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And then the scene changed, hundreds of sheets of paper falling to the ground. She tried to reach for a piece, and it was only then she realized that she didn’t exist, not in this world from a hundred years back.

Black.

The descent of the papers slowed down in front of her eyes, as if someone had set everything in slow motion. Words written in black ink screamed at her.

MISSING!

Toby Manderley, Age 7.

Katie Sanders, Age 11.

Darwin Colt, Age 5.

Another shower of paper fell, torn sheets of newspaper falling from somewhere above her.

More words cried out to her, headlines printed in black.

Wealthy clan owning mines denies allegations of child labor!

Furious, grieving parents file lawsuit against the Richmond family!

A possible truce? Parents invited to inspect mines!

A tragedy! All 98 parents buried alive by explosion!

Mining explosion declared accident by experts!

Richmond family builds memorial in remembrance of victims!

Tears ran down Zari’s face. She wanted to cover her ears as the howls and tears of despair reached her. In front of her, parents sank to their knees as they were shown the skeletons of their missing children, all of whom had died from either sickness or abuse. She cried harder when she saw the moment the parents realized that they were never leaving the tunnels – not alive anyway.

She thought it would end there, but it didn’t, the world twirling around her into something new, something different, and something terrible.

Black.

The color of vengeful souls, the color of hatred, the color of death—-

Ghosts of murdered parents seeking retribution against the Richmonds. An eye for an eye.

A solitary sheet of newspaper once again drifted down, big, boldblackletters on the front page spelling the fate of the owners of the mine.

Entire family found decapitated in their beds, mutilated, no signs of struggle!

“COME BACK TO ME NOW, pet.”

The words sounded like they came from a great distance. They were repeated over and over, louder and louder, until it roped her back into reality and Zari found herself falling to her knees, a silent scream lodged against her throat.

Frightened gray eyes sought Alexandru.

His first instinct was to reach for her, but he forced himself to remain still, knowing it was the only way to help Zari become stronger. “Breathe slow and deep.” He issued the command in a soft voice.

Zari instinctively followed the order, a part of her recognizing the fact that everything Alexandru – her Master – would ask of her was for her sake. Always for her sake.

She concentrated on breathing, and little by little, the chills racking her body subsided, enough for her to be coherent. “The children...” She started to cry again. “Their parents...” She looked around her, and this time she saw them with new eyes.

“What you saw was from the past, and you’re able to see it because you’re a soul seer.”

She whispered, “I don’t understand.”