“All is as if the world did cease to exist. The city's monuments go unseen, its past unheard, and its culture slowly fading in the dismal sea.” - Nathan Reese Maher
This is the finale of a series about a boy who was left on a deserted island by a goddess named Gelea. Didn't read it? I'll catch you up! The boy is the bastard son of her husband Favian, whom she has seven daughters with. Afraid that he will steal her daughter's birthright, she goes to kill him, but cannot bring herself to. It has now been ten years since she trapped him on a remote Island, her husband has left her alone with her guilt, believing his only son to be dead.
Gelea cannot help but to watch the boy from a distance, tortured by layers of history that have led up to this awful deed. One day she is watching Boy, when someone washes up on his island- it's her sister Aoina! They haven't spoken in twenty years, what is she doing there? As boy leaves Aoina unattended to dry off and recover, seemingly dazed, Gelea watches from above.
His breath smells like spring blooms to Aoina as she pulls away from the kiss, "Share my bed with me tonight." Favian breathes into the crook of her neck, making her shudder. His hands grip her hips, pulling her body close. She feels her desire siphon into a jar in her pocket, just a little more.
"Not tonight" she says breathlessly, "I am not ready." nor would she be any other night. To give herself to a man would mute her ability to scry, her decision had been made long ago. No, these sweet exchanges served a higher purpose than fleeting pleasure, and she knew that was the best Favian had to offer. Soon his eyes would drift from her, she needed to finish the jar first.
Each Neophyte in her coven was given a task before they graduated into the ranks of the initiates. Creul in nature, they were designed to result in failure, Aoina's was particularly absurd. Her task was to drain the promiscuous nature from anyone of her choosing. Her childhood friend Favian seemed the obvious choice, as his playboy nature was a constant source of strife in his life.
As old memories play in her head, Aoina wanders around the small orchard, admiring the health of Boy's plants. Soon after that, events had compiled into a mess that had broken the bond between her and Gelea... ending in a bitter dispute, they had not spoken since.
She feels that the period of silence would soon come to a close however, as Gelea's presence resonates from above. She had been there for hours, surely she would appear soon.
For the first time in perhaps a decade, Aoina remembers how Gelea had ruined her task. One afternoon she stumbled upon her sister rolling passionately in the grass, Favian's body beginning where hers ended. She had been maybe a day away from siphoning the last of his insatiable nature from him, earning her a valuable spell component to present in victory to the coven.
The irony that had she completed this, she would be joyful to see them together, was lost in the rage of being thrown back to square one in her endeavor. She did not feel anything for Favian, she knew him too well to have a romantic inclination. It was a disappointment to find Gelea with him, as she was well aware they were involved... but the anger came from failing her task.
Aoina knew in hindsight that had she communicated her feelings calmly, their history would be entirely different, but in the moment Gelea's ego made it impossible. She gloated that Aoina was jealous of her, unaware of the sadness her prize would bring her. Favian would never belong to Gelea, nor any other woman. Aoina knew that, yet no empathy was left for her sister.
A bitter exchange of jabs was issued from each side after that, conflating into an all out war. One day, Aoina entered her room to find her altar smashed to bits, Gelea smoking in the seat by the hearth. "From this day forth, may you find each heir you are blessed with, to be a mirror of you." Aoina's voice goes deep, rumbling the ground. "May your daughters humble you!"
It mattered not to Gelea, who watches her sister from above, that Aoina did not mean to curse her. The grim reality of words spoken in a wave of aggression had shoved the women apart twenty years ago. Aoina disappearing... until now.
Gelea drifts down into the clearing to face her sister, "I was wondering when you would come down here." Aoina's voice is icy, as she faces Gelea with squared shoulders. "Favian's son is here somewhere, did you think no one would ever find out?" her eyes are unwavering, "You've made quite a bad series of choices, sister." the last word is said in a mocking tone.
"What does it matter to you, that this boy has an island home?" Gelea deflects. "Just because Favian picked me over you, didn't mean you had to DESTROY my marriage!" her face flushes, matching the red tones of her hair. She leans in close to Aoina, hot breath hitting her face.
"What exactly do you want, Aoina?" she hisses, "Do you mean to use the boy against me?" there is an inferno in Gelea's eyes. The laughter is high pitched, clearly manufactured, yet it hits the mark as it erupts from Aoina. She spins away from her sister, to walk the perimeter of the patch.
"If i did?" Aoina speaks softly, "What would you do about it Gelea?" there is something sickeningly sweet in her tone. "I was merciful in cursing you, you know I would win if there was to be a fight..." electricity crackles between them, as the sky darkens. A swift gale sweeps in to toss their hair about as they lock eyes. A bolt of lightning forms in Gelea's palm.
"Do it bitch!" Aoina cackles wildily, the air around her swirling, sending bits of rock and leaves into a loop around her. She twists a delicate hand towards the ground, pulling a small tornado up into existence. With a pointed finger, she makes it dance back and forth between them.
Gelea is shaking as she says, "I'd rather die than spend the rest of my life getting screwed over by you! Favian didn't even LIKE you!" she tosses the bolt of lightning futilely. Aoina raises her tornado to meet it, the electricity crackling around the vortex. "And I didn't like him!" her eyes are daggers.
"Enough!" his voice is supported by confidence for the first time, "The two of you have a lot of explaining to do. Come." Boy gestures towards his hut, something in his stature compelling them.
He asks a lot of questions and gets a lot of terrible answers. He does have a family, he did have a life. Gelea stole them from him, and apparently Aoina knew the whole time. He stayed calm through this revelation, something in his responses intoxicated the women, who found themselves meek under his gaze. Dreamily, Gelea thought of how Favian always had that effect on people too...
Boy stared into the fire for a long time, "Do I have a name?" he finally asks, his somber face etched from the same stone as Adonis. The emotions of his words wash over the sisters, who find tears brimming in their eyes suddenly. "Your mother named you Ezra." Gelea mumbles weakly.
As a flood of emotions crashes over Boy, he becomes Ezra again. Except, he isn't the child that Gelea stole from his bed ten years ago, there is a power running through him that he does not recognize. He decides to test it, "Jump up and down." his voice is flat. The women spring from their seats to obey him, amusement dancing across his face.
Ezra has never been cruel, it hurts his heart to kill the fish he eats, his survival never became barbaric. Somehow, although Gelea had stolen his memories, he kept his character. In this moment, he feels himself slipping through his fingers. He wants to hurt Gelea.
"Give me my memories back." he doesn't recognize the authority in his own voice. The force of a hundred men tackling him hits, smashing his mind before reforming it. Images flood in painfully. Sports games, friends, school, and his mother; warm and loving.
As his awareness stretches over his rapidly expanding world view, small details fall into place. And he remembers... he wakes up on the beach, setting eyes on her for a brief moment. "Take care of yourself, boy." Gelea says, and he is all alone. He understands suddenly how evil her deeds are. Seething, he makes his mind up. He turns to the ladies and fully steps into his power.
"You foolish woman. In your haste to insure I would not be a threat; you have made me one." The gorgeously defined lines of his face become terrible, "And you, Aoina... you knew the whole time..." he sucks the air through his teeth slowly. "The two of you seem to have a lot of baggage to work through," the corner of his mouth tilts up, "You will share this Island until the end of your days, I hope it is enough time to resolve your differences." his eyes glint in the glow of the fire.
"Teleport me to my Mother." he says, and everything in Gelea wants to disobey. She feels her desire to beg, to fight against her imprisonment. Aoina cannot break away either, she is bound by the magic of this child who grew into a man before her eyes. As he swirls away in a cloud of mist, he winks at them, and he is gone.
I hope you have enjoyed the conclusion of my series, which started off as a standalone story. When a number of people expressed sadness at my original ending, and a few asked for a continuation, I got to writing! I am always willing to take requests 💚😁