She turned back to the envelope. Though she thought it was simple metallic wrapping, she could now see it was actually gilded and heavier than paper should be. She pulled out a piece of paper so thin she thought it would fall apart right there in her hands.
As Evan read the invitation, a laugh escaped her lips. Gideon had made it out to “The Lady Evannia,” and she realized he didn’t know her full name. She didn’t know his either, now that she thought about it. It had seemed so trivial; indeed, when she was with him, everything else in the world seemed to fade into the background.
“What did you do to Malcolm?” Celia asked as she entered the room behind her.
Evan spun to face her, a huge smile still on her face.
“Forget Malcolm,” Celia amended, “what’s gotten into you?”
Evan handed Celia the invitation. Her eyes glanced down the page before handing it back to Evan.
“That’s nice,” Celia said.
Evan nodded.
“You can’t go.”
Evan’s eyes shot up. “Why not?”
“Too many people, too much possibility for danger,” Celia said with a shrug.
“But he invited all of us,” Evan said, fumbling for a way around Celia’s argument. “And I’m sure he’ll have security.”
Celia sighed. “I have to admit, you’ve got good taste. This guy is charming, nice, and incredibly handsome. But you barely know him. You can’t trust the man just because you’re attracted to him.”
“That’s not fair,” Evan said.
Before she could continue, Celia held her hands in front of her and said, “If he really is as interested as he seems, and he has good intentions, he’ll be available after this whole thing has blown over.”
“Blown over?” Evan asked. “We’re being pursued by Sirens. Do you really think this is something that is just going to go away?”
Celia smirked and folded her arms across her chest. Evan pressed her lips into a grim line, realizing she had just made Celia’s point for her. The Sirens were a far more pressing concern than what to wear to a party. Besides, did Evan really want to drag Gideon into whatever was happening? And if she did, what would happen to them when she returned to the water? It was best for Gideon if she stayed away.
Evan sighed and gave Celia a curt nod.
“So you’re going to let this one go?” Celia asked.
Evan looked up, annoyed but resolved. She reached up and crossed her heart with her finger. It was something they had done when they were younger.
Celia said, “Good. We’ve got plenty of things to deal with. We don’t need to add a budding romance on top of it.”
She walked to the door, leaving Evan staring at the fragile invitation in her hand. When she looked up and saw Celia staring at her, she dropped the invitation in the wastepaper basket, letting her hopes to see Gideon fall away with it.
Nineteen
Evan stared out the window, trying to keep her mind off both Sirens and Gideon. She just wanted to see him and explain everything to him, but she knew she couldn’t do that. How was she supposed to tell an almost complete stranger that she was Mer? Even if he accepted her and they tried to start a relationship, her return to the sea would end any chance between them. Better to let him go now before she was too attached.
Celia interrupted her brooding. “Okay, let’s get out of here.”
Evan said, “I thought we couldn’t leave.”
“We shouldn’t, but we’re going to. Will is meeting with his editor, Malcolm and Judas are out looking for Cas, and Kedra has Lucy at a play date. There is nothing else for us to do, so why not go have some fun?”
“But the last time we went out—”
Celia dismissed her words, saying, “We weren’t prepared. This time, we will be.”
Evan stood and put her plate in the sink. “I’m all for it. If I have to spend another minute stuck here, I’m going to start breaking Malcolm’s things.”
Celia laughed. “Maybe don’t do that. Go get ready and meet me down here in twenty minutes.”
When they opened the garage door to borrow one of Malcolm’s cars, Dave was waiting for them. Evan wasn’t sure how he knew to expect them. She groaned in displeasure.
“I’ve been assigned to you for the day. Might as well get used to it,” he said.
She noticed the irritation in his own voice and realized this might not be exactly what he was hoping for either. When they reached the car, Dave moved for the driver’s seat but Celia said, “No way. I’m driving.”
“Fine by me,” Dave replied. “Your sister and I can sit in the back. It will be easier to protect her if something happens.”
“What do you think will happen? We’ll be in the car,” Evan said.
Dave shrugged. “It’s my job to be prepared for anything.”
Evan rolled her eyes and climbed inside. Celia started up the car and pulled out towards the road. Just as she was about to make the turn onto the main drive that connected the island to the mainland, a motorcycle blew past them, narrowly missing their car.
“Geez, that was close,” Celia said. “He came out of nowhere.”
Evan held her breath, letting the rush of excitement fill her. She was reminded of the man who’d plucked her from the street in front of Celia’s house. Though she couldn’t say why, the sight of the rider made her feel exhilarated.
“Where do you think he’s going?” she asked, leaning forward in her seat.
“Who cares?” Celia replied.
“Just curious.”
Dave said, “It’s better not to involve yourself with those dangerous types. They only lead to trouble.”
Celia drove them past the city and into a smaller town about fifteen minutes away from the tall, shiny buildings. Once they’d found a parking spot and left the car, Celia couldn’t seem to keep the smile off her face.
“Where are we going?” Evan asked.
“Somewhere fun,” Celia said.
She led them around a dirt path and through a small forest until they reached a clearing with an unspeakable sight. Evan murmured, “What is this place?”
“It’s a carnival.”
“This is the fun you were planning?” Dave asked with a grimace.
Just then an incredibly tall man passed them. His face was painted and he wore a red nose, but it was his height and strange gait that struck Evan.
“He’s a giant,” she whispered.
“He’s on stilts. Under his pants wooden planks are strapped to his feet to make him that tall.”
Evan frowned. “It was better when I thought he was a giant.”
Celia laughed and said, “Forget my explanation. He is clearly a giant.”
They walked through rows of stalls where people called to them at every side. Celia stopped at almost every one. She and Evan threw darts at balloons, tossed rings around bottles, and with Dave’s help, she’d won a stuffed animal at the shooting game. In addition to the games, there were a lot of weird foods for Evan to try. Her favorite was a pink candy made from cotton, though she had to admit that corndogs were pretty good, too.
Once they’d had their fill and reached the end of the stalls, Celia led them behind the stalls where a new thrill awaited.
“What is that?” Evan asked, pointing to a rickety structure with seats on it.
“That’s a Ferris wheel. Do you want to ride it?”
“Ride it?” Evan asked. “No. That sounds terrible.”
Celia took her by the hand and pulled her towards it, despite Evan’s protests. The line was short and they were on the Ferris wheel within minutes of Celia suggesting it.
As they started their ascent, Evan squeezed Celia’s hand. She was barely out of water and onto land, but now she was going into the sky! The feeling was terrifying, but thrilling. At the top, Evan looked out over the rest of the carnival and let out a squeal of delight. She rocked back and forth as the wheel made its turn, excitedly awaiting her next view from the top. She loved lookin
g out over the trees and seeing the water beyond. She was in awe that a thing such as this existed. Humans were marvelous.
Evan rode the Ferris wheel two more times before she was ready to move to something else. She was certain nothing else would be as fun, but Celia was getting bored. The carousel was next. Evan didn’t enjoy it as much, but once Celia said it was Lucy’s favorite, it was a bit better.
Next were bumper cars, where Celia excelled. She careened into Evan repeatedly, laughing harder each time. Even Dave, who had been a silent observer most of the day, couldn’t help but chuckle when he saw the joy on Celia’s face.
When they exited the cars, Dave said, “I can’t believe we let her drive us here.”
Laughing, Celia said, “I’ll have you know I’m an excellent driver.”
They walked down the strip of rides towards the forest tree line. The last thing for them to do was the house of mirrors. Dave asked, “Can we skip this one? Please?”
Celia smirked. “Do they make you nervous, big guy?”
He nodded. “They’re confusing and too hard to figure out for a guy like me.”
“A guy like you?” Evan asked.
“You know, a guy who always has his eyes on the exit. They make me feel exposed.”
“You can stay out here and keep guard while Evan and I go inside. That way you’ll know exactly who is entering in case someone is following us.”
“What about the people who are already in there?” Dave asked.
Celia rolled her eyes. “Do you really think someone is waiting in the house of mirrors to ambush us? How would they have even known we were coming here?”
Dave nodded. “Good point. I’ll stay on guard, but don’t be too long.”
Celia and Evan promised they would hurry, then headed inside, giggling and clinging to one another. Evan immediately liked the attraction, laughing with Celia at their reflections in the mirrors. When she realized it was also a maze and the mirrors were part of the puzzle, she was delighted. She often worked puzzles with Orielle in the evenings.
Orielle. The thought of her little sister came with a rush of sadness. She was on land, having fun, while Ori was stuck in Triton. She was probably worried sick.
They reached a fork in the path. Instead of trying just one direction, they decided to split up to find their way out. Evan was nearing the end of her path when she heard a rustling behind her. She turned towards the sound, assuming it was Celia.
No one was there.
She had the eerie feeling of being watched, just like on the beach. She turned back towards her path, walking faster. Evan heard the rustling behind her again and spun around. This time she stood face to face with Andrus. His hand jerked to her neck, pressing a knife against it.
“Hello, Princess. Nice to see you again.”
“What do you want with me?” she asked as he pushed her towards the exit.
“It’s not what I want from you, it’s what my mistress wants. I dare not assume what her plans are.”
Andrus forced her through the exit and towards the tree line. Dave pounced on Andrus as soon as he saw him. Andrus sang a sweet note into the air. Dave froze in place, his face going slack.
Evan heard the note and felt her body relax. It was different than the other times she’d heard the Siren’s song. It didn’t capture her fully, as if she was building immunity to it. Although her mind was free, her body was still under his control.
The Siren pulled her through the trees towards the beach. Andrus led her around the crescent of land and down a small pier that reached out into the water.
“Where are you taking me?” Evan asked.
Andrus scoffed. “Isn’t it obvious? This inlet leads right to the ocean.”
As they reached the end of the pier, Evan heard a rumbling in the distance. Andrus jerked his head towards the sound just as a motorcycle flew out onto the beach. It flew across the land, covering the distance in seconds. When the rider reached the pier, he jumped off the bike and threw it to the ground in one smooth motion, heading straight for Andrus.
“Let her go!” he bellowed.
“You can’t stop this,” Andrus said, though he took a step back.
Gideon whipped off his helmet. “Like hell I can’t. If I see you near her again, I’ll rip you limb from limb. Do you understand?”
Andrus’s face drained of color. Evan expected his song. Instead he rushed to the edge of the pier and turned back saying, “This isn’t over, Your Highness.”
He jumped in the water and was gone.
Gideon rushed to her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her against his chest. He whispered into her hair that she was safe, and despite what had just happened, she believed him.
When Celia and Dave found them standing on the pier, it took all of Evan’s persuasion to keep Dave from tackling Gideon. He couldn’t remember what had happened or who had kidnapped Evan, but he knew someone needed throttled.
Evan explained to Celia and Dave that she had been captured in the house of mirrors. She told them he had brought her here by knifepoint and Gideon had shown up before he could do any harm. She did not mention in front of the humans that it had been a Siren taking her to the sea. Even saying it in her head made her feel crazy.
Celia knew there was more to the story, but let it go. Instead she turned her questions to him and why he always happened to be in the right place at the right time.
“Why is a grown man wandering through the fairgrounds alone?”
“I own it.”
“Own what?” Celia asked. “The carnival?”
He nodded. Raising his brows, he said, “The real question should be why you followed me in the first place.”
“We followed you?” she asked.
Gideon nodded. “I saw you pulling out of Malcolm’s driveway when I passed you on my bike. Then you happen to show up where I am. Stalk much?”
“That was you on the bike?” she asked, shaking her finger at him. “You’re a reckless driver.”
“Me? You’re the one who didn’t look both ways.”
Their bickering continued as they made their way back to the fairgrounds. The carnival had lost all appeal after the attack, and Evan was eager to return to Malcolm’s house. Gideon walked them to the car and Evan climbed into the backseat with Dave.
“Need a ride back?” Celia asked.
He hooked his thumb behind him and said, “I’ve got my bike.”
Celia pulled away from the fairgrounds. Evan saw Gideon through the back window, watching them drive away. She replayed everything that happened on the pier. She was thankful Andrus had been afraid of Gideon, but she couldn’t figure out why. What could a human really do to him?
She was thankful Gideon hadn’t asked more questions. Or any questions. Now that she considered it, why hadn’t he asked why she was abducted or why Andrus had called her ‘Your Highness?’ It was a lot to ignore. Then again, the adrenaline pumping through him could’ve made him forget all of that. In the end, she was thankful he was there despite her unanswered questions and in spite of the gnawing feeling she was missing something.
Evan skipped dinner that night and spent the evening upstairs away from the others. The guys were upset with her and Celia for leaving the house, and though their lectures were hard to hear, it was their criticism of Gideon that she couldn’t handle.
She knew the situation was strange. She had been seconds away from being pulled into the water when he rode in to save the day. The fact that she was fine was almost enough for Evan to start believing in the blessing of Poseidon. As her mother regularly reminded her, she was a daughter of the purest line to Poseidon. Of course some of his powers should’ve transferred down, and she was fortunate enough that his luck was manifesting for her now. What else could it be?
Twenty
When Evan got up the next day, she was starving. She looked outside, and seeing the sun was already high overhead, she realized she’d slept through breakfast. She hurried downstairs to find a
covered plate on the counter waiting for her, stacked high with bacon next to a hamburger. There was a note attached that read, Try these together. ~ Cel.
After scarfing down lunch, she walked through the house looking for the others. She finally found them in Malcolm’s study. They looked up when Evan entered, but didn’t stop strategizing. She took a seat near the window, half-listening to their plans. As the day wore on, it became apparent she was allowed to be there because she was the Siren’s target, not for her ideas. After a few discarded suggestions, she took to skulking back and forth along the edge of the room.
It had been a full day since Evan told Celia she would leave Gideon out of their mess, and just less than a day since she pulled him back in by getting herself abducted. Steering her mind away from him was nearly impossible. The harder she tried, the more she found herself daydreaming about him. She knew she couldn’t allow herself to grow attached any further, but every part of her longed to see him, even if only to be in the same room as him.
“Let’s go,” Judas said, walking into the room.
Evan jumped. She had been so engrossed in her thoughts of Gideon that she hadn’t noticed he had left the room in the first place. She rose from her chair with an exaggerated yawn, “Where are we going?”
Judas shook his head. “You are staying here. The rest of us are going to follow that lead on Cas.”
“What lead?”
Celia asked, “Haven’t you been listening?”
Evan shrugged. “Not really. You guys seem to have everything under control.”
“That’s exactly why you aren’t going,” Malcolm said.
As they filed past her, Celia stopped and put her hand on Evan’s shoulder. “Stay here with the guards. Find a book to read and try to relax until we get back.”
Evan followed them to the door and watched them drive away. She turned to go upstairs, but caught sight of Poppy coming out of Malcolm’s den. Evan called to her, and the girl gave a small smile.
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