Free Behind The Mirror ( The Glass Wall Series - Prelude to Book 1 ) by Carmen Caine, Madison Adler

Behind The Mirror
     
     
    The Queen of the Dark stood on the edge of the cliff, her arms spread wide to embrace the violent storm sweeping over the land as her counterpart, the Queen of the Light, dispassionately watched the churning waves of the sea far below them.
    They were both beautiful and dangerous, each possessing eyes that could skewer your soul like a dagger.
    “Are we chaining Earth, or freeing it?” The Queen of the Dark cried above the raging winds.
    The Queen of the Light bowed her head and answered her counterpart in a mind-whisper, “I pray it is freedom, dear Sister.”
    “Then call Rafael,” The Queen of the Dark’s husky voice echoed softly in reply. “Let him walk the path of his destiny, and let us pray he is strong enough to resist temptations that would lead all to ruin. Let us begin this treacherous dance with Fate!”
    The Queen of the Light lifted her face to the wild storm and closed her eyes. To send Rafael to Earth was a leap of faith for them all. But there were few choices left to them now. Raising her voice in a keening call above the high winds, she spoke the fateful words. “It is time!”
    The Queen of the Dark dropped her arms and bowed her head, murmuring. “Yes, dear Sister. It is time.”
     
    * * *
     
    Rafael, Fate Tracker to the Queen of the Light, stood before his mirror, staring deeply at his reflection. Oblivious to his tall, athletic physique, strong jaw, and shoulder-length blond hair, he focused on his eyes, gray eyes rimmed with a healthy dose of black eyeliner.
    Mirrors had many uses, but proper concentration upon the eyes allowed Fate Trackers to see reflections of their souls, enabling them to read the Threads of Fate.
    After a moment, a smoky haze appeared on the mirror’s twenty-foot surface, followed by a series of images. The familiar form of a dark-haired girl with bright green eyes shimmered through the mist. No, she wasn’t really a girl any more but a young woman on the verge of adulthood.
    “Sydney,” he murmured and frowned.
    He wasn’t surprised to see her. Of late, she was always there. He knew exactly what it meant. It wasn’t a comforting thought, and it was enough to make him lose focus.
    The image abruptly vanished.
    A soft chime interrupted his thoughts and he tensed. Sliding a graceful finger over the mirror’s surface, a new picture revealed the unexpected guest to be his mother, Zelphie.
    Rafael’s frown deepened.
    His mother rarely visited.
    Leaving his mirror, he strode into the adjoining room where his Doberman, Ajax, snoozed on a red circular couch. He paused and smiled at the animal fondly.
    The ability to communicate with animal minds was the only thing he enjoyed about being a Fate Tracker. The rest of it was more of a burden than a gift. It was not a pleasurable thing to stand by and watch as other’s fateful choices led to suffering. He sighed, grateful that his own fate, at least, remained veiled from his eyes.
    The chime sounded again, shaking him from his reverie, and he moved to stand next to a soft gray wall. Under his light touch, a small hole appeared to widen into a door, and his mother entered. She was blonde, gray-eyed, and tall. He had inherited her looks and unusual height.
    “My dear child,” Zelphie greeted him with a distracted kiss on the cheek. “You are summoned.”
    “Summoned?” Rafael knit his brows. He glanced down at the thin golden bracelet circling his wrist. He hadn’t received any messages.
    “A verbal request only,” Zelphie explained, reading his confusion. “The Queens, both of them, have ordered that you be sent to Earth.”
    Rafael caught his breath.
    Ajax leapt from the couch on full alert. The fur along the ridge of his back rose as his black eyes widened.
    “You cannot go to Earth.” Rafael heard the animal’s voice deep in his mind. “Remember Melody’s last words to you and Jareth!”
    Rafael drew his lips in a thin line.
    Dispatched some three years ago to Earth on a secret