The Mirror Cracked First by Nova Nightwood

Celeste Duval has spent years caring for Maison de Verre, her elegant New Orleans salon—and respecting the warning passed down by her grandmother:

Mirrors remember how they are treated.

When Mara, a rising beauty influencer with a devoted audience and a talent for public cruelty, turns a private confrontation into an online spectacle, she leaves behind more than broken glass. Something old stirs within the salon's reflections.

Soon, Mara's mirrors no longer follow her movements. Her reflection lingers after she turns away. Screens reveal images that were never recorded, and covering the glass does nothing to stop the feeling that something is watching from the other side.

As Mara's carefully curated life begins to fracture, only Celeste may understand what has awakened. But some damage cannot be deleted, some apologies arrive too late, and some reflections refuse to remain behind the glass.

The Mirror Cracked First is an atmospheric Southern Gothic horror story of vanity, online cruelty, inherited secrets, and a supernatural reckoning in the heart of New Orleans.

Length: 32 pages