them. Marv shakes his head watching the three start to fumble, like if I placed a spell on them as they move away and sit on the couch or near the bar. "How are you feeling?" Leon asks as I now get down to the main floor. Shrugging I look at the Baird brothers then back at him as I say, "Be better if these two would let me handle things on my own without playing the big bad wolf and whatever Neriah gives off," I say chuckling sitting at the bar as Marv place a glass in front of Darce. "I'm sorry about-" I stop him laying my hand on top of his, "It wasn't you, plus I've given us some time before we're bombarded again." Darce being right there scoffs, "Do you really care for this twig?" Leon cuts his eyes at him but I just plant my other hand on Darce's and actually close my eyes and try out a new ability I read in my mom's journals.

****

A fire crackled in the far distance but it was warm enough and bright for me and Darce to see each other.

"How'd you?" Darce looks around in amazement.

I tilt my head watching his body language and how tense he really was just with the thought of us two being alone.

"What are you hiding?" I ask lightly, watching his right eyebrow twitch with nervousness.

Gulping low he says, "What do you mean?" Then fiddles with the back of his shirt cufflink.

I walk towards him holding his face realling looking into his eyes...his real eyes that start to glow that crimson red that makes the space grow cold and strained.

"W-What are you doing?"

Shushing him I closed my eyes and placed my forehead on his and his memories surfaced into mine.

Seeing what I needed I let him go and things returned back to normal.

****

"Now I get it," I say nodding, being as serious as I felt.

Marv looks to Darce then back at me waiting for what I knew.

"Oria-" Darce tries to stop me as I get up letting the chair fall back as my anger lashes out more than I do.

Trying to grab onto my hand I scowled, not liking him around me at all.

"You just lost my trust. All of it."

Looking to Neriah I say, "He was right about one thing when coming back to you," I look to Darce as I say, "He wasn't the cause but he didn't try and save her...he watched her burn and then tried to save her to make his stupid small humanity he had left feel better for hearing her cries and pleads to be saved." My heart pounds with betrayal of letting myself think he could be different from what his surroundings and blood made him out to be. Neriah's mouth opens but closes being stuck on what I just said, having him shake his head at his brother. "Oriana can I just-" Darce tries reaching for my hand and for a quick second I felt sympathy but kept seeing the face he had while watching Odette burn and revolted stumbling back into Leon's arms.

Minutes later me and Leon are in a realm that is almost similar to Odette's world and I can't help but cry with remorse.

It was the overwhelming sense of the gruesome and painful death she had weighing in like no other death.

It was one that I had to relive through but affected me more than the other mirrored souls.