Proven (Daughters of the Sea #1) (2 page)

S
TASIA

I could have been peering into the depths of a brazen wildfire, encompassing the eternal, relentless paradox of creation and destruction within its slender tendrils. A mane of crimson and orange flowing down the back of a woman so subtle, so graceful, she could warm the sky with one upward glance. Maera, the Queen of Atlantis and wife of Atlas, walked briskly ahead of me with obvious anticipation and excitement. The hem of her long, flowing white gown licked the grass beneath her delicate, bare feet with every step.

We traversed the narrow path from the treehouses, and though the unassuming forest had stretched for miles, her legs never tired. She was immortal, just as I was, but something else drove her forward. Something burned within her that I could never understand. She was of the land. Her every movement reminded me of a majestic willow; its graceful limbs riding on the wind, yet grounded securely by deep roots of wisdom and purpose.

"Almost there." She pointed up ahead with a beaming smile and gleaming, emerald eyes. Unlike my companion, my gait was anything but light. My apprehension was tainted. My thoughts were in a much darker place. The beauty of Atlantis stretched in every direction, but the suffocating cloud that followed me didn't allow for such indulgence. My heart was shattered into a million pieces that night as I watched Olivia and Fallon succumb to the avalanche of rock and dirt before Natasha whisked us away to safety. Finn, along with Natasha and Sebastian, returned soon after with the hopes of finding them quickly, but that was two days ago.

I shifted my attention to the horizon, where the night sky was giving way to the light of dawn and took a deep, ragged breath. I knew Maera was trying her best to lift my spirits and distract from the horror that unfolded under the blood moon, but her efforts were short lived. The heaviness resting on my essence was proof that I would not be whole until they were returned - alive, or... I didn't even want to think about the other possibility.

"This is it!" She pushed the splayed fan of a palm tree aside and wiped a bead of sweat from her brow. I followed her lead and ascended onto a white sand beach so pure, I felt guilty for so much as creating a footprint. "Krystállina nerá ti?s Limnothálassas."

My raised eyebrows elicited a grin from her red, full lips as she closed her eyes and lifted both arms dramatically before repeating her last words in English. "Crystal Lagoon."

"Crystal Lagoon," I repeated breathlessly. The first thing I noticed was the feel of the sand beneath my feet, as well as the oddness of it. There was no immediate influx of warm energy or acknowledgment that usually accompanied my arrival to a beach. Instead, a slight quivering tickled my toes and the sand where I stood began sparkling with the light of a million diamonds. I knelt down and ran my fingers through it with bewilderment. I suddenly realized the significance of the lagoon's name. I squinted up at Maera in disbelief. "The sand...is made of crystals?"

"The crystal Selene stole was only a small piece of the larger crystal Luna brought here so many centuries ago. Knowing her sister's propensity for power, she ensured it was blown apart and dispersed across the island; a gift to every tree, rock, and blade of grass. The largest collection remains here on the beach and along the bottom of the lagoon itself."

"I bet that got under Selene's skin," I chuckled. "I like Luna already."

"I see a great deal of Luna within Fallon," Maera observed with a nostalgic smile. "Atlas's infidelity was quite difficult at first, though it was bound to happen. But it is impossible to harbor ill will against Luna. She is a magnificent Goddess."

"I guess I didn't realize..." I fumbled. For whatever reason, I'd never considered how the birth of Fallon, born essentially to 'the other woman' would have affected Atlas's wife. But something she said piqued my interest. "What do you mean by bound to happen?"

"Neither Luna nor Atlas were going to accept being banished for eternity, and Fallon was their obvious answer...as well as the only hope for the Aura Order."

"And now she's at Selene's mercy as well," I sighed. "Or in the Underworld."

"Fallon is extremely resilient and has a way of turning unfortunate circumstances into positive opportunities." She wrapped a supportive arm around me and admired the lagoon. "I have a very good feeling she and Olivia are still alive. Destiny is a potent force, dear. As you are well aware."

"That's true," I replied, and relaxed slightly. I knew all about the potency of destiny.

"Now, back to the task at hand..." I followed her gaze as it meandered across the pristine waters of the mile-wide lagoon and up the opposite beach. A glistening cliff, presumably also covered with crystals, towered high above, overlooking the breathtaking landscape. But the stunning beauty of the cliff was overshadowed by the sprawling castle sitting atop; its mighty turrets twisting towards the heavens, golden walls encasing picturesque windows, and arched walkways leading to more treasures out of sight. A lush blanket of vines and flowers crawled up its walls, softening the hard lines and dotting its exterior with brilliant pinks, purples, and blues unrivaled by any rainbow that dared to compete.

"You should see it at night," she implied with pride. "Atlas had it built for me when we were first wed. My daughters fill its halls with laughter and an innocence that reminds me of him. They are so much like him. A quiet strength; innocent and playful, yet powerful."

She lived there...in a castle...made of gold. It had also never dawned on me that Maera's daughters were Fallon's half siblings. They shared a father in Atlas. A ripple of jealousy shot through me at the thought. My only sibling was long dead. I would never be able to laugh with him or run through the halls of our childhood home with him. I quickly suppressed my feelings as the possibility of Fallon also dying flitted through my mind. I cleared my thoughts, pushed down my emotions, and tried to focus on what was in front of me.

"Do you ever get to see him?" I probed carefully. "Atlas?"

"Not but once a year." Her eyes hardened and she cleared her throat before taking my hands in hers. "Anyway, I insist you and your Council stay in the castle. It will provide greater security, as well as accommodations fit for a Goddess of your stature."

"Really!?" I squealed with a little too much eagerness. I attempted to gather my wits, but Maera's chuckle told me I failed miserably. "I would be honored."

"Excellent!" she said with a conspiratorial grin. "I'm having everyone's belongings transferred as we speak. Your Council should be settling into their rooms right about now."

"I can't thank you enough." I embraced her in an appreciative hug.

"Now, for the real reason I brought you here," she diverted.

"It wasn't to show me all of this?"

"This is just icing on the cake. However, in order to show you the rest, I need your divine assistance."

"My help?" I glanced around. What could she possibly need my help for? As my eyes swept across the still water, I felt a tug from somewhere beneath the surface and stilled in awe as a ripple stretched across its width and made its way towards us in greeting. I felt the cool energy within it spike at my presence and smiled. I stretched my own essence back across the crystal sand in response and almost fell to my knees as it crashed amongst the water's purity and strength.

As if she felt our little exchange, Maera chuckled and surveyed the depths of the cobalt lagoon. 

"This task used to fall on me and your mother." She squeezed my hand. "And now it falls upon me and you."

I fell into the endless depth of her enlightened eyes and I felt her essence wash over me in earnest. The smell of moss filled my senses and a rolling wave of springtime settled over my body. While I awaited further instruction, she released my hand and turned towards the water once more. I mirrored her actions obediently.

"We must raise the Metropolis where the Atlantean Games will be held," she stated simply. "The participants will arrive tomorrow morning."

"Raise the Metropolis?" I wasn't sure I'd heard her correctly.

"Technically, you will displace the water." She peered at me from the corner of her eyes before finishing, "while I raise the Metropolis."

I instinctively took inventory of any lives that could possibly be destroyed in the looming chance I screwed this up. Thankfully I didn't spot even one Atlantean combing the beach or swimming amidst the clear water.

"There are powerful forces at work within the lagoon, not to mention the crystals," Maera addressed my insecurity calmly. "The lagoon is largely vacant, with the exception of a few special occasions. One of which is nearing once more."

The relief that flooded me was quickly replaced by my fascination of the 'power' she was referring to. Although I did feel the strength it contained, what struck me most was the water's purity as well as its...complexity. It was a curious combination; one that apparently held an entire Metropolis that would soon become home to the Atlantean Games.

The notion of thousands of descendants converging upon the shores of Atlantis to participate or watch the Games in a few days was nauseating. I didn't know if I'd be able to live with myself if anything happened to even one of them. Thankfully, I had plenty of other disasters to tend to before they arrived.  The weight of Maera's concerned gaze pulled me from my dismal thoughts and I was thrust back into the present.

"You are not alone in this, sweet Anastasia," she calmed me with understanding as if reading my thoughts. Without further explanation, she trained her wise focus on the lagoon and set her shoulders with purpose. "It's time to bring it back to life."

I waded into the water until my feet and ankles were fully submerged. At my touch, it began to bubble and dance with elation. A rush of power infiltrated my feet and surged through my essence, wrapping my body in a cool embrace. I crouched slowly and placed my palms flat on the surface ever so lightly. I had no intention of causing a rogue wave, so I wanted to be cautious before throwing my entire essence at this relatively small body of water.

"I'm ready whenever you are." Maera surprised me by appearing at my side. She buried her feet into the crystal sand near mine with a gleeful wiggle of her body. I wasn't sure if it helped channel her essence into the ground or if she simply liked the feel of it, although the girlish grin on her face hinted at the latter. I collected my essence, noticed my triskelion trace shining with a turquoise light beneath the water, and gently urged the water to pull away from the center of the lagoon. As it gradually retreated inch by inch, I was able to stand up straight while still keeping my hands resting on the surface. I centered my attention on the middle of the lagoon and urged the water to crest, creating quite an impressive wall of water on either side.

Maera clasped her hands over her mouth and squealed with delight. "You are truly as talented as your mother, Anastasia! I never tire of seeing that!" Not wasting any time, she steadied her stance and held her arms out with her palms up. Then, with an aching slowness, she began to raise them. Light tremors echoed throughout the crystalline sand beneath my feet, quickly followed by the rumbling of moving earth farther below. I fought to stay upright and willed the water around me to stabilize my body.

The ground shook with force and I feared the island would break apart; collapsing into the ocean once more and killing us all. The cliff supporting the castle shed several pieces of rock and sheets of crystal as it shuddered and vibrated within. A guttural roar erupted from the bottom of the lagoon as it began to bulge and push upwards in a dramatic display of glittering sand avalanches.

What could only be described as a small city began to rise from the lagoon's depths. Silver and gold columns adorned with sculptures stretched steadily toward the sky, bringing with them an impressive arena that would dwarf any modern stadium in America. A myriad of smaller buildings and amphitheaters followed suit, and I became overwhelmed by the extravagance unfolding before me.

A series of bridges lifted in the form of seven stone spokes, all leading from the surrounding beach to the Metropolis edge. The roaring in my ears stopped abruptly and I looked on with admiration as the crystal sand and earthen dirt cascaded down the structures and back into the lagoon. The massive platform supporting the Metropolis settled just above the water and my wide eyes shifted to Maera for instructions.

"You may release the water now."

I eased the water back towards the lagoon's center and painstakingly lifted my hands from its surface.  The walls of water filtered back around and underneath the impressive gold platform; evening out and becoming still. What was once an empty stretch of water now contained a small island of gold and silver fit for the Gods and Goddesses of old. It glistened in the light of the morning sun and I had a hard time taking my eyes off of it.

"Come." Maera gestured to me with misty eyes. "I've waited a long time for this."

O
LIVIA

"Sit up."

Considering the command that rang in my ears involved actual, voluntary movement, I stubbornly remained crumpled on the frigid stone floor that had been my only companion for the last twelve hours. Unfortunately for my kidneys, she had no intentions of asking twice. The piercing, sharp pain that reverberated up my side and across every internal organ gave me the motivation I needed to push my body against the wall and slowly push myself up into a sitting position. The chains clamped to my ankles had become my nemesis. They taunted me; stealing my essence and leaving me broken. I hated them almost as much as I hated the devil of a woman standing over me. Almost.