by Kristen Day
“After you, my Brazilian beauty,” Sebastian directed at me in Greek with a regal bow and an equally non-regal smirk.
“I told you not to call me that,” I threatened, and strode past him down into the shadowy library entrance. The pitch black was unsettling and I reached out to find some kind of railing, which was conveniently nowhere to be found. Just when I thought I would have to resort to crawling down the stairs on my hands and knees, a light lit up behind me. I twisted around with astonishment, which I quickly masked with indifference.
“I think your hand’s on fire,” I indicated; unimpressed, although internally, I was relieved that we finally had some light. It was amazing what the risk of falling to one’s death on a damned staircase would do to your anxiety level. “You might want to get that checked out.”
“How’d you do that?” Carmen implored, while getting a closer look at his hand. After further inspection it wasn’t that his skin was literally on fire…it was as if he’d stolen a sphere of light from the sun and was carrying it around in his palm.
“Magic,” he answered cryptically, and then proceeded to change the subject completely. “What we’re walking down into right now are technically the catacombs of Atlantis.”
“Would that be similar to the Catacombs of Paris – an underground tomb?” I asked with a shiver. Underground graveyards weren’t my usual haunts. No pun intended.
“Correct,” he answered with a hint of surprise in his voice. Apparently he hadn’t pegged me as the academic type. “The Romans were the first to construct what we know as catacombs, and our ancestors adopted that as well. However, this particular catacomb hasn’t been used for centuries. It has been converted into a safe keeping house for our ancient manuscripts and books.”
“So, no skeletons lining every wall?” Carmen surveyed the walls with dread, but I saw the sliver of enthusiasm in her eyes.
“All the remains have been moved to the center of the island – to a newer catacomb constructed about two thousand years ago.”
“Sounds cutting edge,” I joked dryly.
“That doesn’t make this place any less creepy,” Carmen mumbled, and then lowered her voice to imitate the quote from the movie ‘Silence of the Lambs’. “It places the lotion in the basket…”
I don’t know whether it was the dank underground tunnel ruffling my nerves or her perfect rendition of the movie, but I busted out laughing and couldn’t seem to stop. Carmen started giggling too, and before long I had tears streaming down my face.
“I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti,” I recited in my best Hannibal Lector voice; causing Carmen to laugh even harder.
“What do you Americans do in your spare time?” Sebastian shook his head at us but I didn’t miss the smile on his face.
“Worship the devil,” I answered.
“Kill baby kittens,” Carmen retorted at the same time, with an overly dramatic evil laugh. After
being told to be quiet by Sebastian several more times, we finally came to the end of a tunnel where a thick metal door was flanked by a very large guard dressed in - you guessed it – an all white uniform of sorts. He stepped aside and nodded to Sebastian.
“Welcome back.” The guard greeted him in their native tongue before opening the door for us. We followed Sebastian through the door and into an opulent library brimming with nobility and history. The room itself was in the shape of a circle; its curved walls covered with books of all sizes and colors. The only exception was a section of wall reserved for a picturesque rock waterfall running down its length, which made it feel more like a spa than a library. The water itself flowed down from a slit in the ceiling and disappeared into a similar slit in the floor. But the unmistakable smells of old paper and cedar were clearly that of a library born of antiquity. Encircled by the bookshelves were numerous tables and chairs, sculptures, and artifacts of all sizes. The goofy grin lighting up Sebastian’s face made it clear this was one of his favorite places. He chose a rustic wooden table near the water fountain and motioned for us to sit down.
“This is my favorite table.” He breathed in deeply and looked fondly at the waterfall before producing several leather-bound notebooks and pencils from a compartment beneath the table – almost like a drawer, but much larger. He placed them in front of us and I retrieved the long list of names and information that Stasia had given us back at Lorelei from my bag.
Carmen and I began sorting through the infinite list and assigning events to each person, while a focused Sebastian walked the aisles of bookshelves with a determined set to his mouth; pulling out a chosen book every so often. When he had collected at least ten books, he made himself comfortable at the table and spread them out for further inspection. He picked up one in particular and settled in to his chair.
“Catching up on some light reading?” I asked casually, and heard Carmen chuckle under her breath. Sebastian set the book down and grinned at me for several moments. I couldn’t decide if he was trying to figure out what to say, or if he was purposely trying to make me uncomfortable. If he was going for the latter, it was most definitely working. I readjusted in my chair as his eyes seemed to search my soul for what felt like an eternity. His grin slowly blossomed into a full blown smile.
“I can never read all the books I want, I can never be all the people I want, or live the lives I want,” he said without releasing my gaze. I froze when I realized whose words he’d just recited, and a montage of my favorite Sylvia Plath quotes and poems came rushing back to haunt me. Dark, creepy poetry that no one in their right mind would talk about was my secret obsession, but I wasn’t about to let him know that.
“Schizophrenia is a serious mental health issue. Maybe you should even listen to the voices in your head,” I joked flippantly, in an attempt to hide the uncanny feeling that he had just reached into my mind and pulled out a piece of my soul. I knew Carmen was staring at us with confusion, but his gaze didn’t falter as he responded in an even tone.
“I am. I am. I am,” he quoted one of my favorite Plath poems. He winked at me and then went back to reading as if he hadn’t just turned my entire being inside out. How could he have known my favorite poems and poet? It was just a coincidence. Nothing more.
Carmen kicked me under the table; pulling me from the foggy mess my mind had just turned into. I reached out my hand to grab the pencil I’d dropped at some point - and froze. The trace on my palm. It was only shimmering slightly, but it was definitely shimmering. I felt my skin begin to itch and something clicked in my mind – returning me to my Paladin roots and heightening all of my senses. I immediately tuned into how Stasia was feeling and which direction I could find her. I stood to run from the library when Carmen grabbed my wrist.
“What the-?” she muttered with a furrowed brow. I yanked my hand away and ran out the door. I felt her and Sebastian on my heels, but my entire being was centered around the pulsing of my hand and Stasia’s presence; too far away for comfort. I had to find her, and I had to find her quick.
Chapter 22
Stasia
“Were you followed?” she questioned me with probing light blue eyes. Her pale, blonde hair fell over her shoulders as she glanced around for any unwanted visitors.
“No, I told them I was going to bed early,” I divulged with little emotion. I wasn’t too keen on having to lie to my Council, but when she’d appeared in my tree house, she insisted I meet her alone. If it had been anyone else I wouldn’t have agreed, but this girl was becoming a regular visitor in my reveries and dreams; making her someone I needed to find out more about. I rubbed the back of my neck where the newest violet crescent moon trace had appeared. I needed to find out the meaning behind all of this.
The moon above shone down on our meeting place – an old wood pile that was overgrown with moss across from my tree house. As to not be seen, I’d swum the length of the lake underwater. The barely-there white fabric of my dress clung to my body in an embarrassing amount, so I spun up some wind to dry m
yself. Goosebumps raised on my arms as she inspected me.
She was a walking contradiction. The glowing orb still hanging from her neck signified her as an Aura, however the white blonde hair and blue eyes set her apart from any of her brethren. She stepped towards me and I realized just how small she was. Her stature was poised with strength, but her frame was slight.
“And they believed you?” she pressed. It was difficult to dissect the intent behind her words. Her even tone was void of sarcasm or any other emotion, but I was taken aback by her obvious disregard for the respect I held in the eyes of my own Council. I narrowed my eyes just enough for her to recognize my offense to her accusation.
“Of course they believed me,” I stated plainly. “I’m their Leader.”
“I meant no disrespect,” she began. “I simply must ensure you were not followed. We aren’t safe here. Or anywhere.”
“What do you mean we aren’t safe here?” I asked suspiciously.
“I can’t explain right now,” she chirped. “Everything will be shown to you in due time. We must go.”
“We must not do anything. Not until you tell me who you are and what you want from me.” I raised a challenging eyebrow at her and stood my ground, but instead of arguing as I expected, she met my gaze confidently.
“My name is Fallon,” she pronounced simply. “I am an Aura.”
“That tells me nothing,” I retorted. “If anything, that gives me every reason not to come with you.”
“You’re right. But there is one very important reason you should come with me.”
“Which is what?”
“You are in danger.”
“Tell me something I don’t know,” I chuckled lightly. I’d been in danger since I’d come to Lorelei. I couldn’t count the number of descendants and deities who wanted me dead…my own grandmother Selene included.
“Look at me, Anastasia,” she pleaded quietly. I considered her request for a moment and then stepped toward her; being sure to face her head on. I expected her to continue, but she didn’t utter a word. I was about to look away and tell her I didn’t have time for this foolishness, when her appearance began to shift and blur. Suddenly, I was no longer looking at Fallon. I was face to face…with myself.
Wise turquoise eyes peered back at me from a heart-shaped face framed not with blonde hair, but dark brown hair streaked with blue. I furrowed my brows in confusion and my reflection followed suit. Her skin was several shades paler than my own, but that wasn’t what caught my attention. It was the necklace that lay against her chest: a glass pendant that encased a glowing silver orb. It pulsed with my heart and my skin prickled at what appeared to be the Aura version of myself. I took a step back, but couldn’t take my eyes off her. Suddenly the orb began to change from silver to violet, still pulsing with the fast cadence of my heart. I met her gaze once more and gasped. Her bright turquoise eyes swirled with a silver ribbon before changing to a bright shining violet. A sly smile slid across her face and I noticed a dagger in her hand.
“Stop!” I yelled at her and spun around. I had seen enough. I squeezed my eyes shut in an effort to steady myself.
“Anastasia,” I heard her plead. As rage and power shot through my veins I spun around; ready to kill her if necessary.
“Do not speak my name!” I demanded. The ground beneath my feet began to quiver, and I could almost feel the ocean surrounding the island ripple with my explosion of energy. My reflection was again replaced by a now frowning Fallon.
“What did you see?” she inquired calmly, but there was a small glimmer of fear in her eyes. I felt her reaching out to me with her cool essence and I pushed mine outward; throwing it back at her. “Please, you have to trust me.”
“Who are you?” I commanded, and felt my essence solidify with determination.
“I told you, my name is Fallon-” she tried.
“I am a Sea Goddess!” I hissed at her. “Leader of the Tydes and Daughter of Thetis! I am not, and never will be an Aura.”
“You cannot deny the essence within you-” she implored once more and reached out a hand, but an icy energy that took my breath away washed over me and I froze. Although her mouth was still moving, I couldn’t hear what she was saying. The world had suddenly gone silent around me.
She faded along with the rest of my surroundings, and I felt a strong pull at my back. I twisted around slowly on my heel as the soothing melody I’d heard since I’d gotten to the island filled my every thought. I smiled and relaxed as it wrapped around me. A complete sense of belonging captured my soul, and all I could think about was finding its source.
“Anastasia, NO!” I vaguely heard a frantic voice. I felt a cool presence behind me and automatically shot my essence outward. She was thrown backwards against one of the many trees in the forest and instantly forgotten as I concentrated on the song in my head. Even though it was being sung in a different language, the message itself was clear. The island was calling to me. And I wanted nothing more than to answer.
I started to run. The night air washed across my skin and the ground and trees seemed to shift out of my way. I ran out of the forest and across a snowy white field of cotton, but didn’t break stride. I shot through another mass of trees and over a small boulder field before the earth flattened and the trees disappeared. The ground at my feet began to shimmer with a powerful energy; spreading in waves across the landscape and pushing me forward. I halted my pace as I watched it cascade over a sheer precipice and disappear. I walked up to the edge of what appeared to be a deep trench in the earth. On the other side lay more forest with enormous trees swollen at the base, but sparse where their branches should be. As I looked to the right I spotted a thin bridge in the distance that attached the two pieces of immense land and provided a route across the dizzying drop.
Everything faded into the background as I peered over the cliff once more. The sides of the trench had come to life, and the melody in my head became more urgent, more powerful. A sliver of water caught my eyes as it cut through the earth far below. It shone white in the moonlight, but suddenly morphed into a silver, shimmering road showing me the way to salvation. I knelt down carefully and flattened my hands upon the ground, while the glimmering energy washed me and crashed over the side as if I was standing on top of a huge waterfall.
I stood once more and felt compelled to look up to the sky above. The moon reached out to me and I closed my eyes with ecstasy. Its light hit me like a ton of bricks and a surge of power shot through me while a voice sounded in my thoughts.
“Fengári tou aímatos af̱xánetai.”
“Fengári tou aímatos af̱xánetai.”
I leaned my head back, allowing my hair to swing in the breeze and closed my eyes. The moonlight showered down on me and cleansed me of all weakness, all doubt, all vulnerability. I didn’t need distractions. I only needed the power running through my veins and the light charging my essence from above. I knew it was up to me to ensure nothing stood in my way.
“Stasia!”
I swung around in rage. Who would dare interrupt me now? They emerged from the trees with little fortitude; huddled in a group and staring as if they were frightened of me. Their undeniable weakness oozed from their pores and their essences smelled of uncertainty. A sharp slice of annoyance shot through me as I surveyed them. Were they so pathetic they couldn’t spend one night without me? Could they not function without their leader to spell out everything for them? And now they’d tracked me down. Ready to hold me down with their needs, emotional baggage and expectations.
“What do you want?” I yelled at them. “Can’t you see I’m busy?!”
“Stasia, come away from the cliff,” one of them pleaded with me. I laughed and stepped closer to the edge.
“Aw, are you scared I’m going to fall?” I mocked her with a chuckle. “What are you going to do? Stop me from jumping?” I narrowed my eyes and felt my essence flare. “If I wanted to throw myself off this cliff, not you or an entire army could stop me!”
>
“Please don’t-” she began, but another of the group quieted her with a look.
“What’s happened to you?” She stepped towards me as she spoke; her dark hair blowing in the wind. I seemed to sense more strength from within her than the others, but she was still covered with the chains of mortality. “Why are you-”
Tired of dealing with them, I flicked my wrist haphazardly and with an explosion of light, they collapsed onto the ground. Except for one. He strode out of the tree with purpose. His light eyes hardened and his jaw tightened with determination as he walked toward me confidently. I smiled sweetly at him.
“Congratulations,” I taunted him. “You can deflect my energy.”
“I can do more than that,” he threatened in a voice that rumbled through my soul. His eyes flashed menacingly as a wave of boiling white energy shot out of him and slammed into my chest with the force of a train. My feet left the ground and I felt the grip of gravity pulling me down. The crevice walls flashed by me as I fell into the depths of the island’s core. The darkening moon above watched me silently while I fell farther and farther into nothingness. The energy it had gifted me was suddenly stolen away; leaving me with an emptiness that consumed my consciousness. As the voice in my head began to chant once more, I closed my eyes and waited.
Chapter 23
Finn
I resurfaced and my eyes swept the massive cliff towering over the raging river I now found myself in. Having never been to Atlantis I wasn’t sure where I was, but I knew water was the quickest and easiest way for me to travel. The moon shining down from above fell into the still fuzzy puzzle of the vision I’d had mere hours earlier. Mom was able to get me to the waters around the island, but it had been up to me to gain admittance and find Stasia. Thankfully it hadn’t occurred to the residents of Atlantis to continue the shield. I was able to easily dive below the shield barrier and find a current that lead into the island.
