The Siren Jewel: Spellbound Prison Saga

by Karri Roberts

I started to walk away when Flynn grabbed me from behind. I twisted around and threw my arms toward him, just wanting him to get away from me. My power surged through me before I realized it was even there. His body shot backward in a blur until he hit the wall. The crash created a perfect Flynn sized crevasse in the wall. His body slumped to the ground. Teal and Becky went to him and I ran the opposite way. Away from my guilt over hurting Flynn and toward the only place I knew to go.

  I made it to Brendan’s cell only to find it empty like so many others. All of his things were gone. Would he really leave without me? I checked the library next, but it had completely caved in on itself. Books mixed in with the rubble was the only indication it had ever been there. I tried to locate the red door that had led us to the secret room. I found the right hall, I was sure of it, but the door had disappeared. Only impenetrable stone was left in its place.

  Brendan would know what to do. Brendan would have access to magic strong enough to break Teal’s spell. Without him dad was as good as dead. I searched the halls, passing a few groups of inmates, but no one paid any attention to me. Everyone was focused on plotting their escape. But was it really an escape when we weren’t even being guarded anymore? Whatever was going on was serious enough for the staff to run for the hills and leave us disposables behind. I found myself at the large windows that looked out over the cove. The sun was kissing the horizon, casting a stunning orange hue across the sea.

  Voices echoed from down the hall and I followed the sound to a small room. A shifter, evident by his partially shifted ears, stood on a bench in the corner holding items up for the small crowd around him to see. Bids were being shouted from the crowd.

  “Come on now, such a low bid for such a valuable item! I’m insulted. I don’t think any of you really want to find your way out of here.” A sly grin revealed his wolf teeth.

  A few more shouts from the crowd later and he announced the item sold. The crowd grumbled and cleared the room. Fur was popping up in patches on his skin and his eyes were now distinctively canine.

  “How are you shifting?”

  “I have my ways. With all the binding spells failing it really isn’t that hard. It’s about to be wild up in here.” He swung a bag onto his back and made his way to the door.

  “Wait! Do you have something that can break a protection spell?”

  “I know who you are, witch. You have first family blood. Breaking such a spell shouldn’t be an issue for you with the binding spells gone.”

  “This isn’t any spell. It had the power of hundreds of witches behind it. I don’t even know where to begin to undo it.”

  He leaned against the doorjamb. The flow of the water in the trench behind him seemed to quicken and I swore I saw the flash of a green tail. He slipped his bag from his shoulder and dug in it. He pulled a yellowed piece of crumpled paper and a purple stone similar to the ones Teal had used during the protection spell.

  “This may work, but it’s not guaranteed, so no asking for your money back.” He laughed. “If we even live that long.” I reached for it, but he jerked out of my reach and stretched out his open paw to me.

  “Will you take an IOU?” I asked. His eyes narrowed and he shoved the stone and paper back into his bag.

  “Not a chance.”

  “An IOU from a first family witch must be worth something.”

  His eyes gleamed as he pondered what I had said.

  “We may not live long enough for me to collect. I need things to help me survive now, not later. No deal.”

  My skin burned and I reached for my magic. It was so hard to hold onto, I focused on the easiest spell I could think of. Dark water from the trench spun through the air, collecting in my palms in a rotating sphere. I pictured The Void and felt something open. I was hit by an onslaught of magic. Nausea, pain, confusion all clouded my senses. I held on to the balls of water and tried to push them toward the shifter to engulf him like a goldfish in a bowl. Instead my water sphere lazily floated through the air like a dying balloon before falling apart and splashing to the floor. I couldn’t control my magic without my necklace. Magic was chaos and it was too much for me to handle.

  The shifter doubled over in laughter. If I couldn’t protect myself, how the hell did I think I could protect anyone else?

  “I definitely don’t need any IOUs from you. Geez, you’re pathetic.”

  The shifter left the room and I followed, fighting back the bile rising in my throat. I leaned against the wall for support when I finally gave in and hurled on the floor. The shifter laughed again and didn’t bother to even turn around.

  “Stop!” I screamed and he froze. The last of my energy drained from me and I felt my connection to magic snap off. My hold on him drifted away and just as it disappeared he fully shifted. His bag now on the floor with all his goods spilling out.

  The six-and-half-foot, full wolf man turned to me with hate and hunger in his eyes. Even under all that black fur his defined muscles rippled with each movement. He rushed at me and I braced myself for the impact, knowing I was too drained to stop him. His claws scrapped against the floor like nails on a chalkboard as he charged me.

  He came to an abrupt halt when a wall of fire suddenly divided us. The giant wolf yipped as flames charred his nose. Evan stood behind him, flames swirling around his body. He lashed them out like a whip and surrounded the shifter in flames. The wolf leapt over the flame, his belly grazing the top. The smell of burnt hair filled my nostrils. The crispy shifter growled at Evan and then went for his bag on the ground. Evan whipped another line of fire at the shifter blocking his way, singeing the hair on his back, and setting his tail ablaze. The wolf yelped in pain and ran from the hall with a trail of smoke following him. Evan closed his hands into fists and the fire extinguished. He picked up all the spilled spell items and put them back in the bag before he handed it to me. I snatched it from his hand.

  “You’re welcome.”

  “I didn’t say thank you.”

  “Yeah, well, you’re welcome anyway.”

  I yanked open the bag and found the purple stone. I clutched it in my hand as I searched for the yellow paper. I found it in pieces at the bottom of the bag. Most of it had been burned away and what was left was ineligible. Tears flew for my eyes and I clutched the burnt pieces to my chest and felt them crumble in my hand. I dropped the bag to the floor.

  The sea outside the window roared and slapped the beach. The tide was high and the waves easily overtook the rocks. I thought about Ben and how he was about to be an orphan and how it was all my fault. I thought about my dad and the agony he must be in all because of me. I thought about my mom and how her death could only be blamed on me. My chest contracted and released like an explosion was building in my core. Spellbound was falling apart and everyone here, all of my friends, were in danger because of me. Waves rose up and splashed the windows. The wind howled, shaking the glass panes. Tiny cracks formed in the windows. I couldn’t stop the tears now.

  “It’s all my fault. Everything is my fault.”

  The walls of Spellbound creaked and bowed like lungs expanding for breath, but this seemed to be its death rattle. Water seeped in through every crack it could from the outside and it all made its way to me, surrounding me. Evan’s eyes darted between me and our surroundings.

  “The warden has my dad. The Blood Coven needs me dead or they will kill him. And now my one chance to fix this, to save him, is gone. My dad is going to die and just like my mom it’ll all be my fault.” As my tears dropped from my face they joined the growing circle of water that was forming around me. My lungs couldn’t expand and I felt like I was suffocating. But of course, the protection spell wasn’t going to allow that.

  One of the windows shattered and water rushed in. Evan threw his body on mine, covering me from the shards of glass that flew through the room, riding on the fierce wind. He tightened his arms around me and pulled me to his chest. He rocked me back and forth in his arms as he hummed a slow tune in my ear.


  “It’s not your fault. Your dad won’t die. I promise, he won’t die,” he said before returning to humming the calming tune.

  The tension in my chest eased and my lungs filled with air once more. The wind slowed and water stopped flooding the hall. My body shook and Evan held me tightly. I eased myself up and Evan loosened his hold but kept his hands on my shoulders to steady me.

  “Why are you helping me?”

  “To tell you the truth. I started talking to you because you’re a member of a first family. I thought I could use you to get out of here.”

  “Yeah. Figures.” I brushed his hands away and stood on my own two wobbly feet.

  “That’s how it started. Not how it is now. You and I have the same enemy.”

  “The Blood Coven?”

  He nodded. “My sister was a Moon Child. Do you know what that is?”

  I nodded.

  “The night they raided our camp to try to capture her is still a blur in my head. But I know they killed her and pinned it on me.” He balled his hand into a fist and it lit aflame. “I’m going to burn them to the ground.”

  He slung the shifter’s pack onto his back and stood in front of me. I looked out over the calm sea that glittered in the moonlight.

  “I have to find my dad.”

  “I’ll help you find your dad and get us the hell out of here. You help me take down The Blood Coven. Without a witch I won’t even get close to them.” He extended his hand to me. “Deal?”

  I clasped his hand and shook.

  “Don’t make me regret this.”

  The walk to the cellblock was cloaked in shadow and the sound of scurrying footsteps echoed down each hall even though we never saw anyone. Most of the lights were off or flickering, making the cold halls feel deadly. Lorelei’s face when I called her a liar played over and over again in my mind. I would need all the help I could get to save my dad and that meant giving her the chance to explain why she was a liar, liar, pants on fire. My mind reached out to her, but I couldn’t break through whatever barriers she had up. She was close, though.

  The gruff voice of the warden caught my attention and I grabbed Evan, pulling him into the shadowy corner with me. Two sets of footsteps approached and I braced myself against the wall. I snatched Evan’s hand in mine. Caecus. The word ran through my mind as if I had done this a thousand times. I looked down at Evan’s hand in mine but only saw the shadow that drenched the floor. I felt Evan’s breath on my neck but when I turned to face him nothing was there. It worked!

  “Where did you go?” he whispered.

  “Shh. I’m right next to you.” I squeezed his hand.

  The clouds must have parted outside because moonlight flooded parts of the hall, illuminating the warden a few yards away. His back was to us and he was staring down at someone.

  “I can’t believe you lost her. You were supposed to keep an eye on her.”

  “I didn’t lose her. She ran away. Which I blame you for. I should have told her the truth from the start.” Lorelei’s voice saturated the air. My hands clasped over my mouth to muffle my gasp. Evan held my arm in a gentle squeeze.

  “One job. You had one job and then you would have been free. But you fucked it up.”

  “I’m not free because of you. I’m here because of you. This is all because of you!” Lorelei’s voice was heavy with hate.

  “I didn’t make you a thief.”

  “We both know I’m not here because of something I did. I’m here because of what you did. You needed a fall guy and I was handy. Joseph made sure I would remember what you two did to me.”

  Joseph? As in my dad?

  “Apparently he has been up to some old tricks. He will have to answer for what he’s done.”

  “You are the world’s shittiest friend.”

  “I’m not his friend!” His voice boomed, bouncing from the walls and echoing down the hall. “He made sure of that decades ago.” Blu growled.

  “Jewels thinks you’re The High One. I’m starting to believe she’s right.”

  “Well, then use that survival instinct of yours and run, little fish. Before I change my mind.”

  Lorelei’s footsteps rushed down the hall and faded away. Blu placed his palms on each side of the window and leaned forward, looking out over the sea. His calm demeanor dropped and he was suddenly kicking and screaming at nothing.

  “The warden’s losing it,” Evan whispered.

  Blu stopped his flailing when a guard approached. The guard said something I couldn’t quite catch and then he and Blu hurried away.

  I slid down the wall and stared at my hands as they started to become visible again. Evan was beside me, watching as he did the same thing.

  “That was very quick thinking.”

  “I reacted. I didn’t think.”

  “It’s good that you did. Or we’d be in the warden’s custody now and who knows what that would mean for us.”

  “It would mean do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars, go directly to jail.”

  Evan looked at me confused.

  “Haven’t you played Monopoly?”

  He shook his head.

  “If we survive this, we will have to change that.” I walked into the moonlight and Evan followed.

  “Why was your friend talking to the warden?”

  “I have no idea. Apparently, I don’t know her as well as I thought I did.” I hesitated before adding, “Joseph is my dad.”

  “Damn, family drama. Maybe a visit to Dr. Phil is in order.” His smile shined in the moonlight. I couldn’t help but crack a smile.

  “You know Dr. Phil but not Monopoly? That’s some sadness right there.”

  We walked to the end of the hall, keeping to the shadows. I realized if I turned left I’d be heading toward my cellblock and therefore Lorelei. If I turned right I could head to Brendan’s cell. Choices, choices. Evan shifted from foot to foot and waited for me to make a move. After a few minutes of standing silently in the dark hall he cleared his throat.

  “Are we going to find your friend?”

  “I don’t know. Is she even my friend? Sounds like she’s working with the enemy.”

  “No, it sounds like she knows the enemy. That’s not the same thing.”

  My cheeks warmed with anger and I spun to face him.

  “She lied to me.”

  “And? So did I. I omitted things when we first met. But here you are talking to me.”

  “Would you have done anything to save your sister?” I stepped up to him until my chest touched his so I could see his face in the dim light. Evan froze and his expression softened.

  “Yes. I would’ve given my life.” His nose brushed against mine and my heart quickened. Evan’s fingers danced against my hands and I felt the fire he held within. It flowed into me. I was overcome with a feeling of contentment.

  “That’s how I feel about my dad.”

  Evan locked eyes with me. He cupped my face, his palms warming my cheeks, and pressed his lips to mine. His magic slammed into mine and it was like an explosion at my core that released a million butterflies all at once. The intensity startled me and I forced myself to pull back, breaking the connection. I tried to find his face in the darkness, but I was too far away. As curious as I was about that kiss I couldn’t let it distract me.

  “I would give my life to save my dad’s. I can’t risk his life on a liar.”

  “We need all the help we can get and I don’t think she’s what you think she is.”

  I stepped forward until I could see his face in the dim light again and glared at him.

  “The evidence was right in front of us. Evidence one. She was doing what Blu wanted. What The High One of The Blood Coven wanted. Evidence two. She knew my dad and didn’t tell me.”

  “That doesn’t mean she’s bad. It sounded more complicated than that.”

  “Everyone needs to stop using that word to explain away their shitty behavior!” I turned to walk down the hall to Brendan’s cellblock when s
uddenly I was engulfed in a magic I had never felt before. As strong as The Void, but not the same. All my hair stood on end and scales appeared on parts of my arms. The room around me spun and I fell to the floor.

  “Jewels!” Evan screamed and I only felt bliss as nothingness surrounded me.

  Warm salt water splashed against my face. Water lapped against land and something hard and jagged dug into my back. I opened my eyes and saw only white. I sat up and looked all around.

  Water surrounded me like I was stranded at sea, but instead of blue skies only blank whiteness filled the rest of my view. The water seemed to go on forever. It was impossible to see where it ended. I was on a stone that rose from the depths below and barely broke the sea’s surface. The water was crystal clear and sparkling. I dipped my hand into it and found it the perfect temperature. Despite the crystalline water, the seabed wasn’t visible. The water seemed to be never ending and all-consuming. It was empty of all signs of life, just endless depths.

  A glint of silver in the water caught my eye. Then sparkles of crimson, violet, and more rose from the depths. The water below filled with mermaids with tails of all colors. They swirled around my rocky perch. They swam through the water like jet planes meshing into a rainbow of scales as they raced to the surface. There were hundreds of them.

  When they broke the smooth top of the water they surrounded me on all sides. Their silent stare made their beautiful faces seem cold. Somehow every part of me felt I belonged with them, to them, that we were the same. Siren Descendants. Every one that had ever come before me now filled the space around me. They parted, forming an aisle, and all their eyes shifted from me to the pink tail that peaked from the water again and again as someone made their way to me. The owner of the pink tail rose from the water right in front of me, pulling herself partly up onto my rock. When our eyes met I knew instantly she was the beginning of all of us. The Original Siren. Her long dark hair hung past her waist in a tight side braid decorated with shells of all types. The pink scales that covered her tail and parts of her upper body were almost holographic.