“Celia,” Evan said with a hiccup. She stumbled and leaned against the wall.
“Ev?” she asked.
“Yeah,” Evan giggled. “Don’t hit me again.”
Celia’s hand fell to her side. “You’re drunk. How? Mer shouldn’t have a reaction.”
“But I do,” Evan sang, booping Celia’s nose.
Celia pushed her hand away. “Come one. The further away we get, the easier it should be on you.” She put Evan’s arm across her shoulder and grabbed her waist, pulling her down a side street. “Caspian’s place is nearby. We’ll be safe there.”
They stumbled down the street, running against the tide of humans seeking out the Siren’s song. The people jerked and twisted towards the voice, bodies pulled against their wills, caught in a desperate desire to find he who controlled them. Evan caught glimpse of their faces as the ran; most were feverish, unthinking as they struggled towards the song, though a few bore a pained expression as if the song were ripping through their souls.
When they arrived at Caspian’s apartment, they found the place in disarray. His door was smashed and partially open, and they could see his belongings scattered throughout the room.
Celia pushed the door open and called for him. She searched room to room, finding nothing. Evan was sobered by Celia’s despair. She said, “Maybe he wasn’t here when they came.”
Celia pursed her lips, pointing to the stove where a pot of water still boiled. Evan put her hand on Celia’s shoulder. “We need to go. We’ll figure this out from your place.”
Celia met her gaze, tears forming on the ends of her dark lashes. She wiped them away with the back of her hand as she pulled a purple rectangle from her pocket. When she pushed the screen, Evan heard a faint ringing sound, then a voice said, “Hello?”
Celia said, “Babe, listen up. I need you to take Lucy to Malcolm’s. Yes, right now. I’ll explain when I get there.” After a few seconds she said, “I know. I’m sorry. Love you, too.”
She put the device back in her pocket and took a deep breath. She walked over and turned off the stove before turning back to Evan to say, “Eyes open, ears closed. We don’t need you falling under the Siren’s song again.”
“Celia—” Evan began.
Celia shook her head, cutting Evan off. “We’ve gotta get you outta here before whatever came for Cas comes back for you.”
Fourteen
Outside Caspian’s apartment, Celia hailed a land-carriage. Evan slid into the backseat while Celia leaned forward and said, “Sable Pointe. There’s an extra twenty in it if you make it quick.”
The driver nodded, pulled back into traffic, and hit the gas. They cut through streets quicker than Evan could’ve imagined. Soon they were on a long passage of cobblestone with tall trees on either side.
They exited the carriage in front of a massive white house. Soft yellow hues poured through large windows, gauzy curtains barely dimming the alight. Manicured hedges and flowerbeds lined the mansion, meticulous, but sporadic in sizes and shades.
“This is Malcolm’s house?” Evan asked. Celia nodded and Evan said, “It’s a lot different than your place.”
“Apartments are crammed together to fit more people in the city. Malcolm lives away from the city so he can have more room. He uses his big house for Mer to stay when they need to.”
“Why?” Evan asked. “What’s in it for him?”
Celia smiled. “He does it because he loves us.”
As they walked towards the front door, a sound boomed from around the corner. It repeated until a creature on four legs bounded into view.
“Poseidon’s beard!” Evan screeched, ducking behind her sister.
Celia laughed and bent down to touch the thing. It licked her hand. “Don’t freak out. It’s just Avalanche.”
“What is an Avalanche?” Evan asked, her lips curled down in disgust.
“He’s a dog,” Celia said. “A pet.”
Evan shrugged her shoulders, not understanding.
Celia said, “Remember when you wanted to keep that baby seal in the bathtub and mom freaked out about it?” Evan nodded, a smile playing on her lips at the memory. Celia continued, “Well, if she’d let you keep it that would’ve been your pet.”
Evan nodded, slowly. “So a dog is like a seal?”
“It’s a land-seal, yeah. It lives with Malcolm and he takes care of it.”
Evan stared at the land-seal. He was odd-looking, with pointed ears and thick spotted fur covering his whole body. His tail stuck straight out and swished back and forth with a surprising amount of speed.
“Do you want to pet him?” Celia asked.
Evan shook her head, but it was too late. Celia patted the ground by Evan and Avalanche moved beside her. Celia cooed, “He’s a good boy.”
Evan reached forward and touched the dog between the ears. His fur was softer than she had expected. She patted him with more fervor, unable to resist him once she saw he wasn’t a threat. His tongue lolled from his head as he panted, seeming to enjoy the attention.
A moment later, a middle-aged man rushed towards them. With an eye-roll he said, “Oh, it’s you. I heard Avalanche barking and thought perhaps it was someone important. I didn’t realize you’d called ahead to announce your impending arrival.”
“That’s because I didn’t,” Celia said as she shouldered past.
“Such impropriety,” he mumbled. “Master Malcolm handles it with such grace.”
“Get over it, Stewart.” Celia motioned Evan to stay in the front room while she went walking through the house, calling out for Malcolm.
Evan surveyed the foyer, taking in the curving staircase on each side of the oval-shaped entryway. The marble tiled floor held a trace of yellow veins, matching the twinkling lights of the chandelier above.
She smiled when her gaze met Stewart’s. He sneered and said, “I suppose you’re another lost child seeking help from my benevolent employer?”
Before Evan could answer, Celia and Malcolm rushed back into the room. Malcolm stepped close to Evan and lightly placed a hand on her arm. “You okay?”
Evan nodded. She was surprised by the amount of care resonating in his voice, despite only meeting him that morning. She pressed her mind against his, trying to search his emotions, but again found herself unable to access her gift.
Malcolm led them to where Will and Kedra waited, Lucy playing nearby. The room was informal, with cozy furniture lining the walls and a dining table with chairs in the middle of the room. Evan stared at the fireplace in the corner while Celia filled them in; she’d never seen a fire larger than what lit the candelabras at home, and she was mesmerized by the flames licking along the blocks of wood.
Her mind wandered. Until then, she had avoided thinking about what was happening, what needed to happen. But when Andrus flashed through her mind, his face seared into her memory, she shuddered from the sheer terror of what could’ve happened without Celia to help her.
Celia reached over and put her hand on Evan’s knee. “You need to tell us everything about the Sirens.”
Evan started with the night Andrus had tried to kidnap her. The memories buzzed through her head, new details emerging that she hadn’t thought on before. When she told them about visiting the Protean Palace, she lingered on the strange relationship between her cousin and the prince. It seemed important now, more so than before.
When she spoke of the hostile siblings, Jove and Juno, there was no longer any question that they were Sirens. Now the only thing they needed to know was why Calix had them as guests in his kingdom.
She paused when she thought of the masked man, the stranger who had helped her after the conversation with Calix. They had danced like they were the only people in the world. Though only two days had passed, it felt like years since she’d stared into his strange gray eyes. Her interaction with him felt intimate, despite being witnessed by hundreds of Mer; she didn’t feel comfortable telling her friends, or even her sister, about it.
She looked at the group, realizing she had stopped speaking while thinking of the stranger. With a shake of her head she continued, moving on to her escape from the palace. She told them of Declan’s sacrifice and Rafe carrying her through the palace. When she explained how Judas had shown up just in time to lead her to safety, she noticed Malcolm’s expression change, though she didn’t know him well enough to read it.
“Then Caspian brought me to you,” Evan finished, gesturing her hand towards Celia and Will.
Malcolm opened his mouth to speak, then closed it as if changing his mind. With a sigh he asked, “What happened to Judas?”
“I don’t know,” Evan said. “Caspian said he was looking for information.”
“And Cas?” Kedra asked.
Will said, “He told me he was going hunting. I thought it was just to find new Mer. I didn’t know about the Sirens or I would’ve stopped him.”
Celia rubbed her hand along his arm. “You couldn’t have stopped him. You know how he is.”
“I could’ve done something,” he said.
“Babe, this isn’t your fault. Cas would’ve walked out that door no matter who tried to stop him. He’s a stubborn old man.”
After a quiet moment, Celia jumped to her feet. She spun around, her eyes scanning the room. The fear on her face made it apparent what was wrong even before she called out.
“Lucy! Where are you?”
Will jumped up and started looking behind furniture. Malcolm and Kedra sprinted out to search the house. Evan placed her hands on Celia’s shoulders. “She can’t have gone far. She’s probably just playing in an empty room. We’ll find her.”
Celia nodded, but her eyes were flicking back and forth, scanning places Will had just checked. She moved from Evan without a word, stepping into the kitchen to open cabinets and drawers too small for Lucy to fit in, too high for her to reach.
Evan joined Celia in the kitchen. The patio door was ajar. She flung the door wide and ran onto the patio. The pool was empty, and Evan sent a thankful prayer to Poseidon for that.
A nearby guard approached, and Evan told him what was happening. He radioed for the other guards to search the perimeter, while Evan ran down a well-worn path leading through the trees.
The salty air smelled of the sea. Evan hadn’t realized how close they were to the water, but as the scent filled her nose, she had no doubt as to where Lucy was. She may be part human, but the Mer side of her would have a hard time denying the call of the ocean.
Evan’s gaze swiveled back and forth between the grass along the edge of the dunes and the tide breaking along the shore. Surely, she wouldn’t have gone out into the water. Although the temperature was fine for a Mer, it was far too cold for a human child. Then again, Lucy was half-Mer.
Evan felt cool water splash against her feet. She had moved to the water’s edge without realizing it. The foamy water lingered against her skin. In the surf, a soggy lump of fabric nudged against Evan’s foot.
It was Lucy’s doll.
Her eyes searched the near-darkness, thankful the moon gave what help it did. Still, the night made it difficult to see.
A splash caught her attention and sent her heart into her throat. Lucy was farther out than Evan thought a small child could have gone on her own. She watched in horror as Lucy’s head ducked below the water once, twice, and on the third time she didn’t come back up.
Evan ran into the ocean, throwing herself under the crashing waves. She let her sea-trained eyes search the dark water, but she couldn’t see any movement. She was still too far away.
Evan surfaced, scanning the water for any sign of her. Nothing. She prepared to dive again, but a wave smacked against her, knocking her back into the briny murk. She jumped up, cursing herself for the wasted seconds.
There was a huge splash. Lucy was there, safe; she was being borne to land in the arms of Poseidon.
Evan’s addled brain took a moment to realize it couldn’t be Poseidon himself, but he was certainly the picture of a god. His body was tall and lithe, with glistening muscles reflecting the silver moonlight. His thick hair was pushed back away from his angular face but one loose strand sent drops down his perfect lips.
Evan felt heat creeping up her neck when she realized she was staring. As the water lapped against her, she was jolted with an intense surge of fear. She stepped out of the water to meet Lucy on land and the feeling passed.
He placed Lucy on the ground and began compressions on her, using his fingers to push air into her tiny body. Evan hovered nearby, her own breath caught in her chest for an endless moment as she waited for Lucy to make any movement. Finally Lucy sputtered, water dribbling from her mouth as the man turned her onto her side.
She heard Celia and Will calling her name. She yelled back and an instant later they were running towards their daughter. Will scooped her up into his arms, cradling her close to his chest, and Celia wrapped her arms around them both.
Malcolm appeared out of nowhere and went straight for the stranger. He poked his finger into the man’s chest and asked, “Who are you? What are you doing out here in the middle of the night? And what the hell do you think you’re doing with that little girl?”
Evan stepped between the two men, pushing Malcolm back. “Stop! He saved her.”
“What do you mean?” Celia asked, turning back to them.
“She went under,” Evan said, a sob catching in her throat. “I couldn’t get to her in time. But this man carried her to shore and got her breathing again.”
“Why was she in the water?” Malcolm asked, still eyeing the man suspiciously. “And why were you?”
“I swim in the evenings,” the man said with a shrug. His voice was low, nearly a growl, incongruent with his casual demeanor.
“And Lucy came out on her own,” Evan said, coming to his defense. “I found the kitchen door open.”
Celia stepped in front of the man, staring up into his eyes. He stared back, the seconds ticking by as Evan watched her sister. But Celia wrapped her arms around him and said, “Thank you. You saved my baby.”
The man gave a half smile and nodded, saying, “I’m just happy I got to her in time.”
After a moment, Celia pulled away and wiped her eyes. “How can I ever thank you enough?”
The man shook his head. “There’s no need. Anyone else would’ve done the same.”
“There must be something,” Celia persisted.
“The breath in her lungs is thanks enough,” he said, looking to Lucy resting in her father’s arms.
“Please, come back to the house with us,” Celia said. “At the very least we can give you a towel and some food.”
Malcolm crossed his arms, clearly unhappy with the suggestion. Evan watched the man’s eyes dart to Malcolm for a second before returning to Celia. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Celia looked at Malcolm, saw the disdain on his face, then turned back to the stranger and rolled her eyes. “Ignore him. Malcolm is a suspicious man in the best of circumstances.”
“It’s my house,” Malcolm muttered.
“And you’d turn away the man who saved Lucy’s life?”
“Of course not,” Malcolm grimaced. He sighed and stepped towards the man with an outstretched hand. “Forgive me and join us for dinner.”
The man eyed each of them in turn. When his gaze met Evan’s, he held her stare for a long moment and said, “If you’re sure it isn’t an imposition.”
Evan felt her lips twitch in a shy smile. Malcolm spoke, drawing the man’s attention back to him. “We’d love to have you.” After a pause he added, “I’m Malcolm.”
“Gideon,” the man said. His eyes flicked back towards Evan when he said, “It’s a great pleasure to meet you.”
Fifteen
As they walked the path to Malcolm’s house, Evan found herself in the back of the group walking alongside Gideon. Moonlight danced across his skin as it passed through the trees lining the grounds.
“Ev
annia,” Gideon said, his deep voice rumbling her name. “That’s a unique name.”
Evan nodded, her mouth dry as sand. “It’s a family name.”
He nodded. “Mine as well. It can be burdensome.”
“What do you mean?”
“There’s a certain connotation already associated with my name. My great-grandfather was a strong, proud man and a leader in his community. People admired and looked up to him.”
“And you’re afraid you can’t live up to that?”
Gideon nodded. “How about you? Who was the former Evannia?”
Evan shrugged. “I’ve heard a few stories, but nothing to let me know what kind of woman she was.”
“If she was a shadow of you, she was lovely.”
Evan blushed and turned away. She was saved from responding by their arrival at Malcolm’s home. Gideon stopped to take in the massive house, but didn’t seem surprised by its grandeur.
Of course he isn’t surprised, Evan thought. He probably lives nearby in a palace of his own.
As if reading her thoughts, Malcolm asked, “So, do you live around here?”
Gideon nodded. “Practically in your backyard.”
Kedra was waiting inside. Relief flooded her face when she saw Lucy in Will’s arms. She exhaled and said, “Oh thank ya, Jesus.”
Celia and Will curled onto a sofa with Lucy between them, leaving Evan to sit across from them. Kedra sat beside her, sliding close to whisper, “Who the hell is that hunk o’ man?”
Evan fought a smile. “He rescued Lucy.”
“He can rescue me,” she said, her head whipping back as she eyed him head to heel. “I mean, have you ever seen a man that good looking before?”
Evan bit her lip, stifling a giggle. Kedra was right, though. Evan had seen many handsome men throughout her life, but none were his equal. She whispered, “The problem with handsome men is that they often have the personality of a seashell.”
“Ain’t that the truth,” Kedra said. “But damn, they sure are pretty to look at.”
Malcolm sidled up beside them, asking, “What are you two talking about?”
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