by Katrina Ryan
“True. But you managed the journey here, which nobody else has ever done.”
Victoria nodded. There was dark truth in those words, though she couldn’t take full responsibility for her success. The conversation ended there, and Athelea led them out of the city on foot. Passing the Eternal Forest, they gained elevation the mountain that Athelea said was called Mount Theus, and they continued on the same path until it reached the edge of a cliff. Athelea incanted something under her breath, and a second later, an enormous bridge burst into light over the sea. Shimmering with an internal light Victoria couldn’t explain, it looked like an endless plank of glass with elaborate rails. She exchanged a glance with Sarah. She’d always known Atlantis was special, but there was more magic here than she’d ever expected.
“Is that a dex?” Victoria asked.
Athelea nodded. “This bridge is made of Atlan stone, so it can be turned it any color. For the most part, generations of royals have kept it invisible for the added security of the Isle of the Gods. It does have railing on both sides, so you won’t fall off between the islands.”
Looking up, Victoria finally noticed the island at the other end of the bridge. All she could see was a massive wall and the turrets of four enormous towers, which she guessed were also made of Atlan stone. An intimidating metal gate swung open for the group as they approached the other end of the bridge, revealing an enormous, beautiful garden. Once they were all on land, Athelea made the bridge invisible again and closed the gates behind them.
Victoria understood why someone had name this place the Isle of the Gods. The palace was magnificent, the most beautiful building she’d ever seen. It reminded her of grand medieval castles in England, though she could see influences from many other palaces around the world in its design. The effect was unlike anything she’d ever seen. In the light of sunset, the palace was glowing magically. Atlantis might be a myth, Victoria thought, but this is a fairytale.
“The palace was essentially built around the Garden of the Gods,” Athelea began. Calling it a garden, Victoria thought, was an understatement. It was more of a grand park, like those she loved in London. Through all the trees, she couldn’t even see the other side of the palace. A main path cut through the middle of the garden, lined with torches glowing at various heights, and Victoria could see smaller footpaths radiating from an enormous pool in the center of the garden. On an evening like this, the grounds seemed perfect. Victoria couldn’t imagine how the island had more beautiful better in its prime.
“The palace is divided into quadrants,” Athelea said as they walked along the main path. “The royal family lived in the west tower, which is ahead. The south tower was for lesser nobility, and the north tower was for valued guests, especially visiting diplomats. The east tower was for staff and is now essentially where I have my various workshops. All the functional rooms, such as halls, libraries, and meeting rooms are on the ground floor around the palace.”
After a walk through the Garden, Athelea stopped at the base of the Royal Tower. Victoria peered through an open door into what appeared to be an elegant ballroom or hall. The benches around its perimeter were made of a material that looked suspiciously like gold, but Victoria guessed it was Atlan stone. Going up the spiral staircase of the tower, she caught glimpses into a few other rooms. They were all larger than her bedroom in England, and each was decorated with a table, bed, and immense mirror. Those would have led to the Reflector, Victoria thought. She couldn’t help but feel that the rooms were ghosts of their pasts, missing something that made them welcoming and habitable.
People.
Athelea led them to the top floor of the tower and pushed the wooden door open, revealing a room similar to those Victoria had spied. There was a bed on each side of the balcony door and a large table in the middle of the room, covered in bottles and baskets of fruit. In the corner of the room were the bags with the tent and supplies she and Sarah had brought from England. Victoria ran to the balcony and gasped at the view. The city of Atlantis was only a silhouette on the horizon, but she imagined it would have glowed with lights and activity when the Atlanteans had lived there.
“This is the safest place for you ladies to stay,” Athelea said, smiling warmly. “I hope you find it satisfactory. It was always one of my favorite rooms in the palace.”
“It’s perfect,” Victoria said. She couldn’t believe she would be spending the night in an Atlantean palace. “Thank you.”
Athelea smiled. “You’re very welcome. I’ve made you both dresses, by the way. I hope I’ve estimated your sizes correctly.”
She picked up the two dresses that had been hanging on the back of the door. She handed the stream of mint green fabric to Sarah and the teal to Victoria. Sarah gasped in admiration. Like the dress Athelea wore, the ones she’d made looked classic and beautiful, like they'd been on a Grecian statue in a museum.
“They’re so soft,” Victoria breathed, running the fabric between her fingers. She glanced at Athelea, marveling at how she’d found the time to make them. The last of her distrust was fading quickly. “Thank you, Athelea. These are beautiful.”
“Wow,” Sarah breathed. “Can we try them on now?”
Victoria tore her gaze away from her own dress. Sarah had never cared much about fashion or clothes, usually preferring to dress in jeans and a shirt that she could get dirty working on her art. There was now a sparkle in her eye as she twirled the dress around her body, probably imagining what she would look like in it. Athelea nodded and gave a wink. “Of course.”
Forgetting her modesty, Victoria pulled off her shirt. She was just about to step into the dress when Athelea gasped, looking in her direction. “Where did you get that mark?” she asked.
Victoria followed her gaze and realized she was talking about the symbol she’d drawn above her navel days earlier. It was still quite dark against her skin, but it had faded over the past few days. Victoria told Athelea about how she’d found the symbol on a note, and only then did she realize she hadn’t eaten in over a day. “I wasn’t sure whether it would really work,” she admitted. “I’ve been so preoccupied since then that I haven’t thought about it.”
“It is a complicated dex, but fortunately, there’s no way it could have harmed you or Sarah,” Athelea said. “It simply slows your metabolism to a minimal level so you consistently have energy without needing to eat. The more often you use it, though, the less effective it becomes. It is really meant to be used in emergencies only, but the Atlantean army often used it in battle when they needed to travel long distances quickly and lightly.”
Victoria bit her lip, processing this information. Her earlier suspicious about this dex hadn’t been wrong, but she was reassured to know it had limits. She sensed Athelea had her own reservations about the dex, too. Not all Atlanteans are selfish, Victoria thought with a sense of relief that she wasn’t alone in objecting to this dex.
“Nothing powers the body better than real food,” Athelea continued. “This dex was never meant to be a permanent substitute, but I’m sure some Atlanteans abused its power. At any rate, I’d feel much better if you removed the dex markings now. They would go away on their own on after a week or so, but we shouldn’t waste a dex when there’s still enough food in Atlantis to feed an army. May I?”
Victoria nodded. Athelea examined the mark for a moment and then incanted something Victoria couldn’t catch. The ink began to fade, and after a second, it had vanished. Victoria couldn’t see any sign that it had ever been on her skin.
“And Sarah has one, too?” Athelea asked.
Sarah nodded.
“I wish you had told me about this earlier, ladies,” Athelea sighed. Sarah flashed a guilty grimace at Victoria while Athelea worked her magic. “At least no harm was done. There you are.”
“Thank you,” Victoria said, securing her dress around her shoulders. “I’m so glad you’re here to help us.” It was the sincere truth, and she meant it more every minute. “I have no idea what we woul
d do or how we would manage if you weren’t here.”
“I’m glad you’re here, too,” Athelea said. She flashed that mysterious smile again. “Look at your dress in the mirror. You and Sarah look like true Atlanteans.”
Sarah fastened her dress and walked to the mirror. The pale green fabric complemented her ivory skin and ruby hair, and the style brought out a delicate, feminine beauty that she never seemed to embrace in her own clothing. She twirled on the spot, smiling.
“You look amazing, Sarah,” Victoria said.
Sarah laughed. “Look at yourself.” She pulled Victoria in front of the mirror. Next to Sarah, Victoria saw a young woman who she struggled to recognize. After a few days in the sun, her skin was tan, her hair shades lighter than it had ever been. She was nearly a stranger behind the beautiful dress. But the bright smile and silver eyes with a hint of uncertainty were still there, and they would never change. The length of the dress wasn’t outrageously formal, as Victoria had expected, and a few seconds passed before she realized what made these dresses so perfect. Something about them was quintessentially Atlantean.
“I love them, Athelea. Thank you very much.”
“You’re very welcome. They look wonderful on you,” Athelea said. She glanced at the fruit and bottles on the table. “You’re probably hungry now that you no longer have that dex. Shall I make dinner?”
Victoria realized she was suddenly ravenous, after so long without a proper meal, and she was sure Sarah felt the same. “That would be amazing,” she said. “I’m so hungry.”
Sarah nodded in agreement, and Athelea excused herself. Victoria admired her dress for another moment before moving out to the balcony. There was so much she wanted to ask Sarah, but now wasn’t the time. Athelea returned a few minutes later a with a large pot of soup and a fresh loaf of bread.
“This soup uses some of some of the vegetables I’ve grown in Atlantis,” Athelea said, bringing three steaming bowls of soup to the balcony. It was some of the most delicious food Victoria had ever tasted, especially without a dex to prevent hunger.
“Would you ladies like a glass of wine?” Athelea asked. “We can still enjoy the weather outside for a while before the rain starts.”
Victoria exchanged a glance with Sarah. Drinking at home with her family’s approval was safe enough, but this was a completely different environment.
“It’s not strong alcohol,” Athelea said, apparently sensing their apprehension. “I brewed it myself.”
“Why not?” Sarah agreed after a second, and Victoria nodded.
Athelea poured three generous glasses of wine from the decanter. “Don’t worry if you can’t finish it all.”
Following the others, Victoria took a sip. The wine was like nothing she’d ever tasted. It was fruity and incredibly sweet, nearly a juice. For a second, she wondered what she would do if the drink was poisoned, and she instantly felt terrible for doubting Athelea. The day had been a whirlwind, and she knew she wasn’t rationalizing properly anymore. After a glass of wine, though she couldn’t shake the feeling that Athelea was hiding something from her, she found herself warming to Athelea.
When the bottle of wine was finished, the evening dew to an end, and Athelea departed with a goodnight. Victoria realized she had no idea which room was Athelea’s, or when and where or if they were supposed to meet in the morning. She still had so many questions, and her head was spinning with the combination of alcohol and everything she’d learned today.
“Oh, my god,” Sarah said falling onto her bed, “Athelea is so cool. Who is she?”
Victoria felt a flash of annoyance and jealousy. She couldn’t help but feel like the others were excluding her from their discussions, or that they were both withholding a secret from her. “You know her better than I do. You’ve spent so much time with her since the earthquake.”
Sarah nodded. “Possibly. But she hadn’t told me much about herself.”
“She was in my first dream about Atlantis. It was all real,” Victoria said, and then she hesitated. Revealing Athelea’s secret would be an invasion of privacy, she thought, but Sarah should know. “She had a baby then. I don’t know if it was even hers, and I’m honestly terrified to ask what happened to it. But since my dream of Atlantis, I’ve stumbled across one person too many times for it to be coincidence. His name is Gryffin, and he’s about our age. He’s got the same tattoo on his wrist as Athelea and I, and he had the maps of Atlantis. I have no idea why, but I’m sure he’s her son, even though he looks our age.”
“How is that possible?” Sarah asked, looking dumbfounded.
“Athelea is still around. Dexterity is real. Anything is possible here.”
“You could ask her about him. Don’t you trust her?”
“She carries around a sword. She was hiding it when I met her,” Victoria said, more harshly than she intended. Voicing her concerns relieved some of the confusion she’d felt since meeting Athelea. “I don’t think she’s being entirely truthful.”
“So?” Sarah asked. “She hasn’t used weapons on us, and she’s had plenty of chances. I see no reason to distrust her based on suspicions. But you tell her about this boy when you see best.”
“You’re probably right,” Victoria sighed. Sarah was tipsy. “I’m just glad you’re okay. I was so worried.”
Sarah nodded. “You too. Maybe tomorrow we can figure out what we’re supposed to be doing here. Athelea still seems convinced that you’re here to do something special with Atlantis.”
Victoria was still unsure why everyone thought that. From what she’d seen, Atlantis needed much more help than she could ever provide, even with Athelea’s support. Deciding Sarah wouldn’t have said that if she was sober, she ignored the comment, said goodnight and turned off the lights, letting the Atlantean sea breeze and rain lull her to sleep.
Chapter Sixteen
PURPOSE
The rain had disappeared and it was a fine morning when Victoria woke. Looking through the open balcony doors, she found that Sarah was already drawing in the sunlight, dressed in a silk robe that matched her dress from the night before. The ocean was glittering an amazing sapphire color, and Atlantis was glowing in the sun like an emerald. Smiling, Victoria pushed herself out of bed and slipped into a teal robe she’d found at the foot of her bed. English summers have it all wrong.
“How are we meant to find Athelea?” Victoria wondered when she joined Sarah outside. “She didn’t say anything last night.”
Sarah set her sketchbook onto her lap. “That’s a good question. I have no idea. She didn’t show me her room.”
A second later, a knock sounded on the door. Victoria and Sarah both looked up, then exchanged glances with each other. While Sarah laughed, Victoria suddenly realized they had no way of knowing who was visiting until she opened the door. If Caelan had found them, they had no escape.
“It’s Athelea,” a familiar voice called.
Victoria ran to unlock the door, with Sarah following close behind. Athelea breezed into the room, wearing a different black dress and carrying a large basket on her arm. “Good morning, ladies,” she said with a warm smile. “I hope you slept well?”
“Very well,” Sarah said. Victoria nodded in agreement.
“I’m so glad,” Athelea said. “I’ve brought breakfast, swimwear, and new dresses. I thought you might need it for a new day in Atlantis.” She laid out an assortment of fruit, bread, and juice on the balcony table while Victoria and Sarah dressed into their new clothes. Victoria ate with a renewed appetite and felt a wave of energy and excitement fill her as Athelea brought them through the Garden of the Gods to one of her workshops in the east tower. She could smell beautiful fragrances from the tower before they entered it, but she wasn’t prepared for what she found inside. Simple wooden tables filled the bottom room, and shelves of glass phials of various sizes lined the wall.
“I make perfumes here, using flowers and fruits from the Garden,” Athelea said. Victoria could tell she took great prid
e in her work. “I make shampoos and soaps upstairs, and candles in the floor above that.”
“It smells amazing,” Victoria said. “It’s a brilliant workshop.”
“Thank you. You may have a look around and help yourselves to any scents you enjoy. I keep these rooms unlocked if you ever want to visit.”
Victoria spent a while exploring the workshops with Sarah and found a sweet scent that reminded her of Tom. She sprayed a bit on her wrists and looked at the Sentence for the first time in days. Her skin was becoming more tanned with every day in Atlantis, but the ribbon had protected the words, which was still dark as ever. Seeing the words, she instantly remembered that her priority was to help Atlantis.
“Should we clean up more of the city?” she wondered.
Athelea gave her a long look which seemed to gaze into her soul. “We shall, if you’d like,” she said. “I know it’s not terribly exciting, but it is undeniably necessary.”
After a few minutes in the perfumery, the women returned to the Garden of the Gods. Stepping into the sunlight, Athelea muttered a few words that Victoria could swear didn’t sound like English. Victoria felt a strange sensation wash over her like a warm breeze, though it didn’t touch her hair or the nearby trees.
“What was that?” Victoria asked, hoping she sounded more curious than suspicious.
“You ladies just felt a dex,” Athelea said. “It should protect you from sunburn when we’re outside today.”
“Wow,” Victoria breathed. She understood what Athelea meant when she said dexterity was a part of everyday life in Atlantis. There seemed to be a dex for everything. Sarah looked equally impressed, though Victoria was sure she was slightly skeptical, or at least curious, about how the dexes worked.
The women spent the morning cleaning up more rubble around the city. In the light of a new day, the damage from the earthquake didn’t seem anywhere as bad as Victoria had remembered. She still didn’t recognize most of the buildings around her, but she had a better grasp of her surroundings. The main difference today was that, now that Sarah had mentioned it, she noticed Athelea looking at her often with that expression of curiosity while they worked.
