Pacing the room, I stop in front of the mirror. I am frozen. Her eyes stared straight through to me. Her pupils dilate in a strange, surprised manner. Her face became pale. She jumps away, then I hear it. Her voice panicked as she leaned in, looking at me.

"What's wrong?" I hear another female's voice in the background asking.

"There's a reflection of a man in the mirror," Tish says, her finger pointing at me.

I jolt. "She can see me?" I exclaim. Confused, I step away, wondering if the other female would be able to see me too. I stand and listen to the women exchange some words, my thoughts racing.

How can she see me? Mortals aren't supposed to be able to see us, not the immortal... There needs to be a reasonable explanation. I need to go see HIM.

I groan at the thought of even having to sit there for five minutes with him just to discuss how many souls have passed through each month. I pinch the bridge between my nose and sigh. It has to be done. I need to know why she can see me. Snapping my fingers, I teleport to his office door. The large obsidian door towers over me. I knock once before entering. 

I walk in, my eyes finding the man. He sits at his ebony desk, smoke lingering in the air next to him, as I catch sight of a ruby candle lit. The scent invades my senses, the intoxicating fumes distract me. For a moment, I forget why I'm standing here. Shaking my head, I remind myself of what I just witnessed.

"What do you want?" Death's voice echoes in the large room. My spine stiffens. 

I need to stop being so afraid of him; he's my father. I need to show him I am not the same son he used to know. I straighten my back and look him right in the eyes. Leaning on his desk, his eyes shift from the paperwork to mine. His brows furrow, and I can tell he's becoming annoyed with my presence. Good. The last five thousand years, I've only come to him to let him know about the souls that have crossed over... never about one still in the mortal realm.

"Do you know anything about mortals who can see us?" I say, my words catching his absolute attention. He glares at me, his eyes shifting from white to a grim black.

"What do you mean, a mortal who can see us?" He questions, his voice low but demanding. This wasn't a simple question, but a demand to tell him everything I know. I pause before answering.

"Can mortals see us? I mean, I know Mom was a mortal, so she had to be able to see you, right?" The words leave my tongue so casually. I notice a change in his expression, once concerned... now anger. He stands from his desk, hands slamming onto the wood beneath him. I stand still, not out of fear, but to prove to him I am no longer afraid of his outbursts.

"How dare you bring up that vile creature around me! How many times have I mentioned that she is never to be brought up? I will not have you mocking me! Now I asked you a question. What about mortals seeing us? Why do you want to know about it?" He demands walking towards me. 

I sigh, knowing this was a mistake. I look at him, convinced he won't tell me what I want to know.

"I wanted to know if mortals could see us. I was wondering about how Mom was able to see you. I'll go. I can see you're busy."My voice falls. I know now that I will have to figure it out myself. I turn to head out the door when he stops me. 

"If a mortal can see you, it means their time is running very short." He says with a heavy exhale. 

I close the door behind me, feeling an unreal heaviness in my chest. Tish doesn't have much time left... But something in me says that's not right. For the first time in twelve hundred years, I can feel my heart thump. My eyes widen, and my hand shoots to my chest. Gripping tightly, I feel what mortals would describe as a panic attack. My lungs tighten, and I fall to my knees, heaving. How is this possible! How is it that the thought of some mortal dying too soon has my body reacting this way? I watch as the lives of so many are snuffed out too soon, so why her? 

I take a few moments trying to collect myself, snapping my fingers, I teleport back to the viewing hall. I rush to the mirror, placing my hand on the smooth glass. I search for her soul, the one I want to see the most. Her face appears, and I watch. The fire in her eyes ignites something otherworldly inside of me. Something I have never felt in all my days. I need to save her... I need her to be mine.