Mirella nods so vigorously that I'm half-afraid her head might fall off.
I pause momentarily, trying to wrap my head around this convoluted mess of a family drama. "But why isn't anyone standing up to Cordelia? If everyone knows she's not the rightful ruler, why not stage a coup or something?"
Mirella's already scribbling away, her quill flying across the page like it's got a mind of its own.
No one will go against her infeerfear of the stone or losing our fins Everyone canlifelive happy if no onespeeksspeaks of it
"Ah, so that's her trump card," I muse, the pieces finally falling into place. "She's got the magical equivalent of a nuclear deterrent and is not afraid to use it. Plus, with that gag order in place, no one can speak out against her without risking her wrath.
Mirella scratches out another message and hands it to me.
The curse sits within the Sirens Lyre.
I stare at the words, my mind racing with the possibilities. "The Siren's Lyre? That's the key to all of this. The one thing that can turn the tides and undo the curse?"
Mirella nods, her expression fierce and unwavering. And suddenly, it all makes sense—why Calypso sent me on this wild goose chase, why Cordelia was so desperate to get her hands on that damn key.
I glance behind me at Rhyland and can practically see the gears turning in his head as he tries to process this bombshell. He looks about as shocked as I feel like someone just smacked him upside the head with a wet fish.
Erik takes a sip of his ale and clears his throat. "What of the Sirens?" he asks, his voice all business and no-nonsense.
"What do you mean, big guy?" I ask, because apparently, I need things spelled out for me like a kindergartener.
Erik straightens up like he's about to give a lecture on underwater politics."Are the Sirens also affected by this evil enchantment, or do they remain unscathed?"
I have to hand it to him; the man has a point—the Sirens seem to be under Calypso's command, which begs the question of where they fit into this whole curse conspiracy.
I turn to Mirella, my eyebrows raised in expectation. She shakes her head no.
And just like that, a new can of worms has been opened. We all sit here in silence, our minds whirring as we try to piece together this latest puzzle.
If the Sirens are immune to Cordelia's curse, what does that mean for the bigger picture? Are they allies in this twisted game of underwater politics, or are they just caught in the crossfire?
"You know, it's quite clever when you think about it," Seraphina reflects. "Why would Cordelia even consider cursing the Sirens? It's clear they're immune. I doubt anyone in their right mind would choose to listen to a Siren's song, knowing it could lead to a heap of trouble."
She pauses, thinking. "It’s logical that the curse is intended to impact only the non-Siren species. Cordelia isn't foolish enough to squander her time and magic on beings everyone is already steering clear of. That would be such a waste, wouldn’t you agree?"
Lucian, the little shit, lets out a groan that sounds suspiciously like a poorly disguised orgasm. "Fuuuuck, I love it when you get all intellectual on me. It's like dirty talk for nerds, and I amherefor it, baby girl."
Seraphina giggles.
Lucian, with his golden hair spiked every which way, leans back in his chair, a lazy grin spreading across his face. "But you're absolutely right, Cupcake. Cordelia's not gonna waste her time finding a curse for a bunch of fish-tailed femme fatales that everyone's already running scared from. She's got bigger fish to fry, like keeping her scaly ass on that underwater throne."
I can't help but snort at Lucian's unique brand of eloquence, "Well, there you have it, folks," I quip. "The Sirens are safe from Cordelia's magical meddling, all thanks to their reputations as the underwater world's biggest heartbreakers."
Then, like a lightbulb moment, something clicks in my brain. Calypso informed me that the Siren's Lyre was actually whipped up as a weapon for the Sirens. What if the lucky duck wielding this bad boy can curse any species they want? My mind starts to do cartwheels, but I rein it in. I'll get to the bottom of this fishy business soon enough, mark my words.
Seraphina and Lucian start kissing while she's perched on his lap like a contented kitten, and he's got this dopey grin on his face that screams "smitten." They are all over each other, all cute and couple-ly, lost in their little world. It's adorable as hell seeing them like this. Seraphina's practically glowing with happiness, and Lucian? He's like a lovesick puppy, all wagging tail and heart eyes.
Rhyland rolls his eyes. "For fuck's sake, you two, get a goddamn room already. Some of us are trying to keep our lunch down over here without watching you suck face."
Lucian pulls back from Seraphina, his face split in a grin. "Well, well, well, look who's talking. Mr. 'I Can't Keep My Hands Off Dani For Five Fucking Seconds' is giving me a lecture about PDA? That's richer than your trust fund, Rhy-Rhy."
I have to admit, he's got a point. I'm currently perched on Rhyland's lap like it's my throne, as his hands grip my inner thighs like he's afraid I might float away if he lets go.
Rhyland narrows his eyes. "Watch it, asshat. Don't make me come over there and rearrange your pretty boy face."
Lucian clutches his chest, gasping dramatically like he's auditioning for a telenovela. "Oh no, please, anything but that! I need this face for, like, everything." He pauses, then winks, "Aww, what's the matter, Rhy-Rhy—afraid of a little competition in the PDA department? Worried that Phina and I might steal your crown as the resident horndog couple? That's adorable."
