Twin brothers Frei and Qionne are separated by a cursed mirror. The younger is forced to shoulder the burden of the throne, while the older must learn to have courage and return to his world. In their wake is an empire at the brink of war, and a dar...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Frei was exhausted.
The path to Aralia's grave seemed to stretch on forever. Small, upturned roots and weeds littered the ground, and the air around them was thick with the scent of decay. Amazingly, Frei did not feel the need to cover his nose. He got used to the smell, and he wasn't sure whether he should feel relieved or alarmed by the fact.
He could not say that his companions fared as well as he did though. Frei occasionally spotted Rhaio wrinkling his nose in disgust or Lucca making quick stops to vomit on the roadside. The narrow road reeked of the dead.
The light radiating from his skin dimmed while the hours passed. His hands were clammy and his feet ached to the point where he could feel nothing but the pain. He knew that he was exhausted from Deon's sudden interference, but he didn't think he would be worn out that severely.
"We'll stop here for now," he said, turning to his companions. His eyes went wide at the sight of Rhaio's frazzled hair and Lucca's baggy eyes. They looked like they had jogged for miles. "What's up with you, guys?"
"Well, finally!" Lucca exclaimed, throwing arms in the air. "We've been telling you to stop for days, and you just kept walking and walking and walking...."
Frei cocked his head to the side. "Days? What do you mean..."
Horror clouded his features.
No... No! That can't be! I couldn't have blacked out again! I wasn't with Eloise!
Frei raked his fingers through his hair while pacing back and forth.
"What happened to me?" he asked quietly. "Think... Think! Try to remember..."
Rhaio stepped forward, raising a hand in consolation. "It's just as Lucca said. You kept walking and—"
"Why didn't you stop me?!" Frei cried.
"We did!" Rhaio replied, confusion marring irritation. "But you wouldn't listen to us. It was like you were in a trance."
"Why? Why?! I couldn't have!" he muttered, each word spoken louder than before. His heart raced while he went around in circles, and his chest felt tight with the need to breath.
A firm hand to his shoulder stopped his tracks. Rhaio gripped his shoulder, turning Frei to him. He held Frei at both his arms and shook him.
"Stop," Rhaio said, voice coarse yet firm with command. "You cannot lose yourself, Frei. Not now!"
"I think I've gone crazy," Frei babbled, feeling moisture in his eyes. "I'm trying to make sense of things, but I can't." He let out a broken sob, finding himself parched. Frei met the man's eyes pleadingly. "Ser Rhaiocaurd.... What am I going to do?"
Rhaio let out a sigh. The frown on his face revealed his true age, yet his green eyes remained alight with hope. It slowly calmed the panic bubbling inside Frei.
