CHAPTER 1
The moon shone brightly over the ocean that rippled ever so slightly. It was as calm as the waters had been since it happened. An occasional piece of debris, a helmet, a cup or another item would float to the surface here and there, but Atlantis was gone, all of her glory had sunken to the watery depths of the Aegean sea. She rose to the top of the water, surfacing and gasping for air as she broke through. In a panic she looked all around her thrashing against the foamy ripples, seeking something to hold on to, or somewhere to swim to but on all sides, she was surrounded.. It had all happened so fast, everyone and everything she had ever loved was lost, and Ariana had no idea what was next.
She was warned, but didn’t believe her father could be so cruel as to punish countless others for her misgivings. The salt of her tear melded with the ocean sprays brine and got lost in its frothiness. She was lost at sea, lost at heart, and her heart was as heavy as a millstone.
Two weeks prior…
It was a glorious day; the sun shining brightly over the white stucco houses with copper-colored roofs that hugged the face of the cliffs. In the distance, the Aegean Sea surrounded the island sporting its brightest blue, and the sun blazed across the waves causing them to glisten. The streets wound forming an intricate maze of narrow alleyways and streets leading the way upward to a precipice where their house sat at its highest peak. White marbled columns with golden sculptures at their base graced the many steps to the grand jewel-encrusted entrance.
“Ariana, do not forget your cloak,” said Azalea, Ariana’s mother. “And …”
“I know mother, don’t go near the sea,” replied Ariana smiling and planting a swift kiss on her mother’s cheek. Azalea looked upon her daughter’s lovely face and caressed it with one hand, not wanting to let her go. She tucked a runaway curl behind her ear, pinning it and taking her in. She knew that Ariana was approaching her 18th birthday and that she needed to keep a closer eye on her now more than ever.
Ariana slipped her feet into two dainty shoes, put on her cloak, and bounded out of the door. She had a full day ahead of her.
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