glass, adrift in a silvery world.
A world where I was not alone.
Claws skittered against a hard surface behind me. I wheeled, but the silver room was empty. I could hear muffled voices in the distance. Some were chanting. Others screamed in terror.
A shadow slid across the silvery surface of the walls, but like a hall of mirrors, it was impossible to know what was real and what was reflection. I was cold, disoriented, and afraid. The shadow man
skirted the edge of my vision, and I had the sense the spirit was enjoying my fear, feeding from it. I was afraid to move, fearful that I might get lost in this reflective realm, unable to find my way back.
Then I saw him. The shadow man loomed ahead of me. The image was more solid than a normal shadow, its form elongated, not quite human. Although I couldn’t make out any features, I knew it was watching me, making up its mind. Malevolence radiated from the image and my heart thudded. It was the predator. I was the prey.
The shadow rushed at me, impossibly long arms outstretched, claw-like fingers grasping. It came at me like the wind. With one hand, I grasped my agate necklace, and with the other, I grabbed a handful of salt from the pocket of my jeans and threw it at the shadow. Just for an instant, it wavered, but I knew it would come at me again.
Strong hands grabbed me from behind, hauling me backward. My hand lost contact with the mirror.
Only then did I realize I was screaming. I came back to myself, caught in Anthony’s tight embrace and fresh from the horror of the vision, I fought him, possessed with sheer, primal terror. His strong hands gripped my wrists.
“Take it easy,” he coaxed. “You’re back now. You’re safe.”
I was shaking, and I felt sick to my stomach. Anthony eased me into the chair by the fireplace. It was several more moments before I could give even the briefest account of what I had seen. In the meantime, Teag had already sprinkled a line of salt beneath the mirror and had begun blowing a fine dusting of charcoal powder over the reflective surface, which reduced its powerful energy to a dull, distant roar.
“You were screaming bloody murder,” Teag said, looking utterly unnerved. “Good thing we’re the only guests at the inn, or someone would be calling the cops.”
One thing was undeniable – the mirror had not possessed the power to draw me into it at Trifles and Folly.
“I saw the shadow man in the mirror,” I told them, once I caught my breath. “It’s become a gateway, a portal. It was looking for me, and it attacked. Thanks for getting me out of there.”
“Do you think the mirror is the key?” Teag asked.
I thought for a moment, then shook my head. “No. It’s dangerous, and whatever spirit was inside it is malicious, but I don’t think it’s the focal point.”
Just for good measure, I touched my palm to the agate necklace on my chest. Then I turned to look at the Foo dog statue.
When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth , Sherlock Holmes had said. I had the feeling that I was staring the ‘truth’ of Gardenia Landing’s haunting in the eyes as I looked at the Chinese sculpture.
I put out my hand, and let it hover above the shiny blue glaze that covered the stylized little dog. “I think I’ve found the problem,” I said.
Chapter Eight
“Y OU THINK THAT dog statue is bringing everything else to life?” Teag asked incredulously?”
“It’s giving off really strong energy, and right before the mirror drew me into the vision, I felt a spike in power from the direction of the Foo dog,” I said, eyeing the blue sculpture warily.
“It’s not one of our pieces,” Teag said, moving closer for a better look. He frowned. “You know, these dogs never look friendly, but this one looks meaner than usual.”
I peered at the dog and had to agree. The dogs – some people called them lions – were intended to be fearsome guardians with bared teeth and
A world where I was not alone.
Claws skittered against a hard surface behind me. I wheeled, but the silver room was empty. I could hear muffled voices in the distance. Some were chanting. Others screamed in terror.
A shadow slid across the silvery surface of the walls, but like a hall of mirrors, it was impossible to know what was real and what was reflection. I was cold, disoriented, and afraid. The shadow man
skirted the edge of my vision, and I had the sense the spirit was enjoying my fear, feeding from it. I was afraid to move, fearful that I might get lost in this reflective realm, unable to find my way back.
Then I saw him. The shadow man loomed ahead of me. The image was more solid than a normal shadow, its form elongated, not quite human. Although I couldn’t make out any features, I knew it was watching me, making up its mind. Malevolence radiated from the image and my heart thudded. It was the predator. I was the prey.
The shadow rushed at me, impossibly long arms outstretched, claw-like fingers grasping. It came at me like the wind. With one hand, I grasped my agate necklace, and with the other, I grabbed a handful of salt from the pocket of my jeans and threw it at the shadow. Just for an instant, it wavered, but I knew it would come at me again.
Strong hands grabbed me from behind, hauling me backward. My hand lost contact with the mirror.
Only then did I realize I was screaming. I came back to myself, caught in Anthony’s tight embrace and fresh from the horror of the vision, I fought him, possessed with sheer, primal terror. His strong hands gripped my wrists.
“Take it easy,” he coaxed. “You’re back now. You’re safe.”
I was shaking, and I felt sick to my stomach. Anthony eased me into the chair by the fireplace. It was several more moments before I could give even the briefest account of what I had seen. In the meantime, Teag had already sprinkled a line of salt beneath the mirror and had begun blowing a fine dusting of charcoal powder over the reflective surface, which reduced its powerful energy to a dull, distant roar.
“You were screaming bloody murder,” Teag said, looking utterly unnerved. “Good thing we’re the only guests at the inn, or someone would be calling the cops.”
One thing was undeniable – the mirror had not possessed the power to draw me into it at Trifles and Folly.
“I saw the shadow man in the mirror,” I told them, once I caught my breath. “It’s become a gateway, a portal. It was looking for me, and it attacked. Thanks for getting me out of there.”
“Do you think the mirror is the key?” Teag asked.
I thought for a moment, then shook my head. “No. It’s dangerous, and whatever spirit was inside it is malicious, but I don’t think it’s the focal point.”
Just for good measure, I touched my palm to the agate necklace on my chest. Then I turned to look at the Foo dog statue.
When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth , Sherlock Holmes had said. I had the feeling that I was staring the ‘truth’ of Gardenia Landing’s haunting in the eyes as I looked at the Chinese sculpture.
I put out my hand, and let it hover above the shiny blue glaze that covered the stylized little dog. “I think I’ve found the problem,” I said.
Chapter Eight
“Y OU THINK THAT dog statue is bringing everything else to life?” Teag asked incredulously?”
“It’s giving off really strong energy, and right before the mirror drew me into the vision, I felt a spike in power from the direction of the Foo dog,” I said, eyeing the blue sculpture warily.
“It’s not one of our pieces,” Teag said, moving closer for a better look. He frowned. “You know, these dogs never look friendly, but this one looks meaner than usual.”
I peered at the dog and had to agree. The dogs – some people called them lions – were intended to be fearsome guardians with bared teeth and
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