Crowley's eyes lingered on the fall of crimson that revealed itself under the black robe of Professor Lyra. "Symbolism matters in ancient magic. As does attire," she commented as she draped herself languidly over the cushions while procuring items from around her, presumably to aid them on their journey. She took seven mirror shards from her bed and arranged them in a pattern on the rug between them. Next, her bony hands reached under her bed and pulled out an ornamental box containing a great number and variety of keys. She offered the box to Professor Lyra. "Take it. Select one. Take your time. It's best if you find one that speaks to you," she instructed her. She herself directed her gaze towards a shelf that held hundreds of candles. She contemplated them at length. "We will dream, together. Ordinary dreams are limited. Most of us don't stray far from the confines of our own memories and bodies. If we want to travel the invisible realm freely, we need to cross a threshold — it is not easy to accomplish for the uninitiated. But I have done it many times. I can take you along."
She found between a statuette of obsidian and an Amharic mask a clay bowl containing candy in colorful paper wrappers. Professor Crowley took one and offered the others to her colleague.
"In the bounds of the invisible realm, truths become apparent that are veiled to our eyes here."
In anticipation of leaving the physical behind, Morrigan Crowley seemed to ease from her rigidness and she seemed to brighten. Her eyes shone when she arranged the strange objects that would facilitate their ritual. Lyra was tense. "It is easy to get lost over there, Professor. You will need to trust me, or our journey will be perilous and difficult."
With a pair of sharp scissors, she cut off a strand of her hair and looked appraisingly at Lyra's long and golden waves, secured away in a braid. Those would do nicely, she determined, to enforce the tether that would prevent their separation. "If you don't mind," she said stiffly, suddenly aware she was requesting something intimate. She handed over the scissors, whose handles were engraved with a swarm of moths.
She found between a statuette of obsidian and an Amharic mask a clay bowl containing candy in colorful paper wrappers. Professor Crowley took one and offered the others to her colleague.
"In the bounds of the invisible realm, truths become apparent that are veiled to our eyes here."
In anticipation of leaving the physical behind, Morrigan Crowley seemed to ease from her rigidness and she seemed to brighten. Her eyes shone when she arranged the strange objects that would facilitate their ritual. Lyra was tense. "It is easy to get lost over there, Professor. You will need to trust me, or our journey will be perilous and difficult."
With a pair of sharp scissors, she cut off a strand of her hair and looked appraisingly at Lyra's long and golden waves, secured away in a braid. Those would do nicely, she determined, to enforce the tether that would prevent their separation. "If you don't mind," she said stiffly, suddenly aware she was requesting something intimate. She handed over the scissors, whose handles were engraved with a swarm of moths.
![[Image: mirror-sig.png]](https://i.ibb.co/YT1B1DhL/mirror-sig.png)