Caleb exhaled loudly, sounding annoyed. “Yes, finding a siren is pretty lucky, isn’t it?”
Terrence turned to him, his eyebrows furrowed. “Well, we’re completely safe. Nothing happened, and there doesn’t seem to be any sign of the Guild.”
“You shouldn’t have gone into the city.” Caleb shook his head. “I could have told you that.”
Liam stood between them and cleared his throat. “Caleb, everyone’s fine.”
“Yes,” he said under his breath, “until the next stupid decision.”
“I got her out in time.” Terrence’s voice became deeper. “I knew I’d be able to keep her safe, otherwise I wouldn’t have gone. She’s fine.”
“Soldiers.” This time Lancer cut in. “It’s time to move.”
He turned to Julia. “You need to pack your stuff.”
Julia walked to her room silently, feeling unnerved. Why did Caleb always get so upset when anyone was put at risk? It seemed ironic that he would join the Soldier Union if he was so uncomfortable with dangerous situations.
She entered her room and snapped on her light, half expecting to see the siren waiting for her. Instead she found her old room empty, only her few possessions present.
It only took her a moment to pack. She had left most of her clothes and belongings at Lockham Castle. Her real valu-ables consisted of her shapeshifting book, the lie-detector ring Caleb had given her last Christmas, and a small wooden box that consisted of childhood memories, photographs, birthday cards, and letters.
She finished packing and mentally said good-bye to the old mansion. As they all met in the living room, Terrence picked up her bag for her.
It was late, but all three men wore soldier uniforms. The navy blue outfits were clean, crisp, and equipped with a long sword.
“You all changed?” she asked, glancing between them.
Lancer nodded. “It will be easier for us to get into Lockham if the guards can easily identify who we are.”
Julia’s stomach twisted at the thought. The guards of Lockham were fifty-foot cement statues that held menacing spears. They ferociously guarded Lockham Castle with no exceptions.
“They’re not expecting us,” she said. “Isn’t that dangerous?
Maybe we should wait till morning.”
“No,” Liam answered. “We must go tonight. It’s much more dangerous staying here.”
They left through the back screen door, Lancer and Caleb in front of Julia, and Liam and Terrence behind her. To get to Ossai, they would have to travel through a water portal, and this time Julia would try desperately to remain calm.
They walked through the lush, grassy field, heading toward the pond at the back of the property.
Without hesitation, Lancer and Caleb stepped into the shallow pond; however, Julia was more cautious. She wished she could transform into werecat form, but she knew the guards of Lockham would never allow them into the castle.
The water was cold, and the mud was thick, making her work twice as hard to take each step.
“Just a little further,” Liam whispered encouragingly.
“We’re almost to the portal.”
Julia almost yelled out when she felt something brush up against her leg in the water. She scanned the murky water below but saw nothing. Just a plant, she told herself.
“Okay.” Lancer turned around. “Julia, you’ll come with me—”
Something touched Julia’s leg again in the water, and this time she couldn’t stay silent. Taking two steps back, she looked down, and saw a long, black snake by her knees.
Screaming, she attempted to get away from the sinister serpent and lost balance. Her arms flailed out, but her foot was stuck in the mud, and she tumbled over with a loud splash.
Submerged underwater, Julia frantically fought her way up. When she broke the surface, she sat up and saw the inescapable snake tangled around her. Before she could scream out again, Caleb and Lancer each grabbed an arm, and pulled her out of the water. She was placed straight into the water portal and felt her body being yanked into darkness.
Rushing water filled her ears, and blackness surrounded her. Her heart beat wildly, even though she knew she was safe now. She relaxed as she felt herself being pulled through the portal. Had she real y thought she’d have a calm experience portal traveling?
Julia braced herself as the blackness faded away and she landed somewhat gracefully in a familiar gray field. She had only been to this place once before, last year when she traveled to Lockham Castle for the first time.
Lancer materialized beside her, landing perfectly on his feet, followed by Terrence, Liam, and Caleb.
“Are you all right?” Lancer whispered, touching her arm.
All of the soldiers watched her, and she began to feel embarrassed about her reaction with the snake. “Yeah. It just startled me.”
“Don’t worry,” Caleb said. “I recognized that type of species. It wasn’t poisonous.”
“Good,” Julia answered, knowing that she would’ve reacted the same way whether it was poisonous or not.
Liam glanced around the quiet area. “Terrence?” he said, offering an outstretched arm.
Terrence nodded, finding Julia’s brown duffel bag on his side and handing it to Liam. He then reached into his scabbard and pulled out a sparkling silver sword with blue flames on it. Even in the dim, gray field, the sword glowed magnificently.
He strode forward, the sword raised high, and then stabbed it into the soft earth.
The field immediately began spinning around them, and Julia crouched low. Once the movement ceased, the large, silver gates of Lockham materialized above them.
“Julia, get behind me,” Lancer ordered.
She obediently moved behind her father. As they continued forward, the two warrior statues came into view. The group stopped at a safe distance, and Terrence glanced at Caleb, who was so close to Julia, their arms touched. Noticing, Terrence moved closer to Julia and grabbed her hand.
Lancer separated himself from the group and took a couple steps forward.
An uncomfortable grinding noise began, and Julia stiffened as she saw the first statue open its eerie blank eyes, coming to life. It turned its large head down to look at them and gripped its deathly spear.
“You wish to enter?” The first warrior yelled out in a gravelly voice that reverberated through the air. He was just as terrifying as Julia remembered.
“We do.” Lancer voice was calm. “I, Lancer Levesque, Soldier Union leader, have with me Soldiers Terrence Daniels, Liam and Caleb Glyndor, and my daughter, Julia Levesque.”
The other warrior statue shifted a little, and its blank eyes bore down at Julia.
“Only werecat or water nymph students are allowed to attend Lockham,” the warrior on the right said, tilting its stone head.
It was quiet for a moment, and Julia’s heart began beating out of her chest.
“Yes, but we are members of the Soldier Union,” Lancer said, anger on the edge of his voice. “And we wish to enter now.”
The warrior statue raised its great marble eyebrows. “I am referring to Julia Levesque.”
Caleb stepped closer to Julia, and she felt Liam move in behind her.
Lancer paused before answering. “Julia is a werecat student at Lockham—she’ll be attending this year.”
The warrior statue seemed to contemplate this for a moment. “If you say so—”
With a whooshing noise, the iron gates flung open to reveal a stone pathway leading to Lockham castle.
The huge, silvery castle loomed above Julia, and she took in the beautiful palace. The whole castle was made of stone and had several floors and towers. Hundreds of windows lit up each floor, making it glow, and the tower’s turrets spiraled into the night’s dark sky. Surrounding the impressive gray castle were acres of forest and a stone courtyard.
The group surrounding Julia ushered in quickly, Lancer in the lead.
They entered though the double doors into Lockham, and
once inside, Julia took a relieved breath. In one swift movement, Lancer sealed the doors shut.
“What was that about?” Terrence asked, turning to Lancer.
“How could they not know Julia by now?”
Lancer shook his head, looking disquieted.
“Last year they asked me to prove I was a werecat and shapeshift on the spot,” Julia said. “Maybe they wanted proof again.”
“But they were created to have impeccable memories,”
Lancer replied, his forehead wrinkled. “They should have known that about Julia. That’s absolutely ridiculous. Every time she enters it seems they single her out and give her a hard time. I’ll talk with Mr. Knightly, see if he has any ideas.”
“Mr. Knightly?” Julia asked.
“Yes. He’s the new head of security for Lockham.”
Julia couldn’t help but feel disappointed. Mr. Knightly was severe and always seemed to make Julia’s life harder.
“Well, it’s late.” Lancer checked his wristwatch. “You remember where your room is, Julia?” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver key.
She took the key and glanced around. The inside of the castle was just as impressive as the outside, and now every wal , room, and painting gave Julia memories of the previous year.
She looked over to the large dining hall where she had first met her friend Gabe, and the library where they had spent so much time with Sierra. Just outside in the courtyard, Terrence had helped her learn how to shapeshift. Further down the castle was the grand ballroom where Julia had attended Lockham’s masquerade. From its never-ending ceilings to the marble flooring, and everything in between, Lockham was breathtaking.
Julia had learned so much in this castle, and it truly felt like home to her. She felt warm and safe inside.
“Yes,” she said, turning to the staircase that lead to the girl student floors.
“Terrence, Caleb,” Lancer said, “you are officially released from duty tonight. Meet Liam and me tomorrow morning in the Soldier Union room. There will be some soldiers from the Kali Falls unit as well.”
Terrence nodded, and Caleb mumbled his consent.
“Good night, Julia.” Lancer gave her a hug before he and Liam left the main hall, heading toward the opposite side of the castle.
She reached for her duffel bag, but Terrence held out a hand instead.
“Can I carry it to your room for you?” he asked.
Julia smiled. “Yeah, that’d be nice.”
Caleb was about to follow Lancer and Liam, but instead he stayed firm, watching Julia and Terrence.
Julia looked at him. “Good night, Caleb. Thanks for everything,” she said sincerely. “Between the two of you, I’ve lost count of how many times you’ve saved my life.”
“If it were up to me,” Caleb said, “your life wouldn’t have been in danger at all tonight.”
Julia shook her head. Caleb had always become unreasonably upset whenever she was put in jeopardy. However, because her mother was the leader of an evil guild, Julia’s life was constantly at risk. When Alexis attempted to assassinate her last year, Caleb had never gotten over it.
“Everything turned out fine,” Terrence said to Caleb. “I got Julia out in time. Trust me, I wouldn’t have let that siren touch her.”
Caleb’s eyes narrowed on Terrence. “This isn’t the first time that you’ve convinced her to do something careless. And I’m sure it won’t be the last.”
“Caleb,” Julia warned. “Stop.”
He ignored her. “Just remember, Terrence, how hard we’ve all worked to keep her safe. Next time—”
“I understand how important she is.” Terrence cut him off.
“You’re not the only one who cares about her. Back off. I’m not forcing her to do anything, and you’re not her father.”
Both Caleb and Terrence opened their mouths, but Julia interrupted. “No,” she said, holding up her hands. “Both of you stop.”
She ripped her bag from Terrence’s hand and turned away from them. She was not about to let them fight in the middle of the castle. Looking back, she glared at Caleb one last time and headed to her room.
CHAPTER THREE
The Royal Family
Julia entered her room and looked around. All of her clothes still hung undisturbed in the closet, and the room smelled faintly of citrus—Sierra’s favorite scent—and her framed photos sat perfectly on the desk.
One photograph was of Julia and her father smiling. A second frame held a picture of Sierra and her adoptive parents at the beach. Terrence’s picture was the newest in the collection.
Julia sat down on her bed and picked up the frame, looking at his handsome face.
Things between Terrence and Caleb had been strange since the masquerade last year. Caleb had always been protective, and Terrence was competitive. The combination had led to a lot of discontentment that Julia felt responsible for.
She looked at Sierra’s empty bed and longed to speak with her best friend. If Sierra were here, she’d have good advice.
However, as Julia climbed into her covers, she felt completely out of answers.
The following morning, Scarlet greeted Julia in the dining hall. Scarlet, Liam’s wife and Caleb’s mother, had long blonde hair, fair skin, and deep-set blue eyes. She taught Water Nymphology at Lockham Castle, and Julia’s friends Sierra and Gabe attended her class.
Julia had already spent the last hour telling Scarlet about her summer and the whole siren experience. Scarlet listened intently, and Julia realized how much she’d missed having a female presence around.
“I’m sorry,” Julia said. “I haven’t even asked you how your summer was. I’ve been rambling on about mine.”
Scarlet’s eyes ran over her. “Your stories are much more fascinating than mine. My summers consist of preparing for classes, trying to relax by the lake, and spending as much time with Liam as possible.”
“You live by a lake?” Julia asked. “Do you swim in it a lot?”
Scarlet looked amused. “What kind of water nymph would I be if I didn’t?”
Julia thought about her remark. “Are sirens the same?
How often do they need to be in water to survive?”
Scarlet took a sip of her drink and paused. “Sirens are hard to understand. They don’t want people to know exactly how they live, so learning about their way of life has always been difficult.”
Julia nodded. “All I’ve ever been told is not to trust them, that they’re scary and manipulative. Do you think they’re really that dangerous?”
“I think they’re more misunderstood,” she answered. “Sirens are private people. They stay close together, and I think they care more about keeping each other safe than they do attacking others—although they do have a history of being destructive.”
Julia nodded and made a mental note to research siren history later.
When she finished eating breakfast with Scarlet, Julia met Terrence in the main hall. He looked exhausted and his blue eyes had dark circles underneath them.
“Good morning,” she said quietly. “How was the meeting?”
He shrugged. “It was all right. I couldn’t focus, though. I couldn’t stop thinking about last night.”
Julia glanced around. Several students who had arrived early wandered in and out of the great hall.
“Is it okay if we go somewhere a little more private to talk?”
“Of course,” Terrence answered.
She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the stairs that led to the common room. Located on the floor below, the common room was quiet and secluded.
Several large, brown couches and coffee tables surrounded an enormous fireplace. Julia sat cross-legged on the soft leather couch next to Terrence and made sure they were completely alone.
“Okay,” she said. “Go ahead.”
He swallowed. “I just wanted to apologize about last night. I didn’t mean for things to end like that. It’s just …”
He paused. “Caleb really knows how to get to me.”
Julia was quiet for a moment before answering. “I just wish things weren’t so awkward between you two.” She intertwined her hand with his. “I love you. Don’t feel threatened by Caleb. I don’t understand why you let him get to you.”
He sighed, looking restrained. “I know that, Julia. But it’s pretty obvious Caleb has more than just feelings for you.”
She leaned back. “More than feelings?”
“Well, he wants to be with you, obviously. But it also seems like he wants to control your life.”
Julia tried to dismiss his words, but in reality, that didn’t seem too far away from how Caleb acted.
“I’ve gone to these Soldier Union meetings and heard what Caleb has to say.” His jaw hardened. “It’s as if he thinks he knows better than anyone else what’s best for you. It’s so infuriating.”
Julia sighed. “Well, I hate knowing that my future is being discussed at meetings where I’m not present.” She shook her head. “But that’s beside the point. Listen, Caleb will always be that way—that’s just how he is. He takes his responsibilities a little too seriously.”
Terrence met her eyes and nodded hesitantly. “Yeah.”
“I’m sorry about how things ended yesterday too. I didn’t mean to get upset with you, and I really did enjoy going out to dinner yesterday—even if it was interrupted.”
He smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ears.
“Someday I’d like to take you on a date without something going horribly wrong.”
“I know,” she answered. “But, for now, I think we should just spend as much time together as we can, before school starts.”
True to her word, Julia spent every day with Terrence for the next week. She ate breakfast with Scarlet during the Soldier Union meetings and then met up with him afterward.
Julia and Terrence talked for hours, getting to know each other better, took long lunch dates, and spent every evening walking in the courtyard. Julia felt completely content, but an inescapable sensation began to creep into her stomach. School would begin in two days and their time together would end.
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