We jumped scared the second we entered and saw her.
She was right there, stern look on her eyes, an eerie grin on her lips, and a resemblance that now I see towards Dora, since they are from the same Korean Clan of Lights Witches. "What are you doing here at this hour, little snake?" This old bitch.
Ugh. I hate her. Not hate-love, but hate-hate. "I want to go in there!" I pointed towards the last door of the library, where Cosmos told me is the entry to the secret office. And I kept Felix behind me.
"In a wall?" She played dumb.
I scoffed, "In the secret office, protected by your magic!"
Her eyes glowed with delight, "And did… who told you that?"
"Mia!" I lied. "And Cosmos," I added the truth.
She licked her lips slowly, "Is that so?"
"Yes!" I exclaimed firmly and confidently. "So?"
The old witch tilted her head to the side, "What do I get?"
["That's unexpected!"]
Not to me. Everyone wants something from everyone. Differs from those who have the guts to be direct about it, and those who manipulate and beat around the bush about it. "What can I give you?"
"What are you open to give me, little snake?"
Sly bitch. "String of hair, one scale, some venom?" I pointed it out, not allowing her to chose freely. She probably wanted me to say 'anything' so she could get someone of my kind to own her something, but that's not happening. "A blood rose fed with my grandmother's blood?"
Her eyes shone with desire, "Five roses!"
"Two!"
"Four roses!" She groaned.
I looked at my sharp nails, painted turquoise, "Three, last offer."
When I looked up to her eyes, I saw conquest, "Deal. Give me your hand, I'll leave a seal of our deal on your pinky right finger, and when you get them to me, it'll disappear."
"Three roses, nothing else. Don't try to be sly on me, witch!"
A nod, "Three are more than enough. You will brew me the tea!"
"Fine with me," I rolled my eyes. "But you have to allow me free access to the office for as long as I want."
"Deal. As long as I get the blood roses tea," then she took my right hand and left a golden lightening mark around my pinky, like a tattoo ring.
"Good making business with you, Mrs. Kim!" I grinned.
She smiled back, excitedly, "You just gave me the reassurance that I'll get something I've been dying for, for centuries. Something no one but you could get. It was a quick thinking, and a smart one. How did you know I would accept it?"
["I have the same question! How did you know?"]
I didn't. It was a leap of faith. "I'm my mom's daughter, thus clever in business. Besides, the roses are something only I can get. I had a hint you would know of my bloodline," given her age, which in fact might make her the oldest witch alive, since Mia ain't no witch. "If you knew, you wouldn't lose such a golden opportunity to get the roses."
Ivy giggled eerily, "I like you, little snake. I like you a lot."
["Not creepy at all…"]
Well, I don't like her, at all. "I have that affect on people."
"Do you know how to cross the mirror?" She arched an eyebrow.
A nod, "Yes. They told me."
"Good. You can go," she waved her hand and a magical dome disappeared from the back of the library, showing a giant double door made of emerald. "Enjoy your time in there. If you want, there's some cool books in the office. Ancient and from the old world. Can be of help to a serpent."
Definitely not as much as a Deity's direct help. "I'll take a look, thank you, Mrs. Kim." I took Felix's hand and brought him with me, "Let's go, Lix. Let's find this place."
He only spoke when we got in the office, "I almost peed myself. You're too clever, Hel. Oh, my Lady. Ivy is scary."
"I'm scarier," I winked.
"Why does she want the roses?" Felix asked looking around.
"How would I know?" I scoffed. "I'm glad it worked."
"She seems to want it quite a lot," that's true.
I rolled my shoulders, "She can have it then."
That was when we saw, the mirror at the back. Just like Cosmos said, it's a ceiling to floor, two meters large adorned in emerald mirror. I don't like it, at all. Felix seemed to notice it, because he suddenly took the front and put me behind him, as if protecting me from the mirror.
"Don't worry, I'll go in first," he reassured me.
"Remember, you have to use one element to go in, and it's opposite to get out," I said, looking down at my hands. "Or you will be locked inside this monstrous thing!"
"Air and earth, then!" Felix took a step closer and I felt anxious.
The second he went through it, I would be alone… with the mirror.
"Take Jack with you!" I told him.
["But, Hel…"]
"Go with him. I don't want you to see me doing this."
"Give her time, Jack," Felix told him, holding Jack tight under his left arm. "This is creepy, but let's go. See you on the other side, Hel."
"See you!" Then I closed my eyes and pushed him inside.
My eyes closed hard instantly, my hands began to shake, and I felt anxiety swallowing me entirely.
"Look at me!"
I flinched, eyes still closed, "Who's here?" I hissed.
"Me. You. Look at me, serpent. I've been waiting for too long."
Waiting? "Waiting for what?"
"For you to bring me home. Look at me."
I can't. "Who are you?"
"Open your eyes, serpent."
My heart began to beat faster, as I felt a dreadful feeling, "Who. Are. You?" I asked slowly. "Tell me who you are!"
"Only if you open your eyes," sounds like my voice.
I sucked on my breath, "The… the reflex in the mirror is sentient?"
"Open. Your. Eyes. Wilhelmina Rosalind Miralanthor!"
"I can't!" I gasped.
"You can. A serpent shouldn't fear her own reflex."
"How do you know… how do you know my name?" Feels eerie.
"You look like four people I've seen before!" What?
Clenching my jaw, I swallowed, "Four? Who?"
"Open your eyes and I'll tell you!"