Page 6 of Crowned by the Shadow (Bound by the Veil #5)

“The Mirror!” Sebastian’s voice rasped behind me. “It’s our only chance. Use it against him!”

I glanced at the Starforged Mirror, its surface rippling like liquid moonlight. Fenvalur stood between us, his hands weaving increasingly complex patterns as the surrounding air crackled with building magic.

“You don’t know how to use it,” Fenvalur sneered, his composure cracking. “If I hadn’t read the ancient scrolls from the archives, then it would have been as useless to me as it is to you now.”

But something in me knew exactly what to do.

The Mirror called to me, resonating with my mark in a way I couldn’t explain but instinctively understood.

I feinted left, then darted right, using the momentum to slide past Fenvalur’s defenses.

He anticipated my move, though, and sent a blast of magic that caught my shoulder, burning through the stolen uniform.

Pain lanced down my arm, but I pushed through it, rolling to my feet directly in front of the Mirror.

Its surface shifted, showing not my reflection but fragments of memories, the last of which broke my heart.

It was a younger Sebastian, and he was clearly in distress as he silently screamed wild eyed and clutching at his chest.

“Senara!” Thorn shouted in warning.

I spun just as Fenvalur lunged at me, his face contorted with rage.

Without thinking, I grabbed the Mirror’s frame and turned it toward him.

The surface flashed blindingly bright, and Fenvalur’s spell rebounded, catching him squarely in the chest. He flew backward, slamming into the far wall with a sickening crack.

“How did you—” he gasped, struggling to rise.

I didn’t wait for him to recover. Clutching the Mirror to my chest, I ran to where Thorn supported Sebastian’s weakened form.

“We need to go,” I said, glancing back at Fenvalur, who was already pushing himself up, blood trickling from his nose. “Now.”

Something cracked behind me, and I turned, raising the Mirror instinctively. Its surface flashed again, but instead of reflecting whatever magic Fenvalur was trying to throw at us, this time it seemed to bend the surrounding light, creating a disorienting blur.

“He can’t see us clearly,” Sebastian murmured, his voice gaining strength. “The Mirror protects its bearer from those who would do harm.”

“We have to go,” Thorn growled, clearly worried about impending reinforcements that might show up at any time. I wasn’t, though. Anyone who had spent any time around Fenvalur’s lab would know that screams and the sounds of things breaking were normal around here.

Still, we began to edge out of the smaller room that had been hidden by the tapestry and into the larger one.

“What about them?” I asked, looking up. Guilt knotted in my stomach. I had abandoned them all once before, and I wasn’t sure I had it in me to do it again. Not when I had the chance to do something about it.

The weight of Sebastian’s gaze bore down on me.

My heart raced, torn between the urgency of escape and the longing to understand what this reunion meant.

The world outside Fenvalur’s lab loomed large, full of danger and uncertainty, yet here stood the man I had been searching for in whispers and shadows.

I could still hear Fenvalur’s grunts of frustration behind us, his magic flaring as he tried to gather himself.

“We can’t leave them,” I said, my voice shaking with the intensity of my emotions. “We have to find a way to help.”

Thorn shook his head, his expression grim. “Senara, we need to focus on getting you out first. Fenvalur is a threat?—”

“He’s not just a threat,” I interrupted, my pulse quickening. “He’s part of all this—my past.”

Sebastian’s hand gripped my shoulder firmly, grounding me. “Senara,” he said softly, urgency lacing his words. “Fenvalur will not stop until he has you back under his control. We must move before he regains his strength.”

But the thought of leaving those who had no one to help them but me behind twisted in my gut like a dagger. Fenvalur had done terrible things; I couldn’t let him continue unchallenged.

“Just give me a moment,” I urged Thorn, catching a glimpse of the fading images in the Mirror—a woman smiling weakly at a child that looked so much like me—and an idea sparked.

“Fenvalur is obsessed with power and knowledge,” I muttered to myself as pieces fell into place. “If we can turn that obsession against him...”

“What do you mean?” Thorn asked, glancing between Sebastian and me as if sensing the change in my demeanor.

“Fenvalur thinks he knows everything about magic and bloodlines,” I said slowly, mind racing ahead of my thoughts. “But what if we could show him something he doesn’t? Something that would make him doubt himself?”

The notion settled like a stone in my stomach, but there was little time for hesitation.

“I can use the Mirror,” I continued, meeting Sebastian’s gaze again. “If it truly reflects truths hidden by time... then maybe it can show Fenvalur what he’s been missing about me, about us, about…everything.”

Thorn frowned but didn’t argue further; he trusted me even when I didn’t trust myself.

“Just tell me how to use it,” I said to Sebastian, determination hardening within me.

Sebastian stepped closer to the Mirror as it shimmered with possibility. “It responds to your intent and emotions. Channel your feelings through it; show him what you know, what you’ve learned about your past.”

I took a deep breath and reached for the Mirror again, its surface warm against my skin as if pulsing with energy beneath my fingertips.

As Fenvalur’s movements grew frantic behind us, a soft crackle of energy gathering, I closed my eyes briefly and concentrated on everything I felt: anger at being manipulated; fear for those who had suffered because of him; an overwhelming desire for truth.

The air thickened with tension as Thorn readied himself beside Sebastian, prepared to shield us both if needed.

When I opened my eyes again, they were filled with silvery light reflecting off the Mirror’s surface like moonbeams dancing over water.

“Fenvalur!” I shouted across the room as his shadow loomed larger through swirling magic.

He paused mid-gesture at the sound of my voice, a flicker of confusion darting across his face.

“What are you doing?” His tone dripped with disdain but trembled slightly at the edges.

With all my strength and intention focused on dispelling his illusions, the lies he’d spun around us, I pointed the Mirror toward him. The glass shimmered and swirled as images cascaded forth.

I saw myself as an infant in a cradle while shadows loomed over me, but also glimpses of love; sisterhood with Wyn, Grimsby taking us in, being praised by my superior when I was a soldier. I channeled it all to show him that, despite what he might have thought, I had a good life.

Was it true? Not completely, but there were bright spots if I knew how to look for them, and that was what I showed him.

“No!” Fenvalur shouted, his hands rising defensively before him as though trying to block what could not be stopped, as though just witnessing what I was trying to show him would change his reality.

He had wanted me to be miserable, to have suffered, to have craved what he had to offer, but I wouldn’t let that be the truth.

In that moment, something shifted deep within me, a sense of belonging crystallizing among all these revelations swirling around us, and it ignited courage inside my heart.

“This is who I am!” I declared fiercely as more memories poured forth: flashes showing how far I’d come despite pain etched into every experience shaping me now; moments shared with Thorn that highlighted loyalty forged through trials faced together; visions of Wyn standing by my side amid chaos, the friendship that had breathed life into me and given me hope during my darkest hours.

“I am more than your experiment! More than whatever my bloodline is or who my parents are!” The words burst forth like fire from an ember ignited anew by purpose, a rebuke that clashed against Fenvalur’s carefully crafted beliefs.

“Enough!” Fenvalur roared, gathering his magic once more as tendrils of energy whipped around him like storm clouds ready to burst. “I will not allow this!”

My heart raced as I prepared for his counterattack. Thorn shifted beside me, ready to protect us all. But I couldn’t rely on him alone; this was my fight.

With every ounce of strength coursing through me, I focused on the bond between Thorn and me. It surged like a flame igniting my spirit, guiding my intent toward Fenvalur.

The Mirror glowed brighter as I channeled that connection. “You think you know power? You think you can bind us?” My voice rang out defiantly, filled with determination.

In an instant, light erupted from the Mirror, shooting toward Fenvalur like a comet across the night sky. He gasped as it struck him full force, his magic recoiling in response.

Fenvalur fell to his knees, caught between forces he could no longer command. The swirling memories shifted again; they began enveloping him like chains woven from truth.

His face paled as recognition dawned in his eyes, fear flickering behind his mask of arrogance.

“This isn’t over,” he hissed through gritted teeth.

“Yes,” I replied firmly, meeting his gaze head-on. “It is.”

The light from the Mirror blazed like a supernova, and for a moment, I felt invincible. I channeled my determination into that brilliant energy, weaving memories of love and loss together into a tapestry of truth.

“Senara,” Thorn’s voice cut through the chaos, steadying me as I focused on Fenvalur. “Don’t lose yourself in this. Remember why we’re here.”

I nodded at Thorn, but his words weren’t just heard by me. With one last burst of energy, Fenvalur summoned a counterattack, a desperate attempt to reclaim control over the magic flooding through the air. I braced myself against its force as darkness swirled around us like an approaching storm.

Thorn moved closer, grounding me with his presence as I fought to maintain focus. My mark burned fiercely against my skin, a reminder that I was not alone in this battle.

“Together,” he urged quietly, his hand slipping around my own, though he was careful not to touch the mirror itself.

With our bond solidified by trust and determination, we faced Fenvalur as one. The chaotic magic spiraled between us, the forces clashing with ferocity, and yet I felt a sense of calmness wash over me.

“This isn’t how it ends!” He spat defiantly even as panic crept into his eyes.

But it didn’t matter what he thought anymore. In that moment, all doubts faded away, and I knew who I was meant to be: more than an experiment or a pawn in someone else’s game.

“I am Senara Cira, descendant of the Sun Court and the Moon Court and chosen scion of the Moon Goddess herself,” I proclaimed boldly, heart racing as raw magic coursed through my veins. “And you cannot erase who I am!”

The energies converged, my essence intertwining with those images swirling within the Mirror, and everything coalesced into one singular truth: family wasn’t merely bloodlines or legacies, but bonds forged through love and loyalty amid darkness.

A final surge erupted forth, a wave so powerful it sent ripples cascading outward until Fenvalur could no longer hold on to any semblance of control.

His scream echoed once more, a sound filled with rage and despair, as all illusions shattered around him like fragile glass.

The room trembled underfoot as if reality itself shook beneath our confrontation; the walls glowing bright with ancient magic unleashed in defiance against tyranny born from manipulation and fear.

Then silence fell, the kind that settles after thunder passes and leaves behind nothing but echoes lingering in its wake.

As dust settled slowly around us and remnants of chaotic energy dispersed into nothingness, I blinked away tears brought forth by relief mingled with exhaustion.

Thorn stood beside me, tall and steadfast, but now there was something else in his eyes: pride?

I turned back toward where Fenvalur had knelt just moments ago, but found nothing. His own creations had imprisoned him, but now nothing remained except echoes fading away into shadows lurking within dark corners long forgotten...

“What do we do now?” Thorn asked softly after what felt like an eternity stretched thin between us.

“Now, we free these prisoners and then get Wyn back.” My words rang like hammer blows on an anvil. These things would happen or I’d die trying to make them happen.