by Kristen Day
Swimming silently towards the shore, the sensation of his kisses stubbornly lingered on my body; counteracting the water’s velvety touch. We made our way up to the beach, which transitioned from soft sand into large pebbles; making it difficult to walk without twisting an ankle. The unsettling feeling of something looming over me set me on edge, until I peered up to see the massive limestone side of Aphrodite’s Rock. It was utterly awe-inspiring, and easily commanded its own presence on the beach as it overshadowed everything else.
We strolled along its side and I marveled at the graffiti that littered its white stone face. Hundreds of hearts decorated it, each incasing a different set of initials. Some had been worn down by the hands of time, while others were newer and bolder. I stepped on a loose rock that gave way beneath my weight and then sent me careening sideways. Bracing myself against the rock, I did not expect the immediate explosion of thoughts and sounds.
Startling image after image slammed into me. Pictures of people smiling, drawing, laughing, and talking flew across my vision with such speed, it almost knocked the breath out of me. The odd part was the fact that my point of view was from inside the rock, looking out. An overwhelming wave of pure love and adoration crashed over me, hitting me again and again. I couldn’t tell if it was how the sea felt to the rock, or how the rock felt about its pilgrims, but either way it was magical and haunting…and then it was gone. Finn had pulled me off of the rock and had me in his arms.
“I wish I had a warning sound that went off before that happened,” I said, my words only coming out as a whisper. Tears of love and happiness rolled down my cheeks as I tried to speak louder. “I seriously need to get that particular ability under control.”
“I think I know someone who can help you with that once we return to Lorelei,” he informed me cryptically with a wink.
“Who’s that?”
“You’ll see,” he answered vaguely. I wanted to press further since it seemed that I was always the last to find these kinds of things out, but the intense cloud of joy that hovered over the beach stole my thoughts.
“There’s so much love here,” I marveled. “It’s intoxicating.”
“People come here to pray to Aphrodite and secure their love in stone,” he explained as he led me toward the sloping hill that led up the road above. “Either by writing on the rock itself, or by creating their own memento.” What I had initially thought were just random rocks from the beach were now taking the shape of larger hearts that scattered across the hillside, created by the white stones from the beach. Just like the ones drawn on the rock, each heart encased a pair of initials, usually created by smaller rocks.
Seeing all of the hearts had my own thoughts wondering to what our future held. I knew that I wanted to be with Finn - I couldn’t see myself with anyone else. But I couldn’t be sure that he was willing to claim the same. I knew that he loved me, but there’s a difference between ‘love’ and making a commitment to spend the rest of your lives together. Especially if you’re immortal. Forever is literal.
“When immortals are bound…” I began carefully, “is it the same as being engaged?”
His eyes flickered up to mine in surprise, and an uncomfortable shadow fell over his features. He wiped all emotion from his face and answered robotically, making me wonder if there was a teleprompter suspended behind me. “What humans refer to as being ‘engaged’ is similar to binding, yes. But when you bind your soul to another’s, you are vowing to marry them and love them forever. Unlike engagement, binding is irreversible.”
“So you didn’t vow anything to Nadia,” I said before thinking, and then corrected myself. “Or…did you?”
“Persephone overrode any normal traditions that went along with being bound or married. I had no choice in the matter. But the only thing I’d ever vow to Nadia is to rid the earth of her,” he answered coldly, and then fidgeted anxiously as he continued in a softer voice, marked by conviction. “In my eyes, the act of becoming bound before marriage is nothing like getting engaged. When you are married in the traditional sense, you share each other’s lives, personal belongings and experiences. When you become bound and subsequently married you share souls, emotions, and thoughts as well.”
“Wow…” Was all I could think to say, until I remembered something else I’d heard him say a couple of weeks ago. “And…binding usually happens on a person’s eighteenth birthday?”
“Usually, yes. Especially if you’re Chosen.” He paused as if he wanted to say more, and I thought I saw a flicker of something in his eyes, but it was gone just as quickly. “But becoming bound is not to be taken lightly.” He bent down to collect a handful of stones that had trickled down to the base of the hill. “Just like these stones.” He changed the subject, failing miserably to do so unnoticed. He walked up to the hill to find an empty spot, and created his own heart, retrieving discarded stones from the bottom of the hill until it was complete. I took a handful of smaller stones and climbed up to meet him.
“I must say, that’s the most beautiful rock heart I’ve ever seen,” I complimented his work with a touch of cynicism and a smile, hoping to bring his back. A heavy insecurity fell over my heart as I fought to understand the drastic change in his demeanor. It didn’t do much to help the fear that he could be unsure about our future. The fact that my eighteenth birthday was only a month and a half away did nothing to ease my self-doubt. I shook myself mentally and reminded myself that there were many other things to worry about before my eighteenth birthday. I certainly couldn’t become bound to anyone if I was dead.
“Another ability of mine:” he quipped as his smile returned, “drawing perfect hearts.”
I snickered and handed him half of my collected rocks. I placed mine in the shape of an F and then added a + symbol. He placed his in the shape of an S, and we stood back to admire our artistry.
“Hmm, I think the F’s a little crooked,” he frowned dramatically, tilting his head to get a better look.
“I think you’re a little crooked, so it works out perfectly,” I teased him, and gave him a light shove.
“One more thing,” he informed me, taking my hand again. We walked over the loose stones of the beach, toward what looked like a limestone tunnel that stretched beneath the road high above.
“That’s how the non-water-breathing world gets to the rock,” he chuckled and gestured toward the dark tunnel. We came to a stop in front of a very large, very scraggly looking bush. But that wasn’t the extraordinary part. Every branch and every twig was overflowing with small strips of tissue or cloth that had been tied around them. It reminded me of rolling a tree with toilet paper, although I was positive that was not the case here.
“What are they?” I asked curiously. I refrained from touching even one branch, for fear of experiencing the visual onslaught of every person ever to stand in that spot.
“Wishes,” Finn explained nostalgically. “If you make a wish and then tie a piece of cloth onto the bush it will come true.”
“Like a wishing well,” I pondered.
“Except these are only wishes about love,” he said with a tenderness in his eyes. He reached into his pocket and produced two strips of white cloth and handed one to me. “Make a wish, Pasha.”
I closed my eyes. I wish for the safety of the people I love…and to be with Finn. Forever. Okay, so that was two. Maybe Aphrodite wouldn’t mind. I chose an empty inch of branch and tied the cloth to the tree; careful not to come into contact with any branches or leaves.
“Your turn,” I instructed him as he stared down at his piece of cloth and smiled. Then he too tied it to the tree, right beside mine. I couldn’t help but wonder what he had wished for as we strolled back toward the waves. Not that I had the courage to ask. Finn, however didn’t have that problem.
“What did you wish for?” he questioned me with a devilish gleam in his eye.
“Wishes don’t come true if you tell people what they were!” I scolded him.
“If that’s the
case....” He pretended to lock his lips and throw away the key. “Mine will stay locked away forever.” His voice took on a serious tone as he continued. “Some wishes are too important to waste.”
Chapter 17
“Seventeen!?”
“Seventeen,” Tina repeated for the second time with a little tone of annoyance.
“Seventeen,” Phoebe confirmed, still skeptical of Tina’s claim. She was hardly convinced that the legal drinking age in Cyprus was four years less than in the U.S.
“Except for people named Phoebe,” Carmen teased her. “They’re only allowed sippy cups full of chocolate milk.”
“Hey, I like chocolate milk,” Phoebe shrugged her shoulders with a twinkle in her eye. “Especially with Bailey’s in it.”
“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that…” Natasha muttered as she perused the menu. The oceanfront Sienna restaurant had made a table for us next to the windows, overlooking the pristine and currently dark waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The serene blanket of night seemed farther away than just a pane of glass, amongst the bustling sounds of the restaurant. Tina had suggested Sienna for its relaxed, but upscale atmosphere. White tablecloths covered the tables, while small candles on each created a romantic, but cozy ambience.
Not until after our very tall waitress with a slight mustache took our orders and provided us with bread did I realize how hungry I was. I supposed that swimming twenty miles up the coast and back will do that to a girl. The celebratory mood at the table eased my nerves and put a smile on my face, as I began to relax and have a good time. Or it could have been the Tequila Sunrise that I was drinking. Either way, I was ecstatic by the time an overflowing bowl of chicken and mushroom cannelloni pasta was presented to me.
In the chair next to me, Finn barely took the time to breathe before inhaling his Lamb and Leek Soutzoukakia (Tina had to pronounce that last word for us). Across from me, Phoebe was already on her third mojito and was becoming more and more flushed as the minutes passed. Beside her, Carmen and Ricker had barely touched their entrees. They were more concerned with each other and the details of their hushed conversation. My heart warmed at how obvious it was that their love/hate relationship had transcended to a new level.
Dessert consisted of Greek coffee, which Phoebe completely ignored in favor of her fourth cocktail. I saw Elina raise an eyebrow at Natasha, before clinking her fork against her glass to gain everyone’s attention.
“Who among us has heard of Kafemandia?” Elina asked with heavy dignity.
“Kathemannia?” Phoebe proceeded to butcher the beautiful Greek language.
“Almost,” Natasha inserted with a smile. “Kafemandia is Greek for Tasseography.” After several blank stares Elina continued; un-phased by our lack of culture.
“Kafemandia is the art of reading one’s future in the grounds of coffee or leaves of tea. It originated from the Chinese monks of old. The residual coffee grounds left within the demitasse, or small cup, can be interpreted to explain your past and present, as well as to predict your future,” she explained mysteriously.
“I’m pretty sure mine are saying I need another round of Jack Daniels,” Ricker eyed his tea cup with a sneer. He jumped as Finn kicked him under the table, making sure that Finn saw the middle finger he was dramatically scratching his eyebrow with. Thankfully, Elina ignored him with unabated grace.
“Kafemandia has been passed down for generations in my family. If you would like, I’d be happy to read your grounds once you finish,” Elina said with a twinkle in her eye.
“I think I’ve had enough supernatural shows for one day,” Carmen muttered stubbornly. I could see the tiny wheels turning in Willow’s head as she drank hers in one long sip. I downed my small tea cup of foamy, rich liquid in a matter of minutes and saw the leftover coffee grounds settling around the bottom. No wonder it was so potent! I wondered why they even bothered creating a drink. A person could chew on the coffee beans and achieve the same result. With everything weighing on my mind, I decided that the chances of me allowing Elina to read my future were slim to none. I knew all too well what my future held, and I didn’t want to be reminded. Tina gleefully finished her cup and handed it to Elina dutifully.
Elina silently took the cup, tilted it on its side and twisted it clockwise three times, allowing some sludge to drip out onto her empty plate. I was trying to pay attention, but the realization that I had just drunk something that resembled a mud pie made my stomach churn. Elina proceeded to set the cup down and placed her hand over the top. She closed her eyes for a split second, and then peeked inside. Tina leaned over as far as she possibly could, as Elina inspected the contents.
“The grounds on the bottom of the cup represent your past. The middle or sides of the cup represent your present, and the top rim of the cup represents your future. The grounds will form certain symbols, which is what I will use to discern the meaning.” We watched on eagerly (and skeptically) as she continued to decipher Tina’s coffee grounds.
“It would appear someone has been slacking on their studies…” she began with a telling frown. Tina’s face shaded bright red as Elina continued. “You’re extremely happy and feel much gratitude for being in your present company.” Tina’s smile widened, but her face turned an even deeper shade of red. “It would appear that a new love interest will soon come under a revelation that will alter their path in your direction.” The white of Tina’s eyes became visible as they grew larger.
“Do mine! Do mine!” Phoebe waved her cup at Elina, taking the attention off of a relieved Tina. Elina somehow snagged Phoebe’s waving tea cup and repeated the motions of spreading out the coffee grounds.
“At the bottom of your cup I see a tree on fire.” Phoebe gasped, but Elina continued steadily. “This means that you have gone through a period of change and growth…a renewal of sorts.” Phoebe let out her breath and squeezed Carmen’s arm. “I clearly see a waterfall on the side, which means you’ve had enough to drink.” She raised an eyebrow at Phoebe. I had a feeling that whatever symbol she had found on the sides of the cup represented Phoebe needing to be cut off. “And in your future I see one continuous ring, which means much happiness in friendships and love.”
“Wow!” Phoebe delicately took her cup from Elina and peered inside. “Can I keep my cup as a souvenir?”
“I think petty theft is frowned upon in most countries,” Ricker snickered.
“Do Stasia’s next!” Willow exclaimed, stealing my cup and handing it to Elina. Unable to snatch it away from her, I could only await the inevitable. My stomach gurgled again as she went through the motions and inspected the remaining contents.
“You have experienced so many traumas at the hands of others.” She furrowed her brow as she continued, “But the phoenix I see tells me that you’ve gone through a rather amazing transformation; well on the way to becoming a beautiful, powerful creature.” I felt my own face heat up as everyone turned to smile knowingly at me. Finn put his arm around me and squeezed me tight.
“Anxiety and immense pressure fill your current reality, as seen by the herd of elephants running around the sides of your cup.”
“Herd of Elephants?” Phoebe giggled.
“That’s not what you’d normally want running around your cup,” Ricker quipped, “or anywhere for that matter.”
“Whoa, who are they?” Willow interrupted with a loud gasp, her gaze fixed on the entrance of the restaurant where a large group of people had arrived.
“Auras,” Tina answered with a scowl. The entire restaurant appeared to glow in the group’s presence. Made up of five rather obvious couples, they followed the hostess to a table near ours. I’m surprised that I didn’t see the tether of a leash on each of the guys, as the girls gripped their arms with an air of ownership. Their dark brown hair was offset by startling pale skin and light silvery-gray eyes. Something tickled at my memory, as I watched the first girl walk towards us. Her slender frame easily maneuvered between the tables as her calculating eyes
swept over us. Her shoulder length hair fell perfectly around her face, and the glittering silver top she wore matched the silver of her eyes. Black skinny jeans were topped off by silver high heels and a black clutch. Still looking down her nose at us, she lifted her chin ever so slightly, not bothering to smile or acknowledge us. Each person behind her followed suit, completely ignoring us.
Besides their pretentious, imperious attitudes, the other things that struck me were the glass orbs that hung from the silver chains around their necks. It instantly reminded me of the woman in the soul-stealing vision I had on the plane. She had the same type of necklace, except that hers pulsed with light.
“What’s an Aura?” Phoebe whispered to Tina with saucer-shaped eyes.
“They’re one of the orders at Eventide,” Tina explained dryly. “Descendents of the moon goddess Selene. As you can see, they don’t believe in associating with lesser beings. A.K.A., everyone else.”
“Seriously? An entire Order of snobs?” Phoebe scrunched up her nose in disgust.
“Pretty much. They only date and marry other Auras, too. They believe that having offspring with someone in another Order diminishes the purity of their essence.”
“They sound like well-adjusted, open minded people,” Ricker chuckled with sarcasm. “Think they’d want to join us at the Inferior Beings table?”
“We should pretend they aren’t there,” Elina censured us. “Each Order is free to practice their own beliefs and traditions. It is not our place to judge them, just as it is not their place to judge us. Speaking of traditions…let’s continue our reading, shall we?”
We tore our eyes away from the Auras, who were barely even speaking to the waitress tasked with obtaining their drink orders. As Elina inspected my cup again, I recognized a warming sensation at my side where my purse hung from my chair. I twisted around and searched through it for the source of the heat.
“And your future appears to hold….” Elina’s breath appeared to catch in her throat, just as I wrapped my fingers around what I recognized as my moonstone. I had begun to carry it everywhere in memory of my mother. I pulled it from my purse, but all curiosity was lost when Elina dropped my cup suddenly and stared at me; stunned. “Death.”