My body is stillvibrating with dread after our failed attempt to lure the shifter ship—where a female aboard had nearly jumped into the water because ofme. At least, Ithinkit was because of me. My song isn’t effective against males, but could it be with females? If so, has that always been the case or is it something…new.
“Try to remain calm, or mother will know something is up.” Lyre gives me a small squeeze of reassurance before letting go.
My lips purse as I stare at my sister. “She always seems to know anyway when I’m trying to hide something.”
“Well, she hasn’t figuredthisout yet,” she says firmly, looking out in the direction of Lumen. “Haveyoueven figured out what is going on?”
“No,” I say with a resigned groan. “I don’t know why I can’t be like everyone else. Why I’mcursedto not just be a siren but a terrible one.”
“Aria.” She says my name like a reprimand, but I know that she’s only worried about someone overhearing us.
“I am lucky to have you, Lyre,” I whisper, drawing my gaze up to meet her lavender one. “I don’t think I would still be alive if I didn’t.” Without Lyre, there would be no one for me to commiserate with. Though I haven’t told hereverything, like the fact that I’m only attracted to females or about my secret cave, all she would need to effectively end my life is to share the secret about my song with our mother.
Lyre is quiet before gesturing for us to continue swimming. We move past schools of orange and white striped fish and small pods of miniature manatees. The seamounts come into view up ahead, the dark jagged rock stark against the bright blue of the ocean.
“When I was the youngest siren, before you were born, it wastorturous.Allegra assumed her role as my personal tormentor right away. Sade had already joined the Queen’s Legion by then, so I think she was just bored. I may have been able to hide my emotions more quickly and easily than you, Aria, but I hadno oneelse to lean on. When Dyanna was born, I was so excited to have someone to interact with that wasn’t tainted by the brutality of our queendom yet.”
The longing in her voice causes my own to catch in my throat. She’s never told me before what it was like to watch Dyannagrow up and how she went from an impressionable young siren to an unfeeling female.
“Dyanna was so curious and sweet as an offspring. She loved learning and would lay completely still if you promised to read her a book. Mother saw that softness in her, even when she was so young, as weakness. So she tucked her under her wing and didn’t let go. That docile disposition quickly gave way to indifference and apathy. I had to keep pretending that I wasn’t watching the destruction of innocence right in front of me. I learned to act as if I was proud of her—like her transformation was one to beapplauded. And then you came.” She slows us down until we are floating in the water, hovering over the seamounts as she lowers her voice. “I protected you as much as I could, all in the hopes that you could preserve a part of yourself without their corruption. You are special, Aria. Not because you are my sister. Not because you are a princess of the Siren Queendom, but simply because you areyou. I would not change any part of who you are.”
She holds my hands in both of hers tightly.
“I know it is difficult to constantly hide, but just remember, you have one person who truly cares about you. No matter what the queen or Allegra make you do. No matter how you might beat yourself up about it afterwards. You aregoodandhumane.Don’t let those things get lost in the fray of everything else we have to pretend to be.”
Tears of understanding mix into the surrounding waters as I whisper, “You know about yesterday.”
My sister tightens her grip on me. “I’m sorry. It should have never happened again.” Swallowing is difficult as I struggle to put into words just how grateful I am for Lyre. HowluckyI am to have her as a confidant. She smiles at me before withdrawing her hands and turning to look in Lumen’s direction. “I need toget back and return my books before Dyanna has my head. Are you going to visit them?” She nods to the seamounts.
“Yes. The young sirens will probably want me to play games for a bit, and I could use the distraction. Mother says she has a mission for me. Do you have any idea what it might be?”
Lyre’s brows furrow together as she shakes her head. “I haven’t heard anything. Whatever it is, I’ll help you as much as I can.” Her eyes linger on mine as she smiles and then dips her chin, turning to swim back towards our home.
I watch her for a moment, willing her sweet words to replace the anxious ones in my mind. Once she is out of sight and I feel my heartbeat steady, I swim down to the base of the seamounts. I’m met with complete silence when I reach the bottom, the lack of sound sending a wave of unease up my spine. I try to peer inconspicuously into the homes that are carved there, but not a single crystal gleams with light within the dwellings, making the darkness and quiet ominous as I continue swimming.
“What are you doing here?” The familiar voice causes me to startle as I quickly look behind me to see Nia floating there. “You are no longer wanted here.”
“What?” I question, my surprise growing when I see colorful eyes catch the light of the sun streaming in from above. Dozens of sirens swim out from their hiding spots, their expressions ranging from apathy to pure disdain.
“Did you think after what happened yesterday that we wouldwantyou here again?” Nia’s voice is vicious and her anger palpable as she moves closer to me, her fingers bent and claws poised to strike.
“Nia, I’m sorry.”
She scoffs, her light blue eyes alight with fury. Her anger is not misplaced, I just wish there was more that I could do.
“You are aprincess, Aria. That holds weight. It holds value to the other sirens that blindly follow your royal family. If oneof you were to speak up, were to show others that there was a possibility of someone disagreeing withHer Wickedness, it would create a waterfall effect. Others would follow suit.”
“It’s not that simple, Nia. I can’t disagree with her. She will be no less brutal in her punishment of me than she is with anyone else. It doesnotmatter that I am her daughter.”
“That’s a pathetic excuse, and you know it.” She moves so that she is directly in front of me, her teeth bared until I can see the points of her canines. Despite the appearance of her soft blue hair and scales, she is nothing less than a predator—hungry for retribution.
“I care aboutallthe sirens of this queendom. A fact I would have thought proven by my spending time here. I do not want you stuck in this life, but I am onlyoneperson. And your aunt—” My words are abruptly halted when Nia slaps me across the face. My hand flies to my cheek, tears welling in my eyes as I bring them back to her.
“You will not utter onesingleword about my aunt. She was twice the female you or your pathetic excuse of a queen could ever be. She told me what actually happened, you know. What your mother and grandmother did during the war. We are doomed to a life in the seamounts under the barrier of the Spell thattheyare the cause of.”
Confused, my eyes bounce from her to those gathered behind her. “Nia, how is that possible?” It is well known that her aunt died during the war in a battle fought on the surface.
She scoffs. “I wouldn’t dare utter any word to you that I don’t want the queen learning. Leave,Your Highness,and do not come back.Youare not welcome here.”
