by Sarra Cannon
Strings of orange lights looped around the entire square, even though I couldn’t see what they were attached to. Swarms of bats seemed to constantly flutter overhead, though I was sure they had to be mechanical.
A giant spider that looked real enough to scare me a little had been placed on the steps of the massive library across the street, and the front windows of all the shops had been decorated with cobwebs, skeletons, and other spooky things.
Dozens of booths and tables had been set up around the square selling everything from orange and purple cotton candy filled with candy spiders to caramel apples. At one end, near the willow tree, a tent was set up that advertised a real fortune-telling witch inside. Unlike most fortune tellers, I had a feeling this was probably the real deal.
Everywhere I looked, kids in costumes were racing from booth to booth, holding up plastic pumpkins and decorated bags and yelling, “Trick or treat!”
Everyone seemed to be having an amazing time, but I couldn’t help but feel nervous.
Besides, I wanted to know what Mrs. Finnygood had meant earlier about someone named Selena.
I was just about to ask him when a short girl with long, blonde hair ran up and threw her arms around him. She was wearing a black dress with black tights, black boots, and long black fingerless gloves. She was also wearing a pointed black witch’s hat.
Please don’t be Selena.
“Nik, you made it,” she said. “I’m so happy to see you. It’s been weeks. What have you been up to?”
“Anna, I want you to meet someone,” he said. “This is Eva McKay. She’s new in town.”
“Hi,” I said, letting out a sigh of relief. I recognized her as the witch Nik had said made the underwater potions for him. Anna Tillman. “It’s nice to finally meet you. Nik has said wonderful things about you.”
She immediately pulled me into a huge hug that nearly knocked the breath out of me. She giggled and the sound was full of pure happiness.
“Oh my goodness, I’m sorry,” she said, finally pulling away. “I’ve had way too much witch’s brew already today, and I’m just so excited to see Nik here with a girl. Where in the world did you guys meet?”
Nik told her the story of my fateful crash near the docks, and Anna hung on his every word.
“That’s so fascinating,” she said. “The tree brought you here, I just know it.”
I had no idea what to say to that, but it was seeming more and more likely that it was more than just a coincidence I had ended up in Willow Harbor. She wasn’t the first to mention the tree, and I couldn’t deny my connection to its power.
“What else have you guys been up to?” she asked. “Did you show her all around town? What about the boardwalk and all the shops? I want to know everything.”
“I took her to the cave,” Nik said with a nervous smile.
Anna’s eyes grew so big, I thought they were going to pop out of her head. “Okay, this is serious,” she said. “What did you think?”
“It was incredible,” I said. “Have you seen it?”
She shook her head. “Nik never takes anyone there,” she said. “It’s his special place to be alone and reconnect with the ocean. He’s described it to me, though, and it sounds amazing. Come with me, I’m going to get my Aunt Ritzy to make you some of her special brew, and you’re going to tell me all about it. Nik, go mingle for a few minutes. We’ll be right back.”
Anna took my arm and dragged me away before I even had a chance to protest. She was strong for such a petite girl, and she seemed to have more energy in her pinky finger than I had in my whole body.
Once we were out of earshot from Nik, she stopped and pulled me over to a more private space behind a booth selling what appeared to be voodoo dolls.
“Oh my God, you have to tell me everything,” she said. “Nik never dates. Like, ever. You guys seriously just met two days ago? He’s already in love with you, I can tell. I’ve known him for forever.”
Just like last night, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed by the invasion of privacy and the expectation to just lay it all out on the line. I came from a life where I had to fight to keep everything secret, and I would have been severely punished if I had told anyone the truth about my life in captivity. Here, though, it seemed like everyone was pushing for the truth.
And was she serious about Nik being in love with me? That wasn’t possible. We’d only just met.
My fingers went to my lips, though, as I remembered the kiss and the truth it seemed to whisper in my ear.
“He kissed you,” Anna said, bouncing with excitement. “This is huge. What are you guys going to do?”
“About what?” I asked.
“About Selena,” she said. She placed a hand on her hip and squinted her eyes, as if she was trying to figure out a really tough math equation. “I’m sure Nik has it all figured out, but you’re probably scared to death. Don’t worry, though, he isn’t going to let anything happen to you.”
There was that name again. “Wait, who is Selena?” I asked. “Mrs. Finnygood at the Inn mentioned her, too. She isn’t Nik’s girlfriend, is she?”
Anna’s eyes grew wide again. “Oh crap, he hasn’t told you about her?” she asked, biting her lip. “He’s going to be furious I said anything. I’ll let him tell you. It’s his place, anyway. I shouldn’t have said anything. I just assumed—”
“Who is she? At least tell me if they’re dating,” I said. “I have a right to know.”
“No, they definitely are not dating,” Anna said. “Come on, let’s get that witch’s brew. You’re going to need it.”
She pulled me along through the massive crowd to a group of women standing around a giant black cauldron filled with some kind of smoky liquid.
“What’s in it?” I asked, peering inside.
“A witch never tells,” the blonde woman standing in front of the cauldron said. She looked strikingly similar to Anna, though she was quite a bit older. She handed me a cup. “Just drink it, you won’t regret it, I promise.”
I took one sip and instantly fell in love with its strange mix of fruity flavors. I suddenly felt like laughing. I had expected it to contain alcohol, but I quickly realized that its secret ingredient was much more magical. I immediately felt lighter and happier, as if I couldn’t help but smile.
I practically forgot all about Selena. It was as though the drink made it impossible to focus on anything negative. All I felt was joy. It was exhilarating.
Just then, I caught sight of Drifter walking through the crowd, a smiling Marla at his side. I had to resist the urge to run over to them both and throw my arms around them.
Suddenly, Anna’s bubbly attitude about everything made a lot more sense.
“What do you think?” she asked.
“I love it,” I said. “I’ve never met another witch before tonight, but I think I could get used to a town like this where you’re free to be yourselves.”
“This is my Aunt Ritzy,” Anna said. “Ritzy, this is Eva. She’s new. And wait, did you say another witch?”
I nodded, taking another sip of the brew.
Anna hugged me again, nearly causing me to spill my drink.
“I can’t believe it,” she said. “Nik has fallen in love with a witch. You have to tell me all about your family. Where are you from? What kind of witch are you? I want to know everything.”
I was listening to her, but I was also scanning the crowd, watching the creative costumes parade by. I was filled with happiness from the drink and feeling like I belonged here more than I could have ever imagined when my eyes landed on Nik across the grass. He was talking to a woman in a sparkling silver gown, her white-blond hair flowing down her back in waves that seemed to sparkle even more than her dress.
I couldn’t see her face, but I could see Nik’s, and he was upset. He was arguing with the woman, and I knew instantly this was the infamous Selena. She placed her hand on his arm, and he jerked away.
Anna kept rattling on beside me, but when she sto
pped for air, she seemed to notice I was only half paying attention. Her eyes followed mine, and she gasped.
“What is she doing here?” she mumbled. “She never comes to town gatherings. Why haven’t the police taken care of this? Stay here, I’m going to see if I can find Cole.”
I had no idea why the police would be involved, and I was tired of all the secrecy surrounding this Selena woman. I also had no intention of staying put while Anna went to look for the cops.
I dropped the rest of my witch’s brew into a nearby trash can and made my way toward Nik and the woman.
As soon as he saw me approach, though, he quickly shook his head to warn me away. But it was too late.
Selena spun quickly, her eyes locking on mine.
The longer I looked at her, the more I couldn’t help but be drawn to her. I couldn't exactly explain it, but I needed to be closer to her, even though I instantly despised her.
“So, this is the beautiful new witch you’ve grown so attached to that you would disobey me?” Selena asked. She was looking at me, but her words were for Nik. “I don’t see what’s so special about her, to be honest.”
“Selena, you need to go,” Nik said through clenched teeth. “This isn’t the place, and you know it. I’ll come by tomorrow and we can talk about this, but tonight is a town event. There are families here. Unless you want to get the hunters involved, I think it’s best that you go.”
The crowd around us had thinned and spread out, leaving a wide-open area with the three of us inside. I noticed a few men in uniform approaching, Anna close behind.
Selena must have noticed them, too, because she turned quickly to face Nik.
“This isn’t over,” she said. She sounded angry, but her voice was silvery smooth, like moonlight on the water. “I assure you, you’ll be paying for this the rest of your miserable little life.”
The officers approached, but Selena raised her hands and shook her head.
“I’m going,” she said. “Although, it is a town function, and I’m just as much a part of this town as anyone. Still, I know where I’m not welcome. But don’t worry, I’ll settle this later. On my own terms.”
She turned and gave me one last look, pure hatred in her gaze, before she walked away.
Twenty-Five
Nik
Fear rolled through me as I watched Selena storm away, several of her men in tow. This wasn’t over, and after what she’d said to me, I knew I had grossly underestimated just how angry she would be at my sudden interest in another woman.
I had always known Selena wanted me for herself, but I never quite realized how angry she would be if I showed affection for anyone else.
And judging from the look on Eva’s face, she was just as mad. And just as confused.
She looked into my eyes with an expression of fury mixed with pain. At first, I didn’t know what to say. How could I possibly explain the truth about Selena? Why hadn’t I told her about it earlier?
Eva shook her head and turned, practically running through the crowd toward the willow tree.
“Eva, wait,” I shouted. I ran after her, but there were so many people standing around I had a hard time pushing through to find her.
When I finally did catch up with her, she was standing under the branches of the great willow, tears running down her face.
“Who was that woman?” she asked.
“I’m so sorry, Eva,” I said, touching her arm. She pulled away from me so quickly, it made my chest tighten. “I know I should have said something earlier, but I was so ashamed of the truth, I didn’t want you to know. I thought I could deal with her myself, somehow. I never thought she would come here tonight. I promise, I was planning to tell you about Selena tonight after the festival. I just wanted you to get a chance to see how great this town is before I told you the truth about me.”
She turned toward me, her green eyes glistening. “What truth? Why was she so angry with you? Is she your ex-girlfriend or something? I don’t understand.”
“No, not exactly,” I said. I glanced around at all the people still standing close enough to hear what we were saying. “Can we walk for a minute? Away from the crowds?”
She seemed to consider it for a moment, then finally nodded.
I led her over a small footbridge that spanned the marshy channel that fed the roots of the willow tree. We took a small path that led away from town, toward the beach. It was darker over here, and much more private but on a night like this, I didn’t want to keep her here in the shadows for too long.
When I was sure we were far enough away that no one could listen in on our conversation, I started talking.
“Remember how I told you the male version of a mermaid is a triton?” I asked.
Eva nodded, looking confused. I know she wanted to hear about Selena, but if I was going to tell her the truth, I needed to start from the beginning.
“I am a triton,” I said, watching as her eyes widened and her lips partly slightly. “I didn’t grow up here in Willow Harbor. I grew up in the ocean just a short distance from shore, in a kingdom of tritons and mermaids. That cave I showed you is nothing compared to the beauty of my kingdom. Down there, the ocean floor is full of caves and castles, an entire community built from coral and shells and rock. It’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen.”
My heart ached just thinking about it.
“My father is the king of the tritons, Cepheus. He’s a powerful man and a great ruler, but many years ago, when he was just a teenager, he caught the attention of an equally powerful siren named Selena,” I said.
Eva turned to study my face, recognizing the name. “The woman you were just talking to?” she asked.
“Yes. Sirens don’t age the same way most of us do,” I said. “She’s ancient. Several hundred years old. When she discovered my father, he wasn’t married yet, but he was already in love with my mother, Vanessa, a mermaid princess. Selena tried to lure him away from the kingdom, but he was able to resist her. He’d been taught about what sirens were capable of, and he knew in order to resist her, he simply had to stop listening to her. Stop looking at her. But Selena wasn’t used to being resisted. She was part mermaid herself, which is why she can breathe underwater when most sirens can’t, and she’d always wanted a triton for her collection. But as hard as she tried, she was never able to claim my father the way she wanted.”
Eva was listening with her full attention.
“After some time, Selena stopped visiting the triton kingdom, and my father assumed she had forgotten about him. Once he was named king, he set up special boundaries and made sure that she couldn’t enter the kingdom, so he thought he would never see her again. He married my mother and they had three children,” I said. “I was their firstborn, then my sister, Aurelia, and my brother, Leonidas.”
This was all the easy part of the explanation, but as I got to the more difficult parts, my stomach began to tighten. I didn’t like to think about the mistakes I’d made and how much it had cost everyone that loved me.
“What happened?” she asked softly. Her arms were still crossed angrily, but at least she was listening.
I took a deep breath and continued.
“I was only sixteen when I met Selena,” I said. “I wasn’t supposed to go outside the borders of our kingdom, but I was stupid and rebellious. I liked to explore, and I hated that my father tried to keep me so close to home all the time. I had this one spot near Willow Harbor’s shore where I liked to go and watch the people on the boardwalk and in town. I never had any intention of speaking to any of them or even going into town, even though tritons can shift into human form at night close to the full moon.”
I glanced up at the full moon tonight, realizing that it was the first time in a long while the full moon had actually occurred right on Halloween night.
“One day I was swimming near my favorite spot when a beautiful woman appeared to simply walk out of the water. She was wearing a shimmering gown, and her hair looked as though
it was made of pure silver,” I said. “I had never seen anyone so beautiful in my life, and when she began to sing to me, I was mesmerized. She sang of the kind of life she could give me, and suddenly, I wanted nothing more in the world than to be with her.”
I hated this part of the story. I hated how easily I had fallen into Selena’s song.
“I managed to get away from her that first day, but I couldn’t get my mind off of her,” I said. “Unlike my father, I wasn’t in love, and I hadn’t been outside the kingdom enough to have met other sirens or know what they were capable of. A few days later, I left the kingdom again, searching for the mysterious woman. When she came to me and sang again, I felt as though I could trust her with my life. It happened so quickly, I didn’t even understand what was happening until she placed this silver shackle on my wrist.”
I lifted my arm so Eva could see the shackle that had been on my wrist for the past ten years. The inside of it was stamped with a picture of a heron, Selena’s chosen mark.
“The moment she put it on me, my entire body transformed,” I said. “I could feel all my power being drained, and I was no longer a triton. I was a human, even though it was still daytime and not a full moon. I was confused at first, but Selena laughed and told me that she couldn’t believe I was Cepheus’s son. She told me that my father had dared to refuse her all those years ago, but she had finally found a way to pay him back. I tried to get away from her and go home, but I could no longer breathe underwater or swim as fast as before. I was trapped, and Selena soon explained the shackle on my wrist meant that I now belonged to her. That I would never be able to go home again.”
Eva gasped, her hand fluttering to her mouth.
“She enslaved you?” she asked.
I nodded. “I’ve never spoken to my father or mother since that day,” I said. “Selena left me there near the rock and told me to make my way into Willow Harbor. She said she would be in contact with me when she felt the time was right. It took all of my energy to swim that far in my new form, and when I finally made it, it was well after dark. I was exhausted and devastated, but Drifter found me. He’s been like a father to me ever since, taking me in, helping me find a way to make a living and be a part of the community here.”