CHAPTER 5
1386 Words
Chapter 5: The Queen’s Curse
Jenny clutched the side of the cracked mirror, her reflection distorted between fragments of gold and shadow. The trembling of the palace had stopped, but the chill in the air lingered—unnatural, alive, whispering in a voice that wasn’t hers.
“Azrael…” she whispered, her heart pounding. “What’s happening?”
The genie stood a few steps away, his face grim, his aura glowing faintly blue. “She’s awakening,” he said quietly. “The Queen of Shadows knows that her curse has been disturbed. You’ve broken the barrier between the mortal and the spirit realm.”
Jenny frowned, still shaken. “But I didn’t do anything! I just… touched the lamp.”
Azrael’s eyes met hers—sharp, ancient, and full of secrets. “Exactly. That was enough. You carry her essence inside you, Jenny. Every breath you take weakens her prison.”
Jenny’s throat went dry. “You mean the queen’s curse is connected to me?”
He nodded slowly. “In your past life, you weren’t just my master. You were her rival.”
Jenny’s pulse raced faster. “Rival? What do you mean?”
Azrael turned away, walking toward the enormous window overlooking a vast ocean of stars. His voice grew heavy with memory. “Centuries ago, there were two powerful sorceresses—your past self, Lady Seraphina, and the Queen of Shadows. Both sought the power of eternity. But when Seraphina refused to use dark magic, the Queen cursed her—binding her soul to mine, and mine to the lamp.”
Jenny shook her head, overwhelmed. “So you’re saying I’m… her reincarnation?”
“Yes,” Azrael said, his gaze steady. “And the queen’s curse didn’t just bind me—it condemned you to return every lifetime until the cycle breaks.”
Jenny took a step back, fear creeping up her spine. “And what happens if it doesn’t?”
Azrael’s eyes darkened. “Then the Queen of Shadows will consume your soul, and the curse will start again with another life.”
Jenny’s breath caught in her chest. Consume my soul?
Before she could speak, the palace lights dimmed. A low hum filled the air—followed by a chilling, echoing laugh that made her blood run cold.
“Ah… so the little witch has returned.”
Jenny froze. The voice came from everywhere—and nowhere. The walls began to ripple like water, and the cracked mirror behind her reformed, showing a figure cloaked in black mist.
It was her.
Or at least, a darker version of her—cold eyes, pale skin, and a cruel smile.
Jenny’s voice trembled. “Who are you?”
The shadow in the mirror tilted its head. “You know who I am, Seraphina. I am the part of you that refused to die.”
Azrael stepped forward, shielding Jenny. “You have no power here, Queen!”
The reflection smirked. “No power? Oh, Azrael… you forget that every time she breathes, she feeds me. You can’t protect her forever.”
Jenny gripped Azrael’s arm. “Make it stop! Please!”
He muttered an incantation under his breath, raising his hand. The mirror shattered into a thousand glowing shards that floated like fireflies before vanishing into mist.
For a moment, silence filled the room. Jenny could hear her own heartbeat.
Then Azrael turned to her, his expression pained. “She’s getting stronger. We don’t have much time.”
Jenny looked at him, confused. “Time for what?”
“To break the curse,” he said. “Once and for all.”
Jenny swallowed hard. “How?”
Azrael sighed. “The Queen of Shadows lives off the energy of broken wishes. Every person who makes a selfish or desperate wish feeds her. That’s how she’s survived all these years.”
Jenny frowned. “So if we stop people from making wishes—”
“Impossible,” Azrael interrupted. “Desire is part of human nature. What we can do is find the Heart of Eternity—a relic that holds the essence of both light and dark magic. If you can wield it, you can seal her away permanently.”
Jenny blinked, her mind reeling. “And where is it?”
Azrael’s jaw tightened. “Hidden in the mortal world.”
Her eyes widened. “Wait, we have to go back?”
He nodded. “Yes. But the moment we return, the Queen will send her minions after us. You’ll need to learn how to defend yourself.”
Jenny gave a nervous laugh. “Defend myself? I can’t even survive a horror movie without closing my eyes!”
Azrael smirked faintly. “Then it’s time you learned. You have power within you, Jenny. Magic from your past life still lingers in your soul—you just need to awaken it.”
Jenny blinked. “Magic? Me?”
“Yes,” he said simply. “And I will teach you.”
Before she could respond, he snapped his fingers. The stars outside the palace shifted, and the air around them shimmered. In an instant, they stood in a vast courtyard surrounded by golden pillars and floating orbs of light.
Azrael extended his hand. “Take it.”
Jenny hesitated, then placed her trembling hand in his. A surge of energy shot through her body, filling her with warmth—and something else. Power.
Images flashed in her mind—spells, runes, battles, a woman in a crimson cloak standing beside Azrael in a burning palace. Seraphina.
Jenny gasped, pulling her hand away. “I saw her. I saw… me.”
Azrael nodded. “Your memories are returning. But be careful—each memory you recover brings you closer to the Queen’s control.”
Jenny bit her lip. “So I’m supposed to remember… but not too much?”
“Exactly,” he said softly. “You must find balance.”
The ground beneath them trembled again, and a chilling wind swept across the courtyard. Dark mist began to creep in from the edges—forming shapes, faces, whispers.
Azrael’s eyes flared blue. “She’s found us.”
Jenny’s heart pounded as shadowy creatures emerged from the mist—twisted figures with hollow eyes and clawed hands.
“What are those things?!” Jenny cried.
“Her watchers,” Azrael said, summoning a burst of light from his palm. “Stay behind me!”
The creatures lunged, and Azrael struck them with beams of golden fire. Jenny watched in awe as each shadow burned into ash. But more kept coming—dozens, then hundreds.
“Azrael!” she shouted. “There’s too many!”
He gritted his teeth. “Then it’s time you use your power, Jenny!”
She froze. “What? I don’t know how!”
“Trust your instinct!” he yelled. “Focus on your heartbeat—let it guide you!”
Jenny closed her eyes, heart racing. She felt the energy pulsing inside her—the same warmth from before. She lifted her hand and whispered, “Stop!”
A sudden burst of light erupted from her palm, spreading across the courtyard like a shockwave. The shadows shrieked and dissolved into mist, leaving silence once again.
Jenny opened her eyes, breathing hard. “Did I… do that?”
Azrael smiled faintly. “Yes. The power of your past self—reborn in you.”
Jenny stared at her glowing hands, a mix of awe and fear. “This is insane.”
Azrael stepped closer, his voice gentle now. “It’s destiny.”
But even as he spoke, Jenny could feel a presence watching her—a cold whisper in the back of her mind.
“You can’t escape me, Seraphina…”
Jenny’s eyes widened. The voice wasn’t Azrael’s. It was hers—darker, older, filled with venom.
She gasped. “She’s inside me.”
Azrael’s face turned pale. “Then we must move fast. The longer she stays, the harder it will be to save you.”
Jenny looked at him, fear and determination burning in her eyes. “Then let’s break the curse—before she breaks me.”
And somewhere, in the shattered realms between worlds, the Queen of Shadows smiled.
“The game begins again.”
- Writer
