by Kristen Day
“She was ecstatic about that,” he smiled down at me.
“How did she know if she was gone? Wait. How could you know she was happy about it?” His face froze as he realized he had said something he shouldn’t have.
“You’ll know everything in time. But first, I have something to give to you.” He cupped my cheek, “It’s from your mother.” He took my hand and we swam up toward the fountain. My bo dy was now completely healed…even the soreness had disappeared. It was miraculous.
He helped me out of the fountain and gave me a fluffy robe to put over my wet clothes. His shorts and t-shirt were soaked as well, but he didn’t seem to mind. The house was just as immaculate as the first time I had seen it, except for one thing. Now I knew this really was my home. Or would have been. As we walked up the grand staircase, I glanced over my shoulder at Thetis’s portrait hanging above the fireplace. Just as I suspected, she was not only wearing the same necklace in the portrait, but also the same ring.
“Finn?” I stopped at the landing. He turned to face me, concern in his eyes. “What does this mean?” I held up my hand showing him the ring and expanded trace. He simply smiled and took my hand again.
“It means you’re one step closer,” he said simply. I furrowed my brow at him, not happy with his vague answer. I followed him up the stairs and into one of the many doors in the main hall. My hand went to my mouth as I gasped. Finn put his hands on my waist to steady me. It was a good thing too, because my legs were about to give out. Stark white carpet supported my bare feet, and the walls around us were painted a bright silver. A white wicker crib stood in the middle of the room, shielded by a white lace curtain hanging from a hook in the ceiling. The lace wrapped around the crib to thwart any light from reaching a sleeping baby’s eyes. I walked closer and ran my hands along the sides. In one corner of the room sat a single rocking chair. I recognized it from one of my dreams. A large antique wardrobe stood against one wall with a smaller chest of drawers beside it. The opposite wall had been painted to resemble the ocean; white, blue, and silver paint swirled to create crashing waves.
I was completely speechless. Above the window, lined up on a shelf perched rustic letters that spelled out one word. Anastasia.
“This was my room,” I whispered the words aloud, testing them on my lips.
“She would sit in here for hours at a time.” A faraway look changed his features and tears formed in his eyes. I realized all this time I was only thinking about myself. I turned to face him.
“You miss her,” I said softly. His tears spilled over and he nodded.
“Yes. Very much. I didn’t know your father very well, but Thetis…she was an amazing goddess. She taught me so much. You’re like her in so many ways. I don’t know what I would have done if I’d lost you. You stopped breathing. I thought…” His sadness meshed with my own and I felt my heavy heart lighten. I stood on my tip toes and kissed each tear as they slid down his cheeks. He hugged me close. We stood that way for several minutes, sharing in each other’s grief. Comforting one another. I’d never felt so loved. He leaned back to look in my eyes, and the storm of emotion I saw on his face caught me by surprise. He gently wiped a tear that had escaped down my own cheek and met my eyes again. In his deep blue ones were whispers of tenderness floating within, layered with desperation. And something else…something much more powerful…
“I love you, Anastasia,” he whispered it so softly, I almost didn’t hear him. Once it registered, I got chills and my soul danced. I knew then I loved him, too; I’d never been so sure of something in my entire life. He’d been with me through everything and had never once doubted my strength and courage. He had become the sturdy bridge between the old me and this brand new world of the unexpected. He knew me better than I knew myself and he was willing to give me something I’d never had before: unconditional love. There was no one else I would entrust my heart to.
“I love you, too.” His dark features lit up, and the joy in his smile threatened to sweep me off my feet. It was his kiss that sent me over the edge. The mixture of our salty tears and newly professed love for each other blossomed down deep in my soul, planting the seed that would glow within me forever. The depth of his feelings played out on his soft, tender lips as his strong arms held me close. I lost all track of time, letting the power of that one moment take hold of us, binding us together.
* * *
Eventually, he took my hand again and led me out to the hall. We turned down yet another hallway and entered a large wooden door with pointed rustic hinges. Mahogany shelves covered every wall, running from floor to ceiling. Each shelf overflowed with old books and manuscripts. There was even one of those ladders that ran along the walls on wheels, so that you could reach the top shelves.
The whole room smelled of worn leather and firewood. A large mahogany desk sat facing a fireplace that hadn’t been used in a very long time. Finn produced a small skeleton key from his pocket and unlocked one of the drawers in the desk. He pulled out a large wooden box. Sitting it on top of the desk, he took a deep breath and looked up at me with a weighted gaze.
“This was Thetis’s study.” He slid the box across the desk to me. “It’s time.”
I inspected it carefully. A large engraving dominated the top of the box. An upside down triangle with three swirls extending from the corners. I ran my fingers over it lightly and the lock clicked, catching me off guard. I looked up hesitantly at Finn, suddenly terrified by the possibility of its contents. I knew the box didn’t contain anything dangerous or harmful, but it could hold something much more potent. Answers. Was I ready for this? Could I handle what was inside? He smiled at me encouragingly and pulled the chair out from behind the desk.
“Maybe you should sit down first.” I walked around the table with shaking legs and lowered myself down into the leather chair. I ran my hands over the soft, worn arms. My mother had sat here, in this very seat, at this very desk. I smiled, and my hesitation turned to eagerness as I reached for the box in front of me. I opened the lid and the smell of lavender wafted around me. I breathed in deeply, cherishing the smell that I’d always loved. A flat velvety box was the first treasure to show itself.
Bracelets, necklaces, and earrings filled every inch of it. All of the jewelry had one single thing in common. Different sizes and shapes of aquamarine. I looked up at Finn.
“Turquoise represents the Tydes, but aquamarine represented Thetis,” he grinned knowingly at me, “and now you.” I instinctively touched my necklace.
“All this time, I just thought aquamarine held a special meaning for you…” I said to him with wonder.
“Anything connected to you holds a special meaning for me,” he winked at me. A separate velvet drawstring bag tumbled out as I closed the box. I hadn’t seen it among the rest of the jewelry.
I untied the strings and reached inside. It was another necklace with a pendant made of the same dark metal, but I knew this one was meant for only me. The pendant was the exact shape of my trace, a triangle shaped aquamarine set in its middle. It was breathtaking. Finn gently unhooked the necklace currently around my neck, replacing it with my new one. It felt as if it belonged against my skin, and warmed slightly as I touched it with my finger. A small slip of paper fell out of the bag as I placed it back in the box. It read: Triskelion (Tri-Goddess): Sea, Wind, Shore I turned my wrist over to inspect my trace. So, that was what the three spirals stood for.
Three spirals, three major abilities.
“You’re a Tri-Goddess, Stasia.” My eyebrows went up in disbelief. “The seaweed that makes up your trace is another symbol of Thetis. She had a strong connection with sea grass. As do you.”
His eyes were laughing at me, along with a smirk he didn’t try to hide.
“It still shouldn’t have attacked me,” I mumbled and jabbed him in the ribs. Next, I pulled out a brown sheath with the feel of something substantial inside. Unbuckling the strap twisted around it, the leather folded back to reveal a jewel encrusted h
andle. It was five or six inches long, and fit my hand perfectly. Aquamarine, diamonds, and fresh water pearls made up the entire handle, from the bottom to the guard. Carefully, I pulled the knife from its sheath. The blade itself was silver and around six inches long. It was utterly deadly and incredibly beautiful. I had to admit, the dagger felt good in my hand. Finn gently took it from me and held it up, admiring it.
“Wow. This is amazing,” he said, awe-struck. As he drooled over my new weapon, I pulled out a curious assortment of items that didn’t seem to have anything to do with each other. A two-inch piece of rope, a conch shell, a large smooth black stone, a gorgeous antique compass that didn’t appear to work, and a ring of three skeleton keys. Each key was a different metal; bronze, silver, and gold.
The last thing in the box was a very old leather bound book. Upon closer inspection, I saw that it was more of a journal, but it was massive; more the size of a scrapbook, it held a collection of various maps, directions, drawings, and information. I couldn’t imagine the invaluable information hidden within its seams and I couldn’t wait to devour every last bit of it. As I held it in my hand, I felt a piece of paper that was attached to the back. I retrieved it carefully and unfolded the delicate stationary. A letter. I felt the blood drain from my face.
My Dearest Pasha, I shot a skeptical look at Finn, “What does Pasha really mean?” He averted his eyes sheepishly.
“It means princess. It was her nickname for you.” My heart warmed and I smiled widely at him as I kept reading.
My Dearest Pasha, If you have received this letter, it means you have found your way back to our sacred home.
And for that, the entire island shall rejoice. I cannot tell you how much it saddens me that I will not be there to welcome you. Destiny brought you into this wicked world because I am destined to leave it. Any anger towards me is warranted and equally justified. I know that to save you, I have to let you go. I will never forgive myself, but I hope there comes a day when you are able to forgive me. Until then, know that I love you with all of my heart. Not a minute has gone by when I didn’t think about you. Not a day has gone by that I didn’t cry for you. You truly are my everything.
It is important for you to know I have seen my own demise, as well as your father’s. They will steal us both from you. He will be taken any day now. He is human and therefore more vulnerable than I. I have not told him of my knowledge. As you will learn, some things are better left unknown.
As half human, you are also vulnerable to the hands of our enemies. Before you can fulfill your destiny, you alone must complete your essence by journeying to the River Styx before the age of eighteen. Know that we will live on through you, my daughter. You are the future, Anastasia. You will carry on the legacy and lead with dignity and grace. This is your destiny. This is why you have been chosen.
The valise contains everything you will need and more. Be strong, my child. You will endure.
Goddess blood runs through your veins and a glorious Goddess you shall be.
Will all my love, Mother My tears flowed freely as I read the letter again and again. The simple fact that these were her own words made my heart sing. She loved me. She was depending on me. I couldn’t let her down. I wouldn’t let her down. With a renewed confidence in myself, I met Finn’s eyes. He was watching me with unabated patience and love. I set down the letter and took in all of the contents of the box, or valise as she had called it.
“What do I have to do?” I asked with as much courage as I could manage. His dark blue eyes turned stormy, but his smile brightened the room.
“The River Styx is one of the five rivers of the Underworld. Without your parents, it’s the only way to complete your essence.”
“So, I have to go to the Underworld.” It sounded simple….right?
“Not exactly. Your soul has to go to the Underworld. Your body will remain in this realm.”
“So that means….”
He stepped closer and his features darkened completely.
“If your soul makes it back to this world and therefore your body, you will have succeeded.
But to get there…you have to die.”
Daughters of the Sea Trilogy: Book #2
Coming October 2012!
Awaken Sneak Peek!
Prologue
The familiar call of seagulls diving for fish amongst the crashing waves pulled him from his restless slumber. His tired, blood shot eyes opened and gazed upon that same weathered stone ceiling looming above. As they roamed down the sloped wall where he kept count, he pushed back the agonizing hopelessness encasing his heart. Another long night behind him simply meant another long day before him. He swung his legs over the side of his cot and gently placed his worn feet on the stone floor. It was always bitterly cold in the morning. He shivered as he glanced down at his too-
skinny legs and the dirt that clung to his calloused feet. His ragged, cotton shorts now hung low around his emaciated waist and his faded blue shirt had been discarded long ago; traded for a sunken-
in, bare chest. He smoothed down his gray hair and thick beard; wondering if today would be the day.
Sighing, he stood and collected the conch shell he kept hidden within a crack in his counting wall. He found the last mark and bent down to add yet another. He never counted days; only nights.
The darkness always brought out his worst nightmares and he was continually amazed he had made it through so many. Thousands of marks littered the wall before him; a diary of solitude and sheer will captured forever in stone.
As he did every morning, he padded over to the window, and looked out over the rolling sea.
The lone window of his small room faced east, allowing him one pleasure amidst the hell that had become his life. Sunrise. At first each sunrise brought only tears to his eyes while the slow ache in his chest grew, threatening to rack his body with a sadness no man should bear. What those brilliant colors dancing across the sky stood for only served as a reminder to his unending loss. Another night bereft of her loving arms. Another day without her magical presence. Over the years, the pain had receded, but her memory never faded. Neither did the seed of hope she had planted so long ago. It grew every day, branching out and becoming the only thing that kept him alive. Many nights he had peered out of his window at the white sand far below. He thought of how easy it would be to end this torture and return to her. But he knew he had a bigger purpose and he would not let her down. He would endure and wait until his heart beat no more.
Once a week he was allowed to stroll along the beach and speak to the others. But it was only a brief illusion of freedom. They could feel the eyes that watched their every move. The others had become his only companions. For years there had only been seven. But a couple of months ago, a newcomer had arrived. He could hear her anguished cries at night and her deep despair was evident in the scratches along her arms; the victims of her own fingernails. She too finally succumbed to the seclusion and hopelessness; becoming void of emotion and as hollow as the rest of them. His thoughts moved back to the present and the brilliant ball of light inching its way above the horizon. This is when he felt closest to her. He closed his eyes and called upon the memory of her ever gentle, loving eyes.
“My love, I have lived to see yet another dawn cast its light upon this retched spit of land.
Thankfully, this dawn brings new hope for my weary soul. You appeared to me in my dreams once again last night, but for the first time I heard the sweet melody of your voice. You spoke to me and breathed life back in to my withered heart. You told me to be patient; to remain steadfast. You assured me the hour is growing near and I know the words you speak are true. Indeed, it is almost time.”
About the Author
Kristen Day is a native North Carolinian who, in true southern fashion, is addicted to sweet tea, baked goods, and football. She graduated from Appalachian State University and bleeds black and gold.
When she’s not kayaking or making jewelry, she writes paranormal roma
nce and urban fantasy novels. Forsaken is the first novel in the captivating and addictive Daughters of the Sea Trilogy.
Connect with her online at: www.kris10-day.blogspot.com or www.goodreads.com/kris10day
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