The Siren's Secret

by Heather Ostler

  She hugged Julia and pulled away to look at her. “Now you just need to embrace who you are.”

  Julia closed her eyes and looked down. She couldn’t hide how she felt. She was confused and scared.

  “You’re planning on staying for some time.” It was a fact, not a question.

  Julia nodded. “Yes.”

  “We’re glad for your presence. Riley will show you around and help you get settled in.”

  Everyone turned to Riley, who smiled and bowed her head.

  “Thank you,” Julia answered again.

  It became quiet, and as Riley turned to leave, Julia followed.

  Once they were back in the jungle again, Riley stopped.

  “You must be hungry. Should we find some breakfast?”

  “Find?” Julia asked alarmed.

  Riley laughed at her expression and took her arm. “It’s not as scary as it sounds. Come on.”

  She led her to a small stream fifteen minutes into the jungle.

  The stream was surrounded by bushes and sparkled in the sunlight.

  Julia feared she’d be hunting for breakfast until she saw the different berries.

  “These are reenberries,” Riley said, pointing to a fruit the size of a walnut. “They’re good.” She plucked ten or so off the bush and made a small pile for Julia. “These are a variety of blackberries,” she said, moving to the next bush, “and these last ones are the most filling. They’re a little bitter, but they will keep you full for hours.”

  Julia took the fruit appreciatively and began eating. The berries were tart but had a sweet aftertaste.

  Riley ate the fruit as well, talking avidly about her favorite varieties of fruit and where they were found on the island.

  Once they were done, she showed Julia which streams held safe, fresh water.

  “Today I’m going to take you to the highest point of Sirenity,” Riley announced. “It’s a long hike, but you’ll be happy we took it.”

  For the next hour of the journey, Riley pointed out every detail of the jungle. She encouraged questions and seemed to know everything about every plant, animal, and rock on Sirenity.

  “How do you know so much?” Julia asked, stopping to take a breath.

  Riley grinned. “It’s kind of my job.”

  “Oh,” she answered. “Well, thanks for being patient with me. I’m not much of a hiker, and it feels weird to walk barefoot everywhere.”

  “You’ll be used to it by next week,” she assured her.

  After a moment of resting, they started back up again, passing through towering trees with hanging vines.

  “So we didn’t finish our conversation earlier, about why someone hypnotized you to enter your dreams.” Riley looked disgusted. “Who would do that to you? Was it the Guild?”

  “No, no, no,” Julia replied. “The person who did it wasn’t trying to hurt me in any way. It was a boy.”

  “What was he trying to do?” Riley gracefully jumped over a wide tree trunk on its side.

  Julia used her arms to push herself over the four-feet-tall trunk. “He was trying to protect me because he—well, he thinks we’re soul mates.”

  “Soul mates?”

  “Yes,” she answered. “He saw a prophecy that said we would be together.”

  Riley pushed back a branch. “A prophecy? Wow.”

  Julia sighed. “Yes, he saw it at the end of last year but didn’t tell me until a few months ago.”

  “Why?” Riley’s dark eyes opened wide with interest.

  “His father told him not to tell me. He said that it would affect my decisions and that it wasn’t fair to me.”

  “And who knows about this?” she asked.

  Julia shrugged. “No one except for Caleb, me, and his father, Liam.” She pursed her lips, thinking for moment. She couldn’t believe she had told all of this to someone she hardly knew. “But it doesn’t really matter what he saw, because the curse trumps any vision of the future.”

  “And you told him about the curse?” Riley asked.

  “Yes. He knew I was a siren. It didn’t seem to bother him, though.”

  Riley became quiet as she continued forward up a slope of land.

  “It doesn’t matter now anyway,” Julia said, stepping onto a mossy rock. “I can’t go back to Lockham, and I can’t be with anybody. My life is different know, and I have to protect myself.” She turned to Riley. “Right?”

  “We all protect each other,” she answered. “We keep each other safe, but we respect each other’s privacy. You won’t find anyone invading dreams here.”

  As they made it to the top of a lush, green hill, Riley spoke about the different crystals and metals the cliffs contained and what animals lived where.

  Riley held out a hand to help Julia steady herself on the top of the rock. Julia lifted her head and gasped, taking in the view. The jungle surrounded them for miles. You could see the shoreline and the glowing beach that led to the ocean.

  Riley turned her around and pointed across the way.

  “That’s where the water nymphs live, in the city,” she said. “This whole island is called Sirenity, but we live in Sirens Cove. You can see the queen’s palace and the surrounding village. The queen isn’t just a ruler like Loretta.

  She’s definitely more in the category of a tyrant. We’re on good terms with her, and our relationship is mutual, but it’s taken time to get that way.”

  Julia glanced at the massive, tan palace across the way.

  “What is their queen like?”

  “She’s young,” Riley answered. “Probably your age, and she’s extremely smart. But also very selfish. Luckily, she likes Loretta, so there haven’t been a lot of problems.”

  “You really do know everything. How long have you lived here?” she asked. “And if sirens are cursed, then how do they come to be?”

  “I became a siren at the age of sixteen,” she said. “However, my parents aren’t sirens. They’re water nymphs who live in the city of Sirenity. Most sirens have parents that are water nymphs, and you don’t find out you’re a siren until you get to a certain age.”

  “Oh,” Julia answered.

  “That doesn’t mean sirens can’t have children. Just like Alexis, if a siren has a child, it will most likely also be siren.”

  Julia turned around to stare at the jungle and the shore with the sirens’ homes. “It’s so beautiful,” she exclaimed. “All of it.”

  “I thought you’d appreciate it.” Riley smiled.

  Julia closed her eyes and felt the wind blow around her wild hair. Maybe she would be okay. Perhaps she could accept her life as a siren after all.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  A Familiar Queen

  For the next week, Julia continued to follow Riley everywhere. One hike had led them to great massive waterfal s with caves underneath. The cool caves were dark, and somewhat eerie, but Riley didn’t seem to be afraid of anything.

  Finally, they set aside time to explore the water. When Julia had first entered the waters to meet Loretta, she had been timid, scared. Now she dove in, headfirst, off cliffs, rocks, and out of trees.

  The water reflected an incredible blue, and Julia felt like she recharged her soul when she entered into its depths.

  The week after that, Riley took her to the heart of the jungle, where thousands of exotic plants poured out around her. Riley named plant after plant and its ability. Julia let her continue for an hour straight without a word until she heard the name of a familiar plant.

  “And this one is the corpse plant. I know it’s a strange name but it’s fitting because—”

  “When it blooms, it smells like the flesh of a rotting corpse,” Julia finished.

  Riley looked taken back. “Exactly. How did you know that?”

  “I learned about it in Mr. Henley’s class last year. I remember because Sierra made a joke about it …” Julia glanced down, suddenly feeling overwhelmed. “I think I need to go back to my room now,” she said solemnly. “I�
�m exhausted.”

  “Yes, definitely.” Riley nodded and quickly led her out of the forest.

  As they weaved through the brush, Julia realized how much she missed Sierra. It seemed that while she stayed in Sirenty, she’d blocked out certain facts.

  It was too painful to think about. She purposefully avoided any thoughts about Sierra—or her father. Lancer.

  The pain she felt for her father was ten times worse than what she felt missing Sierra.

  She had completely vanished without telling him. What had he been thinking this whole time? Had he given up on her? Of course not.

  How could she have done this to him? After everything he had done to constantly protect her. He had saved her life so many times—so had Terrence and Caleb. She just left them all behind.

  Julia sat on her cot and dug her toe into the sand beneath her. Alexis had no power here in Sirenity. She was completely safe here. Isn’t that what Lancer wanted?

  It wasn’t Julia’s fault that she became a siren. Her life at Lockham had fallen apart and she couldn’t stay. The best decision—her only decision—had been to leave.

  She left her shelter and walked through Sirenity, searching for Riley again. The other sirens were lingering throughout the shore. Some entered the jungle, maybe making their way up to the falls. Others sat in the shallow water talking.

  Julia finally found Riley sitting on a large rock with waves crashing up against it. She turned when Julia stumbled climbing up on the rock.

  “Do you need help?” she asked.

  Julia shook her head. “No, I don’t need help.”

  She tore the flesh on her palms but finally made it next to Riley. Sighing, she took in the beautiful view.

  The setting sun turned the ocean a soft orange. The lighting illuminated the sparkling water, and another crashing wave sprayed Julia with saltwater. The breeze stirred up her red hair, and she brushed a strand out of her eyes.

  “I’m sorry that I took off so early before,” Julia said quietly.

  Riley looked forward into the dying sun. “I didn’t think anything of it.”

  “I just can’t shake off the fact that I left everyone in my life without explaining.”

  A laugh echoed across the shoreline as a siren dove into the water.

  “But you said your father knew you were a siren. And he’s your only family, right? So as long as he knows, what does it matter?” Riley almost looked as though she were meditating.

  “I know that I’m not allowed to explain where Sirenity is.”

  Julia watched Riley’s face become uneasy at the mention of disclosing Sirenity’s location.

  “Julia,” she said with a slight warning in her tone.

  “I would never,” she reassured her. “But isn’t there any way I could communicate with him? I really need to tell him I’m all right. I can’t believe I’ve gone weeks without saying anything.”

  Riley tilted her head and squinted into the last bright rays of the day. “Do you feel guilty?”

  “I don’t feel guilty for who I am,” she answered. “I just can’t do this to my father.” She put a hand to her head.

  “Are you all right?”

  “Yes. I just can’t imagine how scared he must be.”

  “But he must understand that life is different for you. You are a siren; you must remain by the ocean with others like you.”

  “I’m not going back to Lockham,” she said. “I know that’s not an option. But I’m still his daughter. And I’m all he has for family. I need to figure out a solution that’s safe for everyone.”

  “Yes,” Riley replied. “I understand.”

  The sun finally hid under the reflecting waters, and the colors of the ocean changed from orange to black. The waves still flowed in and out, unaffected.

  “In the water nymph city of Sirenity, you can find a way to contact your father.”

  “They’ll have a way?” Julia felt relief wash over her.

  “But,” she added, “you’ll have to meet with the queen and most likely offer her something or make a deal. She won’t help you out for free.”

  Julia felt nervous. “The queen? Is there no one else I can talk to? I’m not sure the head of their country will be interested in my problems. Is there an assistant or someone under her?”

  “She’ll be interested in you,” Riley assured her. “You came to Ossai completely unaware of your siren descent until this year. She’ll be fascinated. But use her curiosity to strike a deal.

  Just be extremely cautious not to offend her. She’s a queen, and she’s prideful.”

  Julia’s heart began to race. “When do I go?”

  “Tomorrow. I’ll lead you to the city, but you’ll have to make your way back on your own. Can you do that?”

  Julia nodded. “Thank you.”

  “And although they aren’t afraid of sirens, you’ll want to hide your hair. You don’t want to bring unnecessary attention to yourself.”

  “I can do that,” Julia said.

  Riley stood up and gracefully jumped from the boulder onto to the smaller slippery rocks that led up to it. Not once did she waver.

  “Good night,” she called. Her blue hair glowed in the new moonlight. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  The long pathway to Sirenity became too hot, even for Julia who always felt too cold. With little shade, the land-scape changed from lush and green to bleak desert.

  “We’ll have to move fast,” Riley said, leading her through the scorching sand. Her walking pace became so quick that Julia had to keep a slight jog to keep up with her.

  As they neared the city of Sirenity, more palm trees began to pop up. One large row of palms seemed to mark the official entrance into the city.

  Riley pulled back a low palm leaf for Julia and she entered through.

  The huge sandy-brown palace loomed above the whole city, all of the cobblestone roads leading up to it. Hundreds of vendor carts lined the streets, filled with people shopping, laughing, or conversing with one another.

  “Obviously you know where the palace is.” Riley pointed to the massive building that everything seemed to look up at.

  “And you remember all the directions home?”

  “Yes,” Julia answered, even though she didn’t like referring to Sirenity as home.

  “You’ll be okay?”

  “Yes,” Julia answered. “Thank you, Riley.”

  Riley’s blue hair beamed in the sunlight. “Of course. It was nothing.”

  She turned, bowed back through the brush that they’d entered and disappeared.

  Julia pulled off the thin fabric that she’d tied around her waist and wrapped it around her hair. Sticking to Riley’s advice, she’d make sure not to flaunt her siren hair.

  With the scarf wrapped securely around her face and hair, she made her way down the old cobblestone street.

  Most vendors and residents didn’t seem to notice Julia.

  Only a handful stopped and peered closely at her eyes. If anyone did figure out that she was Julia Levesque, they might think she was connected to Alexis. No village ever wanted to be associated with Alexis or the Guild.

  Once she passed a large group of shops, Julia noticed several square buildings. Children ran in and out of them, and villagers stood talking avidly.

  Further down the road, the buildings became more spaced out with numerous pools of water winding in between.

  As she continued her way to the palace, Julia kept glancing to the different pools and realized a river that ran through the whole city. Palm trees and brush surrounded the water, and even small boats floated down under the shade of the trees.

  Before entering the palace’s walls, Julia made her way over to the river’s waters. She kneeled at the shoreline of the water and it looked at her reflection. Her dark eyes seemed anxious, and her red hair was a stark contrast to the light blue fabric tied around it.

  She untied the scarf and splashed her face with cool water.

  The villager’s eye
s flickered to her bright hair, but they quickly looked away when she glanced at them.

  She smoothed her hair down and took deep breaths until she felt cool and collected.

  As she stood to leave, a small child pulled on the hem of her sari dress. Julia turned to see a little girl.

  “You’re pretty,” the child whispered.

  Julia grinned at her. “Thank you.”

  “I love your red hair.”

  A woman across the way darted toward them. “Sophia, no,” she scolded the girl. She quickly picked up the child.

  “I’m sorry. She wanders off so quickly.”

  “It’s fine.”

  The woman who had been looking at her child finally took in Julia’s face. Her eyes became wide as she saw what she was.

  “I’m sorry,” she said again, this time fearful.

  Even though Julia smiled, it didn’t calm the woman. She turned with the child and left.

  Julia started again toward the palace, questioning who she had become. She wasn’t anything to be afraid of. She felt more dangerous as a werecat than she did as a siren. Once again her thoughts were confirmed about her old life. If citizens in Sirenity were afraid of sirens, then people in Ossai could never feel comfortable with Julia. She would never be able to return to Ossai knowing that people would fear her.

  She would not become another Alexis.

  The palace was surrounded by elaborate gates, soldiers, and enough protection to make Julia nervous. Right outside she saw a small, square building with a sign that read, “Palace Inquiries.”

  She entered the building cautiously, and a woman with short, black hair greeted her.

  “Hello, my name is Asheeta. May I help you?”

  Julia looked down, talking at the floor. “I’d like to make an appointment to speak with Queen Makeera.”

  The service woman laughed. “Well, we actually don’t schedule appointments with the queen, but I’d be happy to answer any questions that you have.”

  She looked up into the woman’s eyes and watched as she ever so slightly acknowledged what Julia was. She remained composed but slightly more aware.