Chosen (31 page)

             
I tried to speak, but was completely speechless as I stared at her.  Gasps and cheers from behind me did nothing to force my voice box to work.  With a breathtaking smile, she took my hand and placed it in her palm, face up.  She closed her eyes briefly as a single sparkling bead of essence puddled in my palm and lifted into the air.

             
“
Echete Epilexei,” she breathed, as my heart fluttered with excitement and happiness.  I was finally able to force my voice to speak.

             
“Amphitrite.”

             
“The one and only.” She did a little curtsy before I jumped into her arms.  I didn’t miss the fact that her voice had instantly lost its southern drawl.

             
“It’s been you this whole time?!” I screeched into her neck. “I knew something was off about you, but I never thought…”

             
“I knew you needed me,” she shrugged as if embarrassed.  I unclenched the death grip I had on her neck and stood back to get a good look at her.  I knew that she had meant the world to my mother, and I was excited about one day getting to know her as well.  But it would appear that ‘one day’ was here! 

             
“You shrouded yourself to…everyone?  But I thought you could only show one person at a time?  Oh! And you’re a tri-goddess!  Just like me!” I jumped into her arms again and she chuckled.

             
“I have a lot more experience than you do, dear,” she admitted with a wink.

             
“I knew it!” Natasha put her hands on her hips and shook her head at her old friend.

             
“Now it all makes sense,” Carmen tapped her chin thoughtfully. “I couldn’t figure out how a Maven knew so much about tri-goddess abilities.  We were starting to get a little curious as to who you really were.”

             
“I apologize for the deception; however, I needed Stasia to do this on her own,” she smiled tenderly towards the group. “She couldn’t know she had me here to depend on.”

             
Finn stepped forward and cleared his throat; his eyes remorseful.  He bowed to her respectfully.

             
“Hello Finn,” she bowed to him as well. “You’ve grown up to be a powerful young man.” His face actually flushed and he looked down at his feet.

             
“I wanted to apologize for how I treated you back at the cotta-“ he began, but she held a hand up in protest.

             
“No apologizes needed.  In pretending to be a Maven I should have remembered your position outranked mine.  I suppose the goddess in me got a little carried away.” She placed a hand on his cheek and gave him a hug. “The little boy I watched destroy sandcastles on the Isle has turned into the best Prime the Sons will ever know.”

             
“Thank you,” he ducked his head sheepishly.

             
“And according to that mountain perched on Stasia’s finger,” she raised an eyebrow at my hand, and Natasha almost got whiplash she stood up so fast. “You’ll soon be bound to the best Leader the Tydes will ever know.”

             
The frenzy of squeals and happiness that followed filled my world with the promise of a bright future that hadn’t always been certain.  As I sat back down in the sand to rest before making the trek back to the cottage, my eyes settled on a still form in the sand.  The hollow body of my father was the most glaring reminder at what had truly been lost that night.  Someone had wrapped him in seaweed, and I could have almost convinced myself that he was simply sleeping.  The despair in my chest knew different, however.

             
“That was his destiny.” Amphitrite plopped down beside me and followed my gaze with pure adoration. 

             
“Brutally dying because of me?” I muttered.  She took my hand and made me look in her eyes as they sparkled with happiness.

             
“Dying for you and delivering the orb to you before Nadia stabbed you,” she explained.

             
“What?” I wasn’t sure how to respond to that.

             
“Your mother foresaw this of course.” Her gaze shifted to the sea as her eyes became unfocused; remembering something. “She made sure that your father knew his true calling in life.  You are the reason he hung on for all of these years.”

             
“Me?” I asked with consternation.

“She only bestowed that key piece of information upon your father.  She revealed it to no one else.  Not even me.”

              “How do you know all of this then?” I asked.

             
“He told me after dinner.  Only a couple hours ago.” She got that faraway look in her eyes again and chuckled. “Your mother was a very smart woman, Stasia.  But you will surpass her in every way.  And she would be so proud of you.  As am I.”

             
I wrapped an arm around her and leaned into her as I thought about what she had said.  All those years, I thought that my parents had abandoned me.  I thought that they hadn’t loved me; sentencing me to a life of abuse and pain.  But they had been with me all along.  And after their deaths, they continued to protect me and guide me.  I had a feeling that they would always find a way to touch my life, whether I was aware of it or not.

             
A tear rolled down my cheek as I faced Amphitrite. “You know what makes me the happiest?”

             
“What’s that dear?” she questioned.

             
“They’re together now.” I beamed as I thought about them side by side in the Asphodel Meadows. “They’ll be together forever.  No one can ever take that away from them.”

             
“That’s right.” She wiped a tear from my cheek as she continued, “Just as you’ll have them in your heart forever.  No one can ever take that away from you.”

-----

             
“Step away from the dress,” Carmen scolded a worried Phoebe.  Without the help of Tina, we’d enlisted the help of Amphitrite, who unfortunately didn’t know the intricacies of my white traditional Nereid dress either.  After the final aquamarine piece of fabric had finally been secured to my shoulder, Carmen and Willow pulled Phoebe’s perfectionist fingers out the door and into the courtyard. 

             
Unbeknownst to me, a structure had been erected on the campus of Lorelei during my hiatus in the cottage.  It was located as you entered campus, immediately to the left of the drive, and it took my breath away.  It matched the sandstone materials and gothic architecture of the other buildings on campus, but somehow stood out above everything else. Or maybe I was just biased.  It rose three stories into the air, with three majestic stone columns that welcomed you to the massive wooden front door.  I stood next to Amphitrite on a stone path along the side, awaiting our cue to walk over to the circular stone courtyard and sprawling gardens of the backyard. 

             
“Ready?” Amphitrite took my hand and nodded in encouragement.

             
“I think so,” I took a deep breath and giggled. “Tell me again that all of the Nereids will accept me?”

             
“All of the Nereids will accept you into the sisterhood.” She shook her head at me and rolled her eyes.  A loud bell rang three times; signaling the start of the ceremony.  We stepped forward in unison, and my hand squeezed hers tighter as my legs began to wobble.  She confidently led me around the side of the building, through a vintage wrought iron archway and into the courtyard. I was immediately taken aback at the size of the audience that had gathered around the perimeter of the courtyard. The backyard sloped upwards, revealing a crowd of at least one thousand that erupted into applause as Amphitrite guided me to the very middle of the courtyard.  We stopped to stand on a beautiful stone mosaic of a sea turtle, which had been laid with unmistakable artistry.  Once in position, Amphitrite stood regally at my side and clasped her hands behind her back. 

             
My palms began to sweat and my legs turned to the consistency of grape jelly.  I searched the roaring crowd for a single shred of sanity and found it immediately in a pair of dark blue eyes.  His smile was only a precursor to the warm darkness he wrapped around me; causing the rest of the world to fade into the distance.  Beside him stood our friends: Carmen - elbowing Ricker, Ian - who was comforting a tearful Phoebe, and Willow - tucked under the supportive arm of Liam.  Elina, Natasha, Charon, Dr. Campbell, and even Olivia stood along the stone wall that circled the courtyard.  My heart warmed with love and I couldn’t believe that I had so many wonderful people in my life. 

             
The bell rang another three times and I held my breath, as thirty-eight Nereids (yes, I counted) filed into the courtyard and created a circle around us; just as they had in the courtyard of the Spiti of Achilles.  An irrational insecurity drifted over my heart, and I suddenly had a fear that the remaining nine Nereids needed to complete my induction wouldn’t do so.  After a moment of soul wrenching silence, a weight lifted off of my shoulders as a woman in a bright yellow dress stepped through the arch and into the courtyard.  She gracefully made her way to the center and stopped in front of me.

             
With a gentle smile, she held out her hand and I placed mine in hers palm up. “I am Eione, Nereid of the beach strand.” Her eyes were the color of the sun and her touch was like a fire on a winter’s night. The drop of essence pooled in my palm and lifted into the sky. “Echete Epilexei.”

             
As she made her way into the circle with her sisters, eight more Nereids followed suit.  They each introduced themselves, gave me a drop of essence and declared that they had indeed Chosen me.  After a total of forty-seven Nereids stood in the courtyard, Amphitrite stepped in front of me and held out both of her hands.  Without hesitation, I placed mine palm up in hers.  She began to pull both of our hands together into a prayer position when someone’s voice broke the silence.

             
“Wait!”  We both turned at the collective gasp of the crowd, and followed their stunned stares to a woman standing in front of the platform.   Her white traditional Nereid dress looked dazzling against her dark features, and the jeweled clip that secured the green sash to her left shoulder sparkled under the lights of the amphitheatre.  Keto.

             
With a subtle nod from Amphitrite, she made her way up onto the platform as the crowd murmured at this new development.  My legs turned to jelly once more, and my heart kicked into overdrive.  I hadn’t seen her since that fateful night in the ocean, and I wasn’t positive that this would be a pleasant exchange. She stopped in front of us and bowed her head to Amphitrite, who met her gaze with approval.  Keto’s green eyes locked onto mine and her typically hardened features softened into a smile.

             
“I believe you require one more drop of essence before joining the sisterhood.” She raised an eyebrow and my eyes darted toward Amphitrite for a clue as to what she was talking about.  Keto wasn’t in the sisterhood, therefore her essence wouldn’t be required.  Or so I had thought.  Thankfully, Amphitrite was quick to explain.  Her blue eyes scanned the arena as she spoke.

             
“Our estranged sister came to me last week in hopes of rejoining the sisterhood of Nereids.” She cupped Keto’s face in her hands as she continued, “We welcomed her with open arms.”

             
The crowd took a few moments to digest this new piece of information, and then slowly began to stand; showering applause of acceptance onto Keto.  Joy danced inside my heart and tears came to my eyes as she stepped towards me and held out her hand.  I placed my hand in hers and allowed my tears to spill over as she gave me a drop of her essence.  She searched my eyes.

             
“You were right,” she said quietly.  The waver in her voice hinted at how difficult it was for her to admit. “Strength is more than just power.  Thank you for reminding me of that all-important lesson, as well as for sparing my life.  I would be honored to have you as my sister.”  Before I could answer, she closed her eyes and said the two words I had never expected to hear her say: “Echete Epilexei.”

             
“Thank you,” I responded with wonder.  Keto bowed to me ever so slightly, and then took her place in the circle.   Amphitrite stepped back in front of me, took my hands once more and pulled them into a prayer position between us; her hands on the outside of mine. 

             
“I will say ‘Join us’ in Greek,” she whispered. “And if you accept, you will say ‘
dechomai’
, which means ‘I accept’.”

             
“Dechomai,” I practiced slowly.

             
“Perfect,” she said in a low voice before speaking much louder, “Elate mazi mas, Anastasia Nemertes Theophanides.”

             
I squared my shoulders and answered, “Dechomai.” A broad smile spread across her lips as she lifted my hands higher in the air and began to sing.

             
“I make the sound, Nani nani nani and wherever it hurts will heal.  The sun wakes on the ocean and the starfish in the sand.  Let also my sister wake. To nani nani, my sister to heal.  To nani, nani, my sister to heal.  As the little birds of the breeze and the mountains of the deep. Let also my sister wake.  I make the sound, Nani nani nani.”

             
“You…!” I gasped, as my mouth dropped open.  I’d heard a similar song in my dreams, when I had first returned to Lorelei!  “It wasn’t a dream…”

             
My answer was a subtle wink before she closed her eyes and a brilliant light shot up from our joined hands.  The result left my entire body tingling, and I jumped as the crowd broke into cheers and applause once more. Amphitrite opened her eyes.

             
“In lieu of your…circumstances,” she inferred with an amused grin, “we will be skipping the awakening ritual and moving right along to the Spiti presentation.”

             
“Wait…what..?” I stuttered.

             
She simply took my hand and we turned to face the back of the grand building that had been erected.  Six wide, stone steps led to a massive wooden door, which was identical to the front; a stone porch spanning the length of the building.  She held out an arm to gesture for me to go ahead of her, and I held my breath as I took the first step.  My dress somehow stayed out from under my shoes, and I averted the first potential mortifying face-first fall.  Five more to go.  By some small miracle, I made it all the way to the top without tripping and then turned to face the crowd.  From this vantage point I could see every single pair of eager eyes that watched my every move, and my legs began to shake again.  I searched for Finn, but found only an empty spot beside Ricker and Carmen.

             
Before I could think about where he had disappeared to, Amphitrite joined me in front of the wooden door and commanded my attention, along with the rest of the audience. 

             
“Just as every goddess before her, Anastasia will be gifted a House that will forever imprint her life and memories upon its walls.  I present to you,” she held her arms up, “the Spiti of Anastasia!”

             
The crowd cheered again, and Amphitrite reached into a pocket hidden within the folds of her dress.  She brought out the three keys from my valise, one bronze, one silver, and one gold, and it finally dawned on me what they went to.  My only question was why one door would require three keys.  She held out the silver key and placed it in my outstretched palm. 

              “The
past
holds the key to our inner fears, needs, and beliefs,” she announced, and then presented me with the bronze key. “The
present
holds the key to our thoughts, feelings, and essence.”

             
Lastly, she presented me with the gold key, “The
future
holds the key to our dreams, passions, and destiny.” I clutched them against my chest as she continued with the explanation I had been hoping for.

             
“As a tri-goddess, you possess three essences.  Your Spiti has been enchanted to hold the imprints of all three.  What you see upon your entrance will depend on the key you use to unlock the door.”

             
I knew I must have been staring at her like she was speaking a different language, but she had just officially blown my mind.

             
“If you choose to use the silver key, you will see the memories and experiences of your past imprinted on the Spiti’s walls.  Using the bronze key will allow you to see your present upon the Spiti’s wall; a constant reel of images related to you, as well as to your loved ones.  And finally, using the gold key will allow you to see your future imprinted upon the walls.”

             
That was when my eyes began to pop out of my head, but thankfully I was able to keep my jaw off of the stones at my feet as she continued. “It will shift and blur as you make decisions and reach milestones, but…” Her voice lowered and she grinned wickedly, “It’s pretty cool.”

             
She led me closer to the door and took the hand not holding the keys, “Which would you like to see first?” she asked.  I glanced down at the keys in my hand and was immediately drawn to the gold key.

             
“The future key,” I said slowly, not trusting my voice.  She simply nodded and took the silver and bronze key from me.  I inspected the substantial wooden door in front of me, and found the massive key hole that could only be meant for the six inch skeleton key I held in my grip.  I slid the key into the hole and turned it to the right.  The door clicked once and opened on its own.  I sent one last questioning glance at Amphitrite, and then stepped into the doorway at her encouraging smile.

             
As I walked onto the stone floor, I immediately glanced up and noticed the three-story vaulted ceiling above me.  Beams, made from the same wood as the doors, criss-crossed above, creating impressive rafters that led my eyes to the walls - or what I assumed were walls.  I walked further inside and gawked at the four walls around me.  There were continuous images along their lengths, with no beginning and no end.  The images blurred and shifted just as Amphitrite had said.  It looked like someone was playing a movie and kept hitting the rewind and fast forward buttons.  Feeling a bout of dizziness coming on, I moved my attention away from the walls and into the center of the room.  A breathtaking four tiered fountain crafted from limestone dominated the center of the Spiti.  Sparkling water ran down from the top tier all the way to the last; the sound resembling the rolling waves of the ocean as it splashed down into the small pool that surrounded it. 

             
I was inspecting its carved images of sea turtles, conch shells, and every other sea creature imaginable, adorned with diamonds, pearls, and aquamarine jewels when a movement to my left caught my attention.

             
A figure stepped out of the shadows and began to move towards me.  Against the backdrop of a swirling mirage of images, I couldn’t make out who it was.  I evaluated the nuances of their gait, and my heart exploded.  He stopped directly in front of me, and my entire body came alive when those perfect lips spoke.

             
“Hey, Pasha.”