Of Gaea Read online

  There were people everywhere. Ari saw more people in the drive through downtown than she had all year in the vale. She felt closed in and sick by the time Ghita parked the car.

  Ari couldn’t see the building from where they sat in the parking garage but from what she had seen on the drive in, it looked very much like she imagined a hospital might. She’d never actually seen a hospital since there were no hospitals in Highland valley. Still she surmised they would look like the build she has seen. Serious illnesses in the Valley were airlifted to the hospital in Darentown.

  Ari had been there of course – the hospital in Darentown - but she didn’t remember any of it. She had been unconscious when she was airlifted in and heavily drugged when she was taken home; which was probably for the best considering her current reaction to the city.

  They sat in silence but for the city noise when Ghita shut off the car. Ari listened for a moment before it all melded together and sounded like crazy white noise.

  “Well,” Ghita began nerves evident in her voice. “I’ll get your chair.”

  Ari only nodded as Ghita climbed out of the car.

  They were greeted at the door. Or to put it more accurately, Ghita was greeted.

  “Ghi, you came!” A woman practically attacked Ghita with her hug.

  Ari only watched bemused, then melded into shock when the woman pulled away to look at her. There was no mistaking the woman for anyone other than Lyris. She was an identical twin... to Ghita.

  “This must be Ariadne.” She glanced quickly over the wheelchair and then at Ari. “I’m so glad you came.”

  Ari looked to her mother for help but Ghita was shaking hands and speaking to two people nearby. Ari looked back at Lyris. “Yes, I’m Ariadne. Please call me Ari.”

  “Wonderful,” Lyris beamed at her. “Would you like to go for a walk? I would like a walk.”

  “I…” Ari glanced over at her mother again who was still preoccupied. She wasn’t entirely certain it was a good idea being so far away from the responsible adults. Lyris’s face, however, didn’t leave any room for a gentle let down. “Sure, um, where do you walk?”

  “Oh,” Lyris giggled childishly. “I’ll take you to my favorite place.” Before Ari could stop her Lyris was behind the wheelchair pushing. “Tell me all about you, Ariadne. I want to know everything.”

  “But shouldn’t we tell Mom?” Ari began to swivel around when something sharp was press against the back of her neck.

  “No, I don’t think so.” Lyris’s voice never lost its cheerful tone.

  Ari swallowed nervously. Two thoughts swirled through her mind. The first: she was being held hostage by a crazy person. The second: she had broken her promise to Sasha. She doubted anyone would have foreseen her current situation though. Who could have predicted a crazy person smart enough to conceal a sharp object and hold a person in a wheelchair hostage?

  “We’re going to play a game of hide and seek. If we’re crafty about it, they won’t find us for a good bit.” Lyris was still cheerful and the sharp object still pressed dangerously to the back of Ari’s neck. “Did you know there are a set of nerves back here that if I slice through all of them will render you dead? Interesting fact isn’t it?”

  “Mom will worry about us. She loves us both very much.” Ari protested gently. Lyris was scarily cheerful, and Ari preferred that than whatever angry might look like. She definitely didn’t want to risk seeing firsthand what happened if Lyris’s composure was broken. If her aunt held a knife while smiling cheerfully, who’s to say she wouldn’t slit Ari’s throat in anger?

  “Do me a favor darling; don’t call that woman “Mom” in my presence.” Lyris’s voice sharpened. “She has no right to the title. She hasn’t given birth to anyone to be a mother. She has taken everything from me; I won’t allow her that, too. You’re my child not hers. Is it really too much to ask for that respect?”

  Ari stiffened in her seat. Lyris’s was crazy; there was no way what she said was true. That wasn’t something that would have been kept from her. Ghita wouldn’t have kept that a secret, would she?

  “Your birthday is soon, isn’t it? You’ll be eighteen.” Lyris stroked the top of Ari’s head and turned another corner and out a set of doors. Greenery and trees spread out in front of them as far as the eye could see.

  “The park is walled,” Lyris informed her conversationally as she walked briskly in a predetermined direction. “But it’s a decent size with some excellent tree groves for taking a moment away. I miss Sparta. This city is so polluted. I miss the olive trees and the grape vines. I miss home.” She sounded so normal in that moment. If Lyris hadn’t been holding a sharp instrument Ari would have thought they were having a normal conversation.

  “Sparta doesn’t exist anymore. It’s a thing of myths.”

  “Oh, Sparta is still there. The culture, the people, our way of living is just hidden from the views of the populace. You were born there you know, in Sparta.” She sounded reminiscent almost. “You were a perfect baby. Any less and you would have been euthanized and reported as stillborn.”

  “I’m American. We are American. We live in America.” Ari remembered what Ghita had said about delusions and thought Lyris was probably in one of them now.

  Lyris laughed but it was a sharp, dangerous sound. “Hardly, you’re Greek. I’m Greek. You are of an old, old bloodline. On your birthday you’ll have a choice to make, a choice to stand by for the rest of your life.”

  “Mo… Ghita said we weren’t going to participate in the old traditions.” Ari informed.

  Lyris laughed heartily as she maneuvered the wheelchair off the path and into a stand of trees. “It’s not something that can be revoked like that. It runs through your blood. You’ll have to make the choice whether you want to or not. Though, I can say the bindings on you are quite interesting. Someone wants you dead and someone was so desperate to keep you alive they tied their lifeline to yours.”

  “Sasha saved my life last year,” Ari was confused at Lyris’s reference to bindings. What were bindings? “I was hit by a car.”

  In the middle of the stand of trees Lyris stopped rolling the wheelchair and moved around in front of her. Lyris’s brows were furrowed in a slight frown. “Why does that name sound familiar; Sasha as in the Horiatis boy? But it wasn’t supposed to be Sasha… what happened to…” She plopped gracelessly to the ground. “It doesn’t matter. You’re protected and that’s what counts. Even here away from home. Tell me about Sasha.”

  Ari didn’t like the predatory gleam in Lyris’s eyes. She shrugged nonchalantly. “He and his dad live down the street. We’re neighbors. His sister, Nasya came to live with them at the beginning of high school.”

  “What’s his dad’s name?” Lyris leaned forward in anticipation.

  “Kleisthenes.”

  Lyris jerked back and howled with laughter. “Ghita must HATE that. In the name of the Goddess!” She rolled in the grass with maniacal laughter. “To think she’s run all this way and Kleis still found her and he’s mentor to Sasha. Wonderful. It’s no wonder why. There is no better fighter then Kleis. Nasya is a surprise, though. I would have thought her mother to come. Though of course, she will be extremely dangerous when provoked.”

  Ari tried to imagine Nasya dangerous and she couldn’t. Nasya was deeply in love with her books and her studies. There was not a single threatening thing about her. “Ghita and Kleisthenes don’t really get along. They fight about everything. Why wouldn’t he mentor his son?”

  “Of course they don’t get along!” Lyris shouted angrily and simultaneously jumped to her feet. “What surprises me is Kleis hasn’t told the Guild. To think that the Daughters of Gaea have been allowed to leave Sparta without the proper protection.” Lyris began to pace and pulled at her hair. “Sasha is not Kleis’s child. Neither is Nasya, actually. In Sparta, children are taken from their parents and given to foster at the age of three depending on what skills they show an aptitude in. There are exceptions, of course, bu
t it’s rare among the Spartans. Sasha doesn’t know who his real parents are thus, Kleis gets the honorary term. We must tell Mother where we are, but how to get a message out? Ghita is always interfering where she’s not wanted. Mother needs to be here. You need to be taught and guided. I wish Eryx was here. None of this would have happened if he was.”

  “Why did you kill Eryx?” The question popped out before Ari could restrain it.

  Lyris stopped in mid-step and turned on her.

  “What are you talking about?” Lyris hissed. “What has happened to Eryx?” She grabbed the front of Ari’s shirt. “Speak child or face my anger. You’re not so big I can’t wallop you.”

  “Ghita says she watched him die. She said you made a choice and he bore the cost of it.” Ari stuttered out the words under Lyris’s intense stare. It wasn’t the exact story, but it was for the most part the short of it.

  “Lies!” Lyris shouted and let go. She spun back into a dizzying pace. “I didn’t have a choice! She made the choice! That little bitch thought she knew it all, thought that she could handle it all. She was wrong! And look what happened! I bore the cost of her pride! Me! What does she think will happen to you? Ignorance will not save you. It will only cause your death faster.”

  “Eryx… my poor silly Eryx…” She wrapped her arms around herself and moaned softly. Pain was evident on her face though no tears fell. She stopped suddenly and tilted her head as if listening to another voice.

  “You cannot have her!” she shouted. “You will not take what’s mine again!” Lyris whirled on Ari and her eyes darken to completely swallow all the white. The predatory gleam was immobilizing. Lyris wrapped her arms around herself and dropped to her knees. Her eyes closed and her breathing began to rapidly pick up. “Listen carefully Ariadne, you will only have one chance. Trust your Spartan.” When Lyris’s opened her eyes Ari saw something inside that could not have possibly been her own spirit. Ghita’s words made more sense now. Her sister wasn’t her sister anymore but then what was she? What were they?

  “Freedom. We must be free. She must be free. Not the light, not the dark.” Lyris choked and doubled over. “You need to be free.” She collapsed and groaned in pain. “Get away from me.” She whispered.

  Ari did the exact opposite. She couldn’t have moved if she wanted to. She couldn’t just leave, no matter the situation.

  “GET AWAY FROM ME!” Lyris screamed and a wind rose from nothing and swept around in a violent frenzy.

  The wheelchair was flipped and Ari was thrown to the ground. She tried crawling away but the wind was as wild as a tornado. It ripped at her clothes and tore through exposed skin like knives. The grove darkened without explanation and the roar was louder than any thunder Ari had ever endured.

  “Mom! MOM!” Which one Ari screamed for didn’t matter. She wanted whichever one would listen. Whichever one would come to her aid.

  Her scream was soundless as the wind sucked all the air out of her lungs. Her body writhed in torment. Ari couldn’t breathe; the grove was so dark she couldn’t see.

  A sudden flash of blinding light seemed to pierce the dark shadows. It wrapped around her like a bubble and Ari thought she saw Nasya through her tear filled, blurry eyes but the image was wrong.

  Nasya’s dress was something out of fairytales. Her hair was free and flowed gently down her back. Why didn’t the wind touch her? Ari wondered as the lack of breathable air finally reached her brain. She sank into darkness even as the light faded.

  Sensations came back slowly. Ari could feel smooth, cool leather beneath her bruised arms. There was a hand holding one of hers. The pain was a dull ache all over her body. She couldn’t quite remember what had happened clearly.

  She smelled familiar perfume. Ari sighed and realized she could hear again, as well. Slowly she opened her eyes and saw Ghita and to her surprise; Sasha was who held her hand.

  “Sasha, you’re supposed to be on the ridge.” Ari murmured even though she was relieved to see him there.

  He was pale, sickly so and his smile was weak. “Some things are more important.”

  Ari turned her head to the woman she had called Mom all her life. Mascara smeared in bold streaks down Ghita’s cheeks. Her hair was disheveled as if she had run through the whirlwind that had rendered Ari helpless.

  “I’m sorry baby.” Her eyes locked with Ari’s, so much the same, and yet so different. “I didn’t think… She shouldn’t have been able to…” Ghita started sobbing. “I could have lost you. We should never have come.”

  “Where is Lyris?” Ari shifted and immediately regretted it. Pain blossomed everywhere to an ugly throb.

  “She’s lapsed into a coma. She was unconscious when we found you.” Ghita’s eyes stayed locked on Ari’s and begged her to believe it as truth.

  “I want to go home.” Ari looked at Sasha. “I want to leave.”

  Something creaked and Ari turned her head in time to see Kleisthenes rise from a chair. “Sasha, go take her home. We’ll follow.”

  Sasha nodded and gently scooped Ari up off the chaise. “Your chair is a mess. Good thing you have a back-up at home.”

  As they left the room Ari could almost feel the tension grow. The door didn’t swing the whole way shut when they exited. She could hear the beginning of their conversation.

  “You have some explaining to do.” Kleisthenes stated. “Your luck can only hold out so long. This is becoming ridiculous.”

  When Ari gestured silently to Sasha to stop so they could listen, he shook his head and continued to walk. Once out of hearing distance of the door, he spoke. “Some conversations are meant to be private. I think Ghita and da have a lot to talk about.”

  “He’s not your dad.” It was a quiet, careful statement, and Ari studied his face for reaction.

  His eyes moved down to hers. His smile was a surprise. “Lyris spoke to you? Do you want to talk about it?”

  Ari frowned. “You know?”

  He managed to shrug without dropping her. “I’ve always known. It’s our way of life.”

  “Is Ghita my mom?” Something told her Sasha would know. He would be able to clear up all the doubt that had been sown.

  There was a long pause before he spoke. “No, she’s not.” Sasha sighed. “It would probably be better if you told me what Lyris told you.”

  “She called you a Spartan. The rest of it really didn’t make any sense. She was crazy cheerful at first and then I really don’t know what changed it. I don’t think I was ever in any real danger until…” Ari swallowed as she remembered the demonic eyes that had taken over.

  “You may not have been. I didn’t think it was Lyris’s intent to hurt you.” Sasha replied.

  Ari marveled at the moonlit sky when he stepped outside. Hours had passed unnoticed. It felt slightly surreal. She had gone inside with some thought that she had been right in demanding answers. Now, after what she had thought of as truth was ripped apart, it felt like a different world outside. Perhaps it had been better to be ignorant than lost in the current sea of confusion.

  “Open the door would you?” Sasha leaned over far enough that she could open the door to his Cayenne. He settled her in the passenger seat and then moved around to the driver side.

  Ari sighed, leaned back and closed her eyes. With every passing moment the ache grew stronger. So did the fatigue. With her eyes closed her other senses sharpened.

  They rarely used his SUV. There was no reason to in Highland Valley. They could walk everywhere. It smelled like him. She had never noticed before. There were a lot of things she had never noticed before.

  Certain memories popped out at her. Certain odd moments made better sense. Certain abrupt conversations or silent looks were a bit more understandable.

  Her entire life was based on a lie. She had no idea what she could believe as true. But she knew who. Sasha.

  When she could feel his presence fill the car Ari spoke without moving. “I emailed a Voodoo Priestess last night. She hasn’t replied yet bu
t, will you go with me tomorrow to see her?”

  She couldn’t see his grimace but she could hear it. “How did you sleep?”

  A Miracle healer didn’t bother him but a voodoo Priestess did? She didn’t understand his apprehension. Since he knew what she was doing, why would a voodoo Priestess upset him?

  Ari thought about his question. The sachet hung on the center post of her head board. She hadn’t paid attention to it once she hung it. She supposed that was the point. “I have been sleeping through the night.”

  “Have you looked into what Elias told you?” The Porsche purred to life. “What research do you have done?”

  “I haven’t really done any serious research… I’ve just sort of been looking for a miracle healer.” It was said sheepishly.

  Ari felt the car move just as she felt his disappointment. His silence was often enough to let her know she had let him down. She sighed.

  “If the Voodoo Priestess can’t help I’ll do some digging.” She replied.

  “I doubt she won’t want to help. It’s more what you’re willing to sacrifice for her help. Whose blood are you willing to shed for the assistance of a Voodoo Priestess?”

  “You talk as if you know her.” Ari tipped her head in his direction without opening her eyes. She doubted he’d notice in the dark that she wasn’t actually looking at him. In some ways she felt as if she could see him even with her eyes closed.

  “I’ve crossed paths with Madame Erelah before. She’s not one I would voluntarily go to for help. However, first impressions with her are always the same. I doubt you’ll even consider it after meeting her, or if you go to her shop meeting her won’t be necessary.” The air in the SUV moved on his heavy exhale. “But enough about me; tell me the first thing preying on your mind and we’ll go from there.”