That trip was one of Eurekas fondest memories. The driver had started in L.A., in one of those homes-of-the-stars tour buses. There were brochures in the seat pockets with maps of the Hollywood Hills. He picked up hitchers across the country, until all the seats were filled. They spent the trip squinting into the rolling hills of Tennessee, pretending to see movie stars hiding behind poplar trees. It was another thing Atlas couldnt have known without Brooks.
Esme flicked an amethyst whip against Peggys wing. The beast banked west. They were flying over water now. All land had disappeared.
You dont want to hear this, Brooks said, but I learned things from Atlas.
Like what?
The story of Atlantis is the longest cliff-hanger in history, but someone will finish it. As his voice trailed off in the rain, Eureka thought of Selenes words in The Book of Love:
Where well end well, who can know the ending until they have written the last word? Everything might change in the last word.
It was Selenes life story, but everyone talked about their life as if it were a story: leaving out the boring parts, exaggerating the interesting sections, crafting a tale as if everything had inevitably led to this very moment on this very day, saying these very words.
Somehow, Eureka would finish this story. Future tellers of the tale could embellish what they wanted, but no Tearline girl would enter the scene after she exited. Delphine was alpha; Eureka was omega.
It was nearly dawn, the end of another sleepless night, five days until the full moon. Thunder cracked. Peggy raised her wings. Eureka couldnt see the gossipwitches faces, but she could hear their jubilation and see where their leaping feet touched down on the wings.
Were getting close. Brooks leaned over Peggy and gazed at the surging ocean waves.
Eureka didnt recognize the white-tipped water; it looked nothing like the oceans shed sailed, swum, flown over in planes, or navigated from within her thunderstone.
In the distance, waves thrashed the shores of a desolate strip of marshland coated in an undulating black sheet. Peggy neighed and dipped her head. She began her descent.
As they drew closer, Eureka saw that the black sheet was made of billions of brine flies that had claimed the marsh as their home.
Eureka touched her pendant. Its warmth was welcome now in the chilling rain. She imagined that Dianas scrawled Marais had become a cursive sparkle in the diamond. Could Atlantis lie beneath this undistinguished streak of mud?
Were nearly there, Brooks said. Atlas said. He turned his lips against her neck and whispered: Cry for me.
What?
Its the only way inside.
No
Still holding on to Moms advice? he asked, darkeningas he spoke. Wouldnt you say that ship has sailed? How does it feel to fail your dead mothers one request? How does it feel to fail the person who sacrificed her life in a war the world is really waging against you?
She couldnt let Atlas trick her. She had to trick him. But the third tear still had to fall. That was why shed come to the Marais. Atlantis had to rise so those shed killed would not be wasted dead. Their souls had to go into the Filling. After that, Eurekas and Atlass plans diverged. He thought the souls of her world would do his work, but she would find a way to set them free.
She felt for the pocket of her jeans. Her fingers traced the outline of the silver lachrymatory through the fabric. Solon had left it to her when he died. Hed known what she had to do. Eureka called on the bright strength of the ones shed left behind. She called on the darkness within her.
Youre a pretty good villain, Atlas.
He raised an eyebrow at the sound of his name, but he did not deny it. The game was over. Pretty good?
Everybody has a weakness.
And what is mine?
Navet, Eureka said. You dont know what every girl knows, from New Iberia to Vladivostok: we make the best bad guys. Guys never stand a chance.
Eureka unscrewed the lachrymatory and pitched it over Peggys wings. The orichalcum vial tumbled through a sea of clouds. Her tears poured out, glittering like diamonds. A swell of heat against her chest startled her. Her hand flew to the crystal teardrop and was burned.
Her throat tightened. Her chest heaved. She wasnt going to crybut she felt the way she had when she shed the tears the lachrymatory contained. She felt those same tears form again, as if every tear had a ghost that could return.
The ground shuddered so hard it made the air above it shudder, too. Peggy bucked and whinnied. And then:
The rain stopped.
Clouds stretched apart like cotton. Round rays of sun shone through. Eureka let them punch her shoulders, her lungs, and her heart, telling her brain to get happy.
We are home! the witches shrieked. Look!
The sun lit a long crack in the marsh below. The crack widened into a gorge and then, at its center, a small green dot appeared
And began to grow.
The tree stretched skyward first. Its trunk shot up like it had been launched from the core of the earth. Eureka heard its creaking groan, and more in both her ears. Birds singing, wind rustling, waves tumbling ashorea wall of rich, reverberating stereo.
I can hear again.
Of course, Atlas said. A wave of Atlantean origins took your hearing, now my kingdom restores it. There is yet more restoration in store.
Esme flicked an amethyst whip against Peggys wing. The beast banked west. They were flying over water now. All land had disappeared.
You dont want to hear this, Brooks said, but I learned things from Atlas.
Like what?
The story of Atlantis is the longest cliff-hanger in history, but someone will finish it. As his voice trailed off in the rain, Eureka thought of Selenes words in The Book of Love:
Where well end well, who can know the ending until they have written the last word? Everything might change in the last word.
It was Selenes life story, but everyone talked about their life as if it were a story: leaving out the boring parts, exaggerating the interesting sections, crafting a tale as if everything had inevitably led to this very moment on this very day, saying these very words.
Somehow, Eureka would finish this story. Future tellers of the tale could embellish what they wanted, but no Tearline girl would enter the scene after she exited. Delphine was alpha; Eureka was omega.
It was nearly dawn, the end of another sleepless night, five days until the full moon. Thunder cracked. Peggy raised her wings. Eureka couldnt see the gossipwitches faces, but she could hear their jubilation and see where their leaping feet touched down on the wings.
Were getting close. Brooks leaned over Peggy and gazed at the surging ocean waves.
Eureka didnt recognize the white-tipped water; it looked nothing like the oceans shed sailed, swum, flown over in planes, or navigated from within her thunderstone.
In the distance, waves thrashed the shores of a desolate strip of marshland coated in an undulating black sheet. Peggy neighed and dipped her head. She began her descent.
As they drew closer, Eureka saw that the black sheet was made of billions of brine flies that had claimed the marsh as their home.
Eureka touched her pendant. Its warmth was welcome now in the chilling rain. She imagined that Dianas scrawled Marais had become a cursive sparkle in the diamond. Could Atlantis lie beneath this undistinguished streak of mud?
Were nearly there, Brooks said. Atlas said. He turned his lips against her neck and whispered: Cry for me.
What?
Its the only way inside.
No
Still holding on to Moms advice? he asked, darkeningas he spoke. Wouldnt you say that ship has sailed? How does it feel to fail your dead mothers one request? How does it feel to fail the person who sacrificed her life in a war the world is really waging against you?
She couldnt let Atlas trick her. She had to trick him. But the third tear still had to fall. That was why shed come to the Marais. Atlantis had to rise so those shed killed would not be wasted dead. Their souls had to go into the Filling. After that, Eurekas and Atlass plans diverged. He thought the souls of her world would do his work, but she would find a way to set them free.
She felt for the pocket of her jeans. Her fingers traced the outline of the silver lachrymatory through the fabric. Solon had left it to her when he died. Hed known what she had to do. Eureka called on the bright strength of the ones shed left behind. She called on the darkness within her.
Youre a pretty good villain, Atlas.
He raised an eyebrow at the sound of his name, but he did not deny it. The game was over. Pretty good?
Everybody has a weakness.
And what is mine?
Navet, Eureka said. You dont know what every girl knows, from New Iberia to Vladivostok: we make the best bad guys. Guys never stand a chance.
Eureka unscrewed the lachrymatory and pitched it over Peggys wings. The orichalcum vial tumbled through a sea of clouds. Her tears poured out, glittering like diamonds. A swell of heat against her chest startled her. Her hand flew to the crystal teardrop and was burned.
Her throat tightened. Her chest heaved. She wasnt going to crybut she felt the way she had when she shed the tears the lachrymatory contained. She felt those same tears form again, as if every tear had a ghost that could return.
The ground shuddered so hard it made the air above it shudder, too. Peggy bucked and whinnied. And then:
The rain stopped.
Clouds stretched apart like cotton. Round rays of sun shone through. Eureka let them punch her shoulders, her lungs, and her heart, telling her brain to get happy.
We are home! the witches shrieked. Look!
The sun lit a long crack in the marsh below. The crack widened into a gorge and then, at its center, a small green dot appeared
And began to grow.
The tree stretched skyward first. Its trunk shot up like it had been launched from the core of the earth. Eureka heard its creaking groan, and more in both her ears. Birds singing, wind rustling, waves tumbling ashorea wall of rich, reverberating stereo.
I can hear again.
Of course, Atlas said. A wave of Atlantean origins took your hearing, now my kingdom restores it. There is yet more restoration in store.
