“What’s wrong with this?” I looked down at the jeans and beaded tank top Mom had given me for an early birthday present.
“Oh, don’t get me wrong, you look totally cute—I’ll be borrowing that top sometime in the very near future,” Sophie called. Then she walked out of the closet holding something white and long in her arms. “I just think that maybe you should wear this.” She held the garment out for me to inspect.
I frowned. “I’ve never even seen that before… where did you get it?” I traced the delicate white fabric and held it up to my body.
“Try it on,” Lily suggested with a hint of a smile. I narrowed my eyes. Now I knew they were up to something.
I slipped the silky dress over my head. It fit impeccably, of course. Soft and flowing, it draped from my bare shoulders and snugly wrapped around my waist, before cascading gently around my feet. The whiteness complimented my red hair and tan skin, and I had to admit, I loved the way it looked. I felt like a Greek goddess as I admired my reflection in the full-length mirror.
Sophie and Lily came over and stood next to me, and it was only then that I realized they were wearing the exact same dress, but theirs were blurry pastels of lavender and rose while mine was a wintery, virginal white.
“Hey, how come I’m the only one who looks like she belongs on top of a wedding cake?” I laughed.
“Because this is your night, Calista. You deserve to stand out and be noticed,” Lily responded with a smile. Sophie nodded.
“My birthday night, not my wedding night. What about shoes?” I murmured and wandered towards the closet to find a pair that would work.
“Oh, I wouldn’t worry too much about those—” Sophie started, and Lily whapped her playfully. Sophie’s eyes widened in innocence. “I mean, no one will really be able to see them anyways, right? The dress being so long and all.”
“Here.” Lily held up a pair of golden-colored strappy sandals. “These are perfect.”
“Is Mr. Wonderful coming here to get you, or is he meeting you at Ana’s?” Sophie asked.
I sat on my bed to put on the shoes. “Do you know what he’s doing right now? He’s with Dad watching the baseball game in Ana’s home theater. Baseball. Ugh. So boring. We’ll probably be lucky to see either one of them tonight.”
“Somehow I doubt that.” Sophie’s eyes twinkled.
“I dunno…you should see them when they watch games together. Sometimes I think my dad either wants to adopt Nicholas or marry him. He’s finally met his perfect sports-match.” Actually, except for seeing my dad and mom together, nothing made me happier than seeing Dad and Nicholas sitting on the couch, laughing and talking like old friends.
“Come on, it’s time to go,” Lily urged, her amber eyes gleaming.
We headed out the door and up the cobblestone path. The late afternoon air was warm and salty on my skin. Summer was making an early appearance this year, and the fading sun over the horizon cast an array of dazzling rainbow colors. It was stunning, even for Crystal Cove, the land of magical sunsets.
In awe, I stopped for a moment to admire it. “What a gorgeous sky…it looks like a painting.”
“Yeah, yeah—you see one sunset, you’ve seen ‘em all. Chop chop, let’s move.” Sophie pulled my arm forward.
“What’s the big hurry?” I asked, laughing at her drill sergeant routine. Besides, if there was anyone who could appreciate a gorgeous sunset it was Sophie. My eyes narrowed again.
“Just don’t want to be late. It’s rude,” she said.
Uh huh.
We entered through the back door. The kitchen was empty and aroma-free, and the house seemed strangely quiet. We strolled on into the main room. Where was everyone? I was sure they weren’t planning on jumping out from behind a couch and yelling ‘surprise’ or something lame like that…
“Ana? Hello?” I called.
“Back here,” her melodic voice rang out.
The sunroom was drenched with the stunning palette of the sunset’s last fiery light. Ana sat on the couch alone, dressed in a delicate blue silk dress, similar to the one we were all wearing.
“Thank you, girls. I’ll take it from here.” Ana smiled.
I walked over and gave her a hug. “Hi, Ana. You look very pretty.” Somewhere along the way someone had forgotten to mention to her that she was actually a grandmother… she was incredibly well-preserved and youthful looking. Especially lately, she’d had such a happy glow about her that it made her seem even younger.
“Thank you, my dear.” She lightly kissed both of my cheeks. “And as usual you continue to stun me with your beauty and grace, which only seem to grow with each passing day.”
I turned back to Sophie and Lily, but they’d disappeared. “Where did they go?” I frowned and glanced around.
Ana waved her hand vaguely. “I’m sure they’ll turn up shortly.”
“Where’s Mom?”
“Oh, she’s around, I suppose…”
My eyes narrowed again. I take it back. I want to be able to see into the future again. Whatever they were up to it was making me crazy.
The room filled with the sound of Ana’s tinkling laughter. “Let’s go for a walk, shall we, granddaughter?”
I nodded. “Sure.” I followed her from the room and out the back door. Together we made our way to the cobblestone path and down toward the beach.
“What about the others?” I looked all around us, but no one was in sight.
Ana kept walking, a smile playing on her face. “I expect we’ll see them soon enough.”
We reached the shore and she veered right, in the direction of Nicholas’s house. Was that where we were going? Nicholas’s house?
After about fifty yards, she suddenly stopped. “Here,” she said and turned towards the water as if she were going in.
“Ana, what’re you doing?” I tried not to laugh. Surely she wasn’t going for a swim now?
“Come closer,” she insisted when she saw I was still a safe distance back.
I carefully lifted up the hem of my dress and went to stand next to her. “Now just wait a moment.”
And then I saw it… a low wooden platform, barely higher than the top of the water. In all my time at the beach, I’d never seen it before.
I stared. Where did that come from?
“Come,” Ana instructed. She walked boldly onto the makeshift pier and motioned for me to follow.
“Um, Ana? Are you sure we should be on this?” I took a few nervous steps and looked down. It wasn’t much of a drop, but falling through some old wood boards into the cold ocean was not my idea of a good time—especially in this gorgeous dress.
“We’ll be fine. Come here to me. Grab my hand.” Ana stood at the end, about twenty feet away.
When I reached her, I could see what looked like a small glass boat tied to a stubby post off the back corner of the dock.
It was perfectly round, with no discernable front or back. Nor was there any sort of engine or steering device that I could see. All it had were two steps down to a circular bench around the bottom.
Ana nimbly maneuvered herself into the craft and sat down on the padded seat, then motioned for me to do the same. “Don’t worry my dear, she is perfectly seaworthy, I assure you. You’re safe here.”
Cautiously, I sat down directly opposite her. I was convinced the boat would surely tip over if we sat too close together. Without further ado, Ana flicked her hands to the side, and the rope that tethered us to the pier fell away.
I breathed deeply as we floated in the water, propelled by some unseen force. It’s fine… obviously a magic boat… Ana is in control… hopefully she is steering us to a large yacht or something.
“Where are we going?”
She closed her eyes and smiled. “Somewhere special.”
We jetted rapidly through the ocean, but never once did the sea threaten to spill into where we sat. We had become one with the waves, and they broke harmlessly around us. Ana stared peacefully out over the w
ater. I, however, was not so calm. We were miles out in the open sea, and neither one of us could fly or shimmer. I kept glancing around, looking for the yacht. Or dry land would do. Finally I decided it might not hurt to have a backup plan, just in case.
“Lily…you there?”
Nothing.
“Lily?” I repeated.
Nothing again. Where was she?
“Sophie?” I thought with a hint of desperation.
Still nothing.
“LILY! SOPHIE!”
Radio silence. Great. And I had no way of calling to Nicholas.
“So, where did you say we were going?” I asked Ana again, not really expecting an answer. Where is that yacht!?
She gave a small smile. “We’re going to the most sacred of all places, and only those blessed with the Powers are able to find it. It is an enchanted land of mystery and magic, and the one place where we can all come together to be as One… as a singular unifying force connected by our blood, our heritage, our beliefs, and our magics.”
Druantia? Were we taking the water route to the Isle of Druantia? In this?
As she was speaking a slow fog began to envelope us, and within seconds I couldn’t see a thing, not even Ana sitting only a few feet away.
My heart pounded as the dense, cool mist surrounded us, blinding our passage as we sailed deeper and deeper into its folds.
“We’re almost there,” Ana continued. “We’re passing through the outer walls now. The Isle protects us from those who would wish to penetrate our fortress and do us harm. Anyone who should not be coming here would remain lost in this cloud forever.”
Sure enough, as Ana finished speaking, the fog began to dissipate. Suddenly the boat stopped, and the water that had been holding us for so long rushed swiftly back toward the ocean.
Ana rose first and stepped gracefully onto the smooth embankment. I turned my head to see where we were. The glistening sand – covered with water only moments before – was clean and dry. All around us, effervescent grains of gold twinkled under the light of the rising moon.
Up ahead was a row of trees too dense to see through, but I immediately recognized the thick, twisted, silvery-white trunks.
This is definitely Druantia. But why…?
“Follow me,” Ana instructed. She headed toward a small opening marked by two large reddish stones. As we approached, the massive Oaks seemed to bend slightly, as if making way for our passage. We walked together through the imposing trees, and they immediately closed behind us.
“This is the Isle of Druantia—our spiritual and magical home. It is one of several around the world, each belonging to a select group of witches who come for any number of reasons.” She turned to me with a knowing look. “Have you been here before?”
Her question caught me off guard. “Um…well…”
“Have you dreamed of being here? Spirit Walked perhaps?”
“Yes… a few times.”
She nodded. “I am not surprised. The Isle calls to all who belong to Her.”
I removed my strappy sandals and let my bare feet sink into the silken grass. My dress lightly caressed the forest floor as I wandered towards the center of the grove’s circle. The familiar twinkling lights danced from the depths of gilded tree branches, and the neon glow of the plants and flowers burned softly. I walked past the still pond where I had first kissed Nicholas and thought of him. What was he doing right now?
“Hello, sweetheart.”
“Mom!” I broke into a smile, and rushed over to give her a hug. “What’re you doing here?”
She was wearing the same dress as the rest of us, although hers was a vibrant shade of green that made her eyes glow and her hair shine. She looked more beautiful than I’d ever seen her before.
Her eyes were filled with love as she looked at me. “This is your day, sweetie. Of course I wouldn’t miss it.” She pulled me back for another hug. “I’ll never miss any part of your life ever again,” she whispered, and gave me a kiss on my cheek.
Ana came up and stood next to her. They were both beaming. “This is a very special day, Calista,” Ana said. “We’re here for an important celebration.” There were unshed tears in her eyes.
Something in their hearts told me they weren’t just talking about my birthday. This was bigger. Much bigger.
“Why don’t you have a seat here…” Ana pointed to the marble bench Nicholas and I had sat on several times. She glanced around at the wall of trees. “We’re about to begin.”
Suddenly the pond, which until now had been a perfectly still mirror, began to swish and churn violently.
The waves rose up to form a peak, and a woman’s shape emerged from the depths, slowly rising higher until her feet were standing atop the pond. The water fell away revealing a vision of perfection and beauty.
She looked human, but clearly she was not. Ripples of blue ran beneath her translucent skin, and her thick white hair, interwoven with strands of blue to match her eyes, fell in waves down to her feet. Loose gossamer covered her body. She smiled at me, calm and serene.
Was I supposed to do something? Should I say something? Where were Sophie and Lily? I looked at Ana and my mom, but they remained silent, reverent… their eyes directed upward.
A second later a mini-tornado descended from the skies with a rush of wind. It touched the ground in a quick, ferocious swirl, and then ascended again to the heavens. On the spot where the funnel had touched down stood a tall woman with alabaster skin and floor-length golden hair. She wore the same gossamer wrap as the water-woman, and like her appeared completely unruffled from her arrival. She, too, was beautiful beyond my imagination.
A burst of flames suddenly shot up from beside the pond. The spontaneous fire burned high and bright, then died away revealing a tawny-skinned woman with deep-red hair, which, like the others, fell in luscious waves to her feet. She smiled at me with a hypnotizing grace.
Then the ground began to rumble and move. The grass lifted and folded over onto itself, and a woman with mocha-colored skin and chocolate-chestnut tresses seemed to grow up from within the earth itself. She stared straight at me and smiled.
Each of the four goddesses held a tiny satchel in her hand. Together, they drifted toward me. They curtsied and reverently bowed their heads. Then, standing gracefully erect, they began to sing:
Greetings, most blessed daughter
Of the sun, the moon, and the stars.
Of the Air, of the Flame, the Land and the Sea.
We embrace you as one
And welcome you
To the eternal Kingdom of Life.
Their voices were ethereal, otherworldly. A movement behind them caught my eye, and I noticed the tiny lights from the forest were moving closer. The moon and stars cast a brilliant glow over the night air, and soon I could see the source of the lights more clearly.
People.
But not just any people. Sophie, Lily, Mr. and Mrs. Davenport, Sophie’s mom and her sister Cleopatra, Henri, Delilah, Edna Marks, and all the others I’d seen numerous times at Ana’s. Plus there were dozens more faces I didn’t recognize. They all walked with their hands pressed together in front of them, small flames rising from the tiny white candles they carried.
My eyes teared, and I smiled up at my mom and at Ana as the true magnificence of the moment hit me. I sat there on my marble throne as every magical being in the area drew closer, until they had formed a perfect circle around me.
The blue water-woman stepped forward and kneeled at my feet. She reached for my right hand and kissed it softly.
“Daughter of Oceanus, Tethys, Poseidon,
Amphitrite, Icovellauna and Glaucos
Sister of the Seven Seas
Our divine immortality lies within you.”
She took my ring finger and slipped on a thin band of sapphire stones. I felt the ring bond instantly to my skin, and she kissed it again.
“Welcome, sister.”
She floated back to her place in the line. Next,
the porcelain goddess with the golden hair stepped forward and kneeled.
“Daughter of Hecate, Theia, Helios, Eos,
Hera, Iris, Selene, and Zeus
Sister and patron of the skies above
Our divine immortality lies within you.”
She slipped a delicate circle of amethyst stones on my index finger and gently kissed it.
“Welcome, sister.”
The fire woman followed, and this time she took my left hand.
“Daughter of Aphrodite, Vulcanus, Hathor,
Vesta, Venus, and Freya
Sister of Love, Strength, and Compassion
Our divine immortality lies within you.”
She then slid on a thin band of rubies. Like the others, it welded itself onto my skin, and she kissed the ring.
“Welcome, sister.”
Last came the woman who had risen from the earth.
“Daughter of Gaia, Persephone, Cernunnos,
Diana, Athena and Morpheus
Sister, Friend, and Protector of all the lands
Our divine immortality lies within you.”
Again on my left hand she placed a thin row of emeralds on my little finger and kissed it gently.
“Welcome, sister.”
The four goddesses stood in a row before me, then slowly turned and disappeared the same way they had come.
I sat there, stunned. For a moment I thought my magical coronation was over, but then Ana walked around in front of me and kneeled at my feet. She lifted up my left hand and kissed it with tears in her eyes.
“Daughter of my daughter,
Blood of my blood.
Sister of my soul and spirit
My divine immortality lies within you.”
She took a band of diamonds, thicker than the other rings but still delicate, and slipped it on my thumb. She kissed my hand again.
“I welcome you, my daughter.” Her voice cracked with emotion, and tears ran down her face. I was unable to speak, so I just hugged her and gave her a kiss instead. She resumed her place behind me. And then it was my mom’s turn.
She slowly moved in front of me and kneeled, holding my hand tightly with hers, her brilliant aquamarine eyes glowing with unshed tears.
“Daughter,
The Complete Spellbound Trilogy Bundle Page 69