I sat down on a flat, sturdy stone while I ate and rested my legs. That’s when I noticed it wasn’t just one stone. It extended out on both sides. A wall. Almost completely covered with thick green moss, it was made of sandstone and only stood about four feet tall. I abandoned the oranges and followed it through the forest, dodging low hanging trees and overgrown sage bushes. I recognized the trees as willows; their cascading branches hanging down gracefully and silently blowing in the wind. The tiny leaves tickled my skin as I parted its curtain, making my way through. The wall brought me to a large iron gate rusted by time and weather. It, too, had succumbed to the dense forest. It was covered in thick vines that coiled tightly around its intricate patterns. Past the gate was a rolling meadow of yellow, purple and blue wildflowers. I was inspecting the gate for a lock when I saw something that would change my life forever.
Amongst the twists and turns of the iron was a small upside down triangle, with one spiral extending from each corner. I had only seen one other design like that…my trace. Was it just a coincidence? The voice in the back of my head was telling me what I already knew. No; this wasn’t a coincidence. Utterly stunned, I forced my body to move. I stepped closer, tracing the spirals with my fingers, just as I’d done so many times to the ones decorating my left wrist. A searing heat beneath my fingers made me pull my hand away and I watched as the iron design actually started to glow. My trace burned too, and began pulsing with a light blue color. Astonished by this turn of events, I definitely wasn’t expecting what happened next. A bolt of lightning struck the middle of the meadow and I automatically dropped to my knees, covering my head. I didn’t hear any accompanying thunder, so I peeked through my hands but didn’t see anything amiss. Hoping I was just hallucinating, I stood slowly and cautiously glanced around. Time stopped along with my pounding heart when my eyes scanned the meadow. Or what used to be the meadow.
A majestic, sprawling estate had appeared out of nowhere; the meadow replaced with gardens and acres of Bermuda grass. The manor itself was constructed of sandstone and just like the wall, was aged and worn by the elements. It could have belonged in medieval England with its high walls and regal turrets. Although the house was absolutely magnificent, the overgrown gardens and wilted trees dampened its grandeur. It was obvious that the estate had lost its owners, and along with them, maintenance of the grounds. I felt like I was seeing an empty shell; the forgotten leftovers of a once prosperous and glorious paradise hidden beneath the imposing dark green mangrove trees. Something tickled at my memory. The third stanza of Nicolet’s poem. Hidden amongst the mangroves. Seen only be those deemed true. This was it. This was the house of Thetis. As I thought it, I knew it to be the truth. Tugging at my heart strings, I felt the manor calling to me.
I tentatively pushed the gate open, which gave way easily leading to a worn stone path. As I stepped onto the grounds, the humming vibration returned to my veins and waves of energy pulsed through me. It was exhilarating! Instead of fighting it, I closed my eyes and welcomed the thrumming sensation coursing through every fiber of my body. Eventually, it centered in my chest, swirling and leaving me breathless. I felt a warming on my skin and realized I was still wearing the aquamarine necklace Finn had given me. The stone was very warm to the touch. Instead of the normal tingle, a warm glow spread from the pendant throughout my limbs, renewing my tired body and strengthening my weary mind. I closed my eyes and silently thanked him again for the necklace. Not just a gleaming stone, it must have some kind of healing quality.
I opened my eyes and tried to figure out what I was looking at. If this was the house of Thetis, then whose house did I see in my vision? Is this where they were keeping Kira? Either way I knew I had to find out. As I approached the rustic, wooden carriage doors of the manor entrance, they creaked open of their own accord. To say I was freaked out would be an understatement. I glanced around waiting for someone to appear, but the only thing that greeted me was the dank smell of the abandoned interior. I peered through the doorway into a dark, murky foyer full of dust and cobwebs. I took a step inside.
I started to take another step when a slight breeze blew across my arms, giving me chill bumps. The breeze swirled around the rest of my body, lifting my hair and tousling my clothes. It became so strong; I had to brace myself against the door frame. The second my hands touched the worn paint, a gale force wind blew into the house. If I hadn’t have been holding on, I would have been thrown across the room. It stopped abruptly and I regained my balance, brushing the hair out of my face. I glanced down at my clothes to make sure they were still intact, and then noticed the floor. My gaze shifted upward; my breath caught in my chest and my jaw dropped open.
The dreary interior had been completely transformed to its former glory. The dust and cobwebs had been magically swept away, leaving clean surfaces and the faint smell of lavender. The foyer where I stood opened up to a grand parlor of epic proportions. The slate tile floor beneath my feet met walls of stone that extended to the cathedral ceilings above. Skylights of stained glass scattered the sunlight across the room in spectacular fashion. A stone fireplace dominated the right side of the room, and a grand staircase of mahogany opened its arms to me at the opposite side of the room. Rich blue carpet blanketed the stairs as they split halfway up, leading to opposite sides of the manor. An immense wrought iron chandelier hung above the middle landing, strings of crystals hanging delicately from its arms. The crystals sent prisms of sparkling light into every corner of the room.
The most impressive feature was at the parlor’s center. An elegant stone fountain rose from the floor, surrounded by a small pristine pool of water. The fountain itself was a sculpture of a man kneeling and pouring water from a large bowl. He was adorned in a long robe and gladiator sandals.
The water fell over the sides of the pail creating a gushing waterfall. I smiled as I realized who it was. Aquarius. I walked closer and became mesmerized as I peered down into the pool encircling him. The fountain was merely the top of a massive underwater cavern; the small pool around the fountain acting as the entrance. It gave a whole new meaning to indoor pool. Decorating the walls were portraits of men and women I didn’t recognize as well as vast, awe inspiring landscapes. I froze when my eyes found the portrait hanging above the fireplace. With legs full of bricks, I walked over to get a closer look. It was the portrait of a gorgeous young woman dressed in a long, flowing dress of silver and blue. An ethereal glow emanated from her thick blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Upon closer inspection, they weren’t just blue. They were a teal or aqua. Exactly like mine. If my heart skipped a beat at her eyes, it stopped completely when I saw the necklace around her neck. A brilliant aquamarine stone encased in a swirling pendant, hanging on a dark metal chain. My necklace. Finn had given me Thetis’s necklace. My mother’s necklace.
A terrifying scream coming from outside broke my thoughts and I immediately ran to the door and down the stone path to the gate. Once outside the grounds, I looked from side to side, trying to find the source. I hesitated when I glanced over my shoulder and saw that the estate had disappeared, replaced once again by the rolling meadow of wild flowers. I turned to run, but at the same moment, my head exploded in pain and everything went dark.