We emerge from the tunnel into the sweet relief of daylight. We’re in the forest. I stumble forward, pulling Reef along with no idea which direction to take. The trees part and the courtyard comes into focus. I lurch towards it and the world spins.
Hold on, Reef, please hold on.
In the distance, I can make out Headmaster Muir’s fishscale robe. He’s running towards us with Professor Halloran at his side.
Then, I see nothing more as I collapse into exhaustion.
53
I open my eyes and blink against the harsh light spilling in from the windows. A searing ache rips through my head and I grumble, turning away from the light.
“No,” I groan. My entire body hurts. I feel like I’ve been hit by a bus.
There’s an odd sliding noise, and within moments, relief. Someone has closed the blinds. I feel a weight beside me on the bed, and I roll over. I’m face to face with my favorite emerald green eyes.
“You’re alive!” I launch myself up in bed and throw my arms around him. My head angrily protests, and nausea turns my stomach, but I barely register it. All I can register is Reef.
His chest rises in soft laughter and he wraps his arms around me tightly. I clutch at him and lean into his solid, muscular frame as relief washes over me. I press my face into his chest and breathe deeply. He’s actually here, this is real.
“Yes, I’m alive.” He kisses the top of my head and then looks me in the eyes. “And it’s thanks to you, Maya. You saved my life.”
I stare at him, lost for words. He runs his fingers down my face tenderly and my heart leaps. And then, I see the gash on his cheekbone, his eye swollen in an angry purple bruise. The memory flashes before my eyes with a sickening jolt — Nerida torturing him, almost drowning him.
My stomach curdles.
“I thought I lost you. I thought you might…” I stutter, my smile gone. I came too close to losing him. The words tumble out of my mouth before I can stop them. “I love you, Reef.”
Reef’s eyes burn into mine like a wildfire. “I love you too.”
Overcome with emotion, I throw my arms around him again. Boldly, I move my mouth to his and kiss him with everything in me, trying desperately to convey how deeply I feel for him. It’s beyond what my words can form.
He makes a noise in his throat and kisses me back urgently. I run my hands all over him — his shoulders, back, chest. Each touch reassures me that he’s safe, and with me. This isn’t a dream, it’s real. I don’t know how long we’re entangled, lost in each other.
“Okay, you two, enough of that.” Matron Dixon tuts as she enters the room.
Reef and I break away from each other, and I flush red. Reef doesn’t look in the least bit embarrassed. It somehow makes me love him more.
“You have a visitor.” Matron gently urges Reef out of the way and comes to my bedside. “But first, Maya, welcome back. How are you feeling?”
Her gentle voice soothes me and my headache miraculously fades. I try moving my legs and they tingle uncomfortably. Because I had a tail? I’m dizzy with the memory of my siren self.
“I feel okay, Matron,” I say tentatively. I wiggle my fingers and toes. “Just a bit of a headache.”
“That should disappear shortly.” She checks my wrist for my pulse. Once satisfied that I am, in fact, alive, she continues. “You sure know how to give us a scare! I was almost as worried as I was during your trial, but this time Professor Nerida wasn’t here to take care of you. Once again, you’ve pulled through. You, my dear, are a strong and resilient young woman.”
My stomach flips at the mention of Nerida and a wave of nausea hits me.
“The first transformation can be an extremely exhausting one.” Matron goes on to say, unaware of my discomfort. “Never mind the fact that you were saving the life of this one over here.”
She gestures towards Reef and he smiles sheepishly, his hair flopping over his face. Only then do I see the large bandage on the side of his head. How did I miss that?
My heart races in my chest and my voice is panicked. “Are you badly hurt?”
“He’s fine.” Matron makes her way to my other side. “Just a few stitches and a minor concussion. He woke up a few hours ago and, against my recommendation, has refused to leave. I told him to go to his dorm and rest, but he kept insisting that he wanted to be here when you woke up. Now, I understand why.”
The Matron raises her eyebrows knowingly and I blush again.
“I needed to know that you were okay,” Reef says gently as he sits back on my bed. He takes my hand and my heart melts.
Matron tuts and exits the room.
I squeeze Reef’s hand tighter. “Reef, while I was down there... Nerida said that you sacrificed your life for mine?”
Reef’s eyes darken and he clenches his fists.
“I woke up at the lighthouse that morning to her,” Reef spits. “She shook me awake and told me she knew where the necklace was. She said that if I didn’t come with her to retrieve it, you’d die.”
He shakes his head, his eyes look disturbed at the memory. “She said that you couldn’t know where I’d gone, so she made me write you that note. When we got to the shipwreck, I realized what was going on. She gave me the option of luring you to the shipwreck and I refused. Then, she told me that she would kill me. Like she killed my mother.”
My jaw drops open.
“What?” I whisper, aghast.
“The necklace. She killed my mother trying to get it sixteen years ago.” Reef is white as a ghost. “Apparently, my mother found it wreck diving when she was pregnant with me. After I was born, she returned to the wreck with the necklace and Nerida followed her there. She killed her. Like she tried to kill us.”
I feel sick with grief for him. “Reef, I’m so sorry.”
He rests his head against mine. “It’s okay. This sounds crazy but it's almost a… relief, to know what really happened to her. I just wonder why Nerida wanted that necklace so badly.”
I think back to Eurybia’s lost prophecy and the Ceto bloodline’s apparent claim to the necklace. I’ll tell Reef what the necklace really means. But right now, I just need to be here.
With him.
54
“I can answer that.” A gentle voice carries around the doorway.
Reef grabs my hand and squeezes it as Professor Halloran enters the room.
“Good morning, Miss Murphy and Mr. Fenner.” Halloran’s voice is low and calming. “I hope that my visit isn’t too imposing. I came the second I got a report that you were both awake — Matron has kindly kept me updated.”
He closes the door and turns towards Reef and I. “You gave Headmaster Muir and I quite a fright, running through the courtyard covered in blood.”
Reef and Halloran chuckle and I sense that they had a conversation before I woke up.
“Water, Miss Murphy?” Halloran asks and I suddenly realize how parched I am. I nod vigorously and he smiles.
Halloran passes me a water glass. “To be frank, I’m shocked by the events that transpired yesterday.”
Yesterday? Have I been out of it for a day?
Halloran must sense my confusion because he casts his eyes down. “I know what yourself and Mr. Fenner encountered when you were at the shipwreck.”
Fear grips me once again — the memory of those evil eyes. Professor Nerida preying on Reef, torturing him.
Halloran sighs deeply. “After we brought you both to the infirmary, I called the Sirenis Force. I actually went into the caves myself to find Vivienne Nerida.”
I notice that Halloran’s eyes have deep purple circles under them. It looks like he hasn’t slept in days. His hair is ruffled and his cheeks are sunken. He looks… worried.
“Myself and the Sirenis Force searched for Nerida all night, but we found no trace of her. On my advice, the Sirenis Force have been searching for the shipwreck for weeks now, but to no avail.”
I flash back to the conversation I overheard at the lighthouse.
“So you told them to find the shipwreck.”
It isn’t a question but Professor Halloran nods slowly. “It seems that the wreck is protected by complicated magic that appears to be from Eurybia herself — only those who have claim to the necklace can find it—”
“Hang on,” I say breathlessly, my mouth dry again. “What do you mean — magic?”
Halloran raises his eyebrows. “Magic is a complicated and often misunderstood concept that we do not often use in regards to sirenity. However, our abilities as sirens are what humans would consider supernatural, or magical. For us, they’re just part of who we are. We're descended from the gods, so these abilities run in our blood. Eurybia, a goddess herself, would have had more powerful abilities. I assume she would use these in a way that we can only explain feebly using the word ‘magic’ -- which just doesn't do it justice, don't you think?”
My head spins and I look at Reef. He shrugs.
“But on the topic of supernatural abilities.” Professor Halloran’s eyes search my face. “I’m interested to know how you were led to the shipwreck in the first place?”
I glance at Reef, on edge. Can I tell Professor Halloran the truth about my nightmares? Reef seems to sense my trepidation and he meets my eyes. He nods slightly towards Halloran as though to give his approval. His calm expression puts me at ease.
I take a deep breath. “I’ve been having nightmares.”
“Nightmares?” Halloran cocks his head to the side.
Finally, I divulge the truth behind my months of misery. I describe the nightmares in haunting detail to Professor Halloran, telling him about the shipwreck, the necklace, the emerald eyes, the evil creature, and, finally, the Supermoon and meteor shower.
“I thought that someone had to be after the necklace from my nightmare.” I continue, my voice quiet. And then I nod at Halloran. “Actually, I thought it was you.”
Professor Halloran’s eyebrows shoot up and his mouth pops open. He looks like he might ask a question, but then changes his mind.
I look at Reef, my eyes flashing with the painful memory. “I knew that someone was going to hurt Reef, I just didn’t know how, why or where. Then, Eurybia’s prophecy connected everything. The spindly hands had to belong to Ceto’s descendant. Eurybia’s affinity was for the constellations, so I put together the Supermoon and meteor shower.”
I open my hands, the memory of the potent fear returning. “And when Kendra told me she saw Reef with Nerida in that hallway, I remembered the siren motto at the bottom of the prophecy. It’s the same one around the hole in the floor where we jumped. So, I knew where I needed to go.”
Reef’s eyes clear and Halloran nods.
“This is rather intriguing,” Halloran says. “It sounds to me that your nightmares were essentially... visions.”
My heart slams in my chest as the truth is revealed — a truth I feared but never truly entertained.
“Visions,” I say softly. “How is that possible?”
“The necklace,” Professor Halloran muses, his eyebrows drawn together. “I believe that you found the token from Eurybia’s Lost Prophecy.”
I frown, barely keeping up. “But Professor, I didn’t find the necklace. It came to me...”
I trail off, more confused than ever.
Professor Halloran smiles knowingly. “Maya, you experienced your Destiny trial yesterday. The necklace you found — Eurybia’s necklace, Pontus’ all-powerful token — is the emblem of a Fifth Destiny.”
My mouth drops open. “What are you saying?”
Professor Halloran’s intense gaze meets mine. “You might remember from the prophecy that the heir of Ceto and the heir of Eurybia will clash. Vivienne Nerida is Ceto’s heir and you, my dear, are Eurybia’s heir.”
Shivers roll over my skin and I feel dizzy. What does this mean? My brain is going a million miles a minute.
“So,” I croak, my throat dry. I take a sip of water. “You knew what Nerida was up to?”
Halloran's face falls. “I’m afraid that we didn’t know soon enough. If she is the descendant of Ceto, she planted herself at Deep Cove for the sole purpose of finding Eurybia’s heir. She wanted to retrieve it for herself, believing that it’s rightfully hers. I always wondered why she was so insistent on supervising the Intake Class’s trials. But now, it makes sense — she was waiting for you.”
I swallow hard. Outside of Reef, Professor Nerida was the only one who knew that I had failed my trial. I trusted her.
The sting of betrayal soars through my veins and my face darkens. “So, if Nerida lied to me for months, how can I trust what you’re saying?”
“You’re right to doubt me,” Halloran says gently, his eyes down. “When Reef told me about his trial, I wasn’t sure what to think. Then, I saw him risk his life for you in the first week of class, and instantly had a suspicion that it may be linked to the Prophecy. I gave Reef the book, hoping that he would put the puzzle together.”
I look at Reef and he’s staring at Halloran intently, his face white.
Halloran notices this too and nods dejectedly. “My hands were tied on giving him actual advice. As you know, sirens need to find their own Destinies. But, I’ll admit that I could hardly believe any of it, until I saw... that.”
He points to my neck and I’m taken aback. My hand flies to my throat and my fingers curl around the necklace. Instinctively, I run my fingers over it, feeling it pulse beneath my fingertips.
“The last time I saw that necklace was sixteen years ago, when Rhea Fenner found it wreck diving. We never could have known the price she would pay.”
Halloran’s eyes shine and he squeezes them shut. It’s strange to see Halloran be so vulnerable when hours ago, I truly believed that he was evil.
“We spent months researching the necklace, and eventually stumbled upon the Lost Prophecy and the legend of a Fifth Destiny. But by then, it was too late… Ceto’s descendants were already on the hunt for what they believed to be theirs. Rhea left to return the necklace to the shipwreck, and was killed.”
Reef and I sit silent and still as statues. Grief and pain flood my veins for Reef’s loss, the terrible story of what really happened. I blink in terror and look at him. His expression is blank, but his eyes are stormy. I squeeze his hand in both of mine.
“Professor?” I ask quietly. I have to be strong and practical, for Reef. “Do the Matron and the other students know what really happened? Casey and TJ knew that Reef was missing—”
“Not to worry,” Professor Halloran cuts me off gently. “The official story is that Mr. Fenner had a horrible accident while surfing, and when you realized that he was missing, you went to rescue him. That’s the story until we get to the bottom of this and find Nerida.”
Reef and I look at each other, and the weight of another secret hangs between us. He squeezes my hand and I shoot him a small smile.
Whatever has happened, and whatever is to come, we have each other. And that’s enough.
55
Two weeks later, I’m sitting on the floor of Professor Halloran’s classroom, my back against the rocky cave wall. One by one, the class plunges into the freezing ocean for our Transformation exam. Halloran waits below the water, marking as we go.
I’m waiting my turn. I’m not worried about the exam... in theory.
We each have four minutes to demonstrate a complete transformation — breathing through our gills, swimming with our tails, and using our heightened senses. For the last part of the exam, we have an underwater conversation with Professor Halloran.
So, in theory, it’s simple. But, I’m a bundle of nerves, despite the fact that I now know I can transform.
I put a hand over the brand-new Constellation necklace at my throat, somewhat reassured. Professor Halloran gave it to me after we decided to lock away the Fifth Destiny necklace for safekeeping. After all, Nerida is still out there. I don’t mind it — I don’t even want to look at the thing, let alone try to explain it to our friends. It just reminds me, pa
infully, of Reef bleeding and contorted below the water.
My real Destiny found me. I was born to be a siren.
Just like my father was a siren... The thought nags at me again, as it does often these days. I still have no idea why my dad left when I was a baby, and why Deep Cove was kept a secret for all these years. But with everything that happened this semester, I trust he had a good reason. One that I will find out eventually.
Reef sits next to me in his Deep Cove tracksuit, his hair wet. He completed his exam a little while ago. Seeing him get into the water chilled me to the bone, but Reef was relaxed as ever. While I keep having horrible flashbacks to his lifeless body, moments from death on the ocean floor, Reef claims to remember nothing. He only remembers waking up in blinding pain, with his head on my lap in Lover’s Cave.
I lift my hand to touch the side of his head, where the wound is almost healed. He could’ve died because of me.
He looks concerned when it’s my turn. Rather than being personally traumatized by the whole experience, Reef has instead become extremely protective of me. He worries about what I went through, but I’d do it a million times to have him safely at my side.
“You’ve got this, Maya,” he whispers. I shakily stand up.
I strip to my white bathing suit and walk to the edge of the rock floor. I take a deep breath and jump before I can think. The icy water stabs at my weak, human form, and chills me to the bone.
It’s my first time in the water since that awful night. I try to push the memories away and focus on what’s happening now. I’m safe. I take a moment to calm down and let the ocean soothe me. I find my bearings, and Halloran comes into focus about six feet in front of me.
His calm eyes lock on mine, and he shoots me a smile and a thumbs up. My lungs ache and I will my breath to flow through me with all of my might.
And then, sweet relief.
The gashes behind my ears grow, and I exhale the remaining air from my lungs in triumph, breathing easily through my gills.
The Destiny: A YA Paranormal Academy Romance (Deep Cove Academy Book 1) Page 19