Chosen (27 page)

             
“Come on down, guys!  There’s plenty of room!” she called up to us.  One by one, we crawled down the surprisingly sturdy ladder into the underground room.  The walls were made of stone and the floor was one long slab of concrete.  Dim lights hung from the ceiling at ten foot intervals, allowing just enough light for us not to trip over each other.  We followed a wide hallway until we saw openings that led to other doors and hallways. 

             
“It’s like a labyrinth!” Phoebe bellowed from one of the hallways. “Oh! I think I found something!  Stasia come look at this!”

             
“Coming!” I answered.  Leaving the others to keep exploring, I followed the sound of Phoebe’s voice.  The hallway became skinnier with each step and was unequivocally darker.  It twisted to the right, but then abruptly ended at a smooth concrete wall.  There were no doors or other rooms off of it, just a random, pointless hallway.  With no Phoebe in it. 

             
Deciding that I needed to get my hearing checked, I could only assume it had been the wrong hallway.  I made my way back out to the main hall in hopes of finding her. 

             
“Phoebe?”  My voice came back to me three times louder as it echoed off of the stone walls and raced through the empty hallways.  I listened closely for a reply, and my heart hurdled into my throat when I heard no one else’s footsteps. No talking.  Not even any breathing.  I had an awful feeling something was wrong.  I was completely alone.

             
“Where’d ya’ll go?” I shouted in response to the deafening silence.  The only answer I heard was my own echo once again. “Hello?”

             
My heart kicked into overdrive and a cold sweat broke out on my brow as I continued down the long hallway, peeking into different rooms for any sign of them.  They couldn’t have just vanished - they had to be here somewhere!  I noticed that the light at the end of the main hallway was steadily growing brighter as I forged ahead.  I forced myself to stop walking and took a deep breath.

             
There was no reason to panic.  I was more powerful than almost all of the people that could possibly be lurking down here.  ‘
Almost
’ my mind reminded me.  If there was anyone else down here, I had no doubt that they’d be able to hear my heart pounding against my chest.  I shook out my hands, which were beginning to tingle and swell from the increase of blood flow.  I spun in a circle, once again listening for any sound whatsoever.  Silence.  I decided that the best idea would be to go back to where we came in and get the hell out of there.  There was a good possibility that everyone else had gone back upstairs, and I just didn’t hear them calling me.  I listened for any footsteps above my head.  Silence.

             
I pivoted on my heel to begin walking back when something lying on the ground up ahead made me pause.  It was about two feet long, but skinny.  I waited for it to bark, meow or slither away, but it did none of those things.  I slowly crept towards it, ready to run away screaming at the slightest twitch.  No need to be the hero here.  The closer I got, the more the shadow cast by the dim lights above thinned next to the object. I could tell it was a black….flower?  A rose?

             
My thoughts reverted to the twelve black roses Finn had given me at the Cimmerian Ball, what seemed like a lifetime ago.  Was somebody trying to trick me?  Lure me in by presenting me with flowers?  I stood over it for at least three minutes in an effort to figure out what a black rose was doing lying on the concrete floor in the basement of an abandoned house.  I knelt down and stretched my arm out to pick it up, but stopped.  The risk was too great - enchanted petals, poisonous thorns, morphing into an evil ghost…the deadly options were endless, and Nadia would surely try them all.  I looked farther down the hall and spotted another dark something lying on the floor up ahead. 

             
Leaving the rose where it was I scanned the area for any evil, or even darkness, but found neither.  As I walked up to the next one I realized it wasn’t just one black rose, but two.  I watched the ceiling in anticipation of a net falling on me and trapping me down there.  I checked the stone walls for anything suspect.  And then I spotted the next couple of roses about ten paces ahead.  What was going on?

             
I cautiously stepped over the first rose and continued along the hall.  I passed pile after pile of four roses, five roses, six.  I noticed the air beginning to cool, as the roar of waves swirled in my ears and tickled my heart. After a collection of eight roses, the hallway took a sharp right turn and I squinted to make sure that I was really seeing what my eyes thought I was seeing.  Up ahead, the stone hallway opened up to the beach!  Nine roses, ten roses, eleven, twelve.  I reached the end of the passageway where the concrete met the sand, and inspected the inch gap between my feet and the beach.  A cool breeze lifted my hair and I fought to run screaming to the arms of the ocean.  If nothing else, I could hide out on the sea floor and wait until Nadia and Keto forgot about me.  It would only be a couple of years.  Five or six at the most. 

             
Very carefully, I leaned around the stone wall and peered down the beach.  All I could see were the sand dunes topped by sea grass, blowing in the wind as it came off of the ocean.  The tide was low; creating a wide expanse of beach before the waves rolled into the picture.  The view up the beach was much the same. 

             
Frustration rattled my brain when I realized that I was cowering in the shadows like an injured puppy.  Goddesses didn’t hide in the shadows! They commanded their presence and took control of the situation, no matter who or what was waiting for the opportunity to slaughter them.  Mom had seen a vision of her
own
death, but had certainly remained steady and courageous until she took her last breath.  I had to get myself together and start acting like I deserved the title of Nereid.  I had instinct, not one but four essences, and numerous abilities on my side.  What did I have to be afraid of?  Deciding that I was, in fact, strong enough and brave enough to carry the titles I was prophesized to, I stepped onto the beach with renewed confidence and determination.  I centered my energy, lifted my chin, and shed the self-doubt that took pleasure in breaking me down at every chance. 

             
The beach that sloped down to the ocean had been flattened by the tide’s gradual escape, and I zeroed in on something as it poked out of the sand.  In the light of the moon and stars, I kicked off my shoes and dug my toes into the sand.  The cool temperature counteracted the warmth of its energy as they both spread up my legs.  Focusing my eyes on the object up ahead, I strode forward and dropped to my knees in a cloud of bewilderment lined with curiosity.  The stem of a single black rose had been secured in the sand next to a weathered glass bottle about the size of a wine bottle, but with no label or writing to reveal its origin.

             
  I wrapped my fingers around the neck of the bottle and extracted it from the soft sand.  The glass beneath my skin was reminiscent of the sea glass that’s collected on beaches across the globe for its aged appearance and smooth texture.  Sea glass was typically found as remnants of beer or soda bottles that the ocean had pulverized.  The pieces of glass are smoothed to perfection by the powerful combination of sand and surf.  This bottle was a small miracle, being that it was completely whole with no cracks or breaks. 

             
A dingy cork ensured that nothing would get in or out of the bottle.  I rolled it around in my hands, but the foggy glass wouldn’t give up its contents.  With a part of the cork peeking out, I tried to free it from the bottle.  Not having any luck, I tried the next most rational option; my teeth.  Working like a charm, I spit the cork from my mouth, closed an eye and looked inside.  Unfortunately, my eye and the moonlight weren’t able to both peer down inside the neck at the same time.  I upended it and proceeded to hit the palm of my hand against the side like a Heinz Ketchup bottle that wouldn’t cooperate.  After several minutes of hitting and shaking, a tightly rolled piece of paper slipped out and landed in the sand.  Satisfied that nothing else was in the bottle; I set it down and focused on the paper.

             
Secured with a strip of white lace, I could tell that the crisp paper was very old. It crackled beneath my fingers and had been discolored by time and salt water.  I tugged on the ribbon carefully, which gave way easier than I expected.  Holding the end gently with one hand, I unrolled it with the other.  My heart seized in my chest when the paper revealed handwritten stanzas, and it stopped beating altogether when I saw my triskellion trace displayed as a wax stamp at the top of the page.  The penmanship was elaborate, but the words had been written in English. 

             
My breath hitched and continued to stutter, as the significance of the piece of paper in my shaking hands registered.  A jolt of electricity surged through me with each line I read.  My eyes forgot to blink while my jaw went slack and the sand beneath my legs quivered with energy.  My heart began to seep out of my chest into a large puddle in the sand, while powerful tears seasoned with the taste of destiny splashed over onto my cheeks.  After reading it three more times, I still couldn’t believe what I was looking at.  My prophecy.

              Our salient leader she shall be

             
From shore, wind, and bastion sea

             
Thy calling of a new born child

             
Laid to rest for now, resides

              Her tendered soul from whence will grow

             
Aft brazen chains a heart of woe

             
If province warns of hallowed screams

             
Her gifts revealed amongst her dreams

              When scornful deeds of power lies

             
Death shall burn in Thetis’s eyes

             
Her Fortunate Isle in slumber deep

             
Lest Anastasia wake her keep

              From sea and brine thy secrets flow

             
Setting ablaze her eyes to glow             

             
Her journey awaits, precluded by need

             
Thy destiny weaving our goddess to bleed

              Bred wholly to lead an army of men

             
Thy warrior claims great destine within

             
Her sacrifice, forevermore

             
Binds her soul to thy paramour.

              Before I could read on, a clicking sound several feet away had me looking up.  Blown away by the previously elusive prophecy that I now held in my hands, I was rendered utterly speechless by what happened next.  Suddenly, hundreds of lanterns appeared on every piece of real estate on the beach.  What started as a warm glow quickly brightened; burning away the silver light of the moon with its intensity.  Next to catch fire was the ocean.  Countless more lanterns came to life along the surface of the water, glowing as far as the eye could see.  It was as if the top layer of water had caught fire, blazing with the warmth and power of a summer sunset. I stood slowly and soaked in the spectacle of so many lanterns flickering and dancing in every direction. 

             
In the midst of the glowing inferno around me, a single flame appeared; hovering only feet in front of me.  Something about it, besides the fact that it wasn’t attached to anything, held my focus.  I couldn’t take my eyes off of it.  As it burned hotter it changed from canary yellow to a deep red-orange until it burned a brilliant blue; licking at the night air for fuel.

             
Entranced by the dancing flame my eyes burned with its energy, and without another thought, my legs brought me closer. My arm lifted slowly and I stretched my fingers out, wanting – needing - to touch it. 

             
“Don’t burn yourself,” a voice warned. 

             
So enamored with the flame, I hadn’t noticed the addition of the blue candle supporting it or the smoldering personification of darkness standing before me in all black.  He blended in with the night; his presence a sweeping black hole that soaked up the brilliant gleam of the candles.  The only part of him that reflected any light were his eyes; currently gazing into mine.  They burned as blue as the flame; easily trapping me in their inferno.

             
“Finn?” I yanked my hand back in surprise. A smile pulled at his lips as my eyes drank him in.  Bare feet partially covered by black slacks hung perfectly around his waist.  The black button down shirt he wore was made casual by rolled up sleeves. His skull and crossbones trace shimmered next to the glow of the candle he held with both hands.  “What are you doing here?”

             
“Just shedding a little light on the situation,” he smiled again.  Always the comedian.

             
“Where’s everyone else?”

             
“I told them to go back to the cottage.” He grinned and gestured behind me, as his voice continued much louder, “…so of course they’re hiding behind one of the sand dunes spying on us.”

             
I spun around and saw Phoebe stand up and wave, quickly yanked back down by Carmen and Willow.  “This was all…planned?”

             
“By yours truly.” He bowed with a proud smirk and set the candle down in the sand.  My mind instantly rewound in an attempt to understand.

             
“There wasn’t really an address?” I asked, thoroughly confused. “So whose house is that?  You put those roses everywhere?  You didn’t really have to go somewhere with your dad?”  My immediate answer was a wider smile that gave me chills.  He stepped toward me, cupped my face in his hands, and shushed me by kissing me softly.  It worked.

             
“It was all a conspiracy to get you here,” he explained. I surveyed the hundreds of flames lighting up the night, and then remembered what I was holding.

             
“This is…” I held up the piece of paper.

             
“Your prophecy,” he nodded. “It’s only one page, though. Mom is holding on to the rest.”

             
“Have you had it all this time?”

             
He shook his head, “I just returned from the Fortunate Isle.  Your parents had hidden it there. Your father gave me instructions on where to find it.”

             
“You talked to my father about it?”

             
“I talked to him about a lot of things after we left the cottage.” He took my hands in his, “Which is why we’re here.”

             
“And…why is that?” I whispered.  The swirl of emotions within his eyes matched the ones fluttering around in my heart, as we stood facing each other in the middle of a burning beach. Something passed over his features as his eyes dropped to our feet, but then quickly flitted back up to mine.  My heart skipped a beat as I realized what it was.  Something I had only seen once before: Fear.  My throat suddenly went dry as I put it all together.

             
“When I was young, my mom used to tell me a story,” he began. “The story was about a girl named Susan and a boy named William.  After meeting under the silver light of a full moon in a field of wildflowers, William asked Susan to marry him.  Instead of a ring, he gave her a bouquet of those same wildflowers.  Only a day before they were to be married, he was taken prisoner on a vessel bound for sea.  Through torture, storms, and neglect he survived because of her memory.  Because of her love.  After being released a year later, he was told that she’d run away to escape an arranged marriage.  After searching for months and months he decided to return to the field where they had met.  There, he found his Susan.  She was waiting for him, clutching a dried bouquet of wildflowers.”

             
My voice dried up and I’m pretty sure I’d stopped breathing, as I listened to him tell a love story I’d heard once before.  A long time ago.  I forced myself to take a breath as he swallowed and continued.

             
“Those wildflowers were named after her - Black Eyed Susans.  And the flower that can always be found nearby are called Sweet Williams.” His voice dropped and took on an ominous tone, “They say that Sweet William will always find his Black Eyed Susan.”  Seemingly from nowhere, he produced a bouquet of bright yellow flowers that I recognized from childhood. “I offer you these wildflowers with the promise that I will always find you.  I will always protect you.  And I will always love you.”

             
“They’re amazing,” I whispered as he handed me the flowers; the dryness in my throat blocking any semblance of a voice.  Unfortunately, I almost hyperventilated as he dropped down on one knee and pulled a small silver box out of his pocket.  Oh. My. God.  He lifted the lid of the box and held it up to me.  I was unable to wrench my eyes away from his to see what it held within.  His voice wavered ever so slightly as he spoke.

             
“I offer you this ring with the commitment to love you and honor you; to not only share my heart and mind, but to bind my soul to yours…for eternity.  Anastasia Nemertes Theophanides, will you marry me?”

             
“Yes,” I whispered and his face lit up.  A jolt of excitement shot through me and I cried out louder. “Yes!”

             
With eyes glistening with tears, he stood and embraced me tightly.  The world became a blur of light, as tears of happiness ran down my cheeks and he kissed me with a fierceness that left me drunk with euphoria.  I kissed him back as his warm darkness wrapped around us, shielding me from the cool breeze blowing off the ocean.  As he broke our kiss with a wide smile, I noticed the waves for the first time.  Once calm and gentle, they now crashed onto the shore at least ten feet high; blinking out the flames that had once floated serenely on the surface.  Then I noticed the sand.  An earthquake would have done less damage!  Many of the lanterns had tipped over and were now snuffed out, greatly lessening the warm glow that had once surrounded us.

             
“Oops,” I muttered.  Finn glanced around and laughed.

             
“I like the dark better anyway,” he assured me.  He took the wildflowers still clutched in my hand and set them down in the sand, before holding up the tiny box once more and lifting its contents out.  I held out a shaking hand as he slipped a ring on my finger that would put a super nova star to shame.  A stunning, antique cut aquamarine surrounded by sparkling diamonds now dwarfed my left hand as I held it up in the moonlight. 

             
“I’ve never seen anything this beautiful,” I breathed.  He took my hands and gazed into my eyes.

             
“I have,” he inferred with a wink, leaned in, and kissed me again; this time with a gentleness that left my knees week and my heart swollen with love.  He broke the kiss and pressed his forehead against mine with his eyes closed.  As I opened mine, I realized I’d successfully smothered the rest of the candles that littered the beach, leaving only the paleness of the moon to glint off of the impressive stone now weighing down my finger.

             
Someone cleared their throat behind me and I turned to see who had joined us.  Carmen, Phoebe, and Willow smothered us in a celebratory huddle.  Our two escorts joined us and congratulated Finn with handshakes and respectful head nods. 

             
“Damn!” Carmen shouted when she snatched my hand, and then muttered. “Ricker needs to take notes…”

             
“Ricker needs to take out a loan,” Phoebe giggled.

             
“It’s amazing!” Willow cooed. “It’s classy and powerful…just like its new owner.”

             
“You guys are awesome.” I hugged them again before shaking a finger at them. “But don’t ever do that to me again!  I didn’t know what had happened to you!  You could’ve been dead!  Or abducted!”

             
“I’d do it again in a heartbeat,” Phoebe smiled happily. “I thought I was going to melt when he dropped down on one knee.” She fluttered a hand over her heart and I saw tears well up in her eyes.

             
“You’re such a sap,” Carmen rolled her eyes.

             
“And you two have a mess to help me clean up.” Willow put her hands on her hips, “Stasia needs to get back.”

             
“We’ll meet you at the cottage in a little while,” Carmen promised me with a kiss on the cheek before they walked away to clean up the mess I made.

             
“Up for a walk on the beach?” Finn’s voice rumbled in my ear.

             
“Always,” I leaned my head back on his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around my waist.

-----

             
“With a really long lighter.”

             
“No, really!” I swatted at Finn, “I want to know how you lit that many lanterns all at once!”

             
“They were already lit,” he said simply. “I just…showed them to you.”

             
“So, wait,” I stopped and faced him. “You can cloak anything and everything you want?”

             
“Pretty much.  It has its advantages.  Especially when I want to steal Ian’s fudge rounds.  He just assumes he’s out, but he doesn’t know they’re really there…” he winked at me.

             
“You’re impossible,” I laughed at him.  The wet sand at my feet sparkled under the moonlight as we walked hand in hand along the edge of the water.  I was trying to come to terms with the fact that I was engaged.  Engaged!  I stopped again as the last line of my prophecy ran through my mind:
‘Binds her soul to thy paramour’.

             
“Our souls will be bound,” I gawked at him.

             
“That’s right,” he grinned down at me; wrapping his arms around me. “On your eighteenth birthday.”

             
“And just what does that entail?” I asked slowly.  I wanted nothing more than to be bound, but if I had to be struck by lightning twice in one day we’d seriously have to consider rescheduling.

             
“I honestly don’t know,” he admitted solemnly. “I’ve never been to a binding, but I’ve heard it involves hot coals, barbed wire, and brutal Indian burns.”

             
“I hate you,” I huffed, and tried to wiggle out of his arms and try not to laugh at the same time.  He pulled me closer and smiled, and I tried to maintain my scowl under his loving gaze.

             
“I love you, too,” he chuckled.

             
“You better watch it, or I’ll make you wear a bedazzled tuxedo at our wedding,” I threatened.

             
“I’ll wear anything you want me to if it means you’ll be my wife.”

             
“Pink Speedo it is…” I decided cynically.  A cold, biting energy snaked around us and I watched his eyes harden at the same time that my muscles tensed. We felt her arrive only seconds before she spoke.

             
“Well, you know what they say,” Nadia’s vile tone mocked me. “Real men wear pink.”