Survive
Page 113
“Mom would have loved this place,” Gracie whispers as I hold her hand, and hold my Dad who watches with exalted eyes. “She wanted something like this.”
“She wanted to be with us,” George says, staring into the distance.
“Well,” Dad says, “Now that she is here, I can never leave. Atlantis is home.”
The next few weeks go by in a whirlwind of events, but mostly lighthearted ones. I start thinking about baby clothes. Aeson constantly puts his head on my tummy to listen, even before I have a bump, and so, of course, I must pat him on his silly head with a smile and tug a lock or two of his soft, golden hair which I love touching so much.
I wonder if the baby is going to have the Kassiopei hair and wedjat eyes if we don’t perform the special ritualized ceremony before birth? There’s still time to decide on that. . . . Tradition or not, the choice these days is ours.
Kind of like the Games of the Atlantis Grail.
Did I mention there are going to be big changes? Now that the public knows the true origin of these awful things—yes, Arlenari’s Diary has been published and is quite a literary bestseller—the historical perspective is on our side to adjust the levels of violence and modernize the whole thing. We have a choice in how we treat our population, and citizenship should not be contingent on the outcome of a barbaric, bloody contest.
With all these bright new changes happening in every walk of life, there’s also the unexpected reality of Earth having survived its apocalypse, and now we need to deal with it. Politics are coming into play. Reaching out to Earth governments that now expect a lot of answers is going to be quite an ordeal in itself. And then we have the shìrén who are faced with the sudden new option of possibly going home—that is, if they still think of Earth as home. Truth be told, many don’t, but just as many do.
Laronda tells me she definitely wants to go back to Earth, but temporarily—just to see her brother Jamil and her Auntie Janice, and to help them out if possible, maybe even bring them here to Atlantis. She also wants them to meet Anu. Many of my other friends express similar desires. Looks like Earth relocation, or at least tourism, is going to be a “thing.”
So, we’re going to have liaisons going back and forth now, dealing with all of the nightmarish logistics of this. Logan Sangre is another one of those people who is planning to return. He doesn’t say if it’s permanent, because Logan can make an excellent liaison between two worlds.
Brie Walton is going also. I am sure some of it has to do with Logan, and a whole lot of it has to do with the fact that Brie has strong ties to Earth Union. So maybe in this instance it’s a matter of Logan wanting to go back with her. In any case, just before they leave, I plan to see Brie and return to her Logan’s knife—a love gift of sorts—which now more appropriately belongs with Brie. It has served me well as a reminder of certain things and now it can serve her.
With all these new options opening up to so many of us, my brother George still hasn’t decided what he wants to do in terms of a career or profession. However, he now has his own small apartment in the city as he considers the opportunities.
“If I were in college now, my major would still be decidedly undecided,” George says, lifting one brow in sarcasm—having dropped by for a visit—as he scratches Khemji behind the ear, while Manala watches with rapt curiosity. Lately, Manala has been noticeably present whenever George is here and, to be honest, George has been present here whenever Manala is around.
“Though, I suppose I could go into Philosophy,” George continues. “Or Marketing. Or the philosophy of marketing. Or standup comedy featuring pot-bellied cats.”
“You’re a people person, Gee One,” I say. “You can go into anything.”
“My dear Ter George,” Consul Denu says with a look of appraisal. “May I suggest exploring diplomacy, starting with a position in the Assembly of the Imperial Executive Council. In fact, I do believe I can recommend you most highly for one of our openings there.”
“Or I could go into veterinary medicine,” George replies, as the loudly purring Khemji adjusts his position for a more thorough rub.
Speaking of jobs—my Dad gets a position working in the newly opened Earth antiquities wing of the Imperial Poseidon Museum. As an Earth historian he gets to research and lecture and even teach a few classes to the public. He also gets to observe a ridiculous level of competition and hostility among other museums.
Turns out, now that Earth is on the road to recovery, many of the institutions are being rebuilt and resurrected—including the major world museums and art centers back on our home world.
The Louvre is first. The Imperial Poseidon Museum gets an interstellar message about a certain collection it happens to have. “Would you mind kindly returning the Mona Lisa?” the director of the Louvre writes, following it up by a polite video call.
The director of the Imperial Poseidon Museum responds with polite words, declining the request.
Next, the Cairo Museum contacts the Sekar Mehet Museum in New Deshret and asks for the Gold Mask of Tutankhamen.
“We don’t have the Gold Mask of Tutankhamen,” the director of that institution replies archly. “And even if we did, we would not consider parting with such property under any circumstances.”
“Then who has the Mask of Tutankhamen?” Cairo asks with indignation.
“We have no notion, and please do not ask again,” the director replies.
“How can you lose Tutankhamen? We have every record indicating you took the Mask of Tutankhamen when you appropriated Vincent van Gogh under questionable interplanetary circumstances.”
“We did not appropriate, it was a rescue operation of your valuable cultural heritage, and Atlantis certainly does not need to explain its benevolent actions to an inferior intellect such as yours.”
“Only an inferior intellect would endeavor to misplace the Mask of Tutankhamen!”
“Have you tried asking those pedantic chazufs at the Imperial Poseidon Museum? I assure you, it is highly likely they can assist you with your hoohvak request because, once and for all, we at Sekar Mehet do not have any shar-ta-haak Mask of your shebet Tutankhamen!”
This goes on for weeks, and then of course we have the London Museum, the Vatican, the National Gallery of London, the Hermitage and the Tretiakov Gallery in Russia, the Museo del Prado, the Met, and endless others—all start clamoring for their works of art to be returned immediately.
There is some kind of Earth class action suit presented to the Atlantis international art community, and a very insistent message full of harsh language comes in to the legal departments of each venerable institution.
The message is returned in kind with some harsh language in both Atlanteo and English, in addition to the local language of the Earth country in question.
Then, there is an interstellar conference call, replete with lawyers, arbiters, and mediators, and much shouting is done in Atlanteo, Deshi, English, and many other Earth tongues. Finally, a short text arrives, signed by every director of every art institution on Earth.
“Earth to Atlantis. What would it take? Earth wants its artifacts back.”
Epilogue
Day One. Or maybe, Day One Thousand and One in my Book of Everything.
I decided today is a day when I begin writing down the events of my crazy, amazing life, both on Earth and now here on my new home, Atlantis.
There is just so much to tell.
I’m writing this a few years after the main events that I’m going to describe, just because it took me all that time to get my act together, and so, bear with me here as I try to remember all the fun and the not-so-fun stuff that happened.
First, let me tell you my name. I am Gwen.
Gwen, Gwen, Gwen.
Gwen Lark who is Kassiopei who is Imperatris who is a silly numbskull on occasion.
Like, right this minute—pardon me, daydream—the kids are screaming and I really need to write this. . . .
Okay, yes, the kids. You know, on
ce I promised Aeson we’ll have half a dozen kids?
It wasn’t too far off. We have five.
First, there’s Margot Arlenari, the eldest, and she’s five. Yes, Atlanteans don’t exactly do middle names but hey, I’m Imperatris, so who’s going to stop me?
Then there’s the twins, three and a half—Romhutat Charles and Suval Gordon.
Finally, the babies, Oalla Ann who’s two, and the precious bundle of newborn screaming joy, Erita Hasmik—oh, for God’s sake, Aeson, can you please go check the baby, I am trying to write this thing!
Okay, I’m back—Aeson was telling me something, and the grown man is covered with baby food goo, so of course I got interrupted again.
Anyway, what was I saying?
Oh, yes, I am Gwen Lark who is Kassiopei who is Imperatris who is occasionally someone who dabbles in Starlight.
Oh no—I think someone is being disruptive again. Holy moly, what did Rommi do this time? Or was that Suvi? Aeson? Holy crap on a stick!
Be right back.
As you can see, this Book of Everything is going to take a while.
The End of SURVIVE: The Atlantis Grail, Book Four
Actually, the Beginning
Can’t get enough of Gwen and Aeson?
Don’t worry, the TAG novellas are coming!
Also, a new prequel series exploring the events
of Ancient Atlantis, 12,500 years ago, begins in
Dawn of the Atlantis Grail
Coming soon!
While you wait . . . for a change of pace, try the intensely romantic historical epic fantasy Cobweb Bride . . . or the madly hilarious Vampires are from Venus, Werewolves are from Mars.
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Other Books by Vera Nazarian
Lords of Rainbow
Dreams of the Compass Rose
Salt of the Air
The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration
The Clock King and the Queen of the Hourglass
Mayhem at Grant-Williams High (YA)
The Duke in His Castle
After the Sundial
Mansfield Park and Mummies
Northanger Abbey and Angels and Dragons
Pride and Platypus: Mr. Darcy’s Dreadful Secret
Vampires are from Venus, Werewolves are from Mars:
A Comprehensive Guide to Attracting Supernatural Love
Cobweb Bride Trilogy:
Cobweb Bride
Cobweb Empire
Cobweb Forest
The Atlantis Grail:
Qualify (Book One)
Compete (Book Two)
Win (Book Three)
Survive (Book Four)
(Forthcoming)
Dawn of the Atlantis Grail (TAG Prequel Series)
Various TAG Novellas
Pagan Persuasion: All Olympus Descends on Regency
Please see Vera Nazarian’s Amazon Author Central page for more titles.
Thank you for your support!
About the Author
Vera Nazarian is a two-time Nebula Award® Finalist, a Dragon Award 2018 Finalist, and a member of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. She immigrated to the USA from the former USSR as a kid, sold her first story at 17, and has been published in numerous anthologies and magazines, honorably mentioned in Year’s Best volumes, and translated into eight languages.
Vera made her novelist debut with the critically acclaimed Dreams of the Compass Rose, followed by Lords of Rainbow. Her novella The Clock King and the Queen of the Hourglass made the 2005 Locus Recommended Reading List. Her debut collection Salt of the Air contains the 2007 Nebula Award-nominated “The Story of Love.” Recent work includes the 2008 Nebula Finalist novella The Duke in His Castle, science fiction collection After the Sundial (2010), The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration (2010), three Jane Austen parodies, Mansfield Park and Mummies (2009), Northanger Abbey and Angels and Dragons (2010), and Pride and Platypus: Mr. Darcy’s Dreadful Secret (2012), all part of her Supernatural Jane Austen Series, a parody of self-help and supernatural relationships advice, Vampires are from Venus, Werewolves are from Mars: A Comprehensive Guide to Attracting Supernatural Love (2012), Cobweb Bride Trilogy (2013), and the four books in the bestselling international cross-genre phenomenon series The Atlantis Grail, now optioned for development as a feature film and/or TV series, Qualify (2014), Compete (2015), Win (2017), and Survive (2020).
After many years in Los Angeles, Vera now lives in a small town in Vermont. She uses her Armenian sense of humor and her Russian sense of suffering to bake conflicted pirozhki and make art.
In addition to being a writer, philosopher, and award-winning artist, she is also the publisher of Norilana Books.
Official website:
http://www.veranazarian.com/
The Atlantis Grail Fan Discussion Forum:
http://atlantisgrail.proboards.com/
Astra Daimon and Shoelace Girls (Facebook fan group):
https://www.facebook.com/groups/adasg/
TAG Fandom website:
http://www.tag.fan
Norilana Books:
http://www.norilana.com/
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/Norilana
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/VeraNazarian
Blogs:
http://www.inspiredus.com/
http://urbangirlvermont.blogspot.com/
http://norilana.livejournal.com/
Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/186145.Vera_Nazarian
LibraryThing:
http://www.librarything.com/author/nazarianvera
Wattpad:
http://www.wattpad.com/user/VeraNazarian
Dedication
To all my Readers!
You make the story come alive.
Acknowledgements
There are so many of you whose unwavering, loving support helped me bring this book to life. My gratitude is boundless, and I thank you with all my heart (and in alphabetical order, because in any other way lies madness)!
To my absolutely brilliant first readers, advisors, topic experts, editors, proofreaders, fandom moderators, and friends, Dorothy Kent, Elanor Dean, Elizabeth Logotheti, Heather Dryer, Jeanne Miller, Jeremy Frank, NASA, Katherine Akulicz, Marie Estock, Nancy Huett, Nydia Fernandez Burdick, Roby James, Shelley Bruce, Susan Franzblau, Susan Macdonald, Teri N. Sears, West Yarbrough McDonough, Will Toohey, with a special thanks to Dr. Michelle Thaller, NASA. Any astrophysics and science mistakes are all mine.
To the lovely and wonderful group of Vermont writers and friends, Anne Stuart, Ellen Jareckie, Lina Gimble, and Valerie Gillen.
To all the wonderful and enthusiastic members of the “Astra Daimon and Shoelace Girls” Facebook group and the official TAG Discussion Forum Members including “forum member username Dave46.”
To my awesome and fabulous Wattpad friends and fans who kept reading each preview chapter and making me smile, laugh, and otherwise delight in your hilarious, stunning, amazing, and insightful responses to the story! Thank you immensely!
If I’ve forgotten or missed anyone, the fault is mine; please know that I love and appreciate you all.
Finally, I would like to thank all of you dear reader friends, who decided to take my hand and step into my world of the Atlantis Grail.
My deepest thanks to all for your support!
Before you go, you are kindly invited to leave a review of this book!
Reviews are a wonderful way to help the author! They are also an exciting opportunity to share your honest thoughts with other readers, so please post y
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