A Reflection's Tale

7 - Gathering The Forces

"Now the officers know that we've been here." Autumn appeared next to her and pointed to the blanket in Lyra's hands.

"Yeah, but if some of them are indeed magic beings, there's still a chance that they will understand and help us guide the hotel."

"Right." Autumn yawned and climbed down the ladder. "Normally, I go to sleep around this time, but this whole stuff is so confusing!"

"You're having a jet lag?" Lyra giggled and followed her. It seemed so unreal – a jet lag, not from changing the country or continent, but from changing the world.

"I can't come with you," she realised when they stood in front of the high fence. "I'm not a member of the university!"

"And so ain't I." Autumn grinned. "But we are just visiting a family member. That's allowed."

"Sounds good," Lyra said, but her voice trembled. She wasn't really interested in meeting Professor Smith again... But she just cleared her throat and said, "Well, then let's go." She followed her sister on the estate and into the building.

"You, again?" Professor Maddox looked up with a vacant face when the girls came in.

"Nice to see you, auntie!" both girls said simultaneously and wide-grinning.

Professor Maddox rolled her eyes, but couldn't hide a little smile. "So it's official now, Lyra? You know it all?"

"Yes." Lyra and Autumn sat down on the chairs.

"Good to know. I'm Astriel. You can of course also keep calling me Professor Maddox, whatever you prefer. Anything except auntie." She smiled again.

"All right." Lyra took a deep breath. "Astriel, we need your help." It felt strange to address the professor with her first name, but she was literally her aunt.

Lyra forced a smile on her lips. "We talked to my- to our parents and they explained what the f- what is going on here." She remembered Astriel's look when she had said "damn" yesterday and quickly suppressed the "fuck".

"You mean about Quintinus?" The professor sighed.

"He wants to get all magic animals into this world. And he needs to steal the mirror for it," Autumn said. "Why did you never tell me about him? He is my uncle as well!"

"Would you tell me about all your love affairs?" Astriel replied cold, locking eyes with her ex-scholar and niece.

"You were...," Lyra started.

"... a couple?" Autumn completed.

"You know each other for barely 24 hours and already behave like twins." Astriel smiled slightly. "Yes, Quintinus and I were a couple, about fifteen years ago. And it's my fault that he is how he is now."

"That he wants to bring magic beings here?" Lyra asked. "Why?"

"Let's not talk about this today." Astriel shook her head and put a plate with brownies on the table. "Back to our problem. I think I'll send some fairies across the worlds – Aestria and yours. There are five people who will fight on our side. The chosen five."

"The chosen five?" the girls repeated.

"Just a joke." Astriel smiled. "Just normal people of whom I know that they are really talented fighters." She got up, opened the window and put some of the brownies on the sill.

"Lyra? Are you here?" a faint voice whispered from the hallway.

"What-" Lyra looked up.

"What's up?" Autumn and Astriel turned to her.