The Reflection of Piper Chastidy

3. The Daughter of a Seventh Son

I didn’t even think before I was on my feet and running from the room. I barely even slowed to force open the carved doors. I heard Dorian call my name, yet I forced my body to keep moving. One foot in front of the other. Left, right, left, right. Inhale. Exhale.

I bounded down the concrete stairs three at a time, careful to keep my balance. I didn’t pause at the base of the steps, nor did I pause as I shouldered open the doors of the Glass House, and slammed into what felt like a solid wall of heat. My lungs begged for oxygen through the humidity. My feet begged for rest as they pounded and pounded the rocky terrain beneath them, throwing up clouds of dust the colour of sunsets. The world outside the Glass House was barren and dry, void of any vegetation. The Desolation was a very fitting name.

I ran through a maze of run-down streets and houses, all a blur as I passed. I had no destination in mind, no logical thought process except one single word thundering through my mind; escape. Escape. ESCAPE.

Somewhere behind me, through the sound of the ringing in my ears and the hot wind that lashed against my skin, I heard Phae calling my name. I heard her curse a little softer, then call out to me again. I forced my feet to move faster.

My breath was coming in gasps, my hair in knots as it was clawed at by the wind. My body was screaming at me to stop, but my mind was screaming otherwise. I stumbled and kept my balance. I stumble and fell to the ground, the red dirt staining my hands, my face, my clothes. I dragged myself to my feet and started running again.

I lost count of how many streets and houses I passed, how many times Phae called out my name along with a string of expletives. It wasn’t until I broke through the last line of houses that I stopped; before me lay a hundred metres of barren land, and beyond that, nothing. The world dropped off the edge of a cliff. My only escape was a sheer drop to my death.

Hesitantly, I walked forward to the edge of the cliff. It was only when I peered over the edge to see what lay below, that I dropped to my knees in defeat, silent tears streaming down my face. Darkness. That was the only thing beyond the cliff.

There was no escape from the Desolation.

I heard footsteps approaching me from behind, but I didn’t turn to see who they belonged to; I already knew.

“It’s where the Fragments reside.” Phae said softly as she knelt beside me. “The Darkness encircles the Desolation. There’s no escaping it, Piper.”

I didn’t answer. Instead, I let my eyes trail along the dark clouds below to cliff.

“It’s dangerous here, Piper, if one of their scouts spots you—”

“If the Desolation is so damn dangerous,” I said slowly, “then why did you bring me here?”

“Selfishness.”

My brow furrowed, and I raised my eyes to my reflection—no, my doppelganger, as Dorian had said. “Selfishness?” I inquired.

“Look at this world, Piper.” Phae sighed. “Look at what it’s become.”

“Because my father was a coward.” I managed through clenched teeth. “Because he chose to save himself and leave his world to rot.”

“Don’t say that.” Phae insisted. “He was young. Naïve and scared. He made a choice and had to live with the consequences. We all did. But escaping the Desolation didn’t make him a bad person, merely a thoughtless one.”

“He left you all to die.”

“And yet, we still live.”

I looked away.