by Kristen Day
"My mother?" I prompted in shock. I should have known. She was always trying to protect me, even from the Underworld. "But why? Wouldn't that be something I needed to know? It is my prophecy, after all."
"I think she was afraid," she asserted. "My mom told me that it was to be preserved to avoid falling into the wrong hands."
"Preserved?"
"In memory," she explained simply. "Our mothers memorized it, and then destroyed it. Several years ago, when I found out you were to be my Elysian, my mom passed it down to me."
"And no one thought it was important enough to let me in on the secret?" I fumed. I was tired of everyone else knowing more about my life and destiny than I did. Did I not deserve a little bit of control over my life? Did my decisions mean nothing? Was the rest of my life truly scripted no matter what I did? Were none of my choices my own?
"I hoped that by destroying it, it would somehow make it go away." She pulled her legs up and rested her chin on her knees.
"But now you think it's going to come true," I finished for her.
"It would appear so," she mumbled. I sat up a little straighter and took a deep breath.
"Tell me what it said."
Of golden city, whilst antiquities dream
A scripted promise, its requiem gleans
Sinister chants, of moon and hell
a crux to mourn, her song will tell
Of ancient balance, the whirlpool wanes
A devil's reflection, the dagger hath slain
Left to the ages, her legend shall grow
Our goddess descends, a calling bestowed
"Hard to argue with destiny, I guess," I said with a shrug; a failed attempt at remaining calm. "On the bright side, you'll be off the hook as my Warrior."
"I never would have guessed it, but I love my new life," she admitted with a smile. "What with being immortal, and whatnot. And I guess being attached to you hasn't been the nightmare I thought it would be."
"Nothing like being 'not a nightmare' to build up a girl's self-esteem," I joked.
"That's what I'm here for," she replied with a chuckle. We both turned quiet as we considered our uncertain futures. Or, in my case, the lack thereof. But before my thoughts could turn down an even darker road, I was overcome with a warm essence and a soothing voice in my head.
"Where are you?" Finn implored within my thoughts.
"On the beach with Olivia," I divulged.
"Everything okay?" I could hear the worry, even through his thoughts.
"Yeah, just needed some air."
"Finn's crashing our little party, isn't he?" Olivia eyed me knowingly.
"How'd you know I was talking to him?"
"Easy," she answered evenly. "I can read your thoughts."
STASIA
"You can?" I gasped. Had she been reading my thoughts all this time?
"You are so gullible!" She shook her head with a laugh. "I figured it out by that goofy, lovey-dovey look on your face. Plus he's coming down the stairs." She gestured behind us where Finn was, in fact, coming down the stairs. I pushed her over in the sand, which only made her laugh even harder.
"I hate you." I deflected a shove from Olivia and sent my energy into the sand, hitting her in the face.
"You're supposed to protect her, Olivia, not beat her up," Finn laughed at us.
"She started it." She spit sand out of her mouth with a grunt.
"She's not beating anyone up," I argued stubbornly. "I could take her with my eyes closed."
"I'd like to see you try," she challenged me. I conjured up a wave from the lagoon nearby and stood before moving out of the way just as it crashed over Olivia's legs and into her lap.
"That was a cheap shot!" she yelled at me; pulling at the wet clothes now clinging to her. "And why do they insist on making us wear white? Don't they know what water does to white clothes?"
As she gushed over her clothes, Finn put his arm around me and promptly covered us in a veil; making us invisible to Olivia and the rest of the world. She glanced up at us and her face contorted in anger.
"Also not fair!" she yelled in our general direction. "You can't just sucker punch somebody and then make yourself invisible!"
Finn quickly unveiled us long enough to ask smugly, "What happened to your clothes? They look all wet," he feigned concern before veiling us once more. I was laughing too hard to add anything.
"I hate you both," she growled as she stood and headed to the castle for dry clothes. "Cheaters."
Finn unveiled us and I tried to stop laughing. Olivia made it to the stairs before turning and putting in her last word. "I take it back - you are a nightmare!"
"I love you too, Olivia!" I yelled back at her. It was way too easy to get her riled up.
"She's calling you a nightmare?" Finn gawked.
"She can't help but love me," I proclaimed.
"I know the feeling." He pulled me close and I folded into his strong arms like I'd never left. "The Paradigms are already getting ready. Sean already had a bloody nose when I talked to him a minute ago."
"You guys are gluttons for punishment." I gave him a cynical grin. It amazed me the pain they put themselves through in order to train. The amount of times I'd seen Finn beaten to a pulp were many, and it never got easier. Thankfully he healed much quicker than his brothers.
"Hard to argue with that," he snickered. "No one ever said we were smart; just good fighters."
He playfully jabbed me with his fists, sending me into a fit of giggles as his subpar attempt quickly morphed into a quite effective tickle torture. I decided to throw out a question; allowing me to talk about what was on my mind without actually talking about it. I knew disclosing my true thoughts wouldn't be a good idea.
"Do you ever feel chained down by your destiny?" I pulled away from him slightly.
"All the time," he answered breezily. "But I think I'm starting to embrace who I'm supposed to be. I think I'm starting to believe I can actually be that person."
"But how do you know your choices are really yours?" I countered. "Or if your entire life has already been decided for you?"
"Our paths may be chosen, but our choices are still our own. We still have free will."
"Not according to the prophecy that's foretold my life up until this point."
"Is that what this is about?" He aimlessly fisted a handful of sand and lightly sprinkled it onto the top of my bare foot. The sunset was exploding in the sky, sending a shower of warm colors across the horizon and giving the illusion that the games Metropolis was glowing. He translated my silence as a yes.
"That prophecy didn't create your strength, Pasha. It didn't develop your character or give you the experience that you carry with you to motivate and inspire those around you. It didn't shape your heart. I didn't fall in love with your prophecy, I fell in love with you."
"You're just saying that 'cause you're biased."
"Maybe I am." He squeezed me tighter. "But I also know that a prophecy comes into being because it represents who you are at your core. Even before you were born it was based on who you would be. Not the other way around. Think about it: because of who you would become, it was obvious to the universe that you would be willing to sacrifice yourself for me and spend eternity with Persephone when the time came."
"I felt it was the right thing to do," I admitted. "And you were worth it to me."
"Exactly. If you had known your prophecy foretold that event ten years ago, you would have thought it was the most ridiculous thing you'd ever heard of. But then you met me, and...well..." He raked his fingers through his hair before flexing his bicep and kissing it. "You changed your mind."
"Yeah, right!" I cut my eyes at him and laughed.
"A prophecy isn't a road map or a cage you're being kept in. It's an indication of the decisions you will make based on who you will become; the natural progression of a brilliant Leader and a pure heart."
For one brief moment I considered divulging what I'd learned from Olivia, but deci
ded against it. It would only make him worry, and if what he was saying was true, there was no stopping it anyway. Instead, I remained quiet and leaned into him as we watched the sun dip behind the Arena walls. I couldn't believe the Games were set to begin tomorrow. It didn't seem real. Would I get to see all of the Games? How long did I have? A month? A year? I squeezed my eyes shut and tried not to think about it.
"Swim with me?" Finn asked tenderly. Something in his voice melted my heart and I suddenly needed to be closer to him. I turned and threw my arms around him, kissing him with a wave of emotions.
"Is that a yes?" He grinned slyly at me. His lopsided grin and the mischievous gleam in his eyes reminded me of the first time I'd spent time with him at Lorelei. The way he seemed to know me better than I could ever know myself, the infinite patience as I learned the details of my destiny and came to grips with who I was, and the ability to allow me to grow at my own pace. He was in my prophecy. My paramour. My rock. I wasn't positive I could have made it as far as I had in the last year without him. It didn't matter when I would die, what I would accomplish before I did, and who I would touch in my time amidst this world. If destiny wanted to steal me away, it all would have been worth it. For him.
"I'm going to need your veil." I raised a playful eyebrow at him and the next moment we were glittering under its protection. I quickly pulled off my top and shimmied out of my skirt, leaving only undergarments. I had his full attention as I made my way down to the waterline. As soon as it engulfed my legs, the lagoon's welcoming essence filled me with vigor and an unconditional belonging that almost brought me to tears. In the arms of the water was where I was meant to be.
I strode further out and dove in head first before taking a deep breath of water. As the cool liquid filled my lungs, I could taste its pureness; its healing quality. It supported my body and fueled me with a renewed euphoria. A growing mob of colorful fish darted back and forth in an effort to acknowledge me. I opened my eyes and allowed my essence to explode from my soul; feeling a small shockwave as it dispersed around me and sent appreciation to the entire lagoon.
I felt Finn's darkness as he entered the water in one swift movement, headed towards me. I kicked forward and sped away to the center of the lagoon, where the Metropolis was perched above on the surface. From beneath the massive, flat platform its five spokes were visible; stretching out from the main structure and reaching out to the surrounding beaches. It didn't appear as if it was connected to the bottom in any way and I wondered how something that immense could stay afloat so easily. But then again, I'd watched Maera lift it with her bare hands, so obviously I didn't know everything there was to know about the mysteries of Atlantis.
As the bottom of the lagoon tilted downward sharply, it disappeared into a void not privy to the light above. I continued swimming as the Metropolis loomed above and a watery black hole dominated my view below. Its secrets provoked my curiosity and temporarily overshadowed the stress of the world above, as well as within my own thoughts.
"Where do you think it goes?" Finn appeared next to me.
"Only one way to find out..."
STASIA
His beaming smile gave me the answer I was hoping for and we dove at the same time. Clearly man-made, the gaping hole was perfectly cylindrical and at least five hundred feet across. A blanket of plants and moss lined its walls, giving it the illusion of existing as one throbbing being, swallowing us whole. As we dove deeper, the presence of iridescent organisms increased, casting a glowing blue hue onto our skin and clothes.
"Stasia!" Finn called to me from across its length. "What do you think?"
I kicked over to the opening in the wall he was pointing to eagerly. I peered into the curious hole that was about six feet tall and three feet across. A dim light could be seen in the distance, but as the cavern swept upwards, it faded from sight.
Finn stuck out his hand as if asking me to dance, "Shall we?"
"We shall," I played along, taking his hand with a graceful bow. Well, as graceful as a bow could be without standing on solid ground. I giggled as his fingertips tickled my feet when I swam past him and into the passage. The tunnel sloped upwards gradually and the scraggly walls boasted an eerie golden sheen. Strange plants dotted its walls and reached out to me as I swam by. Metallic stems extended before blossoming into an impressive array of glowing flowers in every color. As if only awakening out of curiosity, they remained open for a split second before folding closed and returning to their slumber. By doing so, they unintentionally provided the light I needed to see where I was going.
After what seemed like an hour I eventually began to feel a shift in the water pressure surrounding me, at the same time as a yellow radiance announced something up above. As the passage walls suddenly blossomed outward and the sheen became incredibly bright, I knew we had reached...something. A forest of shining flowers flourished in every direction, creating a wave of color. Peeking back at where I'd just come from, I could see the same wave of flowers following Finn as they got a glimpse of yet another visitor.
I finally reached the surface and caught my first sight of an expansive, underground cave swelling high above before contracting into a tiny hole of sky and stars. But it wasn't the cave itself that stole my breath. I noiselessly arched my back, stretched my legs out and floated onto my back, careful not to make any splashing sounds.
They were glorious. Illustrious winged creatures larger than most birds, but resembling overgrown butterflies with their gossamer wings and tub-like bodies. Not even an inch of the cavern walls or ceiling was visible with the enormous numbers of them crowded together. Their wings opened and closed in a rhythmic cadence that soothed my soul, but more than anything else, I was left speechless by the light they emitted. They smoldered a warm honey hue, creating their very own sunshine amongst the darkness of the cave.
Weaving together, ebbing and flowing from wing to wing, was a calming energy that reverberated into every corner of the cavern. They were magnificent. Their essence was that of the earth; thick with quiet strength, wisdom, and a cleansing, woodsy scent.
Unfortunately, Finn wasn't privy to what lay above before crashing to the surface next to me. He exploded from the water in a litany of water droplets and noise; sending a small wave crashing over me.
"Finn!" But it was too late. He had awakened the beast. His eyes widened instantaneously and I pulled him close; clamping a hand over his mouth. As if they shared every thought, the entire population of the cave dislodged from the walls in unison and took flight.
The thunderous beating of their massive wings created a wind that swirled across our amazed faces and created ripples across the water. Like spooked bats exiting a cave, they began to swirl upward; exiting through the hole high above.
The all-consuming roar steadily lessened until it was no more and there were no other creatures remaining. The leftover silence was deafening. Feeling their absence immediately, it was decidedly cooler and emptier. Thankfully, in their turmoil, a layer of glowing, golden dust had shaken free from their wings, blanketing everything and preserving a warm glow that allowed us to see.
"Do you think I startled them?" Finn grinned at me innocently and shrugged his shoulders.
"You're impossible." I jumped onto his back and plunged his head back underwater.
I shook the golden dust from my hair and marveled at how it stuck to my skin even as I moved my arms underwater. It was beautiful and ethereal. It warmed the skin it touched and gave me an unearthly appearance, but even odder was the fact that it wasn't sticking to Finn. It fluttered right past him and settled onto the bottom.
Finn surfaced next to me and stared at me a little too long before the bright smile disappeared from his face. The deep blue of his eyes was still swirling from being underwater, and the water droplets ran down his dark hair and along his jawline that had become scruffy from not shaving.
He licked his lips absently and I felt my heart jump.
"Wow," was all he managed; drinking i
n my appearance with obvious adoration. I looked away, suddenly self-conscious, and felt my hair and face to make sure everything was still where it was supposed to be.
"What's wrong?" I assumed uneasily. Without answering, he moved closer and ran a wet finger along my cheek, trailing down to my lips.
"A Goddess," he whispered in awe. He wrapped an arm around my waist without breaking his gaze and slowly pulled me to him. As our legs stopped kicking we began to sink beneath the water, but I didn't notice. My body erupted with fire as he glanced down at my mouth hungrily and anxiously pressed his lips to mine. He methodically tasted the corners of my mouth, then the top lip before moving to the bottom with more urgency. Eager to give in, I leaned into him and deepened our kiss.
Our feet finally hit the bottom but our bodies didn't stop; lightly tipping backwards. My body pressed gently into the magical flowers and I vaguely remembered apologizing to them in my mind. Instead of crushing them like I thought I would do, they bloomed beneath me; supporting our weight and creating a soft surface.
His every touch left an absence of golden dust, replaced with invisible embers that culminated to blur my thoughts and spark a need I couldn't control. The feel of his skin under my hands as they ran along his arms, shoulders, and back was both gentle and full of yearning. Individual muscles flexed and relaxed as he moved along the length of my body, attending to every inch with increasing passion and heat. Carefully pushing aside any clothing he came into contact with, I reached to undo my bra, but his hands stopped me; forcing me to be patient.
As his mouth made his way back to my mine, I sighed with the pleasure of its return. His lips lingered tauntingly before sliding down to my neck while devoting his hands to the rest of my body. They quickly disposed of the remaining fabric, revealing my frame entirely to the flowers, the water, and his own desire.
With only boxers impeding my touch, I quickly pulled them off and set to exploring every inch of him. We pulled back momentarily as the water within the cave began to tremble with the weight of our emotions. He smiled devilishly while his hooded eyes returned their attention to me.