The Glass Harmonica (Custos Trilogy, Book 1)

Chapter Thirteen-Lexie

J.S Marie

All right reserved. Copyright 2015 ©

I step out of the cab and a sour taste instantly fills my mouth. Standing before me is Mima and another woman. I bite the inside of my lip in frustration that I know have to swallow my pride and listen to this mad woman's words.

Daniel joins the two at the entrance. The three eye the two of us up and down before Mima moves towards me. My muscles tighten in fear remembering the power and grasp that this "woman" can wield. Her hands forcefully grasp unto mine. "Hello, Alexandra. It's nice to see that you have accepted your fate."

Her voice is filled with a foreboding menace as if she has just declared checkmate to our invisible game of chess. I wearily look to my hands once she releases unable to look away. Mima introduces herself to Robert and the blood in my hands are pumping, making the impression left by the little woman clear on the surface of my skin.

Her disgustingly sweet honeycomb voice breaks my focus away from my beating hand, "Let me introduce you two to your mentors. As Alexandra already knows, this is Daniel Nash the Guardian of the artifact, the Glass Slippers."

My gaze falls to the man with the hat that I only met a few hours ago. He majestically bows and greets Robert. My skin prickles at the greeting of how everyone in our country responds to the pompous ass.

I curiously look at the unfamiliar woman as she now speaks, "I am also a Guardian, like you. I guard the artifact, the Gold Robe. My name is Lydia Stout and I will be your mentor, Robert."

Mentor? The Nash fellow did mention something about that...

"Today, you will focus on the powers god granted you at birth," Mima's maniacal yet youthful voice conjures.

"Follow me." An electric shot sizzles right through me as if her voice is sentencing us to death.

I unwillingly follow the lot up the steps and into the building after a few hesitant moments.

Suddenly, a calming sweet whisper is heard next to me, "Here we go...towards our destiny."

The words are like a shot to my senses. I am instantly aware of Robert's close and possibly comforting presence. My brain shouts resistance but my body can't help be overwhelmed by a reassuring light that confirms that I need to follow that path I'm on.

My brains acts completely on its own, "Shut up. Just because I'm actually doing this doesn't mean that we have to suddenly be chummy."

My face is warm and feels like a protection from whatever lies behind the library's walls. I keep my best poker face for Robert not wanting to reveal this bubbling uncertainty about our magical partnership.

The library is just as dark as the last time I was here. A cloak of new memories flow into my body. Seeing my father and mother in love. Seeing the past as if revealing a secret that a child should never know about their parents. Knowing the secret lives before I ever even existed.

At the back of the library, there is some sort of contraption that seems as if liquid is flowing and creating some sort of barrier. Following Mima all the way, she stops and then enters through the flowing barrier and disappears. The other two guardians follow behind. My eyes widen in horror and my mouth gapes open. I am lost for words because this just can't be bloody possible.

"It's alright. I've been through there before."

Robert speaks as if going through this unknown substance is like a bloody walk in the park. He's just like the lot of them now. Completely and utterly mad. His hand confidently pushes towards. "There's nothing much behind there just white rooms and such."