the ceiling and I could see every little swirl and divot in the textured paint as if looking through a magnifying glass. I looked around and the vibrant colors astounded me—colors I’d never seen before. Mom sat on the bed on my left, and I noticed how her hair was not simply auburn or chestnut, but a million different shades of browns and reds, each strand slightly different from all the others. It was breathtaking.
On the far wall behind her hung an African safari painting, keeping with the theme of the room’s decor. I saw each brush stroke and the tiny initials “TK” in the bottom corner. Tristan must have painted it many years ago. Now I noticed all the little details he had captured—the different colors of the desert sand, the ridges of giraffes’ hooves, the pond’s ripples. Had I not noticed before because I hadn’t paid enough attention? Or because now I could see so much more clearly?
The painful sensory overload had disappeared, leaving my senses exponentially more powerful.
That potent energy still ran through my blood and muscles and nerves, but not the icy or burning forces. Just pleasant warmth. This is good energy. This is Amadis power. I had no doubt.
And an odd but delightful feeling filled my entire body, every cell, deep into the very core of my being. Into my soul.
Is it over?
“Yes, dear, it is over,” Rina’s voice answered in my mind.
She sat on the bed to my right, looking majestic and glorious, although she didn’t wear the usual formal gown, but a black shirt and black jeans, just like Mom. Only Mom wore a cotton scoop-neck T and Rina wore a shimmery silk tank. Rina took my hand and closed her eyes. I could feel her power, but not as strong as it used to be—at least, not relative to my own. I could tell she assessed me.
“Simply amazing,” she said aloud.
“Magnificent, as you always said,” Mom agreed, giving my other hand a squeeze. “How do you feel, honey?”
“Um, good.” My voice surprised me. I expected the words to come out in a croak or even just a whisper after everything I’d been through, but my voice came clear and strong. “Is Dorian okay?”
I had to be sure. Doubt lingered from the bizarre experience. Things might have changed since the last time I’d been fully aware of everything.
“Of course he is. He’s at the Amadis mansion. He’s in good hands,” Mom said.
I wanted to hold him and know for sure. And I couldn’t wait for the three of us to be united, but I also knew he was safer there than here right now.
“What about Sheree?”
“She’s stable,” Mom said. “One of our best counselors is working with her now.”
“So she’s not converted yet?”
“Conversion can take weeks or months…or longer,” Rina said.
“Oh.” I had no sense of how much time had passed, but it seemed it’d already been a long time since they’d left. I felt as though I’d slept for days. “How long was I out of it?”
“We returned about seven hours ago. Not long,” Mom answered.
“That’s it?”
“It happened very fast,” Rina confirmed.
I sat up in the bed, holding the sheet to my chest to cover my nakedness. The door remained closed and only Mom and Rina were in the room, but their eyes stayed glued to me, making me self-conscious.
“What, exactly, happened?” I asked.
“You’ve completed the Ang’dora,” Mom answered simply. “You want to see?”
She and Rina helped me out of bed, but I really didn’t need any assistance. My body felt perfect—strong, healthy, full of power. As we walked into the adjoining bathroom, though, I was glad they were there. Because I staggered with shock when I saw myself in the mirror. They both beamed.
“Tha-that’s…that’s me?” I breathed. Of course, it had to be. Who else would be standing naked between Mom and Rina with that shocked look on her face and the bright red Amadis mark on her chest? It took me a moment to make sense of the vision.
I was…beautiful.
Not pretty. Not even gorgeous like a model or a movie star. But beautiful. Like Mom and Rina and Tristan beautiful.
My features hadn’t really changed—my eyes were still the same almond shape and mahogany brown and my nose, lips and chin were still shaped the same. They were all just…better. I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what looked different, but there was definitely something. My skin looked like golden silk, perfectly smooth. And my hair shone vibrantly like Mom’s in a million shades of reds and browns. And I’d aged backwards even more. It would be hard to pass for much older than twenty. It’s like I am nineteen again. Like I’ve gone back to where my real life left off.
My body had changed, too. Unfortunately, I hadn’t grown at all. I was still small. But my muscles were more defined, yet in a feminine way. And I was…curvier.
“Wow,” I breathed as I lifted my boobs in my hands. They were fuller than they’d ever been, even bigger than when I’d been pregnant. Mom and Rina chuckled.
“Exquisite,” Rina said.
“Stunning,” Mom added.
“How?” I asked, running my hands over my body, still trying to grasp that the reflection in the mirror actually belonged to me.
“We revert to the single point in time when our bodies were physically, mentally and emotionally strongest,” Rina explained. “Then the Amadis power multiplies those strengths. The beauty comes from within—our faith, hope and love shining through.”
Love. The pleasurable feeling I couldn’t pinpoint earlier flowing through my body and soul. More love than I thought any person—or being—could possibly hold. In fact, it overflowed and I wanted to wrap Mom and Rina within it. If I weren’t naked, I would have pulled them into me.
“So this is where I stay forever? Looking like this?” I asked.
“Pretty much,” Mom answered.
“How? Are we like vampires?”
Mom chuckled. Rina shook her head.
“No, not quite,” Rina said. “We are not frozen in time. Our hearts still beat, blood still flows through our veins and we still need oxygen, although we can regulate how much we need when necessary. The explanation is connected to our ability to heal, which is essentially the regeneration of cells and tissues, yes?”
She looked at me as if expecting an answer, so I nodded my understanding.
“Sleep allows our bodies to completely heal from the day’s effect on them,” Mom said. “Every organ, tissue and cell regenerates, making our bodies exactly as young and healthy as when we first awoke that morning.”
“But I could heal before…” I stopped as the realization hit me. “Oh, but only injured cells.”
“Correct,” Rina said. “It is the Amadis power that regenerates all cells. Every night, while we sleep, our bodies return to their strongest. Every day is, indeed, a fresh start. Because we heal quickly, we do not need as much sleep as normal humans.”
No wonder Mom and Tristan always seemed to get more things done in one day than many people could accomplish in a week. I couldn’t wait to start this new life.
Although I didn’t look like I’d been to Hell and back and I certainly didn’t feel it now, I remembered enough of the phases of the Ang’dora—freezing, burning, sweating—to feel the need for a shower. The feeling of the water pouring down on my skin enraptured me, but I showered hurriedly. I wanted to see Tristan. Just the thought of him made my soul sing.
“I see you’ve been a little too busy to do laundry,” Mom said as I dried myself off. “You only have one outfit left.”
She laid the brightly colored sundress on the bed. It was my favorite one, which is why I hadn’t worn it yet. Metallic gold outlined the abstract design in jewel tones—ruby, sapphire, amethyst, emerald and topaz—against a black background. The dress seemed too showy for hanging around the house. Now I had no choice but to wear it. When I pulled it on, the silk slid softly against my skin, like the brush of soft, smooth lips.
“Where’s Tristan?” I couldn’t wait to be in his arms again, now that I’d finally gone through the long
