Chapter 47 Veronica

Chapter 47 Veronica

Nova's eyes snapped open as she jolted awake, gasping for air. Her heart pounded against her ribs like she'd barely escaped death. She sat up in a daze, sweat dripping down her forehead. It took her a long moment to gather herself, and when she finally did, confusion set in.

"Where am I?" she whispered, glancing down at the bed beneath her. It was old, worn, its frame chipped and splintered. The blanket draped over her was thin, coarse, and frayed at the edges.

The rest of the room was no better. Stains coated the walls. The only furniture was the bed, a crooked desk shoved into the corner, and a small mirror that barely reflected anything.

She scrambled to her feet, panic rising. The last thing she remembered was speaking with Lucien, touching Veronica's portrait. Had he drugged her and taken her somewhere else?

Before she could call out for help, the door creaked open and a teenage girl stepped inside. She studied Nova for a moment, her expression assessing, before speaking.

"Vee, did you have another nightmare? You look frantic."

She crossed the room and stopped in front of Nova, reaching out to grip her shoulders reassuringly. Nova wanted to push her away, but something held her back. Something about the girl felt achingly familiar. Her body relaxed against her will, as if responding to a command she hadn't given.

The brunette girl smiled and nodded. "There you go. All better?"

Nova nodded slowly. Then she asked, carefully, "Excuse me... where am I?"

The girl arched a brow, amused. "What do you mean? We're home."

"Home?" Nova shook her head, looking around the room with a frown. Was this a joke? Perhaps this girl was an actor. “Is Lucien playing a prank? Tell him this isn't funny. I want to go back."

The girl's expression shifted. "Who is Lucien?” Then in a more quieter tone, she added warily, “You shouldn't call strangers' names out loud. The monsters might hear."

She moved to the small, wooden window, pushing it slightly to take a peek outside as if searching for something. Then she slammed it shut quickly and drew the curtains. Her actions were careful and wary.

Nova watched in confusion.

The girl turned back to her, nudging her forward. "Come on. You promised to make breakfast, Veronica. I'm starving."

The name rang in Nova’s ears like a bell. She froze, eyes furrowing. Her hands shot out, gripping the girl's shoulders. "What did you call me?"

Had she heard correctly? Veronica?

Fear flashed in the girl's eyes at her grip. "Vee, what's gotten into you? You're hurting me." She pushed Nova away.

Nova barely noticed. She lunged for the mirror on the desk, wiping the dust away with trembling hands.

Her reflection stared back at her.

Staring back at her was a girl with blonde hair and brown eyes that were wide in horror. Nova didn’t look like herself at all. She now at the face of Veronica, the woman she saw from the painting.

A heart sank.

The mirror slipped from her fingers and shattered on the floor.

This couldn't be real. What was she doing in Veronica’s body? Had she travelled back in time?

As the thought settled in, a violent wave of pain crashed through her skull. Memories—not her own—flooded her mind, sharp and disorienting. She let out a small cry, clutching her head with one hand while bracing against the wall with the other.

"Veronica? Veronica!" The girl gripped her arm, panic rising in her voice. "Hold on, I'll go get Mrs. Edwin."

She turned to leave, but Nova's hand shot out and caught her wrist. The pain had already begun to fade and color was returning to her face.

"Don't bother the old nurse, Eloise. I'm alright."

The words left her mouth before she could think, smooth and familiar. Nova — or rather, Veronica — lifted her head and smiled, reassuring her sister. Her brown eyes were as clear as day, like she hadn’t just been in excruciating pain moments ago.

She reached up to brush a strand of hair from her sister's face, then rose to her feet, smoothing down her nightgown. She glanced at the shattered mirror and poured.

"I just bought that two months ago. How clumsy of me."

Eloise studied her face with lingering worry. "Are you sure you're alright? You looked like you were in so much pain."

Veronica hummed with a nod. “It was just another migraine."

"You've been getting them often. You should tell the nurse."

Veronica smiled gently. "So she can give me another bitter herb?" She touched Eloise's cheek. "I'm three years older than you, yet you act like the eldest sometimes. Trust me, I'm fine. I just need rest."

Eloise sighed, too tired to argue this early in the morning. "Fine. I'll make breakfast. You should clean up."

She left, closing the door behind her.

Veronica exhaled slowly and knelt beside the broken mirror, gathering the shards into a rag. She set them on the desk, planning to dispose of them later. Her chest ached at the loss, she had saved for that mirror for an entire month, and now it was nothing but pieces.

She picked up one of the larger shards, turning it over in her fingers. Her reflection stared back at her — blonde hair, brown eyes, and pink lips. An unsettling feeling washed over her.

"Sometimes," she murmured, "I feel like there's someone else living in my head."

She set the shard down, pulled a fresh dress from the old box beneath her bed, and disappeared into the bathroom to wash up.