The Atlantean Chronicles: Call of the Sea

Chapter Twenty-Three

Diana didn't leave her room for nearly a week. Arielle and Reith took it upon themselves to take turns leaving food out for her, though neither ever stayed to try and talk to her. Jacin hadn't tried talking to her again either.

Slowly, her appetite returned to her, and Diana managed to stomach a few bites of each meal that was left for her. It wasn't until the sixth evening, Diana had been sitting in the window sill, staring out at the coastline and the city spreading before her when she heard laughter flitting down the hallway.

She knew that laugh, could have picked it out in a crowded room. She'd always envied Arielle for a number of reasons, but her beautiful laugh was at the top of that list. It was their mother's laugh, pure and charming and full of light.

Diana turned toward the window, hugging her knees to her chest. She hesitated as she heard footsteps growing closer to her closed door. And though she'd anticipated it, she still jumped when Arielle rapped lightly on the door.

Diana didn't move; instead she studied the many brilliant colors of the sunset as it sunk behind the polished roofs of Palermo's city and the ocean beyond, illuminating the world in brilliant hues of oranges and golds, pinks and reds. Diana sighed as she studied that sunset, brighter than any she'd ever seen.

Something bloomed inside her at that thought. She was noticing things, the beauty of the world, the magnificent colors around her... when was the last time she had done that?

Diana nearly fell out of her seat as the door to her bedroom suddenly opened and Arielle marched in. Diana recovered quickly, though it took longer for her hammering heart to settle.

"Diana, I understand that you're hurting, but goddammit why won't you let anyone talk to you?" Arielle's exasperated voice, brought comfort to Diana. She sounded as lively and passionate as she ever had.

Diana hesitated. She hadn't seen her sister since Jacin and Reith had rescued them. The springs in her mattress squeaked as Arielle flopped down on the bed with a sigh. "If you ever want to talk-" Arielle began but Diana cut her off sharply, immediately regretting it.

"I don't..." Silence hung between them for a moment before Diana lowered her head. "I'm sorry I didn't mean..." she sucked in a breath and tried again. When was the last time she'd talked to someone? "Maybe someday I'll be able to but... I can't, not now," she sighed.

The bed squeaked again as Arielle rose and padded over to her. Diana continued to stare out the window but she scooted over on the bench seat in the window. Something eased in her chest as Arielle settled down beside her and rested her cheek on Diana's bony shoulder. "I'm sorry Di," she said softly.

Diana angled her head towards her sister as Arielle began coming her fingers through Diana's dark hair. "It's not your fault," she said simply. The sun had nearly sunk completely behind the buildings, casting looming shadows along the stone streets below.

"I can still say I'm sorry," Arielle said, sounding somewhat stubborn.

A smile threatened to tug at one corner of Diana's mouth. "I'll be alright," she said, sounding anything but reassuring.

Arielle pulled her head away and Diana could just picture Arielle looking at her doubtfully, twisting up one corner of her mouth as she debated whether to argue with her or leave it be.

"I get if you need time," Arielle said after a moment, plucking absently at one of the buttons sewn into the pale yellow cushion beneath them.

Diana turned her head just enough to look at her sister out of the corner of her eye. "I do," she said sadly. "I don't know how much time..." she trailed away, unsure of how to finish that sentence truthfully. She didn't know that she ever would get better, if a part of her would remain hollow and haunted. She wanted so badly to reassure her sister, to tell her that things would get better, that she would get better, but she couldn't lie to her.