“I want you to think about your dad and I’ll do the rest.” She closed her eyes and I imitated what she did.
I filled my head with thoughts of my dad. I replayed our last few interactions over and over again in my head. A few minutes passed and Teal suddenly released my hands.
“I can’t reach him. It’s like he doesn’t exist or something.” She picked up a stick and dug into the dirt, brow creased as she mindlessly toiled in the earth while her mind worked to sort out the problem.
“Does that mean he’s dead?” My voice trembled and worry clutched at my heart, sending it into overdrive. Teal’s confused eyes met mine.
“Why would he be dead?”
“I think The Blood Coven may have him.”
“Jewels! You should have led with that! What have you dragged me into?” Teal scrambled to her feet and headed for the portal.
A red light flashed right outside the clearing and a black hooded figure appeared. They held their hands out in front of them and blue electric currents pulsated between their hands. They thrust their hands forward and the current shot across the air straight for Teal and me. My throat constricted and I couldn’t force my trembling vocal cords to even scream.
Teal leaped in front of me and threw her hands up, palms facing our attacker. A silver, shimmery, semi-transparent barrier appeared in between us and the hooded figure. My necklace quaked on my chest. The electric current crashed into Teal’s blockade and spread over its entirety, creating an electrified wall between the two of us and our attacker. The wind howled and the trees around the clearing swayed. I stood frozen in fear as my hair swirled around my face and my clothes flapped against my skin. Teal grabbed my arm and yanked me back toward the portal. I stumbled a few steps back and then the barrier fell.
Another charge of electricity came flying through the air at us. Teal had her back to our attacker. Her hand firmly held my arm as she tried to pull me through the intense wind back to the portal. She didn’t even know the barrier had failed. We were going to die.
As the electricity rushed for us I threw my hands up to cover my face. A wind gust thrust my feet from the ground. Suddenly Teal and I were flying backward through the air. The portal swallowed us. We traveled through the sea of white and were expelled out the other side back in the supply room at Spellbound. We slid across the stone floor and slammed into the wall. The stream of electricity shot from the portal and impacted the wall above us, leaving a scorched hole in the wall. Teal jumped to her feet and ran for the door. I hurried to my feet and followed.
We didn’t stop running until we were back at the entrance to the cellblocks. I leaned against the wall, trying to catch my breath. My pendant burned against my skin. Teal bent forward and rested her hands on her knees.
“What have you done, Jewels?”
“I didn’t do anything! The Blood Coven told me to join them or they’d hurt my dad. I just wanted to know he was okay.”
“You should have told me that! I just thought you missed him.” She stood upright and leaned against the wall next to me. “I didn’t even try to conceal my magic because I didn’t know I needed to. They know I helped you now. You put us both in danger.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“That’s right. You don’t know anything. Friends don’t lie to each other. So how about you start sharing all the information instead of just the bits and pieces you think are relevant. Because if this doesn’t prove to you that you need help with whatever it is you’re up to I don’t know what will.” She stormed off down the hall and I was left alone.
I turned to the entrance to my cellblock when the flick of a red tail breaking the surface of the water in the trench caught my attention. I looked down into the murky water just in time to spot the ruby tail of a mermaid swimming down into the deep.
When I arrived back at the cell it was leisure time and inmates were roaming all about. Lorelei was gone and there was a note on the desk that said, ‘meet me in the common room’.
As I walked along the trench, I fixed my eyes on it. Who was down there? In the common room Lorelei was at a back table with Flynn. She threw back her head with laughter and Flynn was smiling while shoveling some molten orange chips into this mouth. He saw me walk in and waved me over. I took a seat and snagged a handful of chips from Flynn’s bag while he pretended to try to keep it from me.
“I found something I thought you might find interesting.” Lorelei pulled a piece of paper from her pocket and unfolded it before handing it to me. “I tore that from a book in the library. It’s a picture of the last known Siren Descendant.”
My hands trembled as I opened the paper. Smiling up at me from the wrinkled paper was the same girl I saw in the picture with my dad. She was younger in this photo, but it was definitely her. My breath caught in my throat and tears fell from my eyes as the realization hit me that this was my mother. Flynn coughed a bit, clearing his throat before he stood up.
“I am going to find Becky and Teal,” he said and walked away.
“I’ve seen her before. In a picture with my dad.”
“You kinda look like her.”
I nodded my head in agreement.
“You have no idea what this means. Your mere existence would be revered among my people. There has been such sorrow since Alure went missing and with her any hope of another Siren.”
I wiped the tears from my cheeks.
“We have to tell someone who you are.”
“We can’t. We don’t even know if she is my mom. My dad said not to. He wouldn’t have said that without good reason.”
“You don’t understand what this would mean for mermaids, the hope you would bring back to a whole sect even being a crossbreed.”
“Why the hell is being a crossbreed so bad?” I asked.
“Because most go crazy. We can breed with normal humans no problem. It just dilutes the magic in the offspring. But when two different sects breed and the magic mixes it often causes insanity in the offspring.” Lorelei frowned. “But the mermaids would accept it. They would have to.”
“I might really go fucking crazy?” I asked.
“No.” She shook her head. “Well, probably not. At your age it’s highly unlikely. It normally happens very early on.”
“Let me have time to absorb all of this before you go parading me around like some savior. Okay?” I said. Lorelei nodded.
I inspected the paper photo in my hand once more before neatly folding it and sticking it in the chest pocket of my shirt. Lorelei avoided eye contact with me and acted like she was super busy reading the ingredients on the back of the brownies on the table in front of her. Flynn soon returned with arms full of snacks, Becky and Teal in tow. Teal glared at me and I wanted to disappear.
Everyone started talking and raiding Flynn’s snack pile. I had never had friends like this before. Ones I could just be with and not feel pressure to display a fake personality to the world. Things would be perfect if I could just tell all of them the truth, but my dad’s warning echoed in my head. Too many people already seemed to know and it wasn’t just my life that was in danger because of it. Teal almost died helping me. I couldn’t risk putting anyone else in danger. If something happened to my dad because I decided to open up to the wrong person, I would never forgive myself.
A voice crackled over the intercom. “History of magic subculture starts in room one hundred eighteen in five minutes. All those who wish to attend please make your way there. Seats are first come, first served.”
“What is that?” I asked.
“Volunteers come and teach different kinds of courses. Most are bullshit. All in the name of rehabilitation. You know the whole know your history to help you make better decisions in the future,” Becky said. “I heard today’s focus is mermaid history. Which I have zero interest in. No offense, L.”
Lorelei tossed a bag of chips at her.
“None taken. I didn’t attend the one about witches either. I think I’ll go to this one, thou
gh. Anyone want to join me?” Lorelei addressed the group, but her eyes locked with mine.
“I’m out. I have zero interest in attending any classes,” Flynn said. He opened a bag of chocolate candies and poured them into his mouth. He could really put away food.
“I’m gonna stay here and make sure this one doesn’t gorge himself to death on junk food.” Teal patted Flynn on the shoulder and he flipped her off, which sent her into a full giggle. “Plus, Becky and I have some work to do and it’s better if people are distracted while we do it.”
Flynn raised his eyebrows. “And what is this work?”
“Don’t worry, we won’t leave you out of the fun.” Teal grinned.
“Our appeal isn’t looking so good and it’s our last one. We are far too hot to be locked away for life.” Becky leaned over and wrapped her arm around Teal’s shoulders. Flynn shook his head and opened another bag of diabetes. Did shifters get diabetes?
Lorelei grabbed my hand and led me away from our friends as they tossed tiny chocolates to each other, trying to catch them with their mouths. When we arrived at the class there were very few seats taken. A short, stout man with only a few wisps of hair on his head combed over a balding spot in the middle stood at the front of the room. He smiled and waved as we walked in. He had a few stains on the front of his shirt, most likely leftovers from the empty takeout container on his desk. We snagged a few chairs in the back and moved them closer together. The man looked up at the clock on the wall inside before turning to the whiteboard behind him. He wrote his name on the board ‘Mr. Jenks’.
“We will wait a few more minutes and see if anyone else decides to join us.” He sat on the chair at his desk and watched the clock as the minutes rolled by and no one else entered the room.
There was a total of nine inmates in the room and from what I could tell I was the only non-mermaid. Well, as far as they knew. I felt a pull on my right side as if all my skin was lifting off me. It wasn’t painful, but it was unnerving. I turned and saw Lorelei sitting next to me. I watched as her head jerked up from picking at her nails and she stared at me. There was some sort of magnetic pull between us.
What the fuck was that? A thought that wasn’t my own echoed through my brain.
Holy shit! Now I must really be going crazy. I was having conversations with myself and acting surprised by it.
Jewels! Can you hear me? Like in your head? Maybe I wasn’t crazy. Lorelei’s dark eyes sparkled with surprise and a smile spread across her face, which glowed like a kid’s on Christmas morning.
Yes. Can you hear me? Wait, that’s a stupid question.
We can telecommunicate! This is so cool! I didn’t think it would happen so soon.
You knew this was gonna happen? I crossed my arms, narrowing my eyes at her.
Yeah, it happens to all bonded pairs. She shrugged and then did a little happy dance in her seat. A warm, fuzzy feeling engulfed me as our minds intertwined.
Well, thanks for telling me. I thought this crossbreed thing was getting the best of me. Lorelei laughed, breaking the silence in the room, and everyone turned to stare. I sank down in my seat, wishing I were invisible, but Lorelei just smiled and sat with her head high, not at all embarrassed by being the focus of attention. Mr. Jenks spoke at the front of the room and everyone averted their eyes from us.
You could still be crazy. Lorelei winked at me and giggled. Now pay attention. You may learn something.
“Today we will talk about Sirens and their descendants,” Mr. Jenks said. The whole class seemed to sit up straighter at the mention of Sirens. Even Lorelei and I leaned forward in our seats, eager for what he would say next. “Does anyone know the last time a Siren was declared?” Hands shot up around the room. He pointed to a man in the front row with golden hair and hazel eyes. I had seen him in the cove with Lorelei when the mermaids got yard time.
“Over two hundred years ago. Her name was Celeste.”
“Very good. And what about the last Siren Descendant?” Hands shot up again. This time he called on a petite woman in the second row. I only ever saw her hang around other mermaids. It was like she was scared of everyone else.
“Alure. She went missing about twenty-five years ago and is assumed dead.”
“Good.” Mr. Jenks paced the room. “So far in mermaid history all Sirens have descended from one family line. I know many have lost hope that there could be another Siren as the original line has died out. But there is strong hope that more Sirens could come from other lines. Because of this the Siren Trials continue to this day. However, no one has been brave enough to take on the challenge in over two hundred years.”
I raised my hand and he nodded in my direction.
“What are the Siren Trials?” Everyone in the room seemed to moan in disapproval at once.
“You aren’t a mermaid, are you? A witch I’m guessing?”
“Yes.” It wasn’t a lie.
“The Siren Trials is a grouping of tests prospective Sirens must go through to be officially declared a Siren. They must prove they have the abilities only Sirens are known for.”
“What are their abilities?”
Another collective sigh rolled around the room.
“Sirens have many abilities. Most notably magic similar in strength to the power of a witch, the ability to summon massive storms, and the ability to influence others.”
“They don’t just have ordinary witch magic. Their magic is as strong as a witch from a first family,” the petite woman said.
“Very good.”
“And Siren Descendants. What powers do they have?”
“They tend to just be more magically inclined than your average merfolk, but nothing near what an actual Siren can do. In the past descendants have been put under a lot of pressure to attempt the Siren Trials, despite the inherent dangers of them and are revered by all merfolk.”
Mr. Jenks’ eyes scanned the room and when no one else spoke up he went on with a history on the Original Siren, but I was too distracted by my inner thoughts to listen. I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if merfolk found out that I was a Siren Descendant. Would they pressure me to undergo the Siren Trials? Could I even do it? Since I found out about the world of magic, witches, shifters, and fucking mermaids, my mind had been in a permanent tailspin and it just seemed to get worse every day. I didn’t even know how to survive in this world as a damn crossbreed, let alone as someone who was practically worshipped by others. I wished I could go back to before. I’d spent my whole life wanting to fit in. Now I may fit in too well.
Lorelei watched me from the corner of her eye but didn’t telecommunicate with me. I wasn’t sure if she could hear my inner thoughts without my permission, but I would need to remember to ask her. I wasn’t sure how to initiate the telecommunicating on my own either. Just another thing to add to the long list of things I needed to learn. I needed time to decide how I felt about all this new information without the input of somebody else, even if someone else was my best friend. My mind wandered, thinking back to the last few weeks, when everybody started standing up around me, leaving the room. Lorelei tugged my arm and nodded toward the door. Mr. Jenks was packing up his things into his bag.
“I’ll meet you back at our cell.”
Lorelei’s forehead creased with concern, but she nodded before walking away.
“Mr. Jenks, can I ask you a question?” As I approached the man, I realized he was a few inches shorter than me and smelled of cigars. “Of the Siren Descendants, have any been mixed?”
His eyebrows rose and the muscles in his jaw tightened. He stopped putting his papers in his bag.
“I’m not sure what you are asking?”
“I think the term is crossbreed?”
He frowned.
“I know this may seem like a weird question. But I just found out I was a witch recently and I’m learning all these things for the first time.”
He let out a soft sigh and his eyes softened.
“So, you are
the one everyone is talking about. I suspected as much when you showed up in the classroom. That is quite a story you have there. To answer your question, no. All Siren Descendants and Sirens have been full-blood mermaids. Crossbreeding is frowned upon, although it does happen.”
“What happens to crossbreeds when they do exist?”
“That isn’t something you really want to know. Don’t worry yourself over such things.” He slipped the last of his things into his bag and hung it on his shoulder. He waved his hand to the door and I walked out with him following close behind.
“The next time I return I will make sure to go over some witch history just for you. It is a shame that you ended up here before you even got to know your people and where you come from. I cannot change that you are here, but I can provide you with the knowledge you deserve to have.”
“Thank you.” I smiled and then headed down the long stone hall back to my cell. I walked past the water filled trenches and edged my way close to them while trying to not look suspicious. I peered into the water and was astonished to see how crystal clear it was now. Not murky like before. It was so deep I couldn’t see the bottom. A swoosh of sparkly blue fins swam by and disappeared before I got a good look at who they belonged to.
Soon after, a mermaid with a bright red tail and hair dark as coal swam up next to me right below the surface. She leisurely twisted in circles under the water like she didn’t have a care in the world despite being locked in Spellbound instead of in the open ocean. I stared at her tail. It had to be the one I saw earlier. When she noticed me gawking at her she broke the surface of the water and splashed me with her ruby tail.
“Hey! Why’d you do that?” I jumped back, avoiding most of the spray. The mermaid giggled and dived below the water, disappearing from my view. I pressed on to my cell, keeping an eye on the slow-moving water in the trench. I was nearly at my cellblock when the mermaid returned. She stuck her head out of the water and rested her arms on the stone floor. Gills fluttered on her neck and ribs. Her red scales extended up her sides and chest. Her face was dainty and innocent looking.
The Siren Jewel: Spellbound Prison Saga Page 11