The night in the Aldenar estate was a stark, beautiful contrast to the stifling atmosphere at the Capital. Verona sat at her vanity, she pulled a light blue brush through her long, dark hair.
Suddenly, a faint hum vibrated through the marble tabletop.
Verona froze. Her eyes moved to the sapphire mirror, identical to Liera's, that had kept for herself, laid amidst her jars of creams and perfumes. The deep blue gems embedded in the frame were beginning to pulse with an ethereal light.
"Liera?" Verona whispered, leaning forward until her breath fogged the glass.
The surface of the mirror rippled like water disturbed by a pebble. The reflection of Verona's own luxurious room faded, replaced by a room so familiar to her. That was Liera's. Then, a face appeared.
"Shh! Verona? Hey... can you hear me? Is this thing really working?"
Liera's voice came through as a series of tiny, metallic whispers, as if she were speaking into a long, hollow tube. She was huddled under a heavy blanket.
