“The Dragon Bind!” The woman spoke in a joyful alto. “So lovely to meet you, Layla Price!”
“Layla, may I present my half-sister Leniana Morregain, Clan Fourth and my mother’s only daughter.” Reginald spoke, though he was smiling as if pleased his half-sister had come to greet Layla.
“Call me Leni, I insist.” The woman beamed, squeezing Layla’s hands like a sister, her cobalt eyes kind. “I wouldn’t have it any other way for Reginald’s darling mate.”
Stunned, Layla realized this woman was the scientist Adrian had sent her here to meet, and enjoying Leni’s presence tremendously, Layla smiled wide. “Good to meet you, too. But I thought Reginald had only brothers?”
“Only brothers from our parents together,” Vindaris interrupted helpfully as Leni and Layla made acquaintance. “Leni is our mother’s child, but Siren birth-lines follow a mated pair.”
“My father was an Arctic Siren,” Leni smiled genially at Layla. “I wasn’t Léviathan’s child, so I’m not considered legitimate to the royal mates, though I am considered part of the extended royal family. It’s common for Sirens to stray from their mated pairs; Léviathan had his share of trysts over the centuries and my mother had hers, with plenty of illegitimate children along the way. But I was raised with the legitimate siblings because of my power. Reginald and I grew up together; I’m six years his elder, and just a year older than Vindaris.”
As if called back into the conversation, Vindaris stepped forward, indicating a path of stones that wound up from the landing strip to the soaring citadel. “Come. Leaving a Royal Dragon Bind standing on our doorstep is poor form, and I would never have it be said that the North Sea Sirens treat their guests like paupers. Let us go up to the palace. Everyone is excited to meet Reginald’s new mate, and I for one, can’t wait to hear everything about you, Layla.”
With a pleasant grin, Vindaris beckoned. But nodding to Layla in a gesture that was almost a bow, Atlantos led the way, followed by Typhos and then Vindaris. Leni hung back with Reginald and Layla. Still tucked to Reginald’s side, Layla inhaled a deep breath before she set out, preparing herself for anything in the domain of her Royal Siren’s family.
Pausing, she suddenly wondered if it had been a bad move to come here. But reaching out, Leni smiled as she gave Layla’s hand a reassuring squeeze. Leni’s presence was bright and kind as she held Layla’s hand. And even as Layla fretted, she felt a soothing wash of tides from Reginald, bolstering her as he held her close. Reginald was here, he was strong, and he could protect Layla from anything his family might throw at her. Plus, it was clear he had allies inside his family, certainly his powerful half-sister and probably also the beaming Vindaris.
Taking a deep breath, Layla set out, heading up to the palace of the North Sea Sirens.
Readying herself to face Reginald’s family at last.
CHAPTER 4 – DEEP
Layla didn’t know what she expected, arriving at the clan-home of the North Sea Sirens. But what she got as she ascended the pearl and crushed-shell path was astonishing. The clan-home of the most powerful Sirens in the world looked like what one might expect had a Dragon who was like a Mermaid built themselves a palace. Like someone had plucked Rivendell out of Lord of the Rings and done it all in sea themes, the entire island with its grassy bluffs and plunging white cliffs was devoured by the towering Siren city. Soaring minarets twisted to the sky amidst white domes and ornate colonnaded walkways – all of it sculpted from bright pearls and shells, branching corals, twisting driftwood, and spreading seaweeds.
And living water.
Arriving at a broad veranda of abalone curling with rivers of pearls to walk upon, Layla saw an enormous fountain cascading down the wall of the palace. But the water didn’t just cascade down the wall, itwasthe wall, Layla realized as she stared at it in wonder. See-through, the water had been enchanted to form arched ingresses like the Waterfall Grotto at the Paris Hotel, and Layla suddenly realized Sirens’ arts had created that place as she took in the incredible architecture here.
All of it, alive like the sea.
Sculpted of water, coral, and more pearls than a blue whale could swallow, the waterfall walls of the citadel twisted up to driftwood and pearl balconies above, leading to more tiers and turrets of water and coral marching up the white cliffs. Walkways of abalone washed up to pearl-encrusted balconies of driftwood, shining with a glossy lacquer that made the wood dazzle under the high-north clouds and sun. Pearl-inlaid driftwood arches rose into balustrades and supports for higher tiers, sculpted in twisted, flowing waves like the sea had washed every arch and turret into being. Glossy corals in bright blues and yellows, reds and purples had been grown to form vaulted halls and ingresses, rich with pearls in pink and grey, white, storm-purple, even black. Walls undulated like the sea, sculpted from massive purple and pink kelps, all of it flowing with water.
Gold accents shone everywhere, catching the sunlight in the water’s flow and dazzling the eye. Whirling above, sea-birds dove into the waterfall walls and domes, plucking out snails, fish, crustaceans, and anemone. With a blink, Layla realized the Siren palace was actually a living ecosystem, the whole wealth of the sea hiding in its corals and watery architecture. It was a sea-citadel made upon land – and as Layla gaped at it, admiring the incredible work of the Sirens, she felt Reginald’s pleasure curl around her like a deep tide.
“My god! You grew up here?” Layla blinked, turning to him with astonishment.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Reginald spoke reverently, as if taking it in through Layla’s eyes. Gazing upon the living citadel marching up the cliffs, he gave a wistful smile. “Deep Harbor is considered one of the Ten Wonders of the Twilight Realm. What you see is only a third of it. It delves far under the island, coring into the North Sea to where the currents run black and cold. One passage even runs to the bottom of the Norwegian Trench. Sirens who spend time in their Dragon-form live in the Under Harbor. What you see here is called the Over Harbor.”
“Damn.” Layla cursed, then blushed as Reginald’s brothers glanced to her. But though Typhos frowned, the others smiled, Leni giving a bright laugh. Beckoning them on through the ornate arch, Atlantos led them in to the citadel. Proceeding upon Reginald’s arm, Layla felt the spring wind drop to a balmy, pleasant space as they walked beneath the arch, as if the citadel was protected from the elements by magic. Fountains of living coral and twisted driftwood inset with pearls burbled everywhere, fish of temperate and tropical varieties swimming in streams that ran through the abalone and pearl floor. Anemone and sea urchins of numerous colors blossomed in a cascade over one waterfall wall, creating indescribably elegant modern art that moved with live hermit crabs and snails.
The hall was clearly a meet-and-greet hub, containing sumptuously decorated niches of silk and driftwood-pearl chaises. All around, Sirens relaxed and read, worked on laptops and tablets, or had coffee and alcohol, chatting at pearl gaming-tables. Beyond a fountain-wall of red and yellow coral, Layla saw a sprawling restaurant with waiters in crisp modern attire and booths of driftwood-pearl looking out over the cliffs.
But as Layla entered the hall on Reginald’s arm, talk ceased, every pair of eyes turning to them with interest. Clearly, Reginald was as much a celebrity here as he was at the Red Letter Hotel, and moving forward, he escorted Layla through the hall with impeccable grace. Though he acknowledged no one, Layla saw a number of people bow their heads and keep their eyes down as Reginald and his siblings passed.
Though those eyes snuck up to watch Layla, curiosity in their cunning gazes.
As much as the North Sea Sirens were curious about her, Layla was curious about them. All around, Sirens wore a variety of elegant, modern couture. Silk and pearls were in vogue, clinging gowns and well-cut vests and trousers that would have made Versace weep. Men and women both sported ornate pearl talismans at their wrists or throats, curling up their ears, or braided into their hair. Though all were graceful like Reginald and his siblings, most were dark-haired like Leni and Typhos, or white-blond like Vindaris. A few older Sirens had gone silver-grey like Atlantos, but as Layla glanced around, she saw no-one with Reginald’s bright gold hair – nor the same vicious brightness of his blue-grey and gold eyes.
But Reginald did not break his stride as he guided Layla up a coral staircase made of flowing water one could walk upon. The level above opened into a broad dome of cascading water through which one could watch the sky, this space surrounded by ferns, coastal berry bushes, and slick mosses growing right out of the walls. Real tide-pools crashed in this hall with their own waves flowing across the floor, yet as Layla moved across, she was not touched by the water. Like dancing upon the sea, the effect was astounding and disorienting as Reginald took them up yet another set of stairs to an upper gallery.
This next hall was vastly ornate, no seaweed or driftwood here. Entirely gilded in its high domes, everything was made of arching corals deeply inset with pearl and abalone. Living water rushed through the arches in intricate flows, and from the long hall branched a number of other halls and domes, each more ornate than the last. Layla realized they had come to an area meant for royalty as they passed stern-eyed guards dressed in pearl and gold armor, holding enormous tridents and wearing vicious Siren-Dragon helms.
At last, their group halted before a massive set of gilded double-doors inset with pearls and diamonds in a snarling Siren-Dragon crest with two crossed tridents. With a pounding of their tridents upon the floor, the guards flanking the doors announced their group’s arrival. With a flooding boom, the doors parted, revealing a long hall of living water and bright coral, vivid gold twisting up columns of pure pearl. Layla realized it was the Siren King’s throne hall, and something inside her clenched, PTSD hitting her from being admitted to the Crystal King Markus Ambrose’s throne hall back in February. Swallowing, Layla felt nauseous as her experiences in Prague came flooding back. She gripped Reginald’s arm and he glanced over, smoothing a hand over hers as he eased a calm wave of power through her.
“Easy, my Partner.” He spoke quietly, watching her. “Have no fear of my father the King. He is a stern man, but he isn’t like Markus Ambrose. I will keep you safe, I promise.”
As Layla and Reginald moved forward, followed by his siblings, the Siren royal court gathered all along the vast hall, staring with rapt attention and whispering. Though this situation was different from Prague, it felt so similar as Layla and Reginald moved forward, the Siren Court surrounding them like red-carpet royalty in their elegant couture. At the front of the hall curled an enormous sea-throne on a purple coral dais. Pearls and diamonds, living water, and red and purple corals had been woven into a towering throne that suggested the majesty and might of the ocean.
