Nali waited until Pai and Medjuline disappeared from view before she turned and scanned the forest. She sensed that she wasn’t alone. It was unclear whether the unknown presence was an enemy or an ally. She closed her eyes and listened, but all she heard were the sounds of nature—the wind in the trees, the songs of birds, and the faint sound of rushing water from a nearby stream.
She opened her eyes and stared off into the distance. Lifting her hand, she whispered a summoning spell. A small, oval disk made of liquid gold appeared in her hand. The surface of the material flattened and shimmered until it became a polished surface so smooth that it formed a mirror that reflected her image.
“Goddess’s Mirror, show me the alien,” she murmured.
Her reflection shimmered, changing to show an im
