Siren Dreams (The Rise of Ares Book 2)

by Jade Frances

  Siren Dreams

  The Rise of Ares Book Two

  Jade Frances

  Copyright © 2020 Jade Frances

  All rights reserved

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

  ISBN-13: 9798689031804

  Cover design by: Art Painter

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2018675309

  Printed in the United States of America

  To my children who are my reason for following my dreams. To my family and friends who have supported me relentlessly throughout my journey with this series so far. You are all amazing and I couldn’t have done it without you.

  Tired and aching, I willed my feet forward a few more steps to the tall iron gates. They stood high at twelve feet and had what looked like an upside-down letter L embossed in gold right in the centre. It was the symbol for the Greek letter gamma, G in English, and it represented those beyond the gates. The gifted. Looking up to where I knew I was being watched, I gave a slight wave. Mist was closing in and I could smell the droplets of rain ready to fall. The gates clunked and groaned as they eased open to allow me through. Security didn’t seem that tight here, but no one should ever make the mistake of thinking that. It had been a month since we first arrived at the academy. A month since our showdown with Aresollo. A lot had changed, it had taken a while to adjust and to get used to the new rules and regulations. I felt confined, and a little suffocated most days, but at least I had my friends.

  I had no doubt that Pearce would be waiting on the other side of the gates. I bet it’s killed him that I’ve been away. I still didn’t want to talk to him. Today, however, it was Sandra that greeted me. My siren ‘sister’ and a massive pain in my arse, most of the time, but I loved her, nonetheless. We had gotten off to a very rocky start when we first met. It took us some time to get to where we are now. I gave her a hug and squeezed her tight, letting her familiar floral scent fill my senses. Breaking our hug and holding me at arm’s length, she gave me a quick once over.

  “Aresollo?” she questioned. I shook my head.

  “He had moved on by the time we got there, if he had even been there at all,” I replied heavily. Avetta had allowed me to join the latest reconnaissance party. With a lot of persistence she had eventually agreed. Like all other parties before us though, we came back empty-handed.

  Sandra’s shoulders dropped.

  “Maybe next time,” she mumbled. It was affecting us all, knowing that he was still out there. “Avetta wants to see you right away for an update,” she continued. I looked up at her in alarm. It was clear I was exhausted from my travels. I got a look of pity. “I know I’m sorry. Pearce wanted to come meet you, but I insisted,” she told me as we fell in to step side by side. The academy was still another couple of miles walk through the forest.

  “Thanks,” I replied. Sandra nudged me gently with her shoulder.

  “When are you going to move forward, Evvy, he was just trying to protect you.” I sighed loudly, I was not in the mood for this conversation. Ignoring her seemed the best option. “Talk to him at some point, he is assigned to you. That has to be awkward,” she said. Again I ignored her. However, she carried on, “Egan said he will barely talk to them, but he blames himself as well, you know.” I threw her a glare, hoping that would mute her. Silence greeted me, thankfully. As we broke through the tree line, I paused to take in the academy and the surrounding grounds. The sight still amazed me.

  Six towers reached towards the starlit sky from smaller structures that sat on the outskirts of the grounds. Flocks of birds circled the highest peaks, squawking as they soared. The main academy building which sat right in the centre was the largest and most stunning of them all. Its high black stone walls glistened in the moonlight. Through the large glass windows, you could see lit candles that cast flickering shadows of the gifted who walked the halls. Drops of rain fell from the sky, pounding heavily against the glass. The mist was closing in faster and beginning to obscure my view. Sandra grabbed my hand, and together we jogged up to the heavy wooden doors. Pushing them open, we entered the grand entrance. If I thought the outside was impressive, then this room was breath-taking. The extravagant crystal chandelier that hung from the high ceiling shone rays of light onto the gleaming black-and-white checkered floor. The white walls that lined the room were covered in colossal silver frames that held pictures of royalty. Underneath each was a silver plaque with an inscription of who they were.

  I remember the first time I saw Avetta’s picture hanging right in the centre of them all. For all the months I had known her, she had failed to mention she was royalty. Queen of the Fae, to be precise. A race I had yet to learn more about.

  “Want me to go with you?” Sandra asked, pulling me from my thoughts.

  “Nah, it’s fine, I’ll meet you in the dinner hall after,” I replied as I turned to head for Avetta’s office.

  “Hurry or there’ll be nothing left,” she shouted after me.

  “Grab me a plate, I won’t be long,” I shouted back. As I pushed through students that were hurrying past me, I marvelled at just how many gifted there were here. It was one thing coming to terms with my own powers, let alone being immersed in the lives of hundreds. I was still trying to adjust to the turnaround my life had taken, again.

  Knocking on the door to Avetta’s office, I waited a moment before deciding to just walk in.

  “Evangeline, take a seat,” Avetta looked up at me from behind her mahogany desk, which was cluttered with paper, maps and god only knows what else. Organized chaos she called it. Taking a seat, exhaustion hit me tenfold. We had been on a four-day trip to the mountains where a small community of magic users lived. The hikes had been long and tiring. “So, no luck with Madora’s lot then?” She asked.

  “No, she didn’t really talk to us. In fact, I got the impression she didn’t want us there at all,” I replied, twirling my ring around my finger. Avetta had infused it with a charm. It was supposed to keep my emotions partly suppressed.

  “Mmm, not surprising. Word of your lineage travelled fast, that, and talk of the darkness within you. I warned you of the unrest. People don’t trust you, me even less so for keeping you girls hidden.” Avetta’s eyes looked dull with no emotion, but she still gave me a stern, disapproving look.

  I looked down at my hands, unable to hold her unwavering gaze.

  “I just wanted to help, to feel like I was doing something other than just waiting,” I told her. Avetta sighed, and I felt the tension in the air dissipate some.

  “You will spend the week here, relax, spend time with your friends. Also, you will meet with Demetrios once a day before we head off on tour,” she said. My head snapped up in shock.

  “Tour?” I asked.

  “Unrest among the gifted needs to be quelled Evangeline. People need to meet you girls and conclude that you are very much on our side of this silent war and not the cause of it,” Avetta replied, sounding slightly resigned. “Now go get some rest,” she added. Standing, I took in her face. Her brows were creased, and she seemed weathered. The stress of the past month was evidently taking its toll on her.

  “Goodnight Avetta,” I whispered, but she had already begun rifling through old papers and muttering to herself. I closed the door quietly behind me.

  As I walked into the bustling dining hall, I scanned the busy room. O
f course, my friends were sat in the furthest corner. The surrounding tables, as per usual, were empty. Students and even teachers were still wary of us. Eyes flicked my way as I passed. I had quickly learned to ignore it. Reaching the table, I snagged a fry off of Taylor’s plate and threw myself into the seat next to him.

  “Hey! Sandra got you a plate,” Taylor whined.

  “Here girl, good snag by the way,” she said as she slid my plate in front of me.

  “Took me by surprise, sneaky shit,” Taylor grumbled as he flicked a fry at me.

  “Woa, well that’s just a waste! What crawled up your arse and died?” I asked and nudged his shoulder playfully.

  “Avetta won’t let him come on tour with us, he’s got what these students like to call FOMO,” Rose chuckled.

  “What the hell is FOMO?” I asked.

  “Fear of missing out. Though God only knows why, Avetta is only subjecting us to even more scrutiny,” Sandra explained whilst glaring at the surrounding students.

  “Sandra, we know why we need to go. I heard Avetta saying some student’s hadn’t returned this year because of us. Their parents disapproved with them being here,” Rose clarified.

  “Yeah well, I don’t particularly want to be here either, it’s like a prison,” Sandra huffed back. That was something we agreed on. I sat in silence, eating, and listening to the others natter away about the tour.

  A short while later, a disturbance at the entrance to the hall had the younger students squealing and moving hastily out of the way.

  “Great, they’re here,” I mumbled. Adding “heading to my room guys,” as I got up. Pushing my plate to the side, I began expertly navigating my way around the tables, so I didn’t have to pass Pearce, Egan, and Barak. I had made it outside and was halfway across the courtyard by the time Rose entered my mind.

  You can’t avoid him forever, she sent through our bond.

  I sighed. Not tonight Rose, I’m tired ok, I sent back and shut her out before she could argue further. I reached the door to our quarters, which was in one of the six towers. The other actual students had dorms in the main building, away from us, much to their delight. Holding my palm up, I waited impatiently for the door to unlock so I could get out of the rain. Normal lock and keys weren’t a thing at the academy. Instead, doors are programmed to react to individual energy signature. Nothing about our lives seemed normal anymore. At least at Moorway House we had some sense of freedom, of control over our own lives.

  A small knot formed in my stomach when I thought of our last home and those we had left behind. Walking up the stairs, again I held my palm out to get into my room. My door swung open silently. The room was the same as I had left it four days ago. It didn’t feel like home, not yet. Walking over to my wardrobe in the corner, I began stripping the wet clothes off of me and threw them into the growing pile on the floor. Once I was comfortable in joggers and a tank top, I lit the fire that took pride of place opposite the four-poster double bed. With a sigh, I walked over to the bay window. It had a window seat stacked with cushions and was my favorite place to sit and watch the world go by. Through the lashing rain, I couldn’t see the courtyard clearly, but still I watched the figures below scurrying around. One, standing in the shadows of the entrance to the main building, drew my attention. I would know that tall, broad build anywhere.

  “Pearce,” I whispered through the window. The black outline of him seemed to shift and turn in my direction. As if, somehow, he had heard me. A longing rose within me, but I squashed it back down. Moving from the window, I pulled back the covers on my bed and climbed in. Me and Pearce hadn’t had time to explore what was between us before he betrayed my trust. I had Aresolllo, I could have ended all of this. Pearce took that from me, and I’m not ready to let that go. Laying my head back on the pillow, I closed my eyes and prayed that sleep would take me soon. Sure enough, just as I wondered what my subconscious would conjure tonight, darkness came sweeping in and a familiar face drifted its way into my dreams.

  I woke up to the gentle buzzing that usually alerted me of the bond. Rolling over to look at the clock on the bedside table, I groaned when I saw that it was only six am. Opening up the bond, I let the girls enter my mind.

  What the hell? I sent through.

  Up, up! It’s breakfast time, Rose said.

  Walk down together? Strength in numbers and all that jazz, Sandra asked.

  Thought you didn’t care for what people thought of you? Rose lightly teased her; I could practically hear the giggle she was trying to suppress.

  I don’t. It’s more for their safety. I’m sure you, as a goody two shoes wouldn’t let me punch someone for gawking, Sandra replied curtly.

  Five minutes outside Evvy’s room, Rose said rather bluntly. Switching them out, I groaned again and rolled out of the comfort of my bed.

  Sure enough, exactly five minutes later, I felt their energy’s outside my door. It swung open, allowing me to fall into step with them, and off we set toward the dining hall, again. Between our rooms, the common room we shared and the dining hall, we rarely ventured anywhere else. Not that we would be welcome to, anyway. As we neared our favored table, I noticed our guardians lining the wall behind it. I tried to peel my eyes from Pearce, but I couldn’t help it. He didn’t even look at me, not one flicker of acknowledgement. My mood took a grim turn. Maybe now he had given up trying to talk to me. Why that upset me, I don’t know. Maybe my subconscious was trying to tell me that I’ve punished him enough. The damn ring was suppressing me too much. I couldn’t figure out my own feelings, I thought. A tray slamming down in front of me drew my attention back to the table.

  “Really Tay! Still playing the whiny schoolgirl. It doesn’t suit you,” Sandra mocked.

  “Bite me,” Taylor snapped back.

  “If I was a shapeshifter then I might, but I’m not,” Sandra responded. Rolling my eyes at the pair of them, I settled back in my seat and waited for an argument to erupt.

  “Yeah, well, I’m sure you will get your chance to bite one of those on your tour!” Taylor shoved his tray away and stood to leave.

  “Tay, what’s wrong? Why don’t you sit and calm down,” Rose gently stroked his arm. Taylor pushed Rose’s hand away, hunched his shoulders and stalked off.

  “What was that about?” I asked no one in particular.

  “God only knows, no time to dwell anyway. We have an incoming,” Sandra grumbled. Turning in my seat, I saw Avetta making her way towards us. “Eurgh, I hate it when she does this,” Sandra said what I was sure we were all thinking. We attracted enough unwelcome attention as it was, without royalty joining us for breakfast. Got to be important though, always was when Avetta came to us.

  “Guardians,” she addressed the guys with a curt nod. They responded with a subtle bow of their heads. Taking the empty seat next to Rose, Avetta crossed her legs and placed her hands in her lap, regal as ever. “Ladies, I trust that you have eaten?” she asked whilst looking at each of us. After a minute, she continued. “Evangeline, you will resume training with Pearce directly after you have been to see Demetrios. Rose, Sandra, you are to fetch Adam,” she snapped. I saw Pearce tense from the corner of my eye.

  “What, why?” I asked.

  “He will join us on tour,” Avetta replied. My stomach suddenly wanted to bring up what little food I had eaten.

  None of us had seen or heard from Adam or Darryl since the battle. Although, Avetta had assured us they remained safe and well. Adam, well he was just a ball of confusion in my life, one I didn’t need right now. I missed Darryl so much though; I longed to see him again.

  “Can’t I go as well? I’d like to see them,” I asked Avetta.

  “They are not going to see anyone, Evangeline, they are going to fetch. You have more important matters here to attend,” she retorted. I sighed inwardly. It wasn’t a debate, it was a demand. I wouldn’t be going. There was no point even arguing. As she stood to leave, I noticed two of her personal guardians hovering behind her. I hadn’t
even seen them appear. Watching as she walked away, I felt the buzz of the girls entering my mind.

  Girl Pearce is pissed! I can just taste the anger! Sandra said, a bit too excited.

  Don’t start Sandra, he’s fine, I huffed back.

  This is why Taylor was so uptight! I will see if he fancies the trip. Sandra, meet you later. Evvy, try half a half decent day, Rose sent.

  Erm Rose, you think that’s a good idea with Adam and Taylor? I asked.

  They’ll be fine, Taylor needs to get away from the academy as much as any of us, she replied.

  Sure thing, I sent back. With a look of pity thrown my way, both girls rose from the table and left. Their guardians followed closely behind. Leaving just me and Pearce. The tension between us was palpable. Pulling myself together, I got up and headed for Demetrios’ office. Pearce would follow, as he always did.

  Once I reached the right door, I knocked twice and waited to be greeted. Fae were big on manners. Avetta I could work around, Demetrios I could not. It swung open only seconds later, to reveal Demetrios standing on the other side. Even though I had seen him quite a lot in the past month, his appearance was still something I was getting used to. Most gifted looked like regular humans, but when it came to the fae races, they had somewhat distinctive features. Demetrios was tall and slim, with skin the colour of mocha. If you saw him from behind, you probably wouldn’t blink twice, but face to face, there was no denying that he wasn’t human. Demetrios’ eyes shone a deep purple like amethyst, they swirled and glinted when the light hit them. His ears were pointed at the top and barely hidden under his shoulder length shimmering blonde hair. The smile set on his face bared his brilliant white teeth; it was dazzling, yet somewhat unearthly.

  “Evangeline, I have so missed our chats the last few days. Please, come, take a seat. Tea?” he offered as he bowed and ushered me through the door. Bowing back, I politely declined the tea. I made the mistake of tasting it once, and I never would again. Damn stuff tasted like a mug of mud. “Not to your taste, I see. Please, give me a moment to grab a mug, get comfortable,” he shuffled into the corner of the room and began tinkering with his tea set. I sat on the sofa, closest to the floor to ceiling shelves that were lined with books. Finally, he took a seat opposite me and began our session. “So, tell me about your trip. Was it a success?” he asked. Like he didn’t already know the answer to that.