by Katrina Ryan
“It’s very possible,” Athelea said. “The disposition for Forever Love tends to be strong in the ancient families.”
“They must be,” Sarah interrupted. “There’s something in the way they look at each other. They always seem so happy together, and they’re never apart.”
Athelea nodded in agreement. Victoria looked at the certificate more closely, wondering what it all meant. “Did they live in the city?”
“The Etsema family had an island off the coast of Atlantis. This record says Aiden and Andrea lived in their own house there.”
“And now they live in the city in England,” Victoria said, handing. “I can’t believe they never told me anything.”
Lost in her thoughts, she followed Athelea to the Hall of Verdicts, which was nearly identical to the Hall of Records. “There’s no way Athelea could have done this on her own,” Victoria whispered to Sarah as they fortified the exterior of the building. “I’m so glad we stayed to help.”
When they finished fortifying the Hall of Verdicts half an hour later, Victoria expected to move on to another building, but Athelea stopped in the middle of the street. “Let's take a break, ladies,” she said. She suddenly looked exhausted. “We've worked hard today, and we deserve to relax. Let’s go to the spa.”
Victoria felt her heart soar at the word. Spa. That idea was the same across the centuries, everywhere in the world. She had missed pampering herself, and she was sure that even Sarah could be persuaded. It had been too long since she'd taken a moment to relax properly.
Athelea led them in a brisk walk back to the palace. She stopped at one of her workshops to grab shampoos and soaps, then continued to West Tower and through an archway into an enormous conservatory. Victoria could imagine the room had been a place of leisure in its prime, filled with amazing plants and places to lounge. She could still smell cinnamon and vanilla in the air, and she exchanged an excited glance with Sarah. The scent grew stronger as they crossed the room to a staircase leading underground. Athelea lit a torch, and they began their descent under the palace.
The wonderful scent grew stronger with every step, until they reached the room at the bottom of the staircase. Looking around, Victoria could hardly believe what she was seeing. They were standing in a massive underground spa, which had enormous, steaming pools. The wonderful scent of spices filled the humid air, and candles and torches flickered serenely around the cave.
“This is the royal spa. It uses various dexes to heat the water, create the streams, light the torches, and scent the air,” Athelea said, procuring a few towels from the chest by the window. Victoria thought she looked slightly uneasy, which didn't make sense in such a tranquil room. She’s had a difficult day, she thought. Seeing Atlantis like this must be especially difficult for her.
“Legend says that King Atlas wanted a place where he could relax without any interference from the outside world, so he designed this very spa,” Athelea continued. “Within these walls, all other dexes are effectively useless, eliminating distractions and the possibility of attacks from the outside. Eventually, all the spas in Atlantis adopted this tradition, and spas became an essential part of Atlantean life.”
Victoria couldn't think of a better place to relax. She stripped down to the swimsuit under her dress and joined the others in the water, which she now realized was the source of that beautiful scent. The temperature was perfect. She wished Athelea had brought them here days ago, when she’d really needed to unwind, and now that she had a minute, she found herself reflecting on what she’d learned about Aiden and Andrea. If somebody had told her a week ago that she would be in Atlantis with her mother, she never would have believed it.
“Athelea,” Victoria began, “there's one thing I still don't understand about my past.”
Athelea regarded her with a gentle expression as she decanted into the water a sparkling liquid from one of the glass bottles around the spa. Bubbles sprang up, smelling like cinnamon. “What's that?”
“Why did you send me away?”
Athelea flushed a deep rose color that the steam couldn't hide. “I had no other choice,” she said. The sadness in her silver eyes said this was the truth. “In the days before the Destruction, many scholars came to visit me. They warned me of an ancient prophecy and advised me send you away, for your safety and that of Atlantis. When news of these secret meetings became public, the citizens plead with me to allow you to stay, believing you would protect and restore Atlantis to its former splendor. In the end, I had to make the most difficult decision of my life. To save you, not just from the Destruction, but from these people who had such high expectations of us, I had to send you away.”
“Why?” Victoria pressed. “Because of a prophecy? What did the it say?”
“It said Atlantis would survive only if I sent you away.”
Victoria played with a handful of bubbles while she thought. Even if she was in the most fantastical world, facing problems beyond her wildest dreams, she couldn’t possibly be the savior of Atlantis. Having an Atlantean princess for her mother didn’t change the fact that she was a normal teenager. But she could see how much the decision had hurt Athelea and the conviction she must have had to follow her heart.
“I probably would have done the same in your position,” she admitted. The confirmation that Athelea had always loved made the prophecies unimportant and filled a void that had been in her life for longer than she could remember. She blinked a few times, thankful that her face was already wet, and finally looked at Athelea. In the dim light, they exchanged smiles filled with understanding that words couldn't convey. Whatever had happened in the past, they’d formed an unbreakable bond now that they would only ever share with each other.
“The problem is that most Atlanteans citizens believed you could lead the empire in a new direction after generations of corruption. Society seemed to collapse when they heard rumors that I had spoken about sending you away,” Athelea continued. “They called me selfish, blamed me for conspiring to forge an alliance between the royals and scholars. On the last night before the Destruction, the military finally returned from the War, and from the celebration rose an unprecedented riot. The next afternoon, a Guard must have discovered the wave in the distance, because the alarm sounded. I'm sure that most Atlanteans raced for shelter throughout the city, but it was already too late. I had failed to listen to my own people, whose lives I was responsible for, and I lost you anyway.”
Tears were streaming down her face.
Victoria couldn't believe that Athelea still had these misconceptions after all this time. “You can't blame yourself,” she said. “The Atlanteans might have been upset with your decision and rioted, but they didn't cause the wave. You certainly didn't cause the wave, either.”
“I shouldn't have survived it, either,” Athelea interrupted. The bleakness in her voice surprised Victoria. She had suspected that Athelea might have felt guilt over being the only survivor of the Destruction, but hearing it sent a wave of shock and sadness through her body. She still hasn't forgiven herself.
“Atlantis wouldn't have any hope if you weren't here,” Sarah said. “You must see that.”
Athelea looked up with an expression of gratitude. “That's very kind,” she said. Without another word on the Destruction, she reached for her bottles of lotions and bath salts and spent a few minutes explaining how she’d made each of them. There is nothing my mother can't do, Victoria thought, filled with a sense of pride. She just needs to be easier on herself. Nobody has reminded her of her worth since the Destruction.
“Athelea, Victoria and I were wondering something the other night,” Sarah said cryptically after a minute, but Victoria already knew what was coming. “Please don't take offense, but how old you are? In our myths, Atlantis disappeared thousands of years ago, but you still look so young.”
Athelea laughed. “Thank you. Unfortunately, I can't give you an exact answer. The Destruction was so long ago that I have lost count of how many years have
passed since then. It happened the week of my twenty-sixth birthday. Physically, I don’t believe I have aged since then, but I am not entirely sure how old to consider myself. I believe that there is some deep magic keeping me and Atlantis frozen in time. I’ve never heard of a dex like it, but Atlantis must have done something unprecedented to protect itself.”
Victoria opened her eyes to exchange a dark glance with Sarah, thankful the lighting was so dark. In a sense, Athelea was trapped in time in her own body. Will I become older than her someday? Victoria wondered. The thought made her feel uneasy.
“Before I forget,” Athelea said, “I want to make sure you aren't worrying about Tom anymore. Would you like to Watch him again?”
“I don't need to,” Victoria admitted, debating how much she should reveal about what she’d done. “I Watched him yesterday morning when you and Sarah were at the Isle of Time.”
“I should have guessed,” Athelea said, flashing a smile. “I'm so glad to hear he's safe.”
My mum is incredible, Victoria thought. Their conversation ended there, and the women stayed at the spa for another hour. Back in the Royal Tower, Athelea prepared dinner and opened another bottle of wine. The women spent an hour enjoying the late afternoon on the balcony before Victoria began to feel restless. She didn’t have long left in Atlantis, and she wanted to make a difference while she was still here.
“I'd like to do more tonight,” Victoria said when their wine bottle was nearly empty. She still felt hot after the spa, and the humid Atlantean evening wasn’t helping. “I could use some fresh air, and I don’t really feel like drinking.” She had a feeling Athelea would be receptive to drinking while they worked, but she decided against mentioning it. Protecting Atlantis properly was more important.
When they finished their bottle of wine, Athelea led them to the city. She stopped in front of the Reflector and pushed the gate open, her dex indicating that nobody else was around. Victoria took a deep breath before she stepped inside. This building was so much larger than the others they’d visited today, but she was sure she had enough dexterity to protect it. By reflex, she glanced at the Broken Portal. In the light of the torches around the room, its reflection of the building still looked dull.
“Always worth checking,” Sarah said under her breath.
Without another word, the women got to work. “Is there any way Caelan can use these portals to get in and out of Atlantis?” Victoria asked for the last time when Sarah started sketching.
Across the room, Athelea shook her head. “I Watched the Reflector a few days ago, when you expressed your concerns about him,” she said. “Nobody but us has been in or out of the building in years, and once we are done fortifying it, nobody but us can use it in the future.”
She should have done this years ago, Victoria thought, but there was no use blaming her for past mistakes. The work they were doing now was more important. “Thank you for looking,” she said. The sun was beginning to set by the time they finished the exterior of the Reflector. Athelea led them on a walk out of the city and into a walled section at the east of the island that Victoria hadn't noticed from the watchtower.
“Welcome to the military district, ladies,” Athelea said. Numerous buildings surrounded a massive field, where Victoria assumed soldiers had trained. At the far end of the complex was what Victoria assumed was a gym and spa, and she recognized another building as a Neutral Room. The building closest to them looked identical to the Hall of Records, though Victoria sensed more of a corporate atmosphere when they entered using Sarah's key. From Athelea's distant expression, she instantly understood why they were here. “This is the military's legal house, and behind it are the barracks where the military lived and trained. Conscription and registration, mutiny, provisions, deaths, and battles are all recorded and archived here.”
Victoria exchanged a glance with Sarah when Athelea wasn't looking, wondering if she had the same question. “Could I see Tristan's records?” Victoria asked.
Athelea nodded and led them to a shelf at the far end of the building without a word. Victoria had a feeling Athelea had been here many times before. She found a file without any hesitation and handed it to Victoria gently. Victoria was surprised to find that the top page was a generic death announcement. She read every word in a mixture of fascination and unexpected grief. She turned to the next page with a shaking hand and was surprised to find his signature at the bottom of a contract, confirming his acceptance of military duty on the night he’d been married.
This man who lived and died thousands of years ago is my father, she thought, her eyes stinging with tears. This is this closest I'll ever get to him. She closed the file and handed it back to Athelea without reading more. She fully understood why they needed to protect this building. More than anywhere else in Atlantis, this room housed the memories of the most brave, heroic Atlanteans who would probably never return.
“Let's get this building fortified,” Victoria choked out.
The process only took fifteen minutes, but Victoria felt more exhausted and warm when she finished. She could only imagine how Athelea felt, and even Sarah had fallen into a somber silence as she alternated between locking windows and sketching. The dex had gotten easier with practice over the course of the day, but she didn’t know how much longer she could continue.
“We’ve fortified the most important buildings, ladies,” Athelea said after they had admired their work. She looked shaken, and Victoria could tell the day had worn on her emotions. “It'll be dark soon, and I need time to think about what we can do next. Let's have some more wine and relax. Thank you for your help.”
The next second, she leaned in and hugged Victoria. Victoria returned the embrace, sharing her sense of accomplishment. It felt right that they’d protected Atlantis together, and even if this was all they accomplished before she returned home, it had been worth staying. Caelan had lost his crusade.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
LOVESICK
Victoria felt feverish when she woke up. It must be the heat of the spa, she thought. The room was still dark with night, and she knew she should to go back to sleep. But when she’d nearly drifted off, a burst of light filled her eyelids. She bolted up, able to recognize that glow anywhere.
The orb had returned.
Victoria grabbed her cloak and rolled out of bed, ignoring her cold sweats. The orb drifted across the room, and Victoria followed it off the Isle of the Gods and to the ancient castle on the main island. The cool air and Night Rain felt amazing against her skin. The orb stopped before the throne so suddenly that Victoria nearly walked into it, and she could tell it wanted something from her. She reached for the orb, but instead of recoiling from her like it usually did, it allowed her to approach.
I know what you want from me, she thought. She could feel the orb’s wishes running through her blood. With a final stretch, she clasped the orb in her palms. It didn’t struggle, but she knew from the feel of its amazing power that it was there. Guided by a sense she couldn’t explain, she knelt and pushed the orb into the stone at the foot of the throne. The orb vanished with a magnificent burst of light, leaving her hands empty.
Shivering in the nighttime silence, Victoria stood up, wondering what the orb would do next.
The effort of staying on her feet became exhausting after within seconds, and Victoria could no longer lie to herself. She had a fever, and she felt worse with every breath she took. She looked at the throne after so many days of resisting its call. She was sure it had become more symbolic than functional since the palace had become the seat of power. Athelea wouldn’t be offended, she convinced herself, and she took a seat. A second later, she felt an agonizing flash of heat in her right wrist, and when she looked down, she nearly swooned.
The Sentence looked faded.
Victoria felt a wave of emotions crash over her. Is the curse lifting? she wondered. She stared at her wrist, wondering if it would fade any further. She quickly summoned a flame into her hand and was
relieved to see that her dexterity still worked. And then she remembered what the message she’d received from Atlantis so long ago had said. The Sentence will be your key to Atlantis.
I will want to return someday, she thought. She had to interpret the message literally. I can’t leave forever.
Fighting a wave of nausea, she closed her eyes and willed the Sentence to stay. She loved having it on her body, loved how it made her feel connected to the Atlanteans who still weren’t here. Heat flashed through her wrist a second later, and when she opened her eyes, the words were as dark on her skin as they’d ever been.
Her heart soared. She waited a few minutes, but the orb didn’t return, and she continued to feel even more unwell. Accepting that she wouldn’t get an answer, she resolved to ask Athelea in the morning and stumbled back to the palace through the rain. She woke up to a bright, warm day only when Athelea opened the curtains for breakfast.
Victoria pulled the duvet over her eyes to stop the room from spinning. The thought of food made her feel sick. A second later, she felt someone sit on her bed, and a cold hand moved to her forehead.
“You’re burning up,” Sarah said. “Are you alright?”
“I feel awful,” Victoria admitted. “What’s wrong with me?”
A new set of hands moved to her forehead. “Give me a moment to think,” Athelea said, sounding stressed. “I’m not a doctor, but let me use a few basic dexes to see if I can determine what’s wrong.”
She invoked a dex that seemed to be a ball of light. It floated around Victoria for a moment, and then disappeared. Athelea frowned. “Nothing seems to be wrong, apart from your fever.”
“Something is wrong,” Victoria insisted.
Athelea began to pace around the room. Sarah looked on nervously, and Victoria buried herself further into her duvet, suddenly feeling chill. “Do you believe Tom is your soulmate?” Athelea asked eventually.