As I broke the spell of the mirror, the room appeared to get smaller. My heart pounded in my chest, and I could see icy drops of sweat forming on my brow. The young socialite Selena Gray had her eyes glassy with lust and held angrily to the terrible antique mirror.
"Give it to me," I commanded, my voice cracking as I reached for the mirror. My fingers trembled, caught between fascination and dread at the thought of touching the object that had ensnared my senses. Selena hesitated before pulling the mirror closer to herself, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.
"Nicolo, why do you want this so badly?" she asked, her voice laced with defiance.
"Selena, you don't understand," I pleaded, my hand inches from the mirror's frame. "This mirror is dangerous. It's cursed."
"Stop saying that!" she snapped, clutching the mirror tighter. "This mirror makes me beautiful!"
"Beauty comes at a price," I muttered, trying to quell the uneasy feeling in my gut.
Stardust let out a deep growl and leaped forward as my hand was ready to close around the mirror. She pulled the mirror out of Selena's hand with her strong jaws snapping shut. It slipped to the edge of the room and hit the floor.
My ears were split open by the sound of the mirror striking the floor. My eyes became wide at the realization that I was dangerously near to succumbing to its dark seduction once more. I felt a chill go down my spine; I had to shield other people from this evil relic. This also applied to me. My magic offered me some protection, but not enough.
"NO!" Selena screamed, her face contorting with rage and desperation. Her eyes seemed wild, like a cornered animal as she scratched her face and throat. I could see the terror of losing her treasured possession gnawing at her sanity.
"Selena, please," I implored, hoped to reason with her. "The mirror is evil. You don't need it."
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