“Told you not to get her started,” Morvyn sneered.
“The mostbrilliantpart,” she repeated, her words measured and deliberate, “is that every living creature, from the depths of the ocean to the heights of the sky, possesses a melody, a song that echoes through space and time. Even long past one’s life. Though you may not realize it, humans even hum at their own frequency. Yet, sirens alone possess the ability to channel and refine their songs. We can weave our melodies into the very fabric of existence and manipulate waterthroughit.”
“We get it. Sirens are awesome. I could have told you that,” Morvyn said with a lecherous smile. A clanging tune echoed through the chamber. With a dismissive wave of Lumina’s hand, water surged against the heavy door, slamming it shut behind us.
Lumina shot Morvyn a sharp glance. “It’s not that we are simply great. Many creatures are great. Look at humans, for example. It’s that we are … well, we’re simply magical. We take an element of this world and through sound and beauty, we change it,” she finished.
It was astounding, their ability to harness such immense power with sound alone. Water bowed to their commands with a tone and a flick of their wrists. But it was also horrific. Water could be gentle as baths or summer showers. Yet waves could swallow metropolises whole, and rivers could carve through stone with time. Being able to harness the power of water and the minds of men meant sirens were unthinkably powerful.What damage could they do to Oakhaven? What chance did my father’s subjects have against them?
We walked back into the large room, but now the clusters of sirens had paused and the sound of clashing metal crashed.
“That must be Hylos practicing,” Morvyn exclaimed. “We’ve got to see this! He’ll put on a show with all these spectators.”
We wove through the tightly packed crowd, my stomach churning as sirens surrounded me.
We passed through an archway that opened into a vast, globe-like glass room, a pool shimmering at its center. Arms of all types hung on weapon stands, sharp metal gleaming.
Clang.Hylos intercepted Raylik’s relentless blows as his muscles rippled beneath his pale-blue flesh. Each clash echoed with raw power as steel met steel. Blow for blow, Hylos held his ground, but he was struggling to gain an advantage.
They were both skilled fighters, but Raylik was clearly physically stronger.
On the other side of the room, Calypstra sat on a velvet chair, uninterested. Her legs were crossed, exposing her strong-lined hamstrings under her short, sheer black dress. Over her shoulder, in the sea behind the crystal barrier, were three deathly pale creatures, nearly transparent.
Their hair bobbed like black streamers as they gaped blankly, exposing sharp teeth too big for their mouths.
“What are those things?” I asked Lumina at my side. Goose pimples pebbled my arms. They were revolting.
“Deep-sea sirens. They’re a breed apart from us. They come from a depth we call the Midnight Realm.”
“Why are they here?” I asked.
“To carry out Calypstra’s bidding,” Lumina replied with a hint of concern. “Calypstra hails from a Circle located there.”
My throat tightened.
Raylik unleashed another thunderous blow from above that caused Hylos to lose his footing. A fleeting hint of wounded pride worked in the ruler’s jaw. Hylos tossed his sword aside, a cocky grin stretching across his face.
“Wearemeant to work on your swordcraft.” Raylik groused.
“If you're afraid of a little challenge, brother, just say so,” Hylos said, his grin widening. With a graceful leap, he arced through the air, his body forming a perfect arrow as he plunged into the pool.
Raylik shook his head and followed suit.
A silence fell over the crowd.
“This’ll be good,” Morvyn remarked, a gleam of excitement in his eyes.
Behind the glass, a blur of glowing blue marked Hylos’s swift movement through the water. He was so unthinkably fast.
Raylik’s red glow followed in relentless pursuit, a pure predator on Hylos’s trail.
Abruptly, Hylos paused, pivoted, and faced Raylik head-on. They both treaded water with their fins keeping them centered. This is what the siren king and his court did for fun, it seemed. Fight.
A mere heartbeat passed, and then they were swimming swiftly toward one another, finned feet bound in muscle, propelling them head-on, closing the distance.
With a powerful, silent crash, they collided in the murky sea, grappling in the water, spinning and entwining blurs of red and blue.
The crowd hushed, their collective breath held as Hylos found himself bound by Raylik’s strong arms. With a free hand, Hylos flicked his wrist, conjuring a tide rushing beneath the water, pummeling them both.
