Mirrorbound: The Other Half

The scent of old books and dust motes dancing in sunbeams was the usual welcome at Nova’s Antiques. Today, however, a strange chill permeated the air, something beyond the usual draft from the basement stairs. Sera, accustomed to the shop’s quirks, tried to ignore the subtle shift as she organized a shelf of chipped porcelain dolls.

Suddenly, the familiar chime of the door announced Mrs. White, right on schedule. Sera managed a polite smile, bracing herself for the usual pleasantries. Mrs. White, a creature of habit, quickly steered the conversation to her latest antique obsession: an Egyptian chair her aunt had mentioned. Sera, surprised, knew exactly where she had to go—down the treacherous spiral stairs to the perpetually cold basement. With a sigh, she began her descent, unaware that a centuries-old secret lay waiting to change her life forever.