by Bonnie Lamer
“What of your other guards?” Isla asks. “Did they survive the Sirens’ release?”
Sadness envelops Arie. “Very few. The more seasoned warriors were the only survivors.” My hatred for the Sirens has just grown exponentially. “Fortunately, the Sirens escaped our realm without causing more death and chaos.”
“Only to come here seeking those results,” Dagda adds. How come he doesn’t get chiding glances for his snarky comment?
“Yes,” Arie admits.
This conversation is not leading to answers. “Okay, we know what happened. What do we do now?” I ask. “How did you trap the Sirens before?”
Arie is suddenly uncomfortable. “We had the help of a small group of Sirens.”
Okay, that doesn’t add up. “Sirens helped you imprison them and their entire race?” Is that doubt dripping from between my lips? Why, I believe it is.
“Not the entire race,” Kallen drawls. Oh look, he needs a doubt drool rag, too.
Arie shifts in her seat. “No, not the entire race.”
“There have been Sirens loose in the realms these past centuries?” Dagda growls. Kai gives him a sharp look and moves to the edge of the couch, ready to defend his wife physically if necessary. He has a good six inches and a hundred pounds of muscle on Dagda, but his magic isn’t as strong. I wonder who would win.
“Have you heard tales of Siren encounters?” Arie snaps.
Isla, as usual, is the voice of reason. “No, we have not. I assume the Sirens who helped you agreed to remain apart from others.”
“Yes.”
“Where have they lived?” Tana asks, speaking up for the first time.
“In a remote area of our realm. They have lived peacefully, never attempting to harm my people or any other.” Arie squares her shoulders. “They continue to do so. Their whereabouts remain a secret. The guards were not privy to this information to avoid the other Sirens seeking retribution if they were ever set free.”
“At least some are safe,” I mumble. Louder, I ask, “Would they help capture the other Sirens again?”
Arie shakes her head. “No. They would not survive such a battle. It was only the element of surprise which garnered success last time.”
I nod in understanding. “A fool me once scenario.” Several puzzled expressions come my way. I sigh. “It’s an old saying in my realm. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.”
Kallen smiles. “Then yes, a fool me once scenario.” He’s just humoring my quirkiness but that’s okay.
“I am afraid…” Arie pauses briefly. “I am afraid without their help, there is no hope.”
My fondness for Arie is diminishing with her pessimistic attitude. “There is always hope.”
Arie smiles sadly at me. “The optimism of youth. I would like to believe so, but you have never experienced the full power of the Sirens.”
I shrug defensively. “No, I haven’t. That’s why we don’t let them get to full power. If they can’t get guys to drown themselves, we’ll keep them weak.”
Kallen’s voice is low and bordering on condescending. “It is only within this realm you are keeping them below full power.”
His words take a few seconds to sink in. Only in this realm. Meaning the Sirens have probably dispersed to several realms to gain power. They could be luring Centaurs, Sasquatch, and Goblins to their deaths right now. I hate Sirens. “Got it,” I confess. I still refuse to dim my optimism. “So, we look harder for the answer.”
“Answers were sought for hundreds of years before the Sirens were captured and contained,” Isla reminds me.
Frustrated, I stand up and place my hands on my hips. “Whose side are you guys on? We have Sirens out there wanting to kill or at the very least, enslave, all the guys in the Universe and all you are doing is telling me how impossible it is to stop them. I say that’s bullshit. No one is indestructible. I’m not, you’re not, and the Sirens aren’t. So, will you all please stop being such naysayers and help me figure this out?”
“Xandra, we are not saying it is impossible” Dagda rebukes softly.
My eyebrows hit the ceiling. “Really? Because I’m hearing a lot more ‘we can’t’ than ‘we can’ around here. I am not going to sit around anymore. I’m going back to the conference room to continue our research. If you need me, you know where to find me.”
I consider teleporting, but that would be childish. Instead, I turn on my heels and leave the sitting room. I don’t wait for the elevator deathtrap. I take the stairs down to the first floor and stomp through the Great Hall to the conference room. I find Alita and Kegan there pouring over more books. Sindri must have retrieved another load from the Scribe.
“Come to help?” Alita asks hopefully.
“Yeah. This is much better than listening to the naysayers up there.” I thrust my thumb toward the ceiling.
“Good, grab a book.” Kegan pushes a short stack toward me.
I pick up the one on top of the pile and start skimming. I come up empty. The same is true with the next five books. In the sixth, I discover an entire chapter about Sirens. Not how to stop them, but a brief history of what made them go bad. The story I heard earlier about the scorned Queen was a big part of it. I’m shocked to discover it was a Witch King who did the scorning.
The book is ancient and I need to turn the pages carefully. The ink is fading in many parts, but I can still make out the story. About a millennium ago, a Witch King professed his love to the Siren Queen. From what I can make out from the descriptions of the geography, it happened in my home realm somewhere in Europe. The King’s name? Arthur. The Queen’s name? Morgana. You have to be kidding me. King Arthur caused the Sirens to go bad? I continue reading, my knowledge of Camelot being seriously warped in the process.
King Arthur, handsome, perfect, etc., invited the Siren Queen to Camelot to praise her for her efforts to keep the women of his Kingdom safe from harm. Considering this was a time in human history when women were barely more than property, this was quite progressive of him. Then again, he did begin his reign as a pagan who believed in the old religions based on nature and harmony.
Morgana was the Lady of the Lake. She was considered a priestess of the old religion and many kings before Arthur called upon her wisdom in times of upheaval. She worked with some of them and plotted against others. Arthur knew he would need to tread carefully around Morgana if he wanted his Kingdom to be a success.
When Arthur laid eyes upon Morgana, he was lost. Her almond shaped, silver eyes, bronzed skin and long, gleaming red hair were only the tips of her beauty. Her figure was rounded in beautiful curves and her hazel eyes shown with intelligence. Arthur vowed to stop at nothing to have this beauty in his bed and by his side as Queen. Morgana resisted the young Witch despite her mutual attraction to his tall, muscular body. Her appreciation for his square jaw, high cheekbones and aquiline nose aside, she knew better than to immerse herself in the mortal realm. But, Arthur wore her down. It was not long before Morgana succumbed to the young King’s charms. They became lovers. A child was born of their union. Through all this, Morgana steadfastly refused to take her place by Arthur’s side as Queen. She was too feared by the people, she claimed, for it was no secret what she was. As word of their relationship spread, lesser Kings took up arms against Arthur and his Siren, wanting to send her back to Avalon from whence she came. From what I can gather, Avalon was the Merpeople realm. The Sirens were originally from there?
Morgana accompanied Arthur to help him win these wars. She used her Siren magic against his enemies, drowning thousands in his name. Soon, no one dared stand against him. But, there was unrest in his Kingdom. His people feared he would let loose his Siren love upon them and he was begged by his advisors to choose a Queen from amongst his own people. Eventually, Arthur succumbed to the pressure. Partially out of frustration and hurt that Morgana always kept herself at arm’s length. He began to see her refusal to become his Queen as an insult. He grew to resent her power, feeling less o
f a King because he relied so heavily on her magic in battle.
Secretly, Arthur let it be known that he was seeking a human bride. He felt this would bring the Witches and Cowans closer. He was presented with many candidates but he turned them all down until Guinevere. Her blonde hair and pale skin were as far from Morgana as he had ever seen. She was a beauty. Not as beautiful as his Siren, but beautiful enough to be considered as his Queen. He made the arrangements with her father and their wedding was set. All that was left was for Arthur to do was send Morgana away.
Morgana was not a fool. She knew she was losing her King. She felt him become more and more withdrawn from her as she continued to refuse his proposals. She tried to show him she was not rejecting him, she was simply trying to do what was right for his people. When he stopped pressing her, she saw it as a sign of understanding. She was devastated to discover the real reason for his withdrawal. Guinevere. Morgana raged when she discovered the truth. The oceans battered the shores, the lakes flooded crops and the walls of Camelot began to crumble. The Witches battled Morgana, tried to subdue her, but she was lost to grief and anger.
It was at last her son who turned her anger into a need for power. Being male, the son did not inherit the magic of his mother. Instead, he sought power through mortal channels. He wanted to be King. He convinced his mother that the best way to defeat Arthur was to destroy the Kingdom he made from the inside. Using her ability to control men, Morgana sent Lancelot to do her bidding. He seduced the young Queen who knew her husband’s heart was elsewhere. But Arthur’s pride was strong enough to make him a fool. The infighting began and eventually, Arthur was alone in his crumbling Kingdom. His wife committed suicide, he had killed his closest friend for his betrayal and his people lost respect for the once great King. But as Arthur lay on his deathbed after fighting his own son, he had the last word. His scribes took down the name of his successor as it fell from his dying lips. His son was not to be King unless he won the title.
Morgana, by this time, had gone off the deep end. She had so much rage inside her, she could no longer see right from wrong. After so many betrayals and so much revenge, all she knew was killing. As her people felt the power she achieved through her acts of revenge and murder, many followed behind, feeding on the lives of others. Over time, it became the only life they knew. They became a race that was drunk on power and virtually indestructible.
I close the book and sit back my brain pounding painfully against my skull. A Witch betrayed the Sirens. A Fairy, namely Dagda, betrayed the Sirens. Chances of them wanting to be friends with a Witch Fairy? Zero to nil. I sigh. At least I got some answers. Not the ones I wanted, but at least I know the root of their evil. But I don’t understand why the Sirens would continue to behave like Morgana. Were they simply drunk on power or was the race easily susceptible to evil. They did lure men to their deaths before Morgana. The one difference being they were trying to protect women then. But killing is killing, right? A pang of guilt sounds in my heart. Wasn’t I recently considering the possibility of killing the Sirens? By recently, I mean right up until the time I had that thought.
“Did you find something?” Alita asks.
I hate to dim the hope in her eyes. “Sorry, no. I was reading about how the whole mess started. There was nothing in there about how to stop the Sirens.”
“Let me see it,” Kegan says, motioning for me to hand him the book. I oblige.
I grab another book from the stack and begin skimming through it. An icy cold hand appears on my shoulder and I can’t help a violent shudder. “Sorry,” Mom mumbles. “I came to see how things were going.”
I glance up at her pretty, ghostly face. “Did you know King Arthur was a Witch?”
My mother smiles. “Yes.”
Scowling, I grumble, “Thanks for sharing. Did you know he’s the one who turned the Sirens evil?”
Shocked, she admits, “That I did not know.”
“It’s true,” Kegan confirms. “Some King by the name of Arthur set this all in motion.” He slides the book back across the table so my mom can read the story herself. I turn the pages for her when she indicates she’s ready.
By the time she’s finished, Mom’s eyes are open wide. “That is certainly not the history I learned.”
“Yeah, turns out a lot of the history I learned wasn’t quite accurate,” I add unhelpfully.
Mom shoots me a warning glance. “Your father and I did the best we could while still trying to protect you.”
Backpedaling, I explain myself better. “I didn’t mean what I learned from you and Dad. I meant, a lot of supernatural history has been edited out or turned into mythology in our realm. We all learn flawed history because of it.”
Relaxing, Mom nods. “You’re right.”
“Though that is a fascinating revelation, can we keep looking for more useful information?” Kegan grouses. Yup, impending death does make him crabby.
“Perhaps we should send you to the Sirens now,” a deep voice behind me says. The same voice is now sheepish as it says, “Sorry, Alita.” I glance at my husband as he sits down next to me. His cheeks are actually red as he stares at the tears forming in Alita’s eyes. It’s usually me who sticks a foot in my mouth like that.
“How are things upstairs?” I ask.
“Your words had the desired effect. There is more discussion of how rather than cannot.” He leans over and kisses me. “You are correct. We will find a way to defeat the Sirens.” His words are as much for Alita as they are for me.
“I assume the lot of you are starving,” Tabitha says from the doorway.
“I am not,” Kegan says, sticking his head in another book.
Alita touches his arm. “You need to eat.”
“Listen to her, she is smarter than you are,” Tabitha chides.
Kegan gives his best death glare. “I will eat later.”
“I will ask Xandra to force feed you with magic,” Alita declares to her annoyed, and annoying, husband.
Kegan’s death glare leaves Tabitha to slide back and forth between Alita and me. “You would not.” With a grin, I pull magic. Kegan slams the book in front of him closed and stands up. “Fine.”
Alita is far from triumphant. “You will be stronger if you eat.”
Kegan’s eyes soften. “I know. Come on.” He holds his hand out and helps her up. “Where to?” he asks Tabitha.
“Family quarters upstairs,” she informs us before disappearing out the door.
“Shall we?” Kallen asks.
I groan. “I hate returning to the room I stormed out of. It takes away from the dramatic effect.”
My unsympathetic husband laughs. Good thing he’s hot. “I do not believe doing it one more time will kill you.” So, so lucky he’s hot.
Chapter 6
Back in the family area of the palace, we enter the private dining room where Tabitha is already bringing out steaming hot dishes. She’s a stress cooker. Something Kallen and Kegan have always appreciated about her. “How did you get the palace chef to let you cook in her kitchen?” I ask. The palace chef is a tough old cookie.
Tabitha’s brows rise to her hairline. “Do you really believe I asked?”
I shake my head. “No.”
Dagda, Tana, Arie and Kai enter the dining room and sit at the table. Kallen sits next to Arie and I’m on his other side. Kegan and Alita sit across from us. Isla is the last to arrive and the tiny lines she had around her eyes before seem to have deepened. A combination of sorrow and ire fills her eyes. I suspect Garren has something to do with all of it.
“Did you find anything useful in the books the scribe sent up?” Dagda asks.
“Not yet, but we will,” I say, refusing to give a pessimistic response.
“Your efforts are greatly appreciated,” Arie tells all of us.
“I think I should go down to the archives myself.” The words jumped out of my mouth of their own accord. I swear they did.
“No.” The word comes from so many directi
ons, I’m not certain who all said it.
“What do you believe you could find that the trained scribe cannot?” Dagda demands to know.
“I don’t know,” I admit. “But, other than learning the history of why the Sirens went dark, your scribe hasn’t sent up anything useful.” I catch my bottom lip between my teeth in an effort not to say more.
It doesn’t matter. Kallen knows what I’m thinking. “You are not going into the dark magic section of the archives.” I don’t like the finality in his tone. I hope my glaring in his direction conveys that.
“I concur.” I don’t like the finality in Dagda’s tone, either. He is now including in my glaring.
This is ridiculous. “What if that’s the only way to win against them? Shouldn’t we at least try?”
“I am afraid I agree with your father,” Arie says. “Fighting darkness with darkness will not bring light.”
“Not to mention the tarnish it will leave on your soul,” Dagda adds. As soon as the words leave his mouth, he realizes what he said. His eyes find Tana’s at the other end of the table.
I expect Tana to cry or get angry and storm off. She does neither. Though her cheeks turn pink, her voice is strong. “Xandra, your father is correct. A tarnished soul is a heavy burden to bear.”
“My dear,” Dagda begins but Tana shakes her head and he stops talking.
With a sidelong glance in Tana’s direction, I say, “The last time I was in that section, a spell was covering my aura. That’s what the black magic was drawn to, not me in general.”
“Xandra,” Kallen says softly. His voice is quiet but his green eyes are determined. “You are asking us to condone something that may make the situation worse.” I open my mouth to interrupt but he keeps talking. “Give us time to find another way. If we cannot discover another way in two days’ time, then we talk about this again. Deal?”
Two days. The Sirens could do so much damage in two days. What if I can’t put all the male Fairies and all the Mermen to sleep tonight? The Sirens may have already called for reinforcements. I glance around the table realizing everyone is waiting for my response. They want me to agree with Kallen. Except maybe Kegan. Like me, he likes to go for the quick fix. But, Kallen is right. Using black magic could make the situation worse. I let out a long breath. “Fine. Two days.”