Page 14 of Crown of Envy

A shudder ran through me at the thought. Jonas placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder, his touch grounding me. “We must trust in the compass and each other,” he emphasized.

I glanced at my team, noting the determination and apprehension in their eyes. My heart raced, but I steeled myself. “We can do this,” I declared, my voice stronger than I felt. “We have to. For all of us.”

Chelby’s grip on my shoulder tightened, her nails digging in slightly. “One more thing,” she added. “There’s a chance this could be a trap. Maci’s forces are cunning, and they might have anticipated our moves. She desperately wants this compass. Stay vigilant.”

Brody looked at her. “According to a magical mirror, we have three tasks to complete before we can enter the catacombs. Do you know what these tasks may be? The mirror hasn’t revealed them yet.”

Chelby’s eyes widened slightly. “A mirror, you say? Was it ornate with an intricate floral design on the frame?”

I nodded. “Yeah, that sounds like it. Why?”

Chelby exchanged a glance with Jonas. “That mirror is known as the Mirror of Aethereal Truths. It was stolen from the Court of Blossoms centuries ago. It’s a powerful artifact, known for setting trials to prove one’s worth.”

Jonas added, “If the Mirror of Aethereal Truths is guiding you, it will not be easy. The tasks it sets are intended to test your heart, mind, and soul. Only the worthy can pass.”

Damon released a low whistle. “Great, so it’s got a fancy name and a bad attitude.”

“I’d like to see this mirror,” Chelby remarked.

Zara had been silent, staring at Zeus in awe. “What about the pegasus?”

Jonas shrugged. “He’ll be fine. Humans can’t see him. He’ll graze on the grass.”

Zeus neighed as if in agreement.

We entered the manor and led Chelby and Jonas to the mirror on the dining room table. The air inside seemed thick with the scent of lingering magic as if we were suddenly in a rose garden.

Chelby stepped forward, her hand outstretched toward the mirror. I noticed a slight tremor in her fingers as she reached for it. The moment her skin made contact with the cool glass, a ripple spread across its surface like a stone dropped in still water.

The mirror spoke again, using my mother’s voice. “I will not return to you until this task is completed.”

The words were like a cold frost, settling over us with an unnatural chill. I broke out in goosebumps. When I exhaled, a cloud of mist formed in front of my face, hanging like a ghostly apparition.

I wasn’t the only one. As I glanced around, I saw everyone’s breath materializing in front of them, wispy tendrils dancing in the suddenly frigid air. It was as if we had been transported to the highlands on a cool fall day despite being indoors.

The voice continued, and my mother’s tone grew more urgent. “If the Chosen fail, you guard the boundaries of the Court of Blossoms. The enemy will attack soon.”

Chelby gasped and stumbled backward. Jonas caught her arm, steadying her. The mirror’s surface stilled, again appearing as nothing more than ordinary glass.

The temperature seemed to plummet further with each passing second. I wrapped my arms around myself, my teeth beginning to chatter. Damon’s eyes met mine, wide with awe and apprehension. Even Chelby, usually so composed, was visibly shaking, her lips turning a pale blue.

The mirror’s surface remained unnaturally still. The chill emanating from it was almost palpable, as if winter itself was seeping into the room through that small pane of glass.

As we stood there, our breaths mingling like smoke signals, the gravity of the situation settled over us. Whatever magic was at work here, it was powerful enough to alter the environment around us. And if this was only a taste of what we were up against, our task ahead seemed more daunting than ever.

CHAPTER NINE

The dining room was steeped in an uneasy silence, the kind that felt like the air itself was holding its breath. The large wooden table, once a place for meals and laughter, now served as our war room. The dim light from the chandelier above cast long shadows on the walls, flickering slightly as if it, too, was nervous about what was to come.

Brody glanced around, his gaze filled with determination. The room’s familiar scent of aged wood and the faint remnants of yesterday’s lunch seemed oddly out of place with the tension hanging in the air. His gaze finally settled on me. “Sawyer, we have to know what our first task is. The fate of the Court of Blossoms hangs in the balance.”

I nodded, wishing I wasn’t the one everyone depended on. There was so much room for disappointment. I wasn’t a superhero.

I picked up the ornate handheld mirror off the table and cleared my voice. “Please show us the first task.”

In response, the mirror’s surface shimmered and rippled, revealing a thick, spooky forest. The leaves rustled in an eerie cadence, and a soft, ethereal voice emerged from the symphony of sounds around us.

“Seek ye the Heart of the Grove,” the voice intoned, each word resonating with an ancient power. “There lies the first task, hidden from sight, where shadows dance and light fades. Trust in one another and the path shall be revealed.”

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