by Katrina Ryan
“Of course. You must be terribly homesick,” Athelea ventured.
Victoria nodded. For half a second, the thought of Tom’s proposal to take a gap year together seemed to suffocate her, but she remembered that she wasn’t the first generation to experience forbidden love. “It’s difficult being away from Tom. We’ve never been apart this long.”
“I can tell you miss him,” Athelea said softly.
“Terribly,” Victoria said. “He asked me to go to university with him, or take a gap year together.”
Athelea smiled at her with sparkling eyes. “And what did you tell him?”
“I had to say no,” Victoria said flatly. She didn’t want to talk about this right now, and she could feel her mood sinking even lower, but she knew Athelea understood the situation better than Aiden and Andrea had. “The decision wasn’t mine to make. Aiden said they wouldn't pay my tuition if I go with Tom. They're worried he'll be a distraction from my education.”
Athelea swore under her breath. “That is such an obsolete, Atlantean way of thinking. Nobody should tell how to live your life. Especially if you love Tom as much as I sense, they should know better.”
“Tell that to them,” she muttered. “Apparently, I’m too young to think for myself.”
“I’m so sorry,” Athelea said. “You love him very much.”
“More than anybody in the world.”
Athelea buried her face in her hands. “Please forgive me. My decision to send you away has had so many consequences I had not anticipated. I can no longer talk to your guardians, but when you see them again, inform them that I personally consent to your whatever plans you make for your education or future. Accept my apology for all the pain that my lack of foresight has caused you.”
Victoria wasn't sure Aiden and Andrea would be convinced. It was still so strange to think that they were Atlantean. “Will they know who you are?”
Athelea laughed with dangerous softness. “They should still be familiar with Atlantean history, unless they've completely forgotten who they are. You should talk to them when you get home. Your time here will have given a new depth to your relationship.”
Victoria felt her heart soar with gratitude to Athelea while it simultaneously broke. She was gathering the parts of her future together, when it had seemed so impossible only a week ago. Tom would be at her side, and her relationship with her family would recover, but it would mean leaving Athelea someday. “Thank you so much,” she whispered.
“You’re welcome,” Athelea said with a smile. “There are special mirrors in Atlantis which allow the viewer to Watch something or someone else. I can’t guarantee it’ll work, but you might find it reassuring to Watch Tom.”
Victoria gaped at Athelea, who clearly hadn't realized the potential of this dex. “Could we see Caelan?”
“Watch him,” Athelea corrected, not showing the surprise Victoria expected at the suggestion. “I hadn’t considered that possibility, but I know nothing about him, so I doubt I'd be able to Watch him regardless. You might have more success, if you’d like to try.”
“Yes, please,” Victoria said. She wished Athelea had mentioned this days ago, but the possibility of being able to monitor Caelan mitigated her annoyance. She would be able to see if he intended to burn Atlantis.
“Follow me,” Athelea said. Victoria stood up, happy to leave the oppressive air of the Neutral Room behind. Sarah had walked to the Isle of the Gods while they’d been there. They said hello quickly, and Athelea and Victoria continued through the Garden to the Royal Tower, up a single flight of steps, and into a small room that was nearly empty, except for basic bedroom furniture.
“I remember the dex,” Athelea said, closing the door behind her. She picked up a handheld mirror from the table and spoke a few words Victoria didn't understand before handing it over. Victoria couldn't see what was so special about it. Apart from its beautiful frame, it looked just like an ordinary mirror she would have in England.
“Try your best to imagine where Caelan is. When you're ready, look into the mirror,” Athelea said. “It would probably be easier if you had something of his to connect you, but we must work with what we have.”
Victoria stared deep into the mirror, wanting nothing more than to see Caelan, but the mirror only showed her own reflection. She sighed, trying to ignore how ridiculous she felt trusting in Atlantean magic. Watching would have been far too simple a way to learn if Caelan is going to start a fire.
“I can leave you alone for a moment, if I'm distracting you,” Athelea offered. “I’ll invoke a dex on the room to keep you safe and wait with Sarah in the Garden.”
Victoria shrugged, genuinely indifferent, and Athelea left the room without another word. Victoria tried to think of a place she knew better, just to see if the dex on the mirror worked. When she held up the mirror, she no longer saw her reflection, but rather a perfect image of her new bedroom in England. For a moment, the scene was how exactly how she’d left it last week.
And then, Tom entered her room.
He was wearing dark jeans and the light blue shirt that Victoria loved, and there was sadness in his eyes as he surveyed the room. In one hand, he held a large envelope that probably contained her copy of a university prospectus. He set the envelope on her desk, looked at the door and, after a moment's hesitation, carefully ruffled through the other papers on the desk. He glanced around the room, and then at the mirror, and Victoria suddenly felt as if he could see her in the reflection. They both sighed at the same time, and Victoria stopped Watching with a gasp.
What was Tom looking for?
With an aching heart, Victoria tried to think of what Tom could have found on her desk. Most of the documents and booklets there were from universities, but she knew he already had copies of his own. She’d hidden her journal in the top drawer of her desk, but if Tom found it, he would know everything about the orb, the Sentence, the mirror, and her visits about Atlantis. Tom would never touch my journal, she reminded herself. To read her most personal thoughts would be a complete invasion of her trust and privacy, but it occurred to her that there was something even worse he could find.
The maps.
And she knew, even if she hadn't Watched it, that Tom was coming to Atlantis.
Victoria set the mirror down and raced out of the room to find Athelea. The mirror in my room didn’t look like a portal. Tom could never physically manage the journey on his own. Sarah and I barely managed with the help of the portal and the boat, she thought. Even if he found a way, he would be walking into danger. She could imagine nothing worse than Tom and Caelan fighting each other.
“I think Tom is coming to Atlantis,” she gasped when she found Sarah and Athelea drinking wine by the pool in the Garden, “I Watched him find maps in my room.”
“Really? That's great news,” Athelea said, a smile lighting her face. “It would be wonderful to meet him, and you must be incredibly excited to see him again.”
“No, I don't want him to come to Atlantis!” Victoria wanted to shake Athelea. It was clear that she didn’t understand the severity of the situation, though Sarah at least looked concerned. “He could be in danger.”
Finally seeming to understand, Athelea set her glass down and gave Victoria her full attention. “Did you ever tell him about Atlantis?”
For the first time since having that fateful dream, Victoria felt a massive wave of relief that she’d never said a word to Tom about Atlantis. The truth was their only secret. “No, never.”
“Then why would he would come to Atlantis?” Athelea pressed gently.
“Because he loves me,” Victoria sighed. It should have been obvious to the others. “I'm sure he's worried because I left home so suddenly and haven't responded to any of his texts for days. Now he feels like he has to be a hero and rescue me.”
Athelea folded her hands and looked at Victoria. “Don’t worry,” she said, sounding calmer than Victoria felt. “Even if Tom wanted to look for you, he has no way to get here and no knowledge o
f where Atlantis is.”
“I tried to draw the maps I’d seen in my visits,” Victoria sighed, wishing she’d destroyed the evidence before she left. “Every attempt came out wrong, but Tom wouldn't know that if he found them. He could get lost following my stupid scribbles. He could die, or Caelan could find him.”
“You told him we were with looking at universities with me,” Sarah reminded her. “I can’t see any reason why he would think otherwise.”
Victoria prayed Sarah was right, but she couldn't ignore her instinct that Tom would set off to find her the instant he knew where she really was. Athelea poured a third glass of wine, seeming intent on getting Victoria to relax. At sunset, Athelea led an excursion to light another candle in the Hall of Divinity before the Night Rain started, but even that didn’t help. “You can Watch Tom again tomorrow, if that reassures you,” she said when they returned to the palace. “I can see you’re distressed, but he will be fine.”
Victoria nodded. Now that she had a future with Tom, she could only pray that he never found out about Atlantis, or their future might never happen.
Chapter Twenty-Five
TRAPPED
Despite everyone's reassurances and distractions, Victoria felt on edge for the rest of the evening. As the sky became dark, she became aware that Caelan could return any minute to set fire to Atlantis. She didn't enjoy the wonderful meal Athelea made, or the stories Athelea told about Atlantis, as much as she wanted. Midnight approached without incident, and Victoria wondered what was delaying Caelan. Once Athelea had gone to sleep, sleep, she braved the Night Rain and ventured to the palace rooftop to talk to Celeste.
Hello, Celeste chimed. Her voice was barely audible. How are you this evening?
Victoria sighed. “I’m worried that Tom is coming to Atlantis. I’ll watch him in the morning if Athelea and Sarah go to the Isle of Time again to look for Atlanteans.”
You don't sound very happy.
“I want them to look,” Victoria said. “I do want the Atlanteans back, and Sarah and Athelea are doing what they have to. But I still feel like I'm not personally doing enough to help.” She paused, and took a deep breath. “Did you know Athelea is my mother?”
Celeste was silent for a second. Yes.
Victoria had already guessed as much, but she was more hurt than angry that Celeste had withheld this information. “Why didn't you tell me?”
Some things you must learn on you own. We stars watch and listen, but we never interfere.
“I suppose,” Victoria sighed. “Do you think I should tell Sarah?”
I do not think it would do any harm. She is your very best friend.
Victoria smiled. Stars never gave direct answers. “I don't know if I'm ready to tell her yet.”
Sarah can help you. You do not have to face every obstacle in life by yourself.
“Everybody says that,” Victoria complained. Celeste was right, though. She hated keeping secrets from Sarah, and there was no reason why she couldn't tell her about Athelea. She’d grown to accept the truth over the past few days, and sharing it with others now seemed the natural progression.
“Why did Athelea send me away, Cel?” Victoria asked. It was one of the few questions that had bothered over the past few days, but voicing it for the first time eased the sense of abandonment she’d been entertaining. “I always assumed my parents had died when I was young, since Aiden and Andrea never told me otherwise. I shouldn’t feel unwanted, but I am hurt by the fact that Athelea gave me up.”
I think you should ask Athelea herself, the star replied. Her voice was even fainter than before.
Victoria sighed. “Can you tell me about Tristan? What was he like?” she pressed, deciding she could push her luck a little further. She wasn't surprised that the star remained silent, and a minute passed before she spoke again, more to herself than anyone. “What would Tom say if he was here?”
Celeste was silent.
Victoria sighed. Tom would absolutely adore Atlantis, but it would also upset him more than anyone that the island was abandoned and in such poor condition. He would think Athelea was amazing because she was Victoria's mother, and he would try to fix the island and make everything better. The thought made Victoria smile, though she could feel her heart breaking. In so many ways, it was a curse and blessing that he didn't know. Feeling exhausted and slightly reassured, she returned to her bedroom and finally allowed herself to sleep.
There was still no sign of fire in Atlantis when she woke up.
“I think you and Sarah should go back to the Isle of Time today,” Victoria said to Athelea after breakfast. She’d only slept a few hours and had barely been able to eat because of her nerves. She couldn't wait much longer. Every minute they waited put her more on edge that Tom had left England and was heading into terrible danger. She needed to Watch him again. “The Atlanteans aren't on any of these main islands. I really think someone should check the Isle of Time, just in case, but I should probably study more dexes.”
“Are you sure?” Athelea asked.
Victoria nodded, trying not to show how desperate she was for time for her own agenda.
Athelea hesitated. “Very well.”
Victoria waited a few minutes after the others had left before she setting off for the room where she’d Watched Tom before. The door was still unlocked, and the mirror was where she’d left it on the table. She heaved a sigh of relief. Hoping the dex Athelea had invoked on the mirror still worked, she stared into her reflection and prayed to the stars she would be able to Watch Tom again.
A second later, her reflection morphed into an unexpectedly bright scene. Tom was in a park that Victoria knew was just around the corner from his home. He typed a message on his phone before he resumed reading the prospectus at his side. Victoria was sure that back in England, her phone was chiming. She heaved a sigh of relief as she put the mirror down. Athelea had been right. Tom was still in England, and he didn't seem to have any plans to leave.
With relief obliterating her fears, she ventured to the Reflector, then the Grand Library. She tried the coloring dex again to no avail, though failure didn't upset her anymore, and contented herself with studying dexologs. Sarah and Athelea must be back by now, she thought in the late afternoon. The day felt long without activity and conversation. She returned to the palace and checked the bedroom while she was at this end of Atlantis. There was a note on the table that hadn't been there this morning. Victoria picked it up, annoyed that the others hadn't found her directly. Meet me at the port when you get this, it said.
Victoria tossed the note onto the table and headed back to the main island. She hoped Athelea and Sarah would be waiting for her with good news, or maybe even an invitation to go back to the Isle of Time. But their boat wasn’t at Shipwreck Beach or the harbor. They probably docked somewhere else and went to the Grand Library to look for me, Victoria realized.
She strolled down the pier while she waited, deciding it would be best to stay in one place until the others found her. The sun was getting lower on the horizon, and Victoria sat down at the edge of the dock to enjoy the view, wondering if any of the old Atlanteans would ever do the same. The dock creaked behind her, and before Victoria turned around, a pair of hands put pressure on her shoulders, keeping her in place.
“Oh, my stars, you scared me,” she gasped. “I didn't hear you coming.”
“I would be surprised if you had,” a male voice said, and Victoria immediately understood. Sarah and Athelea weren't coming. They probably weren’t even on the island. The note had been a trap, and she’d fallen for it without any hesitation.
“Caelan.”
“I believe, Victoria, that it has been more than one day since I last spoke to you. I permitted you more time that I had intended, yet you are still in Atlantis. How very reckless. I had hoped better of you.”
Victoria bit her lip to keep it from trembling. “I'm not afraid anymore,” she lied. She tried to remember whether Athelea had invoked a dex on her that
would keep her safe, though the fact that Caelan had already touched her didn't bode well. “I'm stronger now. I can fight back.”
Caelan released her, and she took the opportunity to face him while she could. It only took her a second to realize he’d trapped her on the pier, with no way to escape. “And yet I know Atlantis infinitely better than you do,” he returned. Victoria didn't doubt him. “I'm going to turn it against you. You will watch hopelessly while the city burns, and you will soon forget why you ever came to Atlantis.”
And then he's going to drown you, she thought, a sense of dread filling her. There was no other reason for him to bring her to the harbor. It seemed so simple. Whether or not he knew, Sarah and Athelea probably wouldn't be back for another hour. Even though they would probably realize the truth eventually, there would be no witnesses, nobody to stop the fires from spreading, and everything would look like an accident.
Caelan took a hold of her again and began to march her further down the pier. The end wasn't far away now. Victoria took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. The water would be deep here, and she wouldn't have a chance of survival if he tried to drown her. But to her surprise, Caelan stopped a few seconds later, next to a smaller ship with black sails.
“After you,” he said, gesturing to the plank.
Victoria hesitated, trying to understand his plan. Drowning was unlikely if he was putting her on a ship. He's going to lock me up and take me somewhere, she realized. She was going to end up in another prison and waste away in a slow death. Between that and drowning, she was sure that whatever he had planned was worse.
“I'm waiting,” he reminded her.
Victoria sighed and stepped onto the ship. Caelan led her to the steps in the middle of the deck and marched her downstairs to the heart of the ship. “This boat will be out of Atlantean waters by midnight,” he said. He stopped in a large, empty room lit only by portholes, and Victoria felt her body lock involuntarily under the influence of some horrible dex that Caelan had invoked. “By then, Atlantis will have burnt to the ground, destroyed forever. I am sorry to say that everything you have done and everything you have learned has been in vain.”