by Kristen Day
"This is a submarine?" I gaped at her. A telling wink was my only answer as she morphed back into hostess-mode.
"Feel free to take advantage of the amenities and let me know if you need anything." She padded up the stairs with purpose and closed the door behind her.
I collapsed into a sage green chaise lounge at the foot of the bed and thought of Sebastian. Where were they? What was his plan? Did he even have one? A streak of exhilaration shot through me as I peered out into the open water with a wicked smile. Selene would never expect this kind of arrival. When we actually found the crux, that is. But we hadn't crossed that bridge yet. Regardless, my hopes lifted and my mind raced at the possibilities for strategic tactics.
I felt a minor vibration as the engines hummed to life and I moved down onto the floor in front of the windows; preparing to watch the show and recharge with a few minutes of alone time. A disorienting motion was my first hint that we were reversing away from the slip at the dock. My pulse increased along with the droning of the engines as we were gently propelled forward and headed out into the Mediterranean. I watched the bottom of the harbor fade away until it was replaced by only darkness, no longer visible from our vantage point near the surface.
I anchored myself with a steady hand as the bow of the ship dipped forward and descended more rapidly than I expected. The surface above quickly faded into a bright ceiling of sparkling sunlit water, separating us from the world above as our direction thrust us further downward into the belly of the sea. As soon as I was used to the diagonal angle of the descent, the vessel began to level out and the blur of the water against the windows told me we were shooting through the water like a bullet. A lethal bullet headed for the crux. And if all went according to plan, straight through Selene's heart.
STASIA
"Your turn!"
"You say that like it's a good thing!" I shouted up at Sebastian. I contemplated the soaring monolith created by volcanic stone with an over-abundance of self-doubt. Its ragged base and towering height screamed anything but 'climb me'. Unfortunately, that was exactly what was being asked of me. Spritely waves without a care in the world lapped at my bare feet as I balanced on a secluded grouping of loose rocks. The lone piece of stone jutted out of the ocean like an ancient tombstone, shattering the horizon with its sharp right angles and sheer vertical sides. It was the highest piece of dry land we'd been able to find within close proximity to the island of the crux. I hoped to obtain a bird's eye view of any activity taking place without revealing our presence.
Unfortunately I wasn't a bird, I was a sea Goddess. And climbing fifteen stories up onto a slab of granite was, decidedly, not one of my abilities. Although Sebastian was able to scale the sides of the monolith like Spiderman on crack, I was certain I wouldn't have the same level of success. Just as I took a deep breath and stepped closer to the wall of stone, a shower of dust and small pebbles came raining down on me. Cracks and pops originating from high above followed and I pictured the massive piece of earth tipping over, crushing me beneath its weight. I covered my head and tried to peek up at the same time, making my eyes vulnerable to a cloud of dust that happily took up residence behind my eyelids.
"Climb on up!" I heard Sebastian instruct from the summit. Though I was squeezing my eyes shut, I could tell the stone tombstone had stilled and the cascade of earthen rock assaulting my head had halted. I knelt down and twisted on my ankles; cupping water in my hands and splashing it into my eyes.
"Easy for you to say, spider monkey," I muttered at him and tried not to rub my eyes until they bled. Going blind wouldn't help my cause at all. Nor would I be defeated by a big, foolish piece of stone.
The beaming face of Sebastian peered down at me from far above, and the sheer elation shining in his blue eyes made me smile and shake my head. I had the feeling I'd follow him into the depths of hell if he promised me we'd have fun. His contagious charisma lit the same adventurous spirit within me. It was addictive and exhilarating, and I ached to have more adventures with my big brother.
It wasn't until my gaze slid back down the cliff and to my feet that I noticed the changes in the sheer surface. Somehow he'd created something like a spiraling staircase twisting around the monolith. Large sections had been dislodged and stretched outward, making up perfectly spaced, ample steps. My outlook instantly brightened, even amidst the embarrassment of hesitation. I hadn't lived on Atlantis like Sebastian, where dizzying cliffs were around each clump of trees.
I shrugged off his earthen abilities and set to crawling up onto the first step that jutted out from the base. It didn't take long for me to climb my way around the width of the formation and reach its summit, and Sebastian's outstretched hand helped me scale the last couple of feet with ease.
"Hello there," he quipped with a tilt of his head. "Come here often?"
"Aren't you supposed to be a son of the ocean?" I swatted at him playfully and pointed at the makeshift staircase. "How'd you do that?"
"You spend enough time on Atlantis drinking elixir and the earth tends to make itself known to you. It claimed me as an Atlantean pretty quickly, actually. My first inkling was when the roots of one of the maidens' trees hugged me instead of crushing me into sea God mulch. I figured that was a pretty good sign."
"Valid point," I replied with a chuckle. I scanned the surprisingly smooth summit of the monolith and was immediately drawn to the breathtaking view beyond. The sun's glorious last stand was playing out across the Atlantic to our west; spraying impressive colors across a landscape speckled with islands, the closest of which grew darker and more mysterious by the minute.
From our vantage point, I could make out the island's mountainous rim encircling a dark void in its middle. We simply weren't high enough to see down into its belly to catch a glimpse of the crux, but there was something that hinted at activity sitting atop one of the cliffs of the ring: a small square structure that appeared jet black in the fading light. I could just make out the flickering flame of a candle or lantern lighting it from within.
"So the whirlpool is being hidden by the cliffs?" I asked Sebastian, who came to stand next to me.
"It looks like it," he mused. "Which would allow anyone on the cliffs a perfect view of the whirlpool and the rest of the island. That's good for Selene, but bad for us. The element of surprise is going to be pretty difficult to pull off."
"I'm okay with that," I said through clenched teeth. "She wants to draw me in, and I'm going to make sure she knows I'm here."
"Retract those claws, tiger." He grinned at my anger. "We're going to need a plan before you go swooping in on a magic carpet of seashells."
"The only plan I need is this." I pulled up a wet, linen pant leg and unsheathed my dagger from the strap around my thigh; presenting it to Sebastian with pride. Its silver blade glinted in the waning light and just as I suspected, his eyes lit up with excitement as he took in its deadly edge, striking metal, and impressive hilt embellished with aquamarine stones.
"Now that's a knife," he raved with quiet adoration; turning it over in his hands.
"It's a dagger," I clarified. "A knife is something you spread butter with." He whistled approvingly and knelt in a fighting stance before whipping it around as if battling an invisible enemy.
"Don't get too attached," I teased him. "That's mine." As he stabbed his invisible foe, I unbuckled the strap from my thigh and wrapped it around my waist instead, holding out an expectant hand.
"You have to sleep sometime." He arched a challenging eyebrow in my direction, which ultimately settled into a look of brotherly concern. "Speaking of which, you probably need some rest. You've been awake for a long time."
He was right. I could feel my energy waning and my eyelids had gained several pounds in the last half hour, but I wasn't sure the adrenaline coursing through my veins would allow me the reprieve of sleep. Not to mention, the intense pull I felt towards the writhing crux we'd glimpsed earlier was becoming stronger.
Beneath the unassuming surfa
ce, the crux appeared in the distance like a dream; a tremendous presence stretching half a mile wide and reaching into the darkest depths of the ocean, disappearing into the unknown. It reminded me of an underwater tornado, forever churning, feeding from its own strength and the endless ocean that harbored its secrets.
The woman who had appeared to me was also at the forefront of my thoughts. Who was she? How was she connected to the crux? The pleading desperation in her eyes continued to haunt me as I watched the darkening island in the distance fade into night. I felt compelled to find her once more.
"I think I'd rather go for a swim." I watched him from the corner of my eye and anticipated a patronizing lecture about responsibility. Seemingly undaunted by my words, he continued making himself comfortable against a pile of rocks he'd gathered for a pillow. He stretched out his legs, crossed his ankles, and draped a forearm over his eyes lazily.
"I'm no expert, but I'm pretty certain that's the opposite of getting some sleep," he countered plainly.
"I won't be gone long," I promised innocently, climbing to my feet.
"Don't go near that crux, Stasia," he warned me with a pointed look from under his arm. "No matter how tempting. You can't fight Selene if you're dead. Well, unless you're me. 'Cause I'm dead. But that's different." He laughed at his own logic. "Regardless, just...don't get yourself killed."
If he only knew. My prophecy was a constant reminder of that very subject. But the knowledge that my time was limited somehow created a sense of reckless urgency within me. If my fate was set in stone, no amount of tempting it or staring it down with rage would change it. I had no intention of throwing myself into the crux, though. If death wanted me, it would have to come and get me. But until then, I would let my curiosity be my guide.
"I won't." I nodded to him with conviction.
"Good." He let out a breath and closed his eyes once more. "I had a feeling that intelligence ran in our family."
I bent down and kissed his cheek, which he promptly wiped off with an unconvincing look of disgust. "Don't go getting all mushy on me, sis. Sappy goodbyes will only jinx you." The lopsided grin that spread across his handsome face undermined the severity he failed to convey in his words. "I'll be happy to throw you off another cliff if you need to learn a lesson in not getting yourself killed."
"You're so thoughtful," I mocked him with a smirk. An unexpected pang of sadness sliced through my heart at the thought of our time being so limited. Would we get to be near each other in the Underworld? With our parents? Would all of us be together? It could be the only silver lining in an otherwise condemned fate.
Suddenly, as I bantered with my own flesh and blood, I saw a different future for myself; a future not as dark as I had once envisioned. What could possibly be bad about spending the rest of eternity in the Underworld with my family? Maybe the future I was tumbling toward was something of a gift instead of a curse. The family I had longed for all of these years never truly left me, they were simply waiting for me, anticipating fate's twist of events, bringing me back to them. Forever.
"I'll be back before you know it," I assured him and caught him watching me out of one eye. I strode up to the edge of the cliff and sized up the angry waves chipping away at the cliff's base stories below. I supposed I could cross cliff-diving off of my bucket list. I closed my eyes and inhaled the night air before bending my knees and diving from the not-so-safeness of the cliff. The air flew past my ears as the ocean rushed towards me. I ducked my head at the last moment and sliced through the water, immediately enveloped in its familiar, protective embrace.
OLIVIA
"If the crux is like a black hole, wouldn't it just suck in the entire ocean?" Phoebe frowned at Finn and then looked back down at her phone, baffled. "Or the whole planet, for that matter?"
"He said it's like a black hole," Carmen clarified with a hint of annoyance. "Not an actual black hole."
"It's fueled by essence," Finn explained further. His square jaw was tensed with stress and the gray shirt he wore was wrinkled, boasting a couple smears of dirt. He ran his fingers through his dark hair absentmindedly. "So it attracts essence and then feeds off of it."
"So it's a soul-eating monster of the deep," Sean observed matter-of-factly. His small, beady eyes sat a little too close to his nose and reminded me of googly eyes when he rolled them. His thin nose twitched slightly as he held back a snicker. We all glared at him, somewhat tired of his consistent inability to be serious.
"More like a filter." Finn eyed him severely. "Circulating essence and revitalizing it."
"Like a filter," Avery mumbled to herself. She picked at the linen skirt she was wearing in deep thought.
"I wish I knew more, but unfortunately I just know what I've heard from my father," Finn delineated. He closed his eyes and downed an entire can of Pepsi; crushing the can and tossing it to Sean, who was fumbling around in the kitchenette. It hit him on the side of the head and bounced down to the floor.
"Not a trash can, dude," he mumbled.
"Close enough," Finn threw back at him with pleasure.
We were gathered on the fourth level of the ship trying to come up with some kind of plan. It was becoming difficult, considering we were limited in our knowledge of the crux or how it operated. Selene obviously had a great deal of understanding if she was succeeding in draining its power.
I had been leaning on the fact that if we could eradicate Selene, our problems would be over. Find Selene, kill Selene, save the day. Unfortunately, Finn and his Paradigms proceeded to shoot a thousand holes through my theory. With the massive number of unknowns, they wanted to do a reconnaissance mission before we stormed the crux with guns blazing. Planning usually wasn't my strong suit.
"I think we're putting too much thought into it," I considered. "A whirlpool spins, right? Without the constant forces that make it spin, it wouldn't exist. So Selene has to be messing with those forces. It's self-sufficient, otherwise."
"Unless she stops it altogether," Sean argued with a mouth full of chips. "Then what are we going to do? Hit the re-start button?"
"I'm assuming she won't get that chance." I sat forward, elbows on my knees and glared at him. "I'm an optimist. So sue me."
"My apologies, I was blinded by your sunny personality," he sneered at me.
"Sean," Finn warned knowingly, one dark eyebrow arched at me in warning as well. In response, Sean winked at me playfully. Where was Sebastian when I needed him? Avery suddenly surfaced from her deep thinking, saving Sean from any further insults I'd already begun to form in my mind.
"A white hole." Avery's blue eyes flitted up at Finn in astonishment. She waved her phone in the air. "Every black hole has a white hole."
"And look!" Phoebe pointed at the screen of Avery's smartphone, initiating Carmen to peer skeptically over her shoulder. "Both of them together look like the underwater part of a whirlpool!"
"Oh wow," Carmen conceded with surprise.
"Need I remind everyone we aren't in space?" Sean ridiculed us with disdain.
"Don't be an ass," Carmen said, and scowled in his direction.
"But he's so good at it," one of the other Paradigms chimed in with a laugh.
"It actually makes sense." Finn studied Avery's phone with renewed hope. "Think about it. The black hole sucks in mass and rips it to shreds, and the white hole reconstructs it before spewing it back into space."
I leaned over and inspected the diagram that depicted both black and white holes, joined in the middle at their narrow-most points. The black hole absorbed anything that dared to come near, funneling it downward and into the white hole. On the flip side, the white hole emitted light and whatever else the black hole had devoured on its trail of destruction. Together, they reminded me of a stretched out hourglass.
"Huh," I noted intelligently.
"And look." Finn used two fingers to expand and tilt the diagram. "The top looks a lot like a whirlpool, so the bottom could be the same...just at the floor of the ocean."
> "How close do you think we can get to it before it eats us for lunch?" Oddly enough, Sean actually raised a good question as he chomped down on his sandwich dripping with excess mustard.
"We'll just have to be cautious," Finn deduced, and then held my gaze intently. "You'll need to find a way onto the island without being pulled into the crux below it."
"We'll have to swim for it," I declared. "Depending on the amount of the crux's force, we'll be able to stay near the surface and out of its range."
"How good are you at rock-climbing?" Finn asked, meeting the bewildered gazes of Carmen, Phoebe, Avery, and finally, me.
"Depends on what you define as 'rock-climbing'," Carmen divulged. "I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume the cliffs of the island aren't rigged with ropes and hand-holds like the climbing wall at Inner Peaks?"
"You go to Inner Peaks?" Sean sized up Carmen with cynicism.
"Went," she clarified mid-laugh. "Once. It didn't end well for me, the harness, or my spotter."
"I got all the way to the top." Phoebe beamed proudly. "Only slipped once."
"These rocks will have no holds or spotters," Finn warned us. "You may be able to find a way into the island without having to climb, but it's definitely a possibility to think about."
"Hopefully the elixir will help in that department." Avery inspected the delicate skin of her palms with obvious doubt. The sound of Natasha clearing her throat in the kitchenette interrupted our conversation.
"Sounds like you guys have everything figured out," she said, and grinned at us with a little too much amusement. I could tell she'd attempted to make herself appear rested, noting that her black hair was now secured in a complex braid and subtle makeup adorned her pinched face, but the dark circles beneath her eyes told a different story. "I remembered something else Thetis said."
We waited attentively as she poured herself some coffee. "She described the whole of the crux underwater as something like an hourglass. She hypothesized that as the water swirled down the top of the hourglass, it contained weak essence; released by those recently deceased or simply given off by use of essence-fueled abilities. She theorized that it was pulled apart at a molecular level and then condensed once more at its middle; thereby re-strengthening it and sending it back out into the ocean at large. I've always pictured it as an hourglass full of sand."
