her. She was breathtaking. Her flowing white dress was untouched by the dark, sooty soil below, and her hair washed over her shoulders in a symphony of blonde and silver. She took my hand and assisted me to my feet. As a shuffling sound drew my attention to the landscape behind us, a throng of decrepit skeletons closed in on us. I turned to run, but Thetis wrapped her arms around me and muttered something under breath. In a split second we were on the other side of the River of Fire watching as the skeletons retreated back into the forest of branches. My stomach dropped as my thoughts shot to Carmen and Phoebe.
“Stasia!” I was attacked from the side as Phoebe embraced me in hug; knocking me to the ground.
“Hey Phoebs,” I smiled weakly, as she hugged me again.
“She saved us! Thetis saved us!”
“How’s Carmen?” I managed beneath her weight.
“Well, she’s…alive.”
I looked over Phoebe’s shoulder at Carmen, who was staring at nothing as she sat rigid and motionless on the ground.
“Come, girls. It is not time to rest just yet.” Thetis smiled down on us.
Together we helped Carmen to her feet, but she resolved to trail behind in a trance-like state as we put distance between ourselves and the River of Fire.
Thetis slowed and took my cheek in her hand, “Who did this to you?”
“Nadia,” I told her apprehensively. She could be great friends with Nadia for all I knew.
Extremely unlikely, but still possible.
“That doesn’t surprise me.” An irate determination spread across her features. “We must hurry and get you back to the River Styx. She could be waiting, but either way she’ll know when you are in the river.” I averted my gaze to Phoebe.
“Phoebs, take Carmen and get out here,” I instructed.
“But St-“ she began to object.
“You have to get Carmen out of here. She needs you, Phoebs. I’ll be fine, I promise.”
“I assure you that I will escort her to the River Styx and she will easily find the Gates, once she completes her essence,” Thetis consoled her with a warm smile. Phoebe considered what we had said for a moment and then eyed Carmen warily.
“Okay. I’ll let Natasha know what’s going on,” she nodded at me.
“Natasha…” A faraway look fell over Thetis’s eyes, “Please tell her I think of her often.”
“I will!” Phoebe walked over to Thetis and took her hand. “It is such an honor to meet you.
You are amazing!”
“As are you, Phoebe.” Thetis kissed her on the forehead and patted her hand. Phoebe gave me another hug and began the task of dragging Carmen back to the Gates and getting back to their bodies.
I turned to Thetis.
“How did you know…?” I trailed off.
“Why - the moonstone, of course,” she smiled at me knowingly.
“The…moonstone?” I furrowed my brow and reached into my pocket. I pulled out the white stone and it warmed at my touch.
“Come,” she contended with a grin and held out her hand. I stepped towards her and she wrapped her arms around me; muttering once again. In a flash we had been transported out of the dreary landscape and back to the River Styx. Thankfully, this time we were on the opposite side.
“I cannot take you farther into Elysian, but I can promise your safety here. Nadia cannot walk this land.”
“Why not?”
“I think you know the answer to that Pasha,” her eyes smiled at me; amused.
“Evil?” I guessed.
She nodded proudly and continued our previous conversation, “As you are aware, aquamarine is my stone...and now yours. However, the moonstone originates back many, many centuries; back to your grandmother.”
“My…grandmother?”
“Your grandfather’s name was Nereus and your grandmother was Doris. Her stone was the moonstone.” I peered down at the white stone in my hand that I knew stood for foresight.
“I found it at a shipwreck,” I said in a low voice, sadness washing over me at the memory of Finn.
“I know,” she admitted slyly and winked at me. “I instructed Finn to place it there for that very reason.”
“You…he put it there?”
“I knew that once you returned you would have to take your journey. I wanted to know when you had arrived here. We are not the only ones who wear aquamarine. But only a select few have a piece of moonstone. If I were to sense it, I would know that you had finally arrived to complete your essence. When Finn communicated your return, I instructed him to make sure that you obtained a piece. But you needed to be drawn to it in order to feel your own connection to its essence.”
“I had an odd feeling that I should bring it with me on my journey,” I thought out loud; also marveling at Finn and my mother conversing about me. For some reason, that brought heat to my cheeks.
“You grandparents would be so proud of you,” Thetis whispered, as sadness trickled into her beautiful eyes. “Unfortunately, they did not know of your birth. No one did except for a select few.”
As a tear ran down her cheek, I took her hand.
“I know. I saw it happen…in your memory.” Her face instantly lit up at my words.
“You have antiquity! Oh, Anastasia - that’s wonderful!” she rejoiced, and eyed my newest trace. “The infinity symbol, of course! I should have known…” She beamed at me as she reached out and gently touched my cheek. Unable to stop myself, I told her all about the last four months of my life; my abilities, my affinities, my friends… and my complex issues revolving around Finn.
“I can’t let him give up everything…for me.” I searched her eyes for an answer. “I love him, but that’s why I can’t allow him to do that.”
“Love is a powerful force. It’s also much more potent than evil,” she emphasized the word
‘evil’ and gently patted my hand. “Always remember that. You will know what to do. Listen to your heart and decide what you are willing to sacrifice, my dear Pasha.” I held her gaze and tears began to collect in my eyes. I couldn’t believe she was actually sitting beside me, giving me advice. I felt the gaping hole that had been created so long ago in my heart finally begin to close and mend.
“Thanks, Mom,” I whispered, testing out the word Mom. It felt surprisingly at home on my lips. She embraced me in a hug.
“It is time,” she proclaimed. I nodded and we stood; both of us eyeing the raging river several yards away. She stepped in front of me, ensuring that she held my entire focus.
“I love you Anastasia and I am very proud of you. You are more amazing than you know. If I could do it all over again, I would gladly sacrifice my life for you again. You are worth it.” The echo of Natasha’s words resounded in my heart. Her expression became intense as she continued. “I need you to listen carefully to what I’m about to tell you.”
“Okay,” I held my breath in anticipation.
“Your father is alive,” she divulged, as my heart skipped a beat and my legs turned to bricks.
I felt the look of shock on my face and I tried, to no avail, to speak. Thankfully, I didn’t have to. “You must find him. He is waiting for you.”
“Where…where is he?” I forced air out of my lungs and made myself speak.
“An island. He is being held captive.” My reveries about the older man came crashing back to me.
“I think I’ve seen him. In a reverie,” I breathed, as a piece of the puzzle clicked in my mind.
“That does not surprise me. Your soul knows where to find him. You will also find the conch shell I left you to be useful in your search,” she hinted, with an enchanting light in her eyes. As I became speechless again, she
