“Impossible,” the creature hissed.
“I thought beasts and vampires were impossible too,” I countered.
We were now breaking through the dense dark forest and we approached what looked like a village made from the trees. Large huts were scattered around the village. They were made from branches of trees piled high, almost like a beaver’s dam. But the branches had been coated in mud, and then leaves were tucked to them, waterproofing the structures. They were primitive, yet refined.
There must have been hundreds of them scattered throughout the village. Trees were scattered here and there. In the center of the village was a massive tree. The trunk’s diameter was easily the size of my grandmother’s house. It rose what seemed like a mile above the canopy of the forest and its branches spread wide, providing cover for the village below. Lanterns were spread around the village and casted an eerie glow in the endless darkness. It looked magical, and I could only wonder what the inside of the homes looked like, and the inside of the tree.
I looked back to Axel who was still assessing the area. I could tell he was looking for the best escape routes, should this meeting go south and we had to escape.
Creatures similar to the one who brought us here walked around the village. Each had different color furs, and each one was more terrifying than the next. They all stared at us like we were their next meal. I needed to express to them that we would never be their food. I knew exactly how to do that, to unsettle them.
“Hi, how are you?” I asked each creature that got too close.
Their little monster faces morphed into expressions of shock, and then they gave us a wide berth. I felt Axel’s relief through the bond. The bond felt like it had been getting stronger, since I came back to life. It brought me a different sense of relief.
Axel grabbed my hand as the creature walked us towards the massive tree, which stood watch over the village like a statue watching over its fountain. The tree had to be a thousand years old due to its size. I could also sense magic coming from it, like the mountain in Morthsoul had.
As I walked through the entrance of the tree, I could feel the strength of its power. It was enough to knock me off my feet, if I wasn’t paying attention.
The creature stopped and we stopped behind it.
“Come forward,” a deep voice boomed.
I took a step forward and Axel asked, “Where are you going?”
“It told us to step forward.”
Axel nodded.
I would have to do the talking for the both of us here. I was feeling awfully grateful for this gift from the Emerald Mountain.
“Forgive me, I am a Queen, but this is my first time hearing of your kind, and visiting this place. I would like to be respectful and greet you in an appropriate manner. How is that done?” I asked, trying to be the diplomat.
While I waited for the creature’s response, I took my time to observe him.
He was much like the creature who had led me here. Their fur was similar colors. However, the king was double the size of our guide, with more muscle mass under his fur. He was bulky and I had no doubt that his massive teeth and claws were deadly weapons.
Its claws were half extended as its black beady eyes assessed us to see if we were a threat. I tried to make myself look innocent, even though I knew I could be just as deadly.
He was perched on a wooden throne inlaid with rubies, which contrasted the wood. He was surrounded by other beasts who watched our every move.
“It is common for my subjects to throw themselves to the ground before me, but since you say you are Queen, I will accept a curtsey, and a bow from your companion.”
I immediately curtseyed and whispered to Axel to bow. He followed my lead.
“And how is it that you can understand me?” the Beast King asked.
“I was gifted with special magic,” I answered carefully.
“A gift indeed.”
“Can I ask, what is this place, what kind of creature are you?”
“I will trade a question for a question,” he answered.
“Fair enough,” I said, doing my best to show indifference.
“We are called Belua. This is Magnis Silvis
or the Great Woods.”
“The Magnis Silvis” I repeated.
The name fit; the great woods.
“Welcome to my Kingdom... Queen?”
“Queen Violet - Queen of the Morthlands and Ubrem Glacies.”
The Beast King sat there a moment, in what might have been shock. I couldn’t be sure though, I don’t have much practice in reading the facial expressions of monsters. Especially when the faces are covered with hair. The only readable feature was the Belua King’s eyes.
Finally the king found his words.
“I have heard much about you through the whispers of the trees. It is an honor to have you here. Queen Victoria officially granted us these lands and recognized my rule over my kind many years ago. She appreciated our work in preserving these forests, and our work in keeping some of the worst creatures from the border of Morthsoul.”
“Thank you. I can’t say I have heard much about you. I wish I would have had more time to learn about my lands. I’m sure you are aware we are on the cusp of war. I’m doing what I can to prepare my kingdoms.”
“So I have heard. What has brought you to my forest?”
“We were just passing through on our way to visit the Dragon Den to your west.”
“Do you have a death wish before entering war?” the king asked me. His voice was flat, void of any emotion.
I replayed our conversation in my head so far. Two questions each.
“No I do not. I seek their help for the war efforts. I have now answered two questions to match my two questions. Can I ask a third?”
The king nodded.
“Do you have any interest in helping us defend our lands? The Kingdom of Tate is after all of my lands, including this one. Your village is safely tucked away in my borders, but those will crumble should I lose. I promise to leave you be, as you always have been. Prince Kennan would not allow such a thing. Would you be able to help us?”
I did my best to be commanding, yet humble. A Queen who begs would send the wrong impression, and I couldn’t afford to be seen as weak. Not now, right before war.
“I have not given much thought to such mundane things. I do see your point and will give it some thought,” he answered.
Just then another Belua walked in. It seemed more feminine in nature with its slender frame, except for the large belly.
“Queen Violet of the Morthlands and Ubrem Glacies, this is my Queen.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” I said as I curtseyed. Axel bowed, following my lead again.
“The pleasure is mine,” she said while placing a large paw on her side to help support her back.
“How much longer until the baby comes?” I asked.
“Weeks,” she answered. “But I wish it would be now. We have had three stillborn heirs before this. Right now is about the time the last one stopped moving before birth.”
“I’m so sorry,” I offered in sympathy.
“Thank you.”
“Queen Violet, I have heard of your ever growing abilities. Your reputation precedes you. Is healing one of your gifts?” the Belua King asked.
He still had one more question to ask, if my questions to his wife counted.
“I do have some healing abilities I believe, though they are vastly unexplored,” I answered honestly.
“Another question,” he announced before asking, “Can you help my Queen, and my unborn child? Can you make it so that they both survive?”
“I have never been asked or attempted something like that before. I wouldn’t even know how. But if that’s the price you ask for your help in the war, I will at least try for you.”
“I think that would be fair—if you also include what you mentioned before, leaving our lands be.”
I nodded.
“May I
?” I asked the Queen as I approached her.
“You may,” she answered, looking a little relieved.
I hope I don’t let her down.
Chapter Twelve
Trin
“If you want to make it out before you drown then follow me,” the woman who blocked our path said.
“Why would we trust you? The Siren Queen is just playing games with us at this point. She may help my Queen, but we don’t matter to her,” I said, while motioning between Thomas and I.
“I wish to help you, and to dwell on the land. If you take me with you, I will help you get out of here.”
She was eating up our precious time just with her proposal. I didn’t bother asking Thomas what he thought. Violet made it clear that I called the shots and I had to go with my gut. Violet trusts me, and she gives people a chance to prove their worth.
“Yes, you can come with us. Please get us out of here, now.”
“Follow me,” she said, running ahead of us on her weird legs.
It was a struggle to keep up with her, she was so fast, as fast as flowing water. I was breathing heavy, which caused my air bubble to steam up.
“We only have a minute of our air bubble left, if we are lucky!” I shouted to her. We had spent way too much time talking, and not enough running.
“Sucky sea shells! I don’t have the ability to make new air bubbles. Once we get out of here, I will get us to the surface as quickly as possible,” she said.
I had worse words to scream than sucky sea shells, but I need to hold onto my oxygen more than I need to scream.
We were putting our lives in the hands of a complete stranger.
I threw everything I had into my speed, and so did Thomas. The Siren Queen’s magic was still working, to replenish our air bubble. We would have used up the original air long ago if it wasn’t. I knew that she meant what she said, these air pockets had an expiration.
Only seconds had passed, and we made it just outside of the coral castle when the air bubbles popped. I had been mid inhale and my mouth had filled up with water.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
The siren grabbed both Thomas and I around our middles and started swimming upward as fast as she could. The higher we went the more she gained speed. My face was shifting around from our speed and the pressure of the water.
I could see the sharks that had been previously swimming around the corals edge. They left their posts and started swimming towards us. I stared at several species of sharks as they gained on us.
My lungs were screaming in pain, as I had no air stored in my mouth to give them, only water. Thomas looked like he was struggling too, but he slowly had bubbles coming out of his mouth.
Bastard, he still had some air in his mouth.
Blackness started clouding the edges of my vision, and my mind reeled at the sensation of drowning again. I started shaking as I remembered what it was like to take my last breath and to fade into darkness. I involuntarily swallowed the water that I had in my mouth, and my body started seizing. I remembered this from last time, I had seconds left.
The siren’s eyes were wide. Thomas fought his own battle while he watched me struggle. I caught a glimpse of his eyes, urging me to hold on.
Goddess, please let me make it out of here, I’ll do anything.
Seconds later the Goddess answered my prayers and my head shot out of the water. I threw up everything that didn’t belong. It was mostly salt water with a little bit of bile. I struggled to keep myself above the water while doing so. I began to cough and my lungs screamed in pain and relief.
The siren continued to hold onto me, to keep me afloat. Thomas swam in front of me, probably to make sure I was ok. His eyes were worried. He hadn’t thrown up when he resurfaced. I answered his silent question with a nod of my head.
“I am going to bring us to shore,” the siren announced.
She started guiding us closer to the shore. I could see our supplies in a pile off in the distance. The horse was missing though. It had either escaped, or someone stole it. It was a shame because I didn’t think I had the energy to walk.
When my feet touched sand I almost cried in relief. I was still shaking, still upset about reliving my last drowning experience.
“Are you ok?” Thomas asked, this time out loud.
“No, not really, but I will be,” I said after a solid minute.
I was alive, my feet were on semi-solid ground. While my lungs hurt, they still worked. I had to concentrate on the little things. I survived, and I got the Siren Queen to commit to helping our cause.
I did it.
I put on a brave face. Thomas looked at me like he saw right through my mask, but didn’t call me out on it.
The siren hauled herself out of the water, using her arms to drag herself on the sand. I watched her, taking the time to get my first real glimpse of her.
She was a vision in red. Her tail started at her waist in a bright red, the color of a perfect rose, and then it faded into a deep blood red at the end of her tail. There was a scale missing here or there, leaving behind a glimpse of silver in their place. They were battle scars.
She wore a skin tight crop top made of fish scales that matched her tail. Her hair was a dark red mop of tangled curls, which hung heavy with water on her shoulders and around her face. Her skin was pale, and her eyes were yellow. If she hadn’t saved us from a certain death, I would be unnerved by her.
“Thank you,” I told her sincerely.
“You are welcome. I hope you meant what you said about letting me come with you. My Queen won’t let me come back after a treachery like this.”
“I meant it,” I said with a tight lipped smile. It was the least I could do.
“Then, thank you.”
I watched as her body started shaking and she gasped in pain. Before my eyes I saw her tail split in half down the length, and her tail fold upwards. A rogue wave came up the beach and splashed what was left of her tail. When the water receded, she had legs. They were red, like her tail, but they were legs. She was also naked from the waist down.
“Wow,” Thomas said in amazement.
I narrowed a glance at him.
“Not at her nakedness. I meant the transformation. I’ve never seen something like that before. Didn’t know it was possible for the sirens to leave the sea.”
He was right, I didn’t know it was possible either.
I walked over to our supplies pile and pulled out a pair of pants for her, tossing it her way. She stood up very shakily, and then fell over. During her third attempt she finally held her own weight and was able to get the pants on. Thomas had turned his back to her, to give her some privacy. I watched, not willing to blindly trust her.
“I didn’t know if this was possible myself. I had heard rumors of sirens defecting, leaving the sea for good. I wasn’t certain and I knew this was my one opportunity to leave and have a shot at survival. I wouldn’t be on my own.”
“We will help you, but we need to know more about you. Do you have any magic, or any abilities, and skills that could benefit us?” I asked.
She glanced at me, sizing me up as I had her. Something she saw must have won her over.
“I have magic, just as you do. I can sense it swirling in your blood. I, as a siren, have control over the water. Sometimes I am able to sway the emotions of others but this does not happen often. I am skilled with a spear.”
I noticed for the first time the spear strapped to her back.
“What is your name?” I asked her.
“Ari.”
“I am Trin, and this is Thomas.”
She nodded her head at each of us, in greeting.
“I owe you a great debt, as you have taken me on,” the siren said. “How can I assist you in your mission? Your Queen is seeking alliances?”
How much of our conversation with the Queen did she overhear?
“Yes, she is trying to make alliances to defend the continent from Tate. Do you know of them?” I asked.
<
br /> I wasn’t expecting her to know much about the kingdom.
“I do. I was doing reconnaissance for the Siren Queen. I swam near their ship and heard of the cruel Prince’s plans.”
How convenient.
“What does he plan to do?” Thomas asked. She stared at him for a moment too long for my liking.
“He plans to drain her magic. He is looking for a particularly rare type of magic-worker to steal a gift from. He wants to acquire the ability to dream walk. He wants to use this to enter her dreams, and then steal her magic.”
Thomas' and I collectively gasped.
“Is that even possible?” I asked.
“He seemed to think so,” she answered.
It was silent for a while while I thought through her words. I could hear the waves crashing angrily in the background. The reaction of a pissed off Siren Queen, I’m sure. Missing the death of two play things and now her warrior.
“So, what now?” Ari asked me.
“Now we are going to go see the Children of the Willows.”
“I hear of many things in the sea, spoken by sailors, but the Children of the Willows is not one of them,” she said.
“They are necromancers,” I said blatantly. Might as well rip the bandage off.
“They are unnatural, why do you seek their help? Their magic upsets the natural order,” she said, a little harshly..
I sent Thomas a glare that said don’t say a word.
“My Queen’s orders,” I answered, with just the partial truth. She saved our lives, and in return she sought refuge with us. It doesn’t mean she’s entitled to know anything about me. She looked like she wanted to ask more about that, but thought better of it.
I walked back to my pile of supplies and picked up my bag. Thomas did the same. We waited for Ari to get her land legs and then we headed west.
“Should we stop and get her supplies?” Thomas asked.
“No, we have wasted too much time already. We have a strict deadline we have to meet to make it to the ship on time. She can borrow from us, we bought enough.”
“We can’t spare an hour?” he asked.
“No Thomas, we can’t.”
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