THE MYSTICAL MIRROR (THE MISTRESS OF MAGIC)

CH-20 THE CHAMBER OF NIGHT (PART-1)

Scarlet covers my vision rivaling the blaring sirens ringing my years. The screeches of the trolls now join them as violet warps around the red scene. I want to get out. I want to escape. I want to forget...

I open my eyes to find myself in a cerulean bathtub, blue blood smeared all over it. It is filled with some sort of greyish-rosy liquid lined with blue blood, dirt, and some turquoise dried petals. 

I grab the large icy-blue cloak hanging next to me as I get out of the tub, covering all the bruises and the scars on my body. Now, the only one that is visible is the one on my face. But I haven't hidden that one in years.

I get out of my bathroom and am surprised to see my sister walking back and forth in the room. "Phoebe?"

Her loud steps instantly stop as she turns her face towards me. "Thank god, you're fine!" She exclaims.

I blink a few times. "You're thanking god because I am fine? You really have changed."

She shakes her head. "Caroline, you looked horrible, like more than you usually do,"

I tighten the cloak around me. "Wow, thanks for the kind words." I slowly walk towards my bed.

Phoebe sits right next to me. Her amber eyes as serious as they can be. "No, Caroline, you don't get it. Blue blood everywhere, so pale and sick. You looked like an actual corpse."

I look down at my callous hands. "Well, that's what happens when you use all your power and run out of the backup option."

"What does that mean?" My elder sister furrows her eyebrows.

"Something about using all my body's water. Anyways, I want to know more about your dragon," I give her a slight smile.

Her eyes instantly light up. "She's amazing, isn't she? I had to stab her in the neck to ride her."

"Ah, a true love story," she chuckles, "but I meant about the whole arrow thing with her."

Phoebe looks down and says, "Alaena will explain that later. I actually wanted to ask you something. Alone." I gesture her to continue. "What did she mean by your 'fault'?"

I hazily remember the events at Castle Draconis. Then, Angelica's words immediately clash with my mind. "Nothing. I don't know why she said that."

"We barely escaped that place. Because you decided to just randomly drown her. Now, tell me what 'fault' was she talking about that made you go absolutely insane," she insists.

"I don't know, okay? Something just happened. I have no idea why I did...what I did." I tell her, forcing the vision out of my mind.

Phoebe tilts her head but shockingly, does not insist further. "Maybe the Earth lady can give you something to fix your head. Rach is already bringing something to stop those weird dreams."

I gawk at her. "Wait, what?" As I register Phoebe's words, Rachel bursts into the room.

"Carry!" She keeps the long glass bottle filled with a bright pink potion on the table, running towards us. As she wraps her hands around me, I smell the fragrance of roses and honey. "I was so worried. I thought...I thought...You were about to-" she slumps on the floor, her thighs now touching the floor.

I notice the damp spots on the ground. Rachel tries to hide her sobs. "It's fine, Rach. Look, I'm fine." I tell her.

Phoebe awkwardly holds her hand and lifts her up. "C'mon, Rachel. She's uglier than usual but she's doing okay."

I loudly laugh as Rachel smiles through her tears. "She's not ugly. She is beautiful. Much more than you, Pheebs."

Phoebe places a hand on her chest, acting aghast. A laugh later, I get up and say, "Now, I have to change into some fresh clothes. I'm guessing all of them are waiting for me?"