ESCAPE

Lost

The next day I had breakfast with everyone else as if nothing had happened. Tess updated me on how many people were expected to show up and many of the women would come by to speak with us for a bit. I knew I would have to find a way to explain the full plan to them soon, but I still had some details to figure out. Like a boat big enough to fit us all. Several water elementals and a few ocean animal spirits had talked to me about this and most were sure they could find what I needed. Aegeus stood across from our table keeping a watchful eye on the other guards and occasionally giving us snips of intelligence. One definite thing that had concerned me was being an Amazon. When you hear about them you think of fierce warrior women who strike fear into the hearts of men. Compared to the legends I was more of a mouse than an Amazon. Sure I could feel the power in me, but I wasn't sure that's who I was yet. All my life I didn't have a clue who I was and now that I knew I wasn't sure that I could live up to it. Not to mention that I was supposedly the last one and I didn't even know what it meant to he one. Yet I had hundreds of women looking to me for help and I didn't even know how to save myself. Before it had been only me and my plan to fight my way out of here to the death of I needed to. Now I had to stay alive so I could get them to an island that I had only seen in my head. Someone shook my shoulder and I blinked a few times to come back to reality. Both Tess and Natia were looking at me with worried expressions.

"You okay?" Tess asked

"Yeah I just feel a bit dizzy." I said

Aegeus walked up to our table and I stood up to have him escort me back to my room. Before I could ask he was already leading the way. Somehow he had already known I needed to get away from everyone for a second.

"I got permission yesterday to take you to the gardens." He said

"Outside?" I asked

"Yes. But you have to stay with me okay?" He said

I nodded and he led the way to the back door of the castle. The gardens stretched for a few miles outside the castle and we're filled with orchards, flowers, hills, and fountains. We walked down a path to the middle of the gardens and he led me up a hill that overlooked the whole area. We sat down on the grass under the shade of a large oak tree and I breathed in the fresh air like a drug. I closed my eyes and laid down feeling the earth under my back. It had been ages since I had been outside and I needed to soak it all in. I looked up at the blue sky and took a few deep breaths before closing my eyes.

I was on the island again. Except I was standing on a marble floor. Statues of woman surrounded the circle of marble that was open to the air and only protected by a small dome roof. At my feet was a silver bowel of water. My reflection stared back at me from the surface of the water and I kneeled in front of it. Somehow I knew I had to splash the water on my face. As soon as I did I was transported somewhere else. I was in a white marble throne room and a woman in armour sat on a marble throne. Her dark black hair was in a braid so long it touched the floor and a silver diadem sat on her head. She was beautiful, but you could tell that she was growing old. Many other women in matching armour kneeled before her. They were all frozen in time, but the Queen looked up from the others and stared straight at me. Her bright green eyes shined in recognition and I stared back.

"Hello Asteria." She said

"How do you know who I am?" I asked

The Queen smiled at me and walked up to me. She stood in front of me and put her hands on my shoulders.

"I know all of the Amazons. Especially my own daughter." She said

I froze. My mother? How could I be talking to my mother right now? The Queen, my mother's smile faltered and her eyes grew sad.

"This is merely an illusion my child. The last thing I could leave you of us. Of your family.... we aren't here anymore and before the last battle I left you with a group of women too be watched. But, you snuck onto our ship and I never saw you again." She said

"I don't remember." I replied

She kissed my forehead and squeezed my shoulders.

"You are so strong you just need to belive that you are. Everything will come back to you when you come home. I love you." She said

The vision faded and I was back on the island staring into the bowl of water. It glowed and I tried splashing it onto my face again. I had so many questions. I felt the island fading away and I fought to stay, but it didn't work. I was alone. Everyone was gone and I was alone.

I woke up in Aegeus's arms. He was holding onto me and calling my name. When my eyes opened he let me go and gave me space.

"Are you..."

"Yes... no.. I don't know." I answered

He cautiously put his hand on mine and strangely I didn't flinch away. His eyes were sympathetic.

"You're not alone Asteria." He said