THE GIRL AND THE MAGIC MIRROR

Chapter 1 — The Forgotten Attic Liora had always believed that her grandmother’s house was full of secrets. The old house stood at the edge of Willowmere Village, where the last row of cottages ended and the enormous Whispering Forest began. It had been built many years ago, with wooden walls, a crooked chimney, and windows that rattled whenever the wind blew. Ivy covered most of the outside walls, and strange flowers grew around the garden even though no one had planted them. Liora had lived there with her grandmother, Elara, for as long as she could remember. Her grandmother had one rule that Liora was never allowed to break. “Stay away from the attic.” Naturally, that made Liora even more curious. One rainy afternoon, while her grandmother was visiting a neighbor, Liora heard a strange noise coming from above her bedroom. Tap. She looked toward the ceiling. Tap. Tap. It sounded as though someone was walking around upstairs. Liora grabbed a candle and climbed the narrow wooden staircase leading to the attic. The door was covered in dust. A large brass lock hung from it, but strangely, it was already open. Liora hesitated. “Grandmother would be furious,” she whispered. Another tapping sound came from inside. She slowly pushed the door open. The attic smelled of old wood and dried flowers. Boxes were stacked against the walls, covered in white sheets. Old paintings leaned against the ceiling, and broken furniture was scattered everywhere. Liora walked carefully between the boxes. Then she noticed something in the far corner. A tall object stood beneath a black cloth. It was almost as tall as she was. Curiosity overcame her fear. She pulled away the cloth. A beautiful mirror stood before her. Its frame was made of silver metal carved into the shapes of roses, stars, and strange creatures. Seven small stars were engraved around its edges. But something was wrong. Liora could not see her reflection. Instead, the mirror showed a place she had never seen before. A magnificent castle floated among silver clouds. Towers reached toward a violet sky, and waterfalls fell from the floating islands into nothingness. Liora stepped closer. “What is this place?” Suddenly, the image changed. A young girl appeared in the mirror. She looked exactly like Liora. But she was wearing a long white dress and holding a glowing star. The girl slowly raised one finger and touched the inside of the glass. Liora stepped backward. Then a whisper filled the attic. “Find the seven stars…” The candle flame went out. Liora froze. The mirror became completely dark. A moment later, she heard footsteps downstairs. “Liora?” Her grandmother had returned. Liora quickly covered the mirror with the cloth. But before she left the attic, she glanced back. For just a second, seven tiny lights appeared beneath the cloth. And one of them began to glow blue.