Hearken (Daughters of the Sea Series) (5 page)

             
“Together we were able to raise the island from the ocean floor and restore it to its former glory. A shroud was placed around the island to protect it, and Atlas’s remaining sons and descendants returned to their homeland. “

             
“So Atlas’s descendants still live on the island, cut off from the rest of the world?” I questioned.

             
“Yes, and that’s how they prefer it. As I said, their ancestry affords them a special relationship with the Earth and its lush plant life, helping them surpass humans in many technological advances; becoming a people ahead of their time. Water, wind and solar power were present on Atlantis centuries earlier than anywhere else on Earth.”

             
“Unless you believe in the legend of the crystal,” Finn interjected nonchalantly, but the eagerness in his eyes was unmistakable. 

             
“Don’t go filling her mind with nonsense,” Amphitrite diverted quickly. A highly ironic request, I might have added, considering the current conversation.

             
“It would explain how they found solar power before the rest of the world,” he surmised and leaned forward in suspense. “Many of the dead brought stories to the Underworld; not of wars and humans, but of a very powerful, enchanted crystal. It had been given to them by Atlas and not only harbored the light of the sun, but could charge it - increasing its energy three fold.”

             
“That’s incredible!” I gawked.

             
“But the sons of Atlas became greedy, misusing the crystal and overpowering it. Unfortunately, it began charging the already unstable earth supporting the island. It’s said that the crystal exploded and that’s what caused the volcanic eruption and tsunamis; sinking the island into the sea.”

             
“It is merely legend,” Amphitrite mused. “Stirrings brought to the Underworld through the voices of the dead. Nothing more.”

             
“Did they find any evidence of the crystal when the island was raised from the sea?” I inquired.

             
“Nothing was found that would suggest the existence of such a crystal,” Amphitrite countered. “But that didn’t stop the legend from spreading.” She raised a judgmental eyebrow at Finn.

             
“Have you been back since then?” I pressed. She paused, as if sorting through a mountain of memories. “On many occasions, but mainly during the Games.” Her face lit up and I waited for her to continue. “They were established by Atlas in celebration of the fateful acts of the sea deities. Every ten years we are invited back to the island for the Atlantean Games. It is a chance for our descendants to appreciate a place of unique beauty and enchantment, as well as to establish fellowship with the inhabitants of Atlantis.”

             
“And show them what
real
strength is,” Finn bragged with a puff of his chest and a competitive smirk.

             
“Is it like the Olympics?” I asked. I thought it was a perfectly good question, but apparently I was mistaken because Finn snorted derisively beside me.

             
“Atlas isn’t an Olympiad; he’s a Titan and God of astronomy. Throughout history, the Olympiads and Titans have waged war with each other on many occasions.”

             
“Not to mention the Olympics were created by the humans,” Finn clarified. “The Atlantean games take it to an entirely different level of competition. Even the Gods and Goddesses compete.” He wiggled his eyebrows at me and a bubble of anxiety began to grow in my stomach. I was afraid to ask what that would mean for me. Unfortunately, Amphitrite decided to tell me anyway.

             
“After the descendants compete over a five day period, the Gods, Goddesses, and other leaders,” she eyed Finn and stood slowly, “compete with each other the last two days of the Games. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve prepared some cucumber water for us. I’ll be right back.” She walked gracefully out of the room and my eyes slid to Finn reluctantly.

             
“And exactly what kinds of games do they compete in?” I was silently praying for Yahtzee, Candyland, or Hungry Hungry Hippos. I pictured a big sign with the words ‘SEA GODDESS FAIL’ draped around my neck in bright neon.

             
“Oh, you know, the usual.” Finn leaned forward and began ticking off games on his fingers. “Lion taming, riding whale sharks, sushi eating contests.”

             
“Make it a doughnut eating contest and I’ve got it in the bag,” I laughed.

             
“Unless I’m in the competition. I
always
win.” Finn imperiously looked down his nose at me. “Always.”

             
I had a feeling his claim wasn’t too far off, and a spark of excitement shot through me when I thought about competing against him. As long as it didn’t involve axes, I thought I might actually be able to beat him.  

             
“You’ve never had to compete against me,” I taunted him. “I do believe you’ve finally met your match.” One more potential upside to being an immortal sea Goddess: destroying your boyfriend in competition. As far as the other sea Gods and Goddesses who’d been around for centuries and had probably participated in dozens of Atlantean Games, I didn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell.

             
“Tell yourself what you have to!” He laughed and threw his arm around my neck in a feeble attempt to put me in a head lock. “’Cause you don’t stand a chanc-“

             
I ducked under his arm and caught him off guard by flipping him over and onto the floor. I smiled down at him sweetly as his cheeks burned. “I’m sorry honey, you were saying…?”

             
“I leave for one minute and she’s already throwing you around!” Amphitrite laughed as she set a tray down on the side table. “I’m afraid this doesn’t fair too well for you during the games, Finnegan.”

             
“Not a chance.” Finn smiled widely and quickly picked himself up off the floor. “I meant to flip onto the floor. You know, psyche out the competition. It’s all in my master plan.”

             
“Does your master plan involve dust bunnies?” I joked, as I picked off several pieces of lint and dust from his shirt.

             
“Yes,” he said in all seriousness. “Yes, it does.”

             
“Cucumber water?” Amphitrite handed me a glass of water with several slices of cucumbers floating on top. I held it up for inspection before taking an exploratory sip. The refreshing taste filtered through my senses and quenched a thirst I didn’t know I had. Finn downed half of his glass before setting it down.

             
“So tell me what kinds of events are
really
played at the Games,” I urged Amphitrite as I took another sip of water.

             
“The Games consist of competitions dating back centuries. The descendants compete in categories of strength, dexterity, and intelligence. The last two days’ competitions between the Gods and Goddesses are decided upon by the descendants.” 

             
Before I could ask any further questions, I felt Finn’s phone vibrate in his pocket next to me. I noticed his skull and crossbones trace giving way to suddenly tense muscles beneath. He stood and walked to the other side of the study to talk.

             
“What’s up, man?” I heard him say. I watched the rest of his body as it went rigid and his free fist balled up in anger. Without another word he pocketed his phone, turned on his heel and headed for the door. A clouded storm brewed in his blue eyes and the hard set of his jaw matched the frown on his lips. Amphitrite and I stood in alarm as he strode right out of the room and out the front door in silence.

             
“Finn!” I called out to him as he sprinted down the boardwalk towards the beach. “What happened?”

             
My frantic voice did nothing to slow him down, so I attempted my only other option; an alternate way of communicating.              

             
“Finn, what happened?”
I projected out through my thoughts in desperation.

             
“There’s a situation I have to take care of,”
he sent back gravely. “
I’ll fill you in later.”

             
“Men…” Unaware of our private exchange, Amphitrite grinned down at me in an attempt to lighten the mood. “You can’t live with ‘em, you can’t burn ‘em at the stake.”

Chapter 4

Finn
             

             
“I honestly don’t understand how this could have happened, Finn. There was no outside perimeter breach, nor have we seen anything that would have tipped us off to a rift amidst the ranks.”

             
As Sean continued to brief me, I made no effort to repress the indignation clouding my thoughts. I slammed my fist down with frustration and watched the four Paradigms gathered in my chamber flinch. A thin crack spread across the slab of dark slate that made up the upper portion of my antique desk. It had been handed down from generation to generation of Sons Leaders as a symbol of status and respect. The newly created crack did nothing to harm the clearly fatigued desk of my ancestors. Its numerous scars proved it could withstand the test of time. I stared down each of the Paradigms with barely restrained irritation for several seconds before speaking. 

             
“I want to know how this happened and I want to know
now
.” My icy tone sliced through the tense air, and I saw the sweat that began to form on the forehead of the least tenured Paradigm, Kale. I had appointed these four Sons to be responsible for all security measures and protection across the Order, and the possibility that they had allowed a security breach of this magnitude was
unthinkable
. 

             
“There’s something else,” Sean began carefully. I noticed his right eye twitching. Kale’s eyes hit the floor, while the other two shared a fleeting look of apprehension. I took a deep breath to still the rising panic building inside me. It was absolutely imperative that I kept my cool, no matter how much I wanted to punch something.

             
“Yes…?” I prompted through gritted teeth.

             
“Charon has sent word that The Book of Souls has also been compromised,” he finished soberly.
Compromised
. Also known as taken right from under our noses. This also meant my father already knew. I pushed back from the desk and turned on my heel to look out the glass wall at my back. A lone bull shark glided back and forth silently as he circled one of the Light Station supports, and a school of tarpon escaped a possible deadly fate as they darted away and faded into the darkness of the deep ocean. My underwater chamber awarded me the necessary environment to clear my thoughts. The chamber had been suspended directly beneath the light station by the same four impressive concrete supports that held up the station far above. 

             
Most of the brethren and past leaders had lived in one of the secure suites high above the surface, but I had requested a new suite to be constructed; far below the very exposed, very bright surface. A single tube had been erected to house an elevator that would lead down to the main chamber room. The four exterior walls were solid slabs of ten inch bullet proof glass, allowing a 180 degree view of the ocean beyond. The interior was comprised of an office, bedroom, personal gym, spacious kitchen, and comfortable den with a flat screen TV. It was no mansion, but it was exactly what I’d wanted. Moving out of the tiny suite I shared with my three best friends was bittersweet, but it was paramount to have a secure and functional place to live while being the Leader of the Sons. If I couldn’t count on my Paradigms to protect the critical items to the Sons, I would have to bring them down to my chamber as well. Some of those items were infinitely more important than me. Technically I was replaceable, but a number of those relics were not. 

             
“The Book of Souls has been closely guarded in the Underworld for ages,” I attempted to rationalize. “Only a select few even know of its existence.”

             
“We have already begun our investigation-”

             
“Investigation?” I twisted around in exasperation. “We don’t have
time
for an investigation! I expect them
both
to be found and secured in the next twenty-four hours! Do you know what this could mean for the Order!? For the Underworld!? For all descendants!?”

             
“We will begin-“

             
“I don’t want to hear about what you’re
about
to do! I want you to DO it! Get a team together! Amass an entire army if you have to!” I threw my hands up in frustration. “Find. Them. NOW.”