by Aisha Saeed
aishasaeed.com
The sun shone brightly upon the beaches of Themyscira, the golden glow shimmering as though Zeus himself had struck the island with a lightning bolt. Diana stood to the side of the dock, arms crossed, watching women from the Scholar community trudge up the plank toward their ship lugging bronze, copper, and silver trunks behind them. Just across from Diana stood the sea captain, who unfurled her map and scrutinized the coordinates that would lead them—and Diana’s best friend, Sakina—home.
Diana swallowed. Just one week earlier, this very ship had unspooled its anchor into the sea along with other vessels with women from communities around the world: expert strategists, welders, artists, educators, even fellow warriors from distant lands. They’d descended from abroad to celebrate their cultures and share knowledge with one another at the annual Charà festival. During the day, they’d taught and attended classes ranging from pottery to painting to combat. Each evening, they’d laughed and chatted over lavish feasts, goblets of wine, and the steady hum of music and dancing. Diana and Sakina had taken out the Sky Kangas from the royal stables each night and soared over the island, beyond the looming statues of Zeus and Hera and Athena. They’d plucked the juiciest oranges they could find from Themyscira’s groves and then eaten the sweet fruit while standing along the island’s cliff-lined shores. Last night they’d climbed onto the palace’s rooftop to gaze at the stars twinkling overhead. It had been the perfect ending to a dramatic week.
The festival had started off bumpy—to put it mildly—but matters had only improved since Diana’s near-death adventure, which involved an escape from the island of Sáz and a demon who had wished to capture her. She’d not only saved an entire nation on the brink of destruction and woken the Amazons from an endless sleep but also finally convinced her mother to let her train to become a warrior. So much had happened, but somehow it had gone by all too quickly.
“Finally!” a voice exclaimed.
Sakina was wheeling a steel trunk as she walked toward Diana. She wore a velvet tunic and gold leggings. Her long dark hair was tucked back in a twist.
“All packed, huh?” Diana said.
“Yep.” Sakina set the trunk at her feet. “It was way harder to stuff all my things back in. I had to jump on the trunk to make it shut!”
“Maybe because you picked up so many goodies along the way.” Diana smiled. “I think—”
Suddenly Diana froze. A flash of—she squinted—something burst in the distance, beyond the woods leading toward her palace home. She scanned the horizon, her heart beating quickly.
It’s nothing, she told herself. You’re spooked these days, that’s all. After what she’d been through, how could she not be?
But then the trees rustled in the distance; the branches shook violently. Diana tensed.
“Diana, what’s wrong?” Sakina asked urgently.
Diana didn’t reply. Her eyes remained fixed on the swaying tree line. Leaves fluttered to the ground. Diana slid her hand to the sword at her waist. The demon had said someone was hunting for her—and that “he” would find her. Those were practically the last words the demon had said before they destroyed him. So this is it, she thought. He’s here. Diana took one careful step forward. Then another. And then—
Arya!
Sakina’s snow leopard leapt down from a branch and nimbly planted herself on the ground. Binti, Diana’s wolf friend, emerged from the forest and ran into the clearing, playfully chasing the large cat. A rush of relief flooded through Diana. She loosened her hand from the sword’s hilt and unclenched her jaw. Everything was fine. The animals were friends. They were simply saying goodbye. Diana was safe.
“He’s not here,” Sakina said gently. She rested a hand on Diana’s arm.
“Right. Of course not,” Diana said. She shrugged unconvincingly. “Arya just caught me off guard, that’s all.”
“That’s why you sleep with a dagger under your pillow like it’s your security blanket?” Sakina raised her eyebrows. “It’s not exactly snuggly.”
Diana blushed. She hadn’t realized that Sakina had noticed.
“Fine, maybe it’s on my mind a little bit,” she admitted.
“I get it.” Sakina nodded. “I’m ninety-nine percent sure the demon was making it all up, but I still kept my sword close by on the nightstand.”
Diana smiled a little. The knot of tension in the pit of her stomach eased. If anyone would get it, it would be Sakina. They’d gone through the harrowing ordeal that kicked off the Chará festival together. A boy, Augustus, who hailed from the Sáz nation of chariot makers, had found his way to Themyscira, though his presence was forbidden. He’d enchanted the women on the island—guests and warriors alike—into an endless sleep and then begged Diana and Sakina to help him save his people from a demon. The evil demon had hypnotized Augustus’s people and threatened to burn the nation of Sáz to the ground, all so he could capture Diana for a bounty that had been set by a mysterious “him.” It had been the most terrifying ordeal of Diana’s life—but they’d gotten through it. They’d survived booby traps and lava rivers and violent, hypnotized villagers, and they’d destroyed the demon. But his final words wouldn’t leave her: He always gets what he wants.
The words echoed through her mind. They haunted her dreams.
“Nothing’s happened,” Sakina said, as though reading Diana’s thoughts. “The women were woken up by the antidote, and the rest of the week was incident-free.”
“But Doom’s Doorway…,” Diana added, hesitating. “It shook like an earthquake when we returned. That can’t have been a coincidence.”
“Even if it wasn’t,” Sakina said, “nothing happened, right? The door didn’t open all the way, and the rocks that fell from the shaking sealed it shut from the outside. And look around—it’s not like the guards are taking any chances, are they?” Sakina gestured to the warrior women stationed along the island’s edge. The guard posts were often empty in times of peace, but each one was occupied today. The ladies wore white tunics and golden sandals that wrapped to their knees. At least twenty of them stood guard at designated posts around the island.
“Hey.” Sakina nudged Diana with her elbow. “If you had to pick someone to have your back against literally anyone or anything, it would be the Amazons, wouldn’t it?”
“For sure.” Diana smiled. Her shoulders relaxed. Though Augustus had managed to find their lands by following the route of ships to Themyscira, it couldn’t happen twice. No other ships were headed their way now that the Chará festival had concluded, and without the specific coordinates, her nation was, by design, untraceable. But even if someone managed to get around that, no one stood a chance against the warrior women of her kingdom—of that much Diana was certain.
“So.” She turned to Sakina. “What was your favorite part of the week?”
“You mean other than saving a nation from the brink of destruction?” Sakina laughed. “Kind of hard to top that.” She thought for a moment. “Welding was the best class we took. Look at the wheels I put on this trunk! I’m not sure how I ever lugged this thing on my own without them.”
“I liked the class where we handled rare weapons,” Diana said.
“Wow, shocker!” Sakina replied, rolling her eyes good-naturedly.
“It’s true, though! Can you believe they let us actually hold the Rinuni sword? That thing is over two thousand years old! Still as sturdy as ever.”
“That was cool,” Sakina agreed.
“And then, well, hanging out with you. That was pretty great,” Diana said.
“I am awesome company, aren’t I?” Sakina grinned.
A fluttering in the corner of Diana’s eye caught her attention. She glanced over at the dock. The Scholar colors—a white flag embroidered with a quill and a scroll—had been unfurled and now flapped in the afternoon breeze.
�
�I’m going to miss you.” Diana’s smile faded.
“Me too,” Sakina said. “A once-a-year visit with your best friend just isn’t enough.”
“I know. Mira’s great about whisking letters back and forth the rest of the time, but it’s not—”
“—the same.” Sakina shook her head. “No way.”
“Yeah.” Diana glanced at the ground. “But at least you have friends back home.”
“What do you mean?” Sakina said. “You have friends. What about Cylinda and Yen?” She pointed to two women in the distance. Cylinda still had a cast on her arm from when she’d guarded Doom’s Doorway. The door had shaken the earth violently and caused rocks to fall onto the warriors stationed for duty. Yen still had a patch over her bruised eye.
“Of course,” Diana said. “They’re great.” She adored the women of her land—every last one. “It’s just that when you’re the only kid on the entire island, it can get a bit lonely.”
“Come visit me this year!” Sakina said suddenly. “It’s about time.”
“Yeah.” Diana laughed softly. It would not be the first time she’d try to convince her mother to let her visit her best friend. Their lands weren’t even that far from each other. “Pretty sure I know how that request will go over with my mother.”
“It’s so simple. Take a Sky Kanga and hop on by. If they can fly into the stratosphere and launch into space, they can definitely get you to my place in no time.”
“She’s never been keen on me leaving this island.”
“But you did leave the island. Earlier this week,” Sakina pointed out. “And visiting me won’t involve burning bridges and lava and scary demons.”
That was true. Considering she had left the island a few days earlier and survived the most dangerous of circumstances, maybe this time Diana could convince her mother to let her visit Sakina. Diana had proved she could handle herself. A light of hope flickered within her.
“Sakina!” a voice interrupted them. Queen Khadijah—Sakina’s mother—approached them from the docks. She wore a flowing jade-green gown, and her hair was wrapped in a cream scarf pinned with jewels. “Ready to get going? Once we get this trunk in, we’ll be all packed.”
“I can help you carry it to the ship, Sakina,” Diana offered. “The dock is super bumpy; anything fragile could break.”
“Thanks, that would be great. I should probably tuck my sword into this trunk, too—oh!” Sakina’s eyes widened. She glanced down at her waist. “My sword. It’s back at the palace. I left it on the nightstand.”
“Be quick,” her mother said. “The wind is favorable and the seas are calm, so it’s best to get going soon.”
Diana and Sakina hurried toward the palace. They walked past the white tents that had shaded the merchant stalls all week. Those tents were now being pulled down and folded into squares, which would be tucked into awaiting storage trunks until the next festival, a year from now.
“I know how I’ll convince my mother,” Diana said as they jogged. “You learned so many awesome combat moves during Aunt Antiope’s training lessons, but you have to keep practicing, don’t you?”
“That’s true.” Sakina brightened. “And who better to learn from than Princess Diana!”
“Can’t argue with you there!” a voice called out.
Antiope! Diana slowed her gait as her aunt approached them with a smile. “Though, I admit, convincing my sister will be a task far more complicated than any combat move.”
“Maybe you can help us?” Diana asked hopefully.
“I can try.” She smiled. “Diana, dear, a quick word?”
“I’ll grab my sword while you chat,” Sakina said. “Be back in a second.”
After watching Sakina open the golden palace doors and slip inside, Diana turned to look at her aunt. Blond tendrils framed Antiope’s face as she studied Diana carefully.
“Are you all right?” her aunt asked gently, concern lining her green eyes. “With everything that’s happened, we haven’t had a chance to speak much.”
“I’m fine,” Diana said quickly. Her mother had only this week allowed Diana to begin her combat training. She didn’t want it sidetracked for any reason. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” Antiope laughed a little. “You had a lot going on this week. And, well, I saw you earlier, when the animals were playing in the woods. You were so tense—your shoulders were hunched by your ears.”
“Oh.” Diana flushed. She hadn’t realized she was being watched. “That. Well, I just…thought I saw something…which I did…but…”
“It’s normal,” her aunt said. “You’ve been through so much. When something traumatic occurs, it takes time to move past it. Just remember: you are safe here.”
Diana bit her lip. She wanted to leave it at that, to accept her aunt’s assurance and let it go. But—
“Doom’s Doorway opened,” Diana said. “I know it was just a crack. But that’s never happened before. What if something got out?”
“We inspected every inch of this land,” her aunt told her. “And you can see for yourself that we are still on high alert, constantly guarding the island to make absolutely sure. Truly, all is well. But…” She tilted her head and searched Diana’s expression. “In the meantime, would it help you feel better if we did some training later today?”
At this, Diana’s eyes shot up toward her aunt’s.
“Really?” she said. “I would love that! Can we do the kita hold today? And then I wanted to see how to get out of a double crossover switch. I’ve tried to simulate it on my own, but it seems impossible, and yet Serene looks like she does it without blinking!”
“Easy there.” Antiope laughed, holding up her hands. “I need to warn you. It’s going to take a lot of work. Serene does it so effortlessly because she puts hours of practice into it. To be a true warrior isn’t for the faint of heart, and as exciting as it may seem from afar, it is going to be a bit grueling and a bit dull at times.”
“It could never be boring to me,” Diana said emphatically. “Can we start once Sakina leaves? It might take my mind off things and help me feel not quite as nervous.”
“So it shall be, then.” Her aunt nodded. “How about you and I head to the coliseum after cleanup?”
“Thank you.” Diana hugged her aunt tightly. With Sakina leaving, this was what she needed: something to look forward to. She rushed into the palace. She couldn’t wait to tell her friend.
“Sakina!” Diana called out. She took the marble stairs two at a time to the second floor, toward her bedroom. “You will not believe what Aunt Antiope and I are planning to do in just a little bit. I think…”
But as Diana stepped through her bedroom’s open doorway, her voice trailed off.
The mahogany bookcase next to the window was overturned. Books were splayed across the floor. Her plush white rug was askew. Necklaces, bracelets, and belts had fallen from their hooks along the wall and were strewn across the ground. Diana tensed. Sakina! Where was she? Glancing at the nightstand, Diana saw that the sword was gone.
Just then, the door creaked behind her.
“Sakina,” Diana said with a rush of relief. “I was getting worried. Were you battling the books or something? Because—”
As Diana turned and faced the door, she felt the blood drain from her face.
It was not Sakina.
Instead, a cloaked being stood just inside the doorway.
Silently, it watched her.
Before Diana could move a muscle, before she could say a word, the intruder made a sharp movement, and the door slammed shut.
Heart pounding, Diana stared at the cloaked figure. This isn’t happening. It can’t be. Every post around this island is guarded.
And yet there it was. Watching her. Its head, arms, and hands were shrouded beneath a b
ulky sage-green cloak. It stood at her height. The scent of roses clung thick and sickeningly sweet in the air. And though Diana could not see its eyes, she could feel them boring into her. Cold, raw fear coursed through her body.
Was this someone that he had sent for her?
Or was this thing…him?
“Where is Sakina?” Diana asked in a low voice. “Where’s my friend?”
The intruder tilted its head. It said nothing. Diana shivered. She didn’t know what it was, but she was certain—as certain as she was of her own name—that it meant her harm. Gingerly, without taking her eyes off the creature, Diana inched her hand to the sword secured at her belt. A choke hold, she thought quickly. I’ll battle it to the wall, and once it’s stuck, I’ll grab it by its cloak and get some answers. Carefully, she grazed her hand against the emerald-encrusted hilt of her sword. But before she could grasp it, the figure lunged.
In an instant, Diana leapt out of its way. The being swiveled and pounced again. Diana ducked, missing its cloaked grasp by a hairsbreadth. Her heart pounded. The creature didn’t so much run as it practically flew!
“Help!” she shouted at the top of her lungs. “There’s someone here! In my room! It’s an emergency! Please hurry!”
But no footsteps sounded upon the stairs. The windows in her room were firmly shut. It seemed that no one could hear her cries for help.
Diana raced for the door, but in an instant the creature blocked her path.
Fine, Diana fumed. She rushed toward her bed and leapt onto it. She drew her sword. Her fear transformed to anger. How dare this creature try to attack her in her own home!
“Stand back,” she warned, pointing her blade at the cloaked figure. “I don’t want to do it. But I will not hesitate.”
The creature stood still, watching her silently. Then it dove at her again. Diana angled her sword and attacked squarely at its midsection. But then—her stomach dropped. The sword struck the creature—but not in the way she’d planned. It went straight through, like she was slicing into thin air. Calmly, the being glanced down at the sword and then back at her.