The Lores of Lyra - Rising Star [Book I]

Chapter 1 - The Attack

Copyright Maja D. Jørgensen 2012

Chapter 1 – The Attack

“Gracious Solem, I pray to thee to have mercy on my soul,” Miriam recited the ancient prayer.

Her feelings were a mixture of fear and excitement. She looked at her reflection in the bathroom mirror and exhaled loudly. Tonight was the night she’d meet her mother’s friend for the first time. It was also the first time in years that their household would have a new guest.

“I pray that no attacks will happen today,” she muttered. The attacks hadn’t occurred in months, save for the odd pain that could easily be ignored. Even now, Miriam was faintly aware that her right leg was tingling with an uncomfortable numbness. It didn’t matter to her, though. Tonight was all about new beginnings.

She straightened the folds on her light blue chiffon dress before she turned on her heels to join her mother in the adjourning bedroom. As she stepped through the door, she was instantly hit with a heavy fragrance of expensive perfume that wafted through the room. It made Miriam’s head spin, and she had to support her weight on the doorframe for a second.

She glanced around the room, noticing the only person—her mother—seated on a stool in front of the vanity table.  A large bed took up the space in the middle of the room, and Miriam moved around it to open the window. She unhinged the hasp and waited. When a gentle breeze drifted in, she inhaled deeply. Staring at the sunset in the distance, she prayed to Solem once more.

Solem, don't let it happen again today, she thought. Don’t ruin tonight’s dinner.

The stars had already started to twinkle in the distance, and she smiled at them, bowing her head in respect for their wisdom. She grimaced shortly after when a slight pain streaked her eyebrow. A familiar panic rushed through her body.

No, not now! Not tonight.

Miriam had been isolated in the house for years. The random occurrences of her unexplainable attacks of pain prevented her from going away from surveillance, and even worse, it prevented people from coming to her, as well. The people around her were all familiar faces of staff members and her mother’s clients. Tonight was her first time to see a new face, and to top that, it was an important person to her mother too.

She gritted her teeth and forced a smile, ignoring the pain. Turning around on her heels, she walked over to stand beside her mother. She smiled at their reflection before meeting her mother’s eyes in the large mirror.

“Tonight is the night!” she exclaimed. There was no need to fake the excitement. It was genuine, and it didn’t take long before she’d forgotten about the numb leg, and throbbing eyebrow.

Miriam studied her mother’s vanity table. Placed before her were several of the up-and-coming beauty products in colorful flasks shimmering in the light. She frowned as she looked over the different bottles. 

How could anyone make sense of all this?

She shot a glance towards her mother who was applying powder to her own cheeks. Miriam smiled at the sight; the wrinkles around the eyes were barely noticeable, and the expression in general was joyous. Miriam grinned when her mother gave a frustrated groan.

“Ma, are you nervous?” Miriam teased.

Her mother scoffed and placed the powder back in its place. “Don’t be silly, Miriam,” she said. Yet, when she reached for the brush, her hand shook.

Miriam giggled and took the gold encrusted brush before moving behind the stool. She took a strand of hair and started to comb through it. “Is that so, Ma’?”