Akiko slowly opened her eyes, struggling to see as the light blinded her. As her eyes adjusted, all she could see around her was white light. There was no up or down, and there was nothing to tell her where she was; she just existed in nothingness.
“My child,” she heard from all around her. “I’m sorry, but you’ve been taken too soon.”
“Who are you?” Akiko asked, looking all around and still seeing nothing but white.
“I’m sorry, let me make this easier for you to understand.” The white light was doused to black nothingness for a moment before Akiko found herself sitting on the couch within what looked like the boathouse at Jamie’s castle.
“I think you’ll find this more comfortable?” the disembodied voice from before asked, now coming from a woman who looked like Akiko’s double, only
