Chained (The Siren Series #2)

by L. A. Griffiths

  I stood over next to Rhea and took hold of her hand. I stole a glance at her face, it was covered with worry and doubt. I had a feeling that things were not going to go well for any of us. The group formed a circle and I was lifted from the ground and thrown to our stomach churning destination.

  We arrived in the dead of night, while the full moon shined down its white light on us. I expected to land at the same place where we escaped, but this place was new to me. I tried to look through the darkness but not even the moon’s light could penetrate its dark aura. Something evil had taken root here and we all knew what it was. I could almost reach out and touch it.

  “This isn’t the place.” whispered Marcus.

  “They’ve moved around quickly and we were lucky just to learn of this location.” Naaz whispered back.

  While they whispered back and forth I felt the wisp in my cold hands glow with ebbing light, its gentle glow warmed my hands in the cold dark night. I could feel its warmth gentle embrace bring me a little comfort.

  “Rhea!” Sophia pointed towards something in the dark. “Something is moving out there.”

  We all looked at the spot Sophia pointed to in the dark, something was out there, moving.

  Rhea walked towards the darkness and stood there for a few minutes before waving her hand sending black ash up into the wind.

  “We must be close.” Rhea said as the ash flowed behind her.

  Naaz took off without warning down the hill and into the darkness that was night.

  “Shouldn’t we stick together?” asked Sophia.

  “She’s going to get herself killed.” Marcus whispered.

  We all followed Naaz down the muddy hill and found a worn out sewer gate. Naaz snatched at the gate and threw it to one side with ease. She was the first to enter the darkness, leaving the rest of us out in the cold.

  “Ellie, are you ready?” asked Rhea.

  I swallowed a hard lump in my throat and answered. “Yes.”

  I followed behind Rhea into the tunnel. The memories came flooding back of the creatures and the failed assassination of the snake woman. There was no going back this time, we had to finish this or we would die or worse, chained up to a wall and left to die.

  I cannot believe I was down here again, I hope this time it was worth it.

  The orb in my hands lit up the bleak red stained tunnels. All the horrors of the sewers were on display for all to see. Scratch marks covered the walls along with unknown stains. Bloody hand prints were dotted all around. What had happened here? I carefully made my way through the massive amount of slime that covered along the tunnel floor. Naaz didn’t wait for us. She had rushed through the maze of tunnels as if she knew the way.

  “Can someone tell her to slow down?” I asked.

  “She’s going to get us all killed.” whispered Marcus.

  Rhea ignored our pleas and carried on through the rusty tunnel.

  We turned a corner that led deeper into the system of tunnels. We were now ankle deep into the murky water again. My shoes were soaking and I could feel the water slowly filling them up.

  “No this again, that’s two pairs of shoes you owe me now.” whispered Sophia.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll buy you any amount of shoes, now get going.” Rhea replied.

  “Those were good shoes too.” I added.

  Rhea shushed us and we all stopped. She turned to me and pointed at the glowing orb in my hands.

  Now was the time, I held the ball up into the air hoping it would work (come on work). We all had our hopes resting on this one glass paperweight. Marcus took a space next to me and readied his sword. Shuffling noises echoed down the tunnel, my guess was that there were a few leaches around the conner. Rhea stepped forward and caught their attention, they hissed and charged at us.

  “Now, Ellie.” Rhea yelled.

  As if the orb knew what to do, it started to pulse a light around the tunnel. The leaches screamed and scampered away from the light as it burned their skin.

  “It’s working!” Sophia yelled.

  “The light will always banish the darkness.” said Rhea.

  “Wow, I cannot believe it actually worked.” I looked down at the glass orb as its light retreated back into its self as if sleeping.

  “It’s all down to you now, Ellie.” Marcus said.

  I turned to him with glowing cheeks.

  We continued down the dirty tunnels after Naaz. Where the hell was she?

  Doubts entered my mind and I tried to get rid of them, but when everyone is counting on you, it’s hard not to be filled with dread. I would try get rid of one, then another would appear to take its place. My head was just going round in circles and I hated it.

  “Do you think we’ll fail again?” I asked Marcus.

  “I hope not, I don’t think we’ll get another chance again.” he replied.

  “We have Rhea and Naaz here this time, so I feel a little bit safe.”

  “I’m not too sure about her though, she seems devious to me, look at what she did to you.” Marcus said.

  Marcus had brought back one of my memories. The pain, that’s all I could, and would remember. Her sadistic smile would haunt me forever.

  “I know, I know. I hate to say it, but for now we need her.”

  “Yeah I guess you’re right, but I’ll still keep an eye on her, for you.”

  “Thanks.” I shyly said.

  From the corner of my eye I could feel Marcus’s eyes glued to me, what was he looking at?

  “Let’s just get this over with.” I whispered to him.

  Loud voices swept through the tunnels, we were getting close. The nerves had kicked in and I tried to calm myself. The orb in my hand could almost feel my nerves and it pulsated its warm glow through my body, energizing it.

  Rhea listened to the voices and without warning pulled away from the group leaving the three of us hanging back.

  “Rhea?” I whispered.

  She held out her hand and stopped us, we stood our ground and she disappeared around the corner. The voice’s soon acknowledged Rhea’s presence and began to talk like old friends.

  Chapter Nine

  My heart started to pound in my chest, and with being so close to Marcus didn’t help ether, both of us covered in sweat. Marcus was tightly wound and he was ready to charge in at any moment. Sophia’s face had many mud streaks across her face with sweat beading onto her forehead, we were all tired and worn out, and I was not cut out for this. I belonged in a world where I was in school dreading about failing my exams not worrying about monsters trying to kill me.

  We all tried to listen in on the conversation, but sadly there was nothing to learn.

  “Should we charge in or something?” I asked nervously.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Rhea can handle it.” replied Sophia.

  “Maybe we should charge in.” said Marcus.

  The voices were getting louder and I think they were arguing about something. I had to do something. I stepped away from the wall and sprinted after Rhea. I tried to ignore Marcus and Sophia calling me back, but I wanted to finish this, no I needed to finish it. I quickly stopped myself when I saw the large serpent woman again. Her eyes opened with shock and bewilderment.

  “So you’ve finally brought her to me to make up for your passed mistake?” her voice seemed to have harshness to it.

  “This is Ellie.” spoke Naaz.

  “Yes, the Siren, we’ve met before.” It said.

  Rhea quickly put herself in-between the creature and I.

  Before I could speak or try to. Loud footsteps pounded the floor behind me. Marcus came to my side with his sword raised. The snake woman quickly slithered up to her perch on higher ground.

  “Lie’s, it’s nothing but lies.” The creature screamed. “Come to me my children.”

  Shrill screams and loud wailing came from every direction and every entrance, leaches came flooding in to protect their mother.

  “Ellie, now!” shouted Rhea.<
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  I knew what to do. With both hands I clasped the orb and tried to channel my power. I thought back to when I could burst with energy. I let it grow and fester until I was ready to release it. The heat intensified around me, I was ready to explode.

  Around me I could hear screams and whizzing noises fly past. Rhea was shouting orders to the others, making sure that I was protected. My body tingled all over until I could not stand it anymore. I opened my eyes and let out a wave of power. It traveled away from the orb, making its way to each of the leaches, blackening their skin before finally, turning them into ash on the spot. Some of them tried to escape but they were consumed by the white wave.

  “No! My babies!” screamed Idina.

  The snake woman tried to make her escape but Naaz lifted up her arm and darkness snaked from her fingertips. The dark energy found it target and slashed at Idina’s bare flesh many times causing her to flail and fall to the floor in pain.

  Her skin had deep gashes with crimson blood trickling from the many wounds. She laid on the floor screaming and writhing in agony as Naaz’s power repeatedly cut deep into her skin.

  “Stop it!” I screamed.

  Naaz turned to me, her face was full of glee. She enjoyed the pain she inflicted.

  “She needs to die.” Naaz said through gritted teeth.

  “Not like this, this is torture.” Naaz dismissed the darkness and turned to me, Idina made her move she saw her chance and quickly sprung towards me. Her strong hand snatched at my throat and lifted me up into the air, leaving me gasping for breath.

  “No!” Marcus charged forward but with one flick of her large tail, he was sent hurtling towards the wall.

  Rhea was about to do something with her hands but she stopped when Idina increased her grip onto my throat.

  “Let her go!” shouted Rhea.

  “Come any closer and I’ll snap your pretty pet’s neck.” It spat.

  I gripped onto her strong arm to see if I could influence her. Her skin was dead cold and I could feel my body vibrate with her power. I closed my eyes and tried to go deeper. Her hate for Rhea and Naaz was unimaginable. It was so strong, I could almost feel myself growing mad. I delved deeper into her memories. Something was calling to me, asking me to dive into the many memories that lay before me.

  Idina was once mortal. I could see into her memories living a normal life with her friends and her sister, a Siren. They were close and she did everything for her younger sister. I tried to learn more but something fought against my control, something that she didn’t want me to see. Naaz’s face appeared inside her mind with her signature sick smile.

  “Yes, Siren, look at what your so-called protectors did to an innocent young girl.”

  Idina opened up more of her memories to me and Rhea and Naaz were at the root of it all, all that anger and rage, they were the reason. They had turned her into the monster, that same monster that had a tight grip onto my throat. I was then pulled out of the memories and back into the dark tunnels with Idina still gripping onto my throat. Her eyes were cold, lacking any sympathy.

  “You see Siren, that’s what they are. They are the real monsters. I tried to protect her from them. They used her and that’s what they’ll do to you!” She gripped my throat even tighter and I could feel myself slipping away.

  I tried to control her but my strength slowly drained away.

  “Let her go!” Rhea ordered.

  The creature then paused for a moment. “If I devour your little pet Siren I….” A loud whizzing noise shot towards us, and exploded on impact cutting off her words. Idina lost her grip and I was thrown away from her. The once mortal girl cried out in pain. Naaz and Rhea stood over her, watching while Idina struggled for her last breaths.

  “Just do it. There’s nothing else you can do to me!” Idina said.

  I picked myself up, and pain stabbed at me. I watched in horror as Rhea and Naaz moved in on their kill. “No!” I shouted but my words went unheeded.

  Naaz stepped forward and with a swift motion of her hand, Idina was dead. Blood seeped from dying corpse and into the ground.

  I had seen what they had done to her, they were the monsters not her. Idina was just trying to protect her sister and got turned into a monster because of it. I remained on the cold floor trying to come to terms with everything I had just witnessed.

  “Let’s go.” ordered Naaz.

  Rage fueled me. The orb I reclaimed in my hand became hotter and I gripped it tightly until it burned. She doesn’t even care, neither does Rhea. Without saying a word to anyone, we found our way back through the tunnels. There was no joy to be had from this, even if the threat was gone from my life I would always remember. There we no leaches left to hinder our escape, had I done the right thing? Were we the bad guys? I tried to ignore the nagging questions and continued up with the rest back up to the surface, my rage still bubbling away until I felt I could explode.

  Fresh air hit me like and I welcomed it. I took a deep breath to try and calm myself but it didn’t work. My mind bouncing with questions that I needed answers to. I needed to say something.

  “So that was your dark past you were talking about?” I asked.

  Everyone stopped and looked at me.

  “Yes, Ellie and I am not proud of it.” Rhea replied.

  “But she is!” I pointed at Naaz.

  Naaz replied with a sick smile.

  “Why did you do that to an innocent girl, she was just trying to save her sister.”

  “What?!” Marcus looked confused.

  “Rhea?” Sophia said confusedly.

  “I saw her memories, she was just an innocent scared girl!” my voice started to grow hoarse.

  “She was far from innocent as you say, she was going to the council about my Siren.” Naaz said.

  “So that’s it? You were scared of your toys being taken away, you disgust me!” I yelled.

  My anger seemed to guide my words, anything that came to mind was thrown from my mouth.

  “Watch your words, child.” she warned.

  “Or what you’ll try to kill me again?”

  “Try! If you want to die, just say the word?”

  “Naaz, you touch her and you’ll have me to deal with!” Rhea said.

  “Uh Ellie, the orb, it’s getting brighter.” Marcus said.

  I looked down at the glowing ball, it was glowing an angry red and I could feel the heat growing stronger from it but my anger blocked it out.

  Rhea turned back to me, she tried to calm down the situation.

  “Ellie please understand, that’s not who I am anymore.”

  “She’s changed now Ellie, she’s good.” Sophia said.

  My anger was now redirected. “What would you know, you just follow whatever she says, for all I know you could have been by her side when she did it!”

  “That’s lies and you know it is, she has changed and I know she feels guilty for even doing it!”

  “You’re lying!” I yelled.

  “Ellie, that’s enough!” Marcus said.

  “You can shut it, always following Ellie like a love sick puppy, you make me sick!” Sophia was now caught up with my anger.

  “Now that’s enough!” Rhea asked for peace but she wasn’t getting it.

  “This is all your fault, you dragged me into this. I didn’t ask for any of this crap!”

  “I saved you from those leaches and you were in danger and still are.” She said.

  “I bet you sent those leaches after me, just so you could save the day!” I said.

  “Lies, I saved you.” Rhea replied.

  “So you keep saying, but I bet you just wanted a Siren all for yourself, is that what I am to you people, a prize to be won?” I yelled.

  “Prize! You think so highly of yourself don’t you?” Naaz added.

  “That’s enough!” Rhea yelled.

  I could trust no one anymore, they were all against me. Using me for their own selfish needs. The orb in my hands burned with heat, my hatre
d was feeding the orb. I screamed in pain and dropped down to my knees. The orb was slowly burning into my flesh.

  “Drop it, Ellie!” Rhea called out.

  I couldn’t it let go. The heat flowed inside my body and made my blood boil. The orb released a wave of power that sent the others flying off their feet. The fierce wind was back and I was in the eye of the storm. I was trapped while the orb burned into my skin. Horrible voices screamed at me from the orb, telling me that I had killed them. The voices picked up and more screaming pierced my ears. The screams now mimicked each other.

  “Stop it, stop it!” I screamed.

  The wind grew faster around me and I was scared. “R-rhea!” I tried to shout.

  The voice gathered in the air and screamed with their wailing voices. The orb grew uncontrollably hot and shattered in my hands releasing more tortured cries for help. The tiny white orbs of light flew into the air and circled around me with the wind while still calling for help.

  Rhea scrambled to her feet. “Ellie!” she screamed.

  “It’s the Sirens, they’ve escaped!” Naaz called out.

  Rhea brought her hand forward and tried to blast it with her own light but the wailing barrier of Sirens absorbed Rhea’s failed attack.

  “Protect the Siren, protect her.” The words of the souls echoed each other.

  The screaming had stopped, but the wind around began to pick up speed, and a blur of white had surrounded me. The bright balls of light had stopped in mid-air, one at a time they came closer towards me and I tried to bat them away but my hand would go straight through them.

  “We have to do something!” Marcus tried to say over the wailing winds.

  Each orb passed into my body and I felt the agony and the pain that they felt while living. Each filled with a soul, giving me feelings of doubt, anger, doubt, fear, and sorrow. Their own memories blurred into one and I could not tell between mine and theirs. I could not take the pain anymore, I screamed out and the wind around me disappeared. I could feel the souls each fighting for the right to control my body and I was fighting back, but they were slowly winning.