“Stasia?” Willow! I tried to open my eyes, but the brightness scorched them and I squeezed them shut again. I struggled to move; bringing on extreme pain and pressure. This was quite unfortunate. I couldn’t imagine that never moving again was a viable option. I realized I was lying on something grainy and warm. Sand? Was I on the beach? Why was I on the beach? I attempted to open my eyes again. Amongst the piercing flashes of light, I could see several faces peering down at me with concern.
“Somebody turn off the lights. They hurt,” I heard my own voice say; still feeling somewhat detached from my own body. Somebody snickered, and I remembered getting perturbed that whoever it was found fifth degree burns on my corneas to be humorous.
“You can keep your eyes closed, but I need you to tell me how you feel,” said a voice I couldn’t quite place.
“Am I in my body?” my voice said again. I heard a hushed, panicked whispering. Then the voice spoke again.
“Yes dear. Did you leave your body?” she inquired gently.
“I went to see Finn,” my voice said. I heard several gasps and more hushed whispering.
“You’re back now. You’re okay now,” she consoled me. I just wanted to remember whose voice was speaking to me. She sounded so familiar. Once again I attempted to open my eyes. This time the light didn’t hurt as much, and I was able to see flashes of white sand and deep blue water dancing in front of me, along with a collage of faces. Phoebe. Willow. Carmen. Liam. Natasha.
Natasha?
“Natasha?” I croaked my thoughts out loud and tried to lift my head.
“Yes dear. I’m here.”
“Oh good.” The pain in my abdomen receded as I laid my head back down with a thump. I immediately thanked the sand for being so soft. A light pulling sensation was my answer, and the pain in my abdomen receded even further.
“Where am I?”
“We brought you to the Fortunate Isle. You needed the Isle’s essence to heal your body.”
“Am I hurt?” I asked, completely perplexed. No wonder I was in pain.
“You were stabbed, but we got to you in time. The Isle’s water has healed you to a point where your own cells will be able to regenerate.”
“Stabbed?!” I tried to sit up, quickly reminded by the piercing pain why I was lying down in the first place.
“Easy, trigger,” I heard Phoebe say. Somebody stabbed me? The little boy. The two little girls. As the memory came slamming back, so did the excruciating panic.
“What happened? Is everybody okay?” The pain returned as the panic made my stomach clench.
“Shhh…you need to rest. We’ll talk about it later.” Later. For some reason ‘later’ seemed like a luxury I didn’t have. But I couldn’t remember why. Not feeling up to searching my memory banks; I closed my tired eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep.
The next thing I knew, I was being carried. A soft wind flowed along the bare skin of my legs and my senses reveled in the decadent smells of sage and lavender. Without fully opening my eyes, I could tell it was twilight. The absence of bird calls, the cool breeze, and an odd sense of just… knowing were my only clues.
I also sensed something else. A recognition. A welcoming. I could feel the energy of each tree. Each shrub. Each small animal foraging. They stilled as we travelled by; acknowledging our presence. Or was it just my presence? Something else whispered to my heart and my soul. The jewelry lying against my skin warmed slightly, and a frenzied energy began to race through my veins.
Both of my traces warmed and I knew. I was home.
“I don’t see a house,” I heard Carmen say.
“You are correct. But that doesn’t make it any less real, child,” Natasha answered wisely.
“So, do we do a dance? Say a chant?” The corner of my mouth lifted in response to Phoebe’s questions.
“Maybe we should ask the future Goddess who’s pretending she’s still asleep,” Willow snickered. Damn.
“I’d really like to see you guys do that dance,” I retorted softly; immediately surprised at how much better I felt. My abdomen reflected a dull ache, but it was only slightly uncomfortable. I knew the island was healing me. And one dip in Thetis’s estuary would fix me right up. I knew the magical qualities of the water on the Isle because it had healed me the last time I was on the brink of death. I was apparently making a habit out of that these days.
“As would I,” the voice of the person carrying me said. Liam. He was just as strong as Finn; supporting my weight effortlessly as we stopped in front of the intricate wrought iron gate.
“Stasia! It’s your trace!” Willow exclaimed as she ran up to the gate.
“Careful, Willow,” Natasha warned and then turned to Liam. “Move Stasia closer. The house will feel her essence.” Liam slowly stepped forward inch by inch with a slowness that made me giggle.
“It’s a house, not a volcano. It’s not going to hurt you,” I smiled up at him. I looked to the right and took in the same meadow I had seen the first time I’d come to the Isle, spreading out before us just past the gate. Then I remembered the lightning. I guess that could technically hurt us. Maybe I spoke too soon. I felt my trace burn and the gasps told me the house had appeared. No dramatic entrance. No natural disasters or lightning. One second it was invisible and the next, a sprawling, majestic home stood before us. Unlike the last time I had arrived, the home and surrounding gardens were immaculate. The mangrove trees still dwarfed the manor with their size and stature, but nothing could compare with the home’s beauty. Not even the gardens overflowing with the colors of Autumn displayed by the mums, zinnias, and marigold flowers.
“That’s unbelievable,” Liam muttered in amazement.
“So it recognizes her?” Carmen asked with shock swiftly spreading over her dark features.
“That’s right,” Natasha confirmed. “She awakened the island, as well as the house, the first time she arrived.”
“Wow,” I heard Willow breathe.
“I think I can walk now,” I informed Liam. He gently tilted me forward; allowing my feet to land softly on the grass below. As soon as my feet hit the ground, the frenzied energy rushed through me like an electric current. I closed my eyes and sighed with happiness. I pushed open the ornate gate crawling with ivy and led everyone down the stone path. The sandstone exterior of the house shaded with the warm colors of sunset set my heart on fire. Its gothic majesty wasn’t lost on my roommates, who were still gawking like it was their job. As I stepped onto the first step leading towards the door, it clicked automatically and swung open slowly.
“You better say it’s supposed to do that,” Carmen narrowed her eyes at me.
“It’s supposed to do that,” I snickered back at her. As we entered the grand parlor, my focus fell on one thing only. The fountain. Namely the estuary that lay hidden below the fountain. And it was calling to me. As everyone else scattered around the room to appreciate the many wonders it held, I walked straight for the fountain. I stood on the edge and peered down into the shaded water below. It was also fairly dark in the house as well. We would need lights soon. Before I could get my thoughts out, several lights including the crystal chandelier hanging over the staircase came to life. I could definitely get used to that.
“You better say it’s supposed to do that,” Carmen hissed at me from behind Phoebe, whom she’d jumped behind in a brief moment of fear.
“I honestly didn’t know I could do that,” I smiled widely at her, enjoying the connection I had with the house. It was almost as if it were an extension of myself.
“What are you doing?” Phoebe asked curiously just as I stepped off the ledge of the fountain; submerging my body in the soft, healing waters of the estuary. I automatically took a deep breath of water, marveling at the warmth it sent through my body. It was dark, but I could still see relatively well…so I wasn’t expecting what happened next. The algae on the walls of the underwater cavern began to emit a blueish glow, illuminating the underwater room in an ambiance of magic. My trace shimmered blue right along with them and I continued to swim in circles, enjoying the feel of the water gliding over my skin.