Forsaken (28 page)

             
“Try blowing air out of your mouth, maybe you have to give it a little motivational push.” Phoebe suggested with an encouraging smile.  Carmen snickered at her, but I closed my eyes again and forced air out of my lungs.  I tried over and over to no avail.  It only made me lightheaded. 

             
“Maybe hold your arms out and move your hands around like you’re stirring it,” Willow shrugged her shoulders.  We were starting to throw shots in the dark, but I figured it was worth a try.  I held my arms out to the side and did small circles.  Beginning to feel really stupid, I felt something shock my left forearm right before something landed on it.  My eyes flew open and I looked directly at a curious seagull perched on my arm.  It squawked at me and I heard Phoebe gasp and Carmen laugh.  If I couldn’t make wind blow, maybe I could test if I had an affinity for seagulls.  I instantly wished I had questioned Kira more about her ability. 

             
The spark it caused on my skin was a good sign, though.  I blocked out everything except the bird and tried to ‘feel’ it.  It cocked its head at me and squawked again as I brought my arm in front of me.  Suddenly, anxiety hit me and a slight buzzing slid through my veins.  I could tell immediately he was under a great deal of stress. 

             
“Are you okay?” I whispered to him.  He turned his head, looked at me through his other eye, and adjusted his feathers.  He let out a heartbreaking soft squawk.  It was almost a whine, but it was so sad it brought tears to my eyes.  That’s when something slammed into the boat. 

              All four of us were thrown forward violently, landing hard against the yacht’s exterior.  Carmen fell into the door of the cabin, breaking the hinges off, as she slid halfway down the hallway.  Phoebe ended up on top of me and Willow was crumbled in the same corner I had just been standing in. 

             
“Are you okay?”  I asked Phoebe, as she untangled herself from me.

             
“I think so,” she looked herself over and glanced at Willow, “Willow!  Are you okay?”

             
“Yea, ow, my arm just hurts.”  She attempted to sit up carefully.

             
“Carmen?” I looked down the hallway and saw her rubbing her head. Then my stomach dropped to the floor. Phoebe and I stared at each other in panic.

             
“Olivia.” We said at the same time.  Running down the hall, we climbed the stairs to the third level in record time.

             
“Olivia!  Olivia?” I looked around frantically and found her lying on the floor against the bottom of the front console.  I could already see a cut running the length of her arm.  “Olivia!”  I shook her gently and she slowly opened her eyes.  When her memory caught up with her, they flew the whole way open and she jumped to her feet.

             
“What happened?  Are ya’ll okay?  Is anybody hurt?”  I took her hand to calm her down.

             
“Everybody’s fine, we’re okay.  You didn’t see what happened either?”  We searched out the front window for any sign of what hit us, but there was only water surrounding us.  I looked out the side window.  Still nothing.

             
“The front of the boat looks fine, but how’s that possible?  We had to have run into something.”  Olivia was peering out the front windows at the bow of the yacht.  I crossed the room to the other windows and stopped dead in my tracks, my heart squeezing in my chest.

             
“Uh, guys?”  I pointed toward the windows. Phoebe and Olivia ran over to see what had me stunned.  They glanced at each other, and then back at me.

             
“What?” Phoebe walked to the window and looked out both ways.

             
“Right there,” I pointed again, “you don’t see it?”

             
“See what?” Olivia looked at me like I had gone completely insane.  I blinked several times, but it was still there.  My feet started moving, taking me down the stairs, through the first level hall and out to the back deck.  They walked to the side railing and I held on tight, steadying myself.  Stretched out before me was a picturesque island with long white beaches backed by towering mountains.  Even from this far away, I knew without a doubt it was the Fortunate Isle.  I could feel it. I knew behind those mountains stood a lush forest surrounding a beautiful lagoon.  A ribbon of golden happiness made its way into my soul. 

             
“Stasia?” I turned towards Willow and noticed the tears swimming in my eyes.  I wiped them away quickly.  “What are you doing?”

             
“You don’t see it either?”  She followed my gaze and shook her head solemnly.

             
“I just see water.  What is it?” She placed her hand on my shoulder, sending tingles of numbness down my arm, relaxing my muscles.

             
“We’re here.  We made it,” I smiled at her.  Olivia, Carmen and Phoebe walked outside.  Olivia’s arm had been bandaged up and she frowned at the broken door but didn’t say anything.  They gathered around me, looking concerned.  I pointed at the island again.

             
“It’s the Fortunate Isle.  We must have hit the shield surrounding the island,” I told them.  Willow looked at everyone.

             
“Can anyone else see it?” Everyone shook their heads.  I had a bad feeling about this.  If they couldn’t even see the island, how were they going to gain admittance?  I couldn’t do this by myself.

             
Several minutes later, we had dropped anchor. Thankfully the shield hadn’t damaged the yacht, only our bodies.  I had a couple of bruises on my side and Phoebe had a scratch down her leg.  Willow had a knot on her head and Carmen’s shoulder was banged up pretty bad, as well as Olivia’s bandaged arm.  We were a mess.  Luckily, we had our own personal healer.  Willow was going around healing each person one by one.  I could tell it was draining for her but she refused vehemently when we told her we’d be fine.

             
For whatever reason, I had a hard time not constantly staring at the island with longing.  To look away was almost painful.  I wanted nothing more than to jump in the ocean and swim ashore, but I knew that wasn’t possible.  According to Willow, high tide was still a couple hours away.  We were stuck for a while.

             
“Next?” Willow walked up behind me and gave me a quick hug as I tried to tear my eyes away from the island again.  She placed her hands on my side and started to work her magic.  I was becoming accustomed to the tingles and numbness that flowed from her hands. 

             
“Hey, Willow?”  She stepped around to face me, keeping her hands on my side and raising her eyebrows in response, “Do you think I’ll have to go alone?”  I wanted her to tell me no.  I wanted her to tell me not to worry about anything; that everything was going to be okay. But I knew she wouldn’t lie to me.

             
“I think that might be a very good possibility,” she smiled encouragingly, “but we would just slow you down anyway.  You’re really amazing, Stasia.  I know you’ll find her and bring her home.”  Once again she had more faith in my abilities than I did.

             
“What if I can’t?”

             
“What-ifs are kind of like ex-boyfriends.” Carmen had appeared on my other side, “The more attention you give ‘em, the more likely they are to stalk you and show up in your bedroom closet when you’re getting out of the shower.”  Willow and I looked at each other and started laughing.

“What?  It’s true – I’m not making it up.  I read it in Cosmo.”  It felt so good to laugh, I couldn’t stop.  Some of the stress
from the last couple of days fell away and my shoulders felt slightly lighter.

“Um, you guys?
”  Olivia’s face had gone white and her eyes were wide with fear, “I think we have company.” She looked towards the back of the boat.  I stood up and saw them instantly.  Apparently, everyone else did too, because I heard several gasps behind me.  As Olivia slowly stepped backwards, I stepped forward, my eyes locked on the water and its newest inhabitants.

Three
pairs of large crystal blue eyes stared back at me.  Each had long straight hair the color of the sky framing their pale blue faces. They were the personification of the ocean, glistening with reverence. The sprites were much smaller than I would have expected; about the size of a small child.  I eventually summoned up enough courage to speak.

“I need to gain admittance to the
island.  Our friend has been kidnapped.”  The sprites began chattering at each other.  Their voices sounded like wind chimes blowing in a summer breeze.  I didn’t know how I was supposed to woo creatures that didn’t speak my language.  Before I could say anything else, two of them sank beneath the water.  The one in the middle remained.  She glowed with a quiet dignity and her blue eyes emanated wisdom.  When she smiled I felt a cool breeze swirling around me that smelled of sea grass. 

“Come.”  It was only one word, but it wasn’t what she said that had my pulse quickening, it was how she said it.  She
was speaking into my mind. 

“I
need my friends to come too.” I told her out loud.

“Only you.” 
My skin prickled.  She nodded her head at me respectfully and then joined her sisters beneath the waves.

“She wants me to
go with them,” I blinked at my friends. 

“
What about us?” Phoebe squeaked, wrapping her arms around herself.

“
She said I was the only one that could go,” I answered blankly, glancing at the island in the distance. 

“
How do you know?” Olivia sounded more skeptical than she probably intended.

“She…
talked to me.  I heard her in my head.” They stared back at me with a shock I felt mirrored on my own face.  My nerves were standing on end and every muscle in my body was tensed with anticipation.

“Where are they going to take you?”
Phoebe asked, tears rolling down her cheeks.

“I don’t know.” I was trying to make my body move, but it
was frozen on the boards of the deck.  Willow ran to me and hugged me tightly.  Carmen and Phoebe followed. 

“Please be careful.”
They held on to me. I finally turned toward the back of the boat.

“Wait.” I turned to see a red faced
Olivia; her dark eyes frightened.  She stepped forward and hugged me. “Good luck, Stasia.  You’ll do great.”

“
We wouldn’t have gotten this far if it wasn’t for you.  It means a lot.”  I tried to smile with courage I didn’t feel.  I made my legs step up on to the railing like I had the night before.  Only this time, the water didn’t feel warm and inviting, it held mysteries and secrets I would have to face alone.  I had no idea what I was getting myself in to.  Kira’s beaten and bloodied face flashed in my mind and a renewed sense of purpose washed over me.  I glanced back one more time, took several deep breaths to steady myself and dove in.

“The island’s essence wanes.  You have arrived just in time.” My skin prickled again at her ominous tone sounding in my mind.  The other two were still quiet.  I assumed the one speaking held some sort of status.  I had no clue what she was talking about, but I knew these sprites were my ticket onto the island, so I was willing to say or do anything to ensure that happened. I tried to focus on the reason I was here; Kira.  I needed to find her. 

“I need
to find Kira.  She’s in trouble,” I told them.

“As you wish.” Face to face with me, I could see how magnificent she
really was.  Her entire body sparkled from the sunlight streaming through the water above.  Her skin was almost translucent, shimmering lightly.  She touched my shoulder and the world turned to a blur.  As the water rushed by me the only thing I could see were her sparkling eyes full of exuberance.  In less than thirty seconds, the world was still again.  She nodded her head at me respectfully and smiled widely.

“Welcome to the Fortunate Isle
, Anastasia.”  Before I could ask her how she knew my name, she disappeared and I was alone.  I kicked to the surface.  The sprite had taken me to some kind of cave. I pulled myself up onto a smooth ledge and looked around.  I wasn’t claustrophobic, but if I stayed in that dark, menacing cave much longer, I would be.  I sensed I was actually beneath the island.  Jagged stalagmites hung above and more water trickled down the walls.  The eerie echo of my every move sent chills down my spine.  I searched for an exit, but had trouble seeing anything distinct in the low light. Hidden in the shadows, I saw a small tunnel tall enough for me to walk through.  I crept along slowly, expecting vampire bats or giant rats to eat me alive at any moment.  Thankfully, the only thing I heard was my own ragged breathing as I stumbled through the thick blackness.  After about twenty yards of steady incline, a ray of sunlight up ahead had me picking up my pace.

I emerged from the tunnel
and my senses were immediately assaulted by a litany of sights, smells, and sounds.  I was suddenly soaked in the sun’s rays, warming my skin and drying my wet shorts and tank top.  The smell of mangos and oranges cleared my head and I took a deep breath, cherishing their fruity aroma.  I was standing at the edge of the forest, facing the beach.  Just like in the ocean, everything had a surreal quality to it, each color more vivid then the last, the flowers and trees appeared to be dotted with diamonds, and the water itself felt magical.  A collage of blues swirled and crashed toward the beach.

As I stepped
onto the sand, a low hum began flowing through my veins.  It increased with each step and became so overwhelming I had to sit down and close my eyes.  It was similar to the sensation I got from the dolphins, but much more intense.  Remembering how I had blocked it out on the boat, I focused my attention on my own thoughts, my own feelings and slowly the humming fizzled, slowing my heartbeat and allowing me to think clearly again.   I slowly ran my hands over the velvety, white sand beneath me.  The lagoon from my vision stretched out in front of me.  The same white beaches and lush forest circled it, all of it preserved by the jagged mountains protecting the island. I could feel the wind blowing through my hair and the sun bronzing my skin.  There was a distinct vibration of energy flowing through everything, connecting it all together.  I knew from the lightness that filled my heart, the same energy flowed through me.  I was just as much a part of the island as the trees growing from its soil. 

Across the lagoon, I could just make out the small
wooden canoe, which told me I was on the wrong side of the island.  I decided the best course of action would be to find the little-big house because I knew for a fact Isadora would bring Kira there at some point.  I just hoped I wouldn’t be too late.  Unfortunately, I had a long way to go if I was going to make it there before dark.  I skirted the forest, hiding in its shadows as I walked.  After several hours, my stomach began to growl and my throat became parched. Thankfully, there was more food growing on the island than one person could ever eat.  Glimpsing over my shoulder every few seconds to memorize my path, I maneuvered through the forest looking for fruits or berries.  I could immediately tell something was wrong.  Not only did I not hear any birds, but most of the flowers had shriveled and several trees were dying; their branches bare.  An all consuming sadness weighed on my heart and I walked farther and farther looking for food.  Finally, I came upon an orange tree.  Plucking several ripe oranges, I peeled them and devoured their sweetness in minutes.  The tangy juice soothed my dry throat and gave me much needed energy. 

I
sat down on a flat, sturdy stone while I ate and rested my legs.  That’s when I noticed it wasn’t just one stone.  It extended out on both sides.  A wall.  Almost completely covered with thick green moss, it was made of sandstone and only stood about four feet tall.  I abandoned the oranges and followed it through the forest, dodging low hanging trees and overgrown sage bushes.  I recognized the trees as willows; their cascading branches hanging down gracefully and silently blowing in the wind.  The tiny leaves tickled my skin as I parted its curtain, making my way through.  The wall brought me to a large iron gate rusted by time and weather.  It, too, had succumbed to the dense forest.  It was covered in thick vines that coiled tightly around its intricate patterns.  Past the gate was a rolling meadow of yellow, purple and blue wildflowers.  I was inspecting the gate for a lock when I saw something that would change my life forever. 

Amongst the twists and turns of the iron was a small upside down triangle, with
one spiral extending from each corner.  I had only seen one other design like that…my trace.  Was it just a coincidence?  The voice in the back of my head was telling me what I already knew.  No; this wasn’t a coincidence.  Utterly stunned, I forced my body to move. I stepped closer, tracing the spirals with my fingers, just as I’d done so many times to the ones decorating my left wrist.  A searing heat beneath my fingers made me pull my hand away and I watched as the iron design actually started to glow.  My trace burned too, and began pulsing with a light blue color.  Astonished by this turn of events, I definitely wasn’t expecting what happened next.  A bolt of lightning struck the middle of the meadow and I automatically dropped to my knees, covering my head.  I didn’t hear any accompanying thunder, so I peeked through my hands but didn’t see anything amiss.  Hoping I was just hallucinating, I stood slowly and cautiously glanced around.  Time stopped along with my pounding heart when my eyes scanned the meadow.  Or what used to be the meadow.

A
majestic, sprawling estate had appeared out of nowhere; the meadow replaced with gardens and acres of Bermuda grass. The manor itself was constructed of sandstone and just like the wall, was aged and worn by the elements. It could have belonged in medieval England with its high walls and regal turrets.  Although the house was absolutely magnificent, the overgrown gardens and wilted trees dampened its grandeur.  It was obvious that the estate had lost its owners, and along with them, maintenance of the grounds.  I felt like I was seeing an empty shell; the forgotten leftovers of a once prosperous and glorious paradise hidden beneath the imposing dark green mangrove trees.  Something tickled at my memory.  The third stanza of Nicolet’s poem. 
Hidden amongst the mangroves.
 
Seen only be those deemed true
.  This was it.  This was the house of Thetis.  As I thought it, I knew it to be the truth.  Tugging at my heart strings, I felt the manor calling to me. 

I tentatively pushed the gate open, which gave way easily leading to a worn stone path.
As I stepped onto the grounds, the humming vibration returned to my veins and waves of energy pulsed through me.  It was exhilarating!  Instead of fighting it, I closed my eyes and welcomed the thrumming sensation coursing through every fiber of my body.  Eventually, it centered in my chest, swirling and leaving me breathless.  I felt a warming on my skin and realized I was still wearing the aquamarine necklace Finn had given me.  The stone was very warm to the touch. Instead of the normal tingle, a warm glow spread from the pendant throughout my limbs, renewing my tired body and strengthening my weary mind. I closed my eyes and silently thanked him again for the necklace.  Not just a gleaming stone, it must have some kind of healing quality. 

I opened my eyes and
tried to figure out what I was looking at.  If this was the house of Thetis, then whose house did I see in my vision?  Is this where they were keeping Kira?  Either way I knew I had to find out.  As I approached the rustic, wooden carriage doors of the manor entrance, they creaked open of their own accord.  To say I was freaked out would be an understatement.  I glanced around waiting for someone to appear, but the only thing that greeted me was the dank smell of the abandoned interior.  I peered through the doorway into a dark, murky foyer full of dust and cobwebs. I took a step inside.

I started to take another step when a slight
breeze blew across my arms, giving me chill bumps.  The breeze swirled around the rest of my body, lifting my hair and tousling my clothes.  It became so strong; I had to brace myself against the door frame.  The second my hands touched the worn paint, a gale force wind blew into the house.  If I hadn’t have been holding on, I would have been thrown across the room.  It stopped abruptly and I regained my balance, brushing the hair out of my face.  I glanced down at my clothes to make sure they were still intact, and then noticed the floor.  My gaze shifted upward; my breath caught in my chest and my jaw dropped open.

The dreary interior had been completely transformed to its former glory. The dust and cobwebs had been magically swept away, leaving clean surfaces and the faint smell of lavender.  The foyer where I stood opened up to a grand parlor of epic proportions. The slate tile floor beneath my feet met walls of stone that extended to the cathedral ceilings above.  Skylights of stained glass scattered the sunlight across the room in spectacular fashion.  A stone fireplace dominated the right side of the room, and a grand staircase of mahogany opened its arms to me at the opposite side of the room.  Rich blue carpet blanketed the stairs as they split halfway up, leading to opposite sides of the manor.  An immense wrought iron chandelier hung above the middle landing, strings of crystals hanging delicately from its arms.  The crystals sent prisms of sparkling light into every corner of the room. 

The most impressive feature was at the parlor’s center.  An elegant
stone fountain rose from the floor, surrounded by a small pristine pool of water.  The fountain itself was a sculpture of a man kneeling and pouring water from a large bowl.  He was adorned in a long robe and gladiator sandals.  The water fell over the sides of the pail creating a gushing waterfall.  I smiled as I realized who it was.  Aquarius.  I walked closer and became mesmerized as I peered down into the pool encircling him.  The fountain was merely the top of a massive underwater cavern; the small pool around the fountain acting as the entrance.  It gave a whole new meaning to indoor pool.  Decorating the walls were portraits of men and women I didn’t recognize as well as vast, awe inspiring landscapes. I froze when my eyes found the portrait hanging above the fireplace.  With legs full of bricks, I walked over to get a closer look.  It was the portrait of a gorgeous young woman dressed in a long, flowing dress of silver and blue.  An ethereal glow emanated from her thick blonde hair and bright blue eyes.  Upon closer inspection, they weren’t just blue.  They were a teal or aqua. Exactly like mine.  If my heart skipped a beat at her eyes, it stopped completely when I saw the necklace around her neck.  A brilliant aquamarine stone encased in a swirling pendant, hanging on a dark metal chain.  My necklace.  Finn had given me Thetis’s necklace.  My mother’s necklace.

A
terrifying scream coming from outside broke my thoughts and I immediately ran to the door and down the stone path to the gate.  Once outside the grounds, I looked from side to side, trying to find the source. I hesitated when I glanced over my shoulder and saw that the estate had disappeared, replaced once again by the rolling meadow of wild flowers.  I turned to run, but at the same moment, my head exploded in pain and everything went dark.