Beyond the Door (2)

"I am Queen Irene. Are what my subjects saying true? You are the stone statue that appeared on the rock sixteen years ago?" A very glamorous and luxurious woman sat on a thrown of coral reef that was beautiful set to fit her body, her voice wasn't sickly like the rest she sounded refined and in tune. The Queen long slender legs were covered in florescent blue-green scales, evidence that she was special, privileged. It was known that only the chosen Queen can walk on land while the rest of the mermaids can only swim with their scaled fish tail.

"That's what I was told. Do you have any idea how I got there?" Leena still had a few things she needed to learn but this still didn't make sense to her.

"I'm afraid not, one day you appeared out of no where. Your statue wasn't a threat so I ordered everyone to leave it where it was especially since I recognized the pendant wrapped around your neck. It is blessing with rare old magic that protects you from any harm. I believed it was a symbol that we would be safe and for sixteen years we were." Queen Irene smiled pulling her red hair back and standing tall. She stepped forward graciously standing over Leena who was just a head shorter. "For the unknowing protection you gave us I will gladly give you a helping hand."

Leena's body was drench, in order to come into this underwater cave they had to swim slightly deeper into the ocean than she would have wanted to. "Thank you your highness but I don't think that is necessary, I just need to find my cousin."

The Queen nodded and reached back to a table where her throne was and brought a mirror with her. "Look into this and tell me what you see." Leena looked into the mirror to find a beautiful young adult with ember eyes and long beautiful dark brown wavy hair. She noticed similar features to Amira but she was definitely not as delicate, she held a warrior presence always has. "I see myself, I've really gotten older but I don't think I'm twenty-nine."

Queen Irene laughed. "Silly girl, look deeper, beyond and concentrate on this cousin of yours think only of your wanting to find her." Leena nodded and focused on the mirror looking directly into her own eyes. Amira, where are you? The reflection swirled and a dark image appeared of a woman with dark brown hair being chained by her wrist and ankles. "Amira?"

The chained woman looked up, just like Leena, she didn't look like she had aged by much but her face had cuts and her body was bruised. She was wearing a rag that didn't cover much. Her ember eyes were shocked, she had turned to see who called her name only to find Leena. For years she had dreamed of her but she never would have imagined to finally see her face instead of the distorted image she would picture in her mind.

"Amira... Amira, is that you?" Leena wanted to reach through the mirror and take Amira's chains off but she couldn't. "Leena... Leena. Come save me... Come..."

The dungeon's door opened and a man with a red mask came in. Leena remained quiet watching as the man walked forward, he was silently looked over Amira. "Who were you talking to?"

Amira's body began to tremble, her whimpers filled up the room wishing that someone would save her. "Who were you talking to?" Amira's tears flowed down her face, this mans question was tugging at her heart with fear.

The man bent down and took her face forcefully into his right hand, he had no mercy so he squished Amira's jaw painfully. Her tears flowed even faster and her whimpers turned into wails. "You will pay for everything you did. You're so crazy you're even talking to yourself." The man in the red mask chuckled and released Amira's face standing up to tower over her. He then shifted his body to where Leena was looking from and the mirror returned to her reflection.

"How do I find her?" Leena had tears flowing down her beautiful face, she had no time to wipe them away her priority was to save Amira. Queen Irene took the mirror from Leena and asked her to put her right arm out with her palm facing up. Leena did as she was told and saw a mark with a dragon's eye on her right arm.

"Follow your instincts and you will find what you seek."