To the Shadowsinger | Azriel

Chapter 40: Another life

"You shouldn't have looked into the mirror. This place is going to ruin you," Caius had told Raisa.

Ruin me? As if I'm not already ruined, she thought as her hand went between her legs and felt something warm and wet. When she pulled her hand back to see what it was, she let out a heartbreaking scream that had Caius turning around and covering his ears.

She closed her eyes, her screaming and crying was uncontrollable as she mourned the loss of a child she would never hold. Her baby. In that moment, she prayed it wasn't real, that this would pass and one day her screams would be followed by the beautiful cry of her baby taking its first breaths.

But that wasn't her reality. She wasn't even sure what reality was anymore as her screams and cries merged with someone else's.

"What the hell?" Raisa whispered as she opened her eyes to see she was alone in the bathroom. But the screams of a stranger felt near, as if they were in the same room. She climbed to her feet, no longer covered in water and blood, but now in a loose gown. I'm in the mirror? She thought. That wasn't happening again.

The stranger's screams grew louder as she walked over to the mirror hanging over her vanity. It was just a normal mirror, but as Raisa looked into it, it wasn't her light brown complexion or green eyes that looked back.

The female in the mirror had flushed pale skin, chocolate brown hair, and eyes like sapphire. Raisa didn't feel like she was looking at a stranger though... it was an odd feeling. Almost like she was looking at herself in another life.

Raisa's mother used to tell her stories about past lives. That when you die, your soul lives on into another life, another world, another time. Raisa thought of that as she looked at the female in the mirror and knew that it wasn't the same body but it was the same soul looking back.

"Why are you screaming?" Raisa placed her hand against the mirror. "Are you okay?"

The queen's heart ached as her reflection's face twisted in pain. She was dripping sweat, her face was almost completely red. Raisa closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath and when she opened them, the screams were replaced with the cries of a baby.

Raisa was no longer in her bedroom. She was standing in a room filled with people hovering over a bed. No one turned to look at her as she approached the bed, no one even noticed her. That's when she saw the female that had been in the mirror laying in the bed with a newborn baby in her arms. Raisa covered her smile at the sight.

The mother's face was still red and slick with sweat but she had a bright smile as she looked down at the baby in her arms. A fae male with golden skin and curly blonde hair sat at her side and placed a kiss on the mother's temple as he smiled down at the baby.

"Mommy, can I see?" A little boy with curly blonde hair asked. A large fae male with white hair and a face tattoo picked up the boy and gently set him on the bed.

"If this makes you think we're having another one any time soon," a blonde fae female in a fine green dress nudged the white haired male in the ribs, "you'll be the one carrying and birthing the child."

"If the Queen says so," the male responded with a smirk.

Still, none of them noticed Raisa standing in the room. She didn't know these fae but the moment was so beautiful she couldn't help but smile. She smiled at the sight of the little family snuggled together on the bed. She wondered if the parents were mates, they looked at each other with unmistakable love and adoration. The little boy sat in his father's lap, they were identical, and his eyes lit up with joy at the sight of the baby in his mother's arms.

"What are we going to name her?" The father asked, gently resting his head on the mother's.

"Doriana seems fitting," a human man with black hair and blue eyes suggested with a smile. "Don't you agree, Fenrys?"

The father laughed, shaking his head, "I'm not naming my daughter after you."

"They're naming her after me," the blonde female smirked. "Little Aelin Moonbeam."

The father stayed silent, nodding his head as if he was contemplating it. The mother's eyes widened at him, "we are not naming our baby after anyone this time." The mother looked up at Aelin and gave an apologetic smile, "As much as we love you both."

"No hard feelings," Aelin grabbed the hand of the white haired male. "This world is only big enough for one Aelin anyways. We'll leave and let you get some rest."

After the couple left, everyone else found themselves saying goodbye until the only ones in the room were Raisa and the family of four, still cuddling in bed.

"She's beautiful," the father lightly brushed the baby's little head of hair.

The mother's bottom lip trembled as she looked down at the baby, "Yes, she is beautiful."

The father studied the mother's face, then climbed off the bed with the little boy in his arms. "I'm going to get this guy fed and bring you back some food. Try to get some rest, Kya." He kissed her once on the lips and once on the crown of the head before leaving with the little boy.

It was just Raisa alone with Kya and the baby. It was a private moment, Raisa knew, but she came to the side of the bed and watched Kya stroke the baby's head. It was a beautiful baby, she already had a thick head of brown hair and her eyes were the most beautiful shade of blue, the same as her mother's.

"I am so thankful that you came into this world healthy," Kya's voice trembled. "But I'm horrified. This world can be cruel, especially to little girls. I've been a victim and seen the horrible things people are capable of... if anything bad ever happened to you," her voice broke off and tears streamed down her face. "I love you so much already. I'll protect you with my life, I promise, I won't ever let anything bad happen to you."

Raisa's own eyes filled with tears. The baby was so small, so fragile, so beautiful. Raisa had her own desire to protect her. Every part of her screamed to protect this child.

"I know the Gods aren't listening, Aelin made sure of that," Kya wiped away a tear and let out a small laugh. "But if anyone is still listening, please protect my little girl. Please keep her safe. Please don't let anything bad ever happen to her."

Raisa was crying herself. She was listening. She wasn't sure why the mirror was showing her this but nothing else mattered besides that little baby. Raisa felt the reflection of her soul in this female, Kya, and knew that even in another life she would love this little girl. She would listen and she would protect her.

Kya smiled down at the sleeping baby, "Wylla. I think we'll name you Wylla."

(A/N: Hi! I was so excited for this chapter because now you all know Wylla's connection to Raisa. It's been interesting reading the theories about Wylla but I was wondering if anyone guessed correctly. I tried planting the idea of past lives in the chapter "Chosen me" where Raisa and Azriel talk about mates choosing each other in their past life and then Bryaxis talks about how time and space blends together in "I'm home". Kya is the protagonist of my other story "To the White Wolf" which is a completed Fenrys (from Throne of Glass) fanfiction. Hope you all are enjoying and I'd love to hear any other theories<3)