One of my previous reveries came back to the forefront of my mind. The woman on the water.
I looked wide-eyed at Finn.
“It was her. She was there in my first vision. Right before I saw you and Nicolet, I was on the beach and she was in the water. I could hear her, too” I couldn’t hide my excitement about this newest revelation, “She called my name. She’s the reason I chose Anastasia when I came to Lorelei!”
“She was ecstatic about that,” he smiled down at me.
“How did she know if she was gone? Wait. How could you know she was happy about it?” His face froze as he realized he had said something he shouldn’t have.
“You’ll know everything in time. But first, I have something to give to you.” He cupped my cheek, “It’s from your mother.” He took my hand and we swam up toward the fountain. My bo dy was now completely healed…even the soreness had disappeared. It was miraculous.
He helped me out of the fountain and gave me a fluffy robe to put over my wet clothes. His shorts and t- shirt were soaked as well, but he didn’t seem to mind. The house was just as immaculate as the first time I had seen it, except for one thing. Now I knew this really was my home. Or would have been. As we walked up the grand staircase, I glanced over my shoulder at Thetis’s portrait hanging above the fireplace. Just as I suspected, she was not only wearing the same necklace in the portrait, but also the same ring.
“Finn?” I stopped at the landing. He turned to face me, concern in his eyes. “What does this mean?” I held up my hand showing him the ring and expanded trace. He simply smiled and took my hand again.
“It means you’re one step closer,” he said simply. I furrowed my brow at him, not happy with his vague answer. I followed him up the stairs and into one of the many doors in the main hall. My hand went to my mouth as I gasped. Finn put his hands on my waist to steady me. It was a good thing too, because my legs were about to give out. Stark white carpet supported my bare feet, and the walls around us were painted a bright silver. A white wicker crib stood in the middle of the room, shielded by a white lace curtain hanging from a hook in the ceiling. The lace wrapped around the crib to thwart any light from reaching a sleeping baby’s eyes. I walked closer and ran my hands along the sides. In one corner of the room sat a single rocking chair. I recognized it from one of my dreams. A large antique wardrobe stood against one wall with a smaller chest of drawers beside it. The opposite wall had been painted to resemble the ocean; white, blue, and silver paint swirled to create crashing waves.
I was completely speechless. Above the window, lined up on a shelf perched rustic letters that spelled out one word. Anastasia.
“This was my room,” I whispered the words aloud, testing them on my lips.
“She would sit in here for hours at a time.” A faraway look changed his features and tears formed in his eyes. I realized all this time I was only thinking about myself. I turned to face him.
“You miss her,” I said softly. His tears spilled over and he nodded.
“Yes. Very much. I didn’t know your father very well, but Thetis…she was an amazing goddess. She taught me so much. You’re like her in so many ways. I don’t know what I would have done if I’d lost you. You stopped breathing. I thought…” His sadness meshed with my own and I felt my heavy heart lighten. I stood on my tip toes and kissed each tear as they slid down his cheeks. He hugged me close. We stood that way for several minutes, sharing in each other’s grief. Comforting one another. I’d never felt so loved. He leaned back to look in my eyes, and the storm of emotion I saw on his face caught me by surprise. He gently wiped a tear that had escaped down my own cheek and met my eyes again. In his deep blue ones were whispers of tenderness floating within, layered with desperation. And something else…something much more powerful…
“I love you, Anastasia,” he whispered it so softly, I almost didn’t hear him. Once it registered, I got chills and my soul danced. I knew then I loved him, too; I’d never been so sure of something in my entire life. He’d been with me through everything and had never once doubted my strength and courage. He had become the sturdy bridge between the old me and this brand new world of the unexpected. He knew me better than I knew myself and he was willing to give me something I’d never had before: unconditional love. There was no one else I would entrust my heart to.
“I love you, too.” His dark features lit up, and the joy in his smile threatened to sweep me off my feet. It was his kiss that sent me over the edge. The mixture of our salty tears and newly professed love for each other blossomed down deep in my soul, planting the seed that would glow within me forever. The depth of his feelings played out on his soft, tender lips as his strong arms held me close. I lost all track of time, letting the power of that one moment take hold of us, binding us together.
Eventually, he took my hand again and led me out to the hall. We turned down yet another hallway and entered a large wooden door with pointed rustic hinges. Mahogany shelves covered every wall, running from floor to ceiling. Each shelf overflowed with old books and manuscripts. There was even one of those ladders that ran along the walls on wheels, so that you could reach the top shelves.
The whole room smelled of worn leather and firewood. A large mahogany desk sat facing a fireplace that hadn’t been used in a very long time. Finn produced a small skeleton key from his pocket and unlocked one of the drawers in the desk. He pulled out a large wooden box. Sitting it on top of the desk, he took a deep breath and looked up at me with a weighted gaze.
“This was Thetis’s study.” He slid the box across the desk to me. “It’s time.”
I inspected it carefully. A large engraving dominated the top of the box. An upside down triangle with three swirls extending from the corners. I ran my fingers over it lightly and the lock clicked, catching me off guard. I looked up hesitantly at Finn, suddenly terrified by the possibility of its contents. I knew the box didn’t contain anything dangerous or harmful, but it could hold something much more potent. Answers. Was I ready for this? Could I handle what was inside? He smiled at me encouragingly and pulled the chair out from behind the desk.
“Maybe you should sit down first.” I walked around the table with shaking legs and lowered myself down into the leather chair. I ran my hands over the soft, worn arms. My mother had sat here, in this very seat, at this very desk. I smiled, and my hesitation turned to eagerness as I reached for the box in front of me. I opened the lid and the smell of lavender wafted around me. I breathed in deeply, cherishing the smell that I’d always loved. A flat velvety box was the first treasure to show itself.
Bracelets, necklaces, and earrings filled every inch of it. All of the jewelry had one single thing in common. Different sizes and shapes of aquamarine. I looked up at Finn.
“Turquoise represents the Tydes, but aquamarine represented Thetis,” he grinned knowingly at me, “and now you.” I instinctively touched my necklace.
“All this time, I just thought aquamarine held a special meaning for you…” I said to him with wonder.
“Anything connected to you holds a special meaning for me,” he winked at me. A separate velvet drawstring bag tumbled out as I closed the box. I hadn’t seen it among the rest of the jewelry.
I untied the strings and reached inside. It was another necklace with a pendant made of the same dark metal, but I knew this one was meant for only me. The pendant was the exact shape of my trace, a triangle shaped aquamarine set in its middle. It was breathtaking. Finn gently unhooked the necklace currently around my neck, replacing it with my new one. It felt as if it belonged against my skin, and warmed slightly as I touched it with my finger. A small slip of paper fell out of the bag as I placed it back in the box. It read:
Three spirals, three major abilities.
“You’re a Tri-Goddess, Stasia.” My eyebrows went up in disbelief. “The seaweed that makes up your trace is another symbol of Thetis. She had a strong connection with sea grass. As do you.”
His eyes were laughing at me, along with a smirk he didn’t try to hide.
“It still shouldn’t have attacked me,” I mumbled and jabbed him in the ribs. Next, I pulled out a brown sheath with the feel of something substantial inside. Unbuckling the strap twisted around it, the leather folded back to reveal a jewel encrusted handle. It was five or six inches long, and fit my hand perfectly. Aquamarine, diamonds, and fresh water pearls made up the entire handle, from the bottom to the guard. Carefully, I pulled the knife from its sheath. The blade itself was silver and around six inches long. It was utterly deadly and incredibly beautiful. I had to admit, the dagger felt good in my hand. Finn gently took it from me and held it up, admiring it.
“Wow. This is amazing,” he said, awe-struck. As he drooled over my new weapon, I pulled out a curious
