After they left and I was alone in Raif’s room, it finally hit me that I was trapped here. Dropping the dress, I ran to the only other door to find it was a bathroom with a window that didn’t open. Entering back into the bedroom, I discovered that the windows here were unlocked, but I as much as I wanted to get back home to see my family, I was hesitant to leave Raif. One thing I knew I needed was to get dressed. I couldn’t very well escape in nothing but a long shirt. Picking up the dress, I was once again distracted by the texture of the fabric here. It was a softer than silk dress of deep teal, it shimmered ever so slightly in the sun coming in through the windows and was a perfect fit.

After I was clothed, I looked through my belongings for the pouch in my swimsuit that I’d put my necklace in, and put it on. I felt profoundly relieved with it nestled between my breasts again. It was gently tucked under the dress so that no one could see it, but I could feel its comforting weight against my skin. It’s strange, the things you find comforting when your world is crashing down around you. The mundane little things seemed to ground me, make me able to process more than the nagging, physical ache I had with wanting to throw the door open and see Raif again.

I wasn’t sure how—or even if—I was processing anything, but I went about my methodical way of cleaning, organizing, and identifying everything I had left. Once I located my camera, I quickly took a picture of the room. Suddenly I was struck by the thought that I was still acting as though I’d be able to show Ash all my photos when I got home. But I wouldn’t be going home. I was trapped, on an island that shouldn’t exist. I’d essentially died to all of my family. I leaned against the wall, my legs suddenly unable to support me.

I started shaking. I’d died. Was I still dead? Was this all some bizarre hallucination? Atlantis isn’t real—everyone knows that. It’s a myth told by Plato to convince people that a democratic society was perfect—until it wasn’t. If this was a dream, or death, it was certainly very real. I slid down the wall and brought my knees to my chest to control the shaking in my body. My heart beat to a steady crescendo behind my breasts that were cleverly contained in this ridiculous dress made for a princess. A scream started deep in my throat. Not one borne of fear, but deeper; the scream of rage. If I gave into it, I knew tears would certainly follow, and I hated showing that much vulnerability to people I liked, let alone to complete strangers.

I could feel him coming before the door slammed opened and Raif barreled in. I didn’t think I’d ever understand or be able to explain what it felt like to have someone else inside you. Not in a sexual way, or a maternal way, but as if there was a faint echo of another being inside my very soul. It unnerved me more than the thought of dying or being in a mythical continent ever could.

“What is wrong?” Raif bellowed as he quickly searched the room, a wickedly curved knife in one hand. I realized that the scream I was holding back had morphed into some pathetic keening noise. It was unacceptable. Bolting to my feet, I ran up to him.

“I died!” I screamed back at him. “I fucking died and can’t ever see my family again! What the hell am I supposed to do with that?” He stopped his search as if he’d been punched. His knife dropped to the floor and his hands revealed his helplessness, held open by his sides. “How am I supposed to live down here? What about Ash?” I dropped back to the floor, my heart breaking at the thought of my little niece never knowing what happened to her aunt. To never see her face again, never hear her hyena laugh. Visions of things I’d miss with her ran through my head. A weight like none I’d ever felt landed on my heart. Tears poured down my cheeks, sobs wracking my body in great waves of hopeless despair. I was helpless to contain them.

“How can you keep me prisoner here, when we both know I don’t belong?” I looked up at Raif, not caring about my heartbreak. “Why can’t you just send me back?” He knelt in front of me; anguish contorting his face to mirror the pain of my own.

“I do not know how to fix this. We have had few Surface Dwellers enter our domain, but all seemed more relieved at being here than anything else. You are the first to come to me, and I am not adept at the gentler parts of life. You should have gone to someone else. You deserve better than me.” Wrapping me in his arms, he gently caressed my hair.

I closed my eyes, leaning into his touch. As frustrated, scared, and upset as I was, just being with him helped. My tears slowed, the anguish wasn’t so much to bear.

“You have to meet with our king and the priest. They have been demanding your presence, but I refused to let anyone see you in your previous state. The thought of others seeing your natural form causes a reaction in me that I do not wholly understand, but am not willing to examine or accept.” His jaw and arms were tight as he told me this, as if he were holding onto his anger and jealousy by a thread. I had to admire him in his indignation and was flattered that a complete stranger should have even an ounce of concern about my nudity. I leaned into his chest, his arms relaxing into a gentle embrace. We both sighed. “It is not all bad here. While you did not choose to arrive, I cannot in all honestly say I am disappointed at having you here.” I smiled into his chest.

“Thank you, Raif, for being kind.” I could feel his whole body melt in my arms. I wasn’t sure if it was me, or the electric current zipping through, but surely no one could stay tense with that much stimulation. Just hugging him made me forget everything else in my life. I’d never dreamed that I could love someone so much in such a short time.

Wait.

No.

I don’t love him.

I’ve only known him for an hour! This isn’t possible. I can believe that I died, I can even believe in the existence of a mythical island, but this?

No way.

I pulled away before he noticed I was shaking.

“Raif, tell me about Atlantis. If I am going to be stuck here, I’d like to at least know a little about it.” I was amazed that my voice hid the trembling I still felt in my limbs. I prayed that whatever was happening to me was just an after effect of dying, or almost dying, or whatever had happened. I prayed fervently that I’d be able to leave this place and return to Katie and Ash where I at least understood my life. I couldn’t live without them, and a portion of my heart was starting to believe that I wouldn’t be able to live without this man I barely knew. I desperately needed a distraction.

“What would you care to know?” Raif’s voice was barely above a whisper, and it was quavering so badly I knew he was having just as much difficulty as I was. A distraction would be good for both of us.

“Anything, everything. How did it come about? What’s your culture like? Why’d you sink? Where were you located? I want to know it all.” I was pacing his room, slowly distancing myself from him because my entire being wanted to fling myself into his arms and never let go. What was wrong with me? Maybe when I met with the priests they’d tell me that this was some weird Atlantean bond and that when I left, it would too.

“I will tell you the story that is passed down from generation to generation in my family. Our origin is a rather long story, and barring no interruptions, should last as we walk toward the castle. I cannot delay your introductions any further, or I will face the king’s wrath. Would that be sufficient for you?” He was so animated, mesmerizing really. I found myself leaning against his plush bed just watching him talk. Every nuance was displayed on his face, his whole body shared in his frustration and love for his homeland. I’d never seen someone so open, so vulnerable, and innocent.

“Okay. Let’s go.”

I was very careful not to touch him as we left his house. I wasn’t sure what would happen anymore. It felt like every time I made contact with him, my heart left to meld with his. Even after just a few casual touches, I felt bereft without him. Emotions I’d never felt before clutched my heart into a vise that was nearly debilitating in its pain. I clenched my hands into fists by my sides in direct violation of their deepest desire.

He destroyed all my good intentions when we walked out the door and his hand found my clenched fist and molded itself perfectly to me. We both immediately relaxed. He looked down at our hands in shock.

“Forgive me. I am unsure what has come over me. I did not mean to take liberties.” He moved to let go of me and I held on tighter.

“Raif, please. It’s harmless. I think we both feel better touching, even though I don’t understand why. I need to feel better right now though, so please, just hold my hand.” If he knew what it cost me to admit to needing another person’s comfort, he never showed it. He was distracting me from my first glimpse of an island that before today I thought was only a myth told to give hope to those who lived in oppression.

This place brought out hushed tones; it was a place of refuge and respect. It was more pure than any cathedral I’d ever stepped foot in and more beautiful than any garden found on any magazine cover. It quite literally took my breath away with its splendor.

A stone path led away from Raif’s house. The stones were a deep russet, and I’d never seen any like them before. They were multifaceted like a ruby, and led to a road of packed dirt. From there, I saw two more red stone paths meandering away, but couldn’t see where they led, or much else past the solid dirt road as massive trees blocked most of my view. They towered higher than any skyscraper I’d seen at home; the tops lost in the cloud cover. There were big, white, fluffy clouds scattered throughout the blue sky, almost completely hiding the shimmer of something beyond.

“Wow.” My exclamation was hushed, more of an exhalation of breath at the natural serenity. “It’s even more beautiful than I could have dreamed about. Raif, how do you live in such beauty and not weep for its perfection? Is everything as amazing as you in this place?” I’d stopped to take everything in, blushing as I realized what I’d said and how I’d said it.

I tugged at his hand to continue walking, hoping he wouldn’t notice the color in my cheeks. The red stone felt spongy, and I moved closer to the edge to inspect the flowers. In the middle of a massive forest that seemed to be immaculately tended, there were flowers and foliage taller than me. I was certain they had to be fake. The blooms were as big as my head and when I leaned in to smell them, the fragrance was intoxicating. The purity and beauty of the forest brought tears to my eyes.

Something moved in my peripheral and I clenched tighter to Raif’s arm. A small herd of deer with large, moose-like antlers were starting to drive their young across our path into Raif’s yard, where there were herds more each nibbling on the grass next to his home.

He lived in the middle of a naturally forming forest field. I’d seen them before when I’d taken Ashlyn hiking in the mountains. But none were as large as the space he occupied. I was following Raif, trailing slightly behind but still holding his hand. There were rabbits and all sorts of wildlife meandering through the field, unbothered by our presence. Butterflies of all colors flitted from flower to flower. They flew off in a cloud of rainbow wings to find another place to rest, changing the color and design of the flower completely without their multicolored wings to distract the eye.

The path we were on was hidden in shade from the trees, and it was very cool. I couldn’t believe the colors and the wildlife that were milling about in this small area. Raif had to tug my hand a few times to get me moving away from my visual exploration of this small field and the forest beyond.

“You wanted our story, Natasha, but perhaps we should start with a geography lesson first?” He was smirking at me, his teal eyes dancing with barely restrained laughter.

I laughed, the sound echoing off the trees. The animals looked up, but none seemed concerned about my expression of joy. Raif laughed too, and it was like music to my soul. His bass chuckle blended perfectly with my higher pitched one.

“That’d be wonderful, Raif. This is unlike any place I’ve ever seen before. It’s unlike anything I’ve even dreamed of. You have a beautiful home.”

“Come, I will explain while we walk. You still must meet with the king and the priests. Atlantis was formed with the rest of the world, millennia ago. My descendants lived on the surface with you. Over eleven thousand years ago, there was a war, and we were thrust into the ocean. It is understandable that your people have reduced us to myth, when I am certain that many things of that time were thrust into legend. That is the story we will discuss later, now is just geography.” I listened in amazement as we walked along, hand-in-hand. His words weren’t quite able to distract me from the beauty surrounding us, rather they enhanced everything, his deep bass tones soothing and exciting me at the same.

“The world was created; each part was equally distributed to different gods. They did not quarrel amongst themselves at which section they received, instead they took their part and molded it into a land that they were pleased with. Poseidon was allotted with Atlantis. It was just a hunk of mountainous land when he started with it, the tallest of peaks being at the center of the island. It was at the base of this mountain that Poseidon created his temple and the main palace. It is the heart of Atlantis. He divided the rest of the land into rings with four floating sentries. The land of Atlantis is extremely fertile; anything that is planted and tended will grow here without difficulty thanks to Poseidon. He gathered all types of the differing animals that were ever created, and brought them to Atlantis to thrive. Poseidon loves variety, and created a land where all could live and thrive. He divided his central island, the only island actually called Atlantis, to be set apart from the rest. It is only accessible from a bridge that was created, with Poseidon’s blessing, by his people.

“The second island rings the center and is called Melic. It holds the king’s first uncle who is second in line to the throne. The island was originally divided in half for the different princes to rule, however this changed after we sank. It is only ruled by one now. There is a hearty bunch of both people and wildlife that thrive upon that island ring. It is a harsher land, though, as it is almost completely mountainous.

“Wait, how can it be both harsh and fertile? That seems impossible,” I interrupted. The ground had shifted once we left the beautiful haven of his home, the red rock giving way to a pale path interspersed with the first normal thing I’d seen since I’d arrived—dull, gray stone.

“The land was divided by the brothers, however the land itself is not equally divided. We will walk through the only inhabited portion—the plain—on our way to the heart of Atlantis. Our people used to inhabit the rough mountains, but after we sank, we as a people changed.” He paused as in reflection, or to remember where he was in his lesson, I couldn’t tell. His expressive face held a mask of indifference I wasn’t used to. Not that I’d had a particularly long time to become used to him, or that I ever would, but it struck me as a bit odd.

“The two rivers that surround Melic on either side of the ring help with the defense of the main island. There are two castles on Melic, one in the plains and one in the mountains. The mountains are a mixture of a steep, rocky terrain and a vast forest spreading like a blanket upon the hills. It is truly a dark beauty. There are three land bridges connecting Melic to Sumner, the third island and the one we are currently on, however two of the three bridges have not been in use for centuries.”

He paused in his telling. The ground had shifted again, the stone becoming packed dirt that had clearly been walked on frequently. The dirt path jutted out toward another land mass. This was one of the bridges he was talking about. It wasn’t a bridge in the sense I was used to, but an arched land mass that connected the two island rings together.

“How does this happen?” I asked.

“We built the bridge from two solid, interlocking pieces of orichalcum. We then covered it with soil and let nature resume her growth. Sumner is mostly a forested land. Interspersed throughout the forest are pockets of fields that some have used to create their housing, as you saw with mine. It was also originally divided for three princes, but it too diminished in its ruling after the war. Currently, Poseidon’s second child’s son, who is the third in line for the throne, rules Sumner. He tends to the forest and makes sure the herds that are to be provisionary to our survival, remain thriving. All types of creatures live on this island, as we are the easiest island to maintain. It is a mostly flat land that is easy to cultivate and farm. I think it is even better than that of the mainland, as it only has a few mountains.” His voice held a note of pride that caused me to smile.

“The last ring is not really a ring of land, but four small islands set at the compass points. The northern one is called Rotsem and it is a tropical forested land with little fields that contain a variety of life. The eastern island faces the dry mountainous area of Melic and is called Horindu. It is a very dry, volcanic land that does not thrive with water. The southern island houses fields of flowers; it hosts the last remainder of our fertile plain and is called Diampri. The final island is in the west and is called Azazeil. It is a forested land with a natural occurring fountain of spring water in the center. Only on the main island of Atlantis does this fountain occur again.”

How Raif thought I’d be able to focus on anything besides him was beyond me. We walked over the bridge just as he was speaking about it. What he didn’t say was that it was the width of two semis stretched end to end, and nearly three times that in length. We didn’t cross paths with anyone, but did make room on occasion for a pack of elephants to pass. Not once did I see signs of transportation other than by foot, nor did I really see a need; however, I’d been anticipating flying cars zipping by using banana peels for fuel. I’d always heard stories of how technologically advanced Atlanteans were. I was also very humbled to be able to walk in a land that had been under miles of ocean for thousands of years.

Before too long, we had made our way across the island of Melic, and were finally on the mainland of Atlantis. The mountain in the center was huge. It started almost as soon as we crossed the bridge and went up. The peak was hidden beyond the clouds that circled. The climb was surprisingly casual as we walked toward the temple and palace beyond. They were both nestled closer to the base of the mountain, but high enough that they overlooked the land below. The buildings were made of marble, silver, gold, and that same reddish material of the path.

“Raif, what is that red stone, and why is it only in a few spots? It’s beautiful.” I pointed to the path that we were on, as well as the two buildings that we could see in the distance.

“It is called orichalcum. It is a rare metal only found in abundance here. It is meant to designate the royal houses. The only roads it can be used on lead to the princes’ homes, or in this case, to the king’s castle and Poseidon’s temple. It is only to be used in the building of any further temples to Poseidon, or the king’s living quarters. Even the princes are forbidden to use it in their homes. It is nice looking, however I am partial to the opal. I love its softness, and the colors that can be found if it is cut properly.”

“Wait a second. That orichalcum was in the path that led to your house.” I stopped in my tracks.

“Yes. I am the third in line. The king’s future son will hopefully replace him. If he does not produce an heir, my uncle will take the throne. There are two ahead of me before I even risk that torture. I tend to my lands, and make sure my people are cared for. I have no desire to be king.” He spoke casually as he continued on. I hurried to catch up and hold his hand.

“You’re a prince…a freaking royal. I’d never have guessed that you’d be royalty. You’re so kind and generous I just thought you were a normal person. Well, not normal, wonderful, amazing and freaking perfect are better descriptors than normal, but you understand what I mean, right?” Thankfully we had just arrived at the palace, and I took advantage of our surroundings to distract him from my babbling admiration. “How can we see the sunset this far underwater?” I asked as I caught sight of the brilliant colors.

“It is one of the mysteries of Poseidon. There are still seasons. The sun, the moon, and weather patterns occur as naturally here as they do on the surface. Time is sometimes skewed from your world to ours, according to Poseidon’s mood, but our days still match the length of yours. The protective dome that encircles us is the biggest mystery. We must have complete faith and trust in Poseidon that it remains intact to protect us from sudden and instant death. We also do not fully understand how Surface Dwellers arrive here. I will explain the things we do know after out meeting with King Nereus.” He drew my attention from the impossible sight of the setting sun to the simple, yet elegant castle in front of me. It was gently tucked into the mountain with a small moat surrounding it. A stout bridge led the way into the castle, and the road we were on meandered around and higher up the mountain.

I held Raif’s hand like a lifeline as we walked into the building. On either side of the drawbridge, imbedded into the castle were two statues: one a striking man with a trident, the other a woman of such beauty she took my breath away.

“Raif, who’s that?” I whispered. “I mean, that man is clearly Poseidon, but I’ve never heard of a woman associated with him.” He chuckled; the base sounds reverberated and made my whole body shiver in carnal response.

“You are an inquisitive woman, Lady Natasha. It is a statue of Cleito, and if you would be patient, I would tell you the tale of how we came to be here, as well as our origins, to which Cleito plays in integral part. You will discover in due time that she is Poseidon’s amada, and the reason we are here.”

I had so many questions, but the look on his face told me I’d have to wait for him to reveal anything else of his history. I wanted to hear him speak of his home and history more than I wanted to meet the Council and the king, but it didn’t appear I had much of a choice. I trusted Raif instinctively to protect me during this meeting, but I was still nervous. It was terrifying to realize that I could give this stranger my absolute trust without a second thought. All I wanted at this moment was to go home with him and listen as he talked. I also found it unsettling to realize that home to me was starting to become anywhere he was. Even with my unsettled nerves I was more at peace with him than I’d ever been in my entire life. Instinctively I knew that here, miles below the ocean, with a man I hardly knew, I would always be safe, protected, and loved beyond measure.