“For all intents, Nana was my mother. I love her dearly, and because she is an Oracle, I have her back. I’m not lacking that bond. But I do want to meet the woman who gave birth to me. I want to know her, and perhaps one day grow close. But I don’t think I have expectations.” She shrugged. “Because if she’s a goddess, who knows? I don’t want to get my hopes up for something that may not turn out the way I want.”
“That is wise.”
“I try.”
We reached the top of the craggy hill and I spotted a small building made of honey colored stone. It faced the ocean, enjoying a view over the blue sea, but even from here, I could tell it was empty. “No one is there.”
She nodded. “I’m not surprised. They’re probably at the boat. Come on.”
She headed across the hill toward the slope on the other side. Her family lived on the farthest northwest point of the island, a piece of land so slim one could climb from the southern shore to the northern shore in less than an hour.
A storm hovered on the horizon over the sea. The wind blew it toward us, but it was still far away.
We started down the hill, and I caught sight of an old fishing boat pulled up on the rocks. It was roughly thirty feet long, and the blue paint was chipped in places. Other than that, the vessel was in fine repair. An older man worked on the deck, his white hair blowing in the wind. A woman about his age sat on the rocks nearby, perched on top of a bright woolen blanket spread with a picnic feast.
Seraphia stopped dead, staring at them.
“Are you all right?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“You don’t seem all right. You stopped in your tracks like you’d seen a ghost.”
“I haven’t seen them in so long.” She shook her head. “I spoke to them briefly once a few months ago, but Nana warned me not to spend time with them. That it was dangerous to all of us. And now I’m allowed to… I just don’t know. It’s been so long since I’ve been able to speak to family.”
“I am sorry for the sadness you feel.” Were those the correct words to say? I hoped so. I wanted to ease her pain, though the how of it perplexed me.
She looked up at me, her eyes glinting with the faintest tears. “Thanks.”
I stared at her a moment longer, waiting to see if she would cry more. What would I do then?
She didn’t, thank fates, and I nodded. “Whenever you are ready, then.”
She drew in a steadying breath. “Let’s go.”
I nodded and followed her down, grateful that I’d passed that gauntlet of emotion by saying the correct thing.
As we neared the shoreline, the old woman turned to us. She wore the simple dark clothes of a fisherman’s wife, and her face was lined from the sun. Her expression brightened when she saw Seraphia, and a brilliant smile broke out over her face.
She stood and shouted to her husband. “Stavros! Stavros! Seraphia is back!”
The old man looked up, and an identical smile spread across his weathered face. He hurried off the boat, joining his wife.
I could feel Seraphia’s tension. I’d give half my kingdom to make it go away. Instead, I was useless to her. This was her strange battle to fight, and I would never understand what it was to have family you wanted to see.
Seraphia
I stared at my aunt and uncle, a riot of emotions seething through me. Last time I’d seen them, I’d cut off all my feelings. We’d needed their help badly enough that I’d come here, but I hadn’t stayed to talk.
Now, I was supposed to talk to them.
Excitement thrummed through me.
The last time I’d really done that, I’d been a small child. Four or five at the oldest. I had sweet memories of them—of the honey treats that Aunt Aurelia would give me and time spent on the boat with Uncle Stavros.
Now, I stood only ten feet from them. The cerulean sea sparkled behind them, turning silver as the sun began to set and casting the most beautiful backdrop. A storm hovered on the horizon, nearing us, and the clouds were lit up with the pinks and oranges of the sunset.
“Seraphia. Have you come home?” Hope echoed in my aunt’s voice, and tears