When Calista arrived at the villa, Evadne was waiting for her, having no doubt been alerted by messenger. Calista’s escorts were dismissed but not before they warned Evadne, “By the order of the Waveguide, the girl is not to leave your home.”
“Yes,” she replied irritably, bundling Calista into the house.
Once inside, Calista realized that Evadne’s features were set in a way which uncannily resembled Olympia at her most irritated. Calista felt the familiar drop in her stomach in response to the prospective telling-off.
As Evadne took Calista to her room, she chided sternly, “You could not have held your tongue for Thetis? You could not have smiled meekly and accepted it? There are times to speak and then there are times to remain silent. You must learn this.”
In spite of everything, the uncanny resemblance to Olympia, although Evadne was as fair as Olympia was dark, brought a smile to Calista’s face. After they entered her room, Evadne pulled a key from the folds of her robe. Seeing the direction of Calista’s gaze, Evadne apologized, “I’m afraid that I am under strict direction to keep you locked in your rooms if you are left alone.”
“Stay with me a while then.” Calista did not know if she or Evadne was more surprised at the invitation but a distinct guilt welled up in Calista at the soft, unadulterated pleasure on Evadne’s face.
“Of course, dear.” She gracefully flowed onto the couch. Less elegantly, Calista lowered herself beside her.
In Evadne’s face, Calista searched for similarities to herself, as she had done so long ago with Olympia. She had Evadne’s sun-colored hair and water-hued eyes, but she knew the bite in her wit and the sharpness of her mind were all the product of careful molding under Olympia’s hands.
Whatever the differences Calista discerned, Evadne still possessed an undeniable mother’s intuition and immediately sensed the question in Calista’s mind. “What is it, child?” she asked, stroking Calista’s cheek tentatively, as if wary of rebuke.
“Why did you send me away?” The question was unexpectedly hard for Calista to articulate and she was surprised to discover how much she cared to discover the answer.
Evadne turned her head away, resting her chin on her shoulder for a moment. “Nymphs…are meant to be pliant and yielding, without two thoughts to rub together. I told you just now about smiling meekly and being accepting, yet I was not always so wise. I once rushed into confrontations as you did, with my intentions apparent for all to see. And that is how I lost you.
“I was once great friends with Melba, and we were united in our pursuit for changes. We wished to be no longer mistresses of Neptune, residents of Atlantis. Melba and I wanted more liberty in our lives, to open the scope beyond being Neptune’s playthings. Our children by gods become gods, yet we remain immortal and indolent.
“Melba and I were leaders of a dissatisfied group. At my insistence, we challenged Neptune and Thetis. Our cause was beginning to gain popularity and Neptune and Thetis started to feel threatened. Nymphs comprise a significant portion of the population of Atlantis, you see.
“Soon after, an oracle prophesied that you, my daughter, and Melba’s were the keys to Atlantis’ salvation and had to be sent Above. Most believed the veracity of the oracle—after all, who would violate the sanctity of a prophet? Yet, both Melba and I knew what it was: a tactic to scare us into silence. We both had other children whom we knew could also be taken away. It divided us. Melba never forgave me for urging to publicly pursue the matter. They say you two were sent Above to save Atlantis. That’s a lie. You were sent to silence, warn, and divide your mothers. When it comes to the integrity of Atlantis, Thetis is single-minded and Neptune more than willing to help her,” she finished bitterly.
The shock Calista felt was akin to what she had experienced when she saw Olympia pull out a kitchen knife and attack the assailant in the garret. “But you are so…affectionate with him?” she blurted.
“I do what I must to protect mine,” she whispered, her eyes deepened to a bright indigo. “I know you do not love me, that you wish to return to what you feel is your real family, but we can make a family here too. Another one. You, me, and Philyra. We would love you; we have loved you for all the years you have been gone. I would do anything for you and your sister.”
Calista’s throat tightened and something in her soul seemed to click with Evadne at last, as if memories of the year she had spent in the nymph’s arms and the love she had been given were flooding back to her. Instinctively, she embraced Evadne, burying her face in her mother’s perfumed neck.