The Siren Princess

by Lichelle Slater

  “No. No, it wasn’t you,” he reassured, sliding his arm around my stomach and holding me to him. “You got me down, though.”

  “I cut off your hand?” My jaw dropped as I spun in the saddle, then tugged stupidly at the hood so I could see past it to James’s handsome face.

  He shook his head.

  “You swear it wasn’t me?”

  “I already said no. Why don’t you close your eyes and try to get some sleep?” James rested his chin on top of my head.

  I looked down at the hook and ran my hand up and down his arm. I’d teased him relentlessly for months about being called “Hook,” while all along someone had not only cut it off but tortured him by hanging him from it. No wonder why he hated the nickname.

  The constant rocking of the horse was enough to at least lull me into a doze, though I kept my ears alert just in case.

  “We’re here,” one of the men said.

  I blinked away the frost on my eyelashes. I felt as if I’d barely closed my eyes, and we’d already arrived at the castle?

  I lifted my gaze from the stony blue of the snow in the night and saw, through the gaps in the trees, we had approached stunning mountains. Sitting on an outcropping of stone, overlooking the valley below, was a magnificent stone castle. Behind the castle, the sun began to wake, casting its rays around the mountain peaks and giving the castle a yellow hue.

  Initially, I was in awe of the castle—its high slender towers, peaked roofs, and beautiful architecture—was like nothing I’d seen along the shores of Terricina. But as we walked through the town to reach the entrance, I felt nothing but coldness. The same coldness as the snow.

  “Feel that?” Ulrich muttered.

  “I thought it was just me,” I answered. “It’s cold.”

  “It’s winter,” Gerard said stiffly, but behind his stoic mask, I could see the worry in his green eyes as he studied the castle.

  “All weapons will be left at the door with the guards,” Lord Wilfred ordered as we passed through the outer gates.

  Soldiers stood overhead on the walls, looking down through ice-sheened helmets. If one hadn’t moved, I might have believed them to be statues.

  I licked my chapped lips and rubbed my dripping nose on the back of my hand. I couldn’t wait to get inside and sit in front of a fire to thaw.

  We passed through the inner walls to the courtyard, and Lord Wilfred ordered us to dismount. He then looked at Lord Tomblin. “You may return to your duties at the border.”

  Lord Tomblin’s head tilted slightly. “My men and I shall rest up today and leave tomorrow morning. The others can watch the border for a day.” He motioned for us to dismount and nodded to his men.

  Ulrich had to wait for the soldier he rode with to set him on the ground. Ulrich shimmied his shoulders, rolling them to try and stretch. He walked over to my side and kept his eyes forward. “Something is very wrong.”

  eighteen

  The inside of the castle felt somehow colder than outside. I pulled my cloak tighter around me, though the action didn’t provide any additional warmth as I had hoped. Torches along the hallways flickered with a blue hue to them, which somehow made the place look like it was covered in a layer of ice.

  I’d never been in a castle before, but this was hardly as exciting as I wanted it to be.

  Sky held the side of his head and walked unbalanced. James had to hold him by the elbow to keep him upright. The men must have delivered a terrible blow to keep him unconscious so long, and I actually felt bad Sky was forced to now walk around after a head injury like that.

  He groaned miserably.

  We passed through the grand room—a room with a high ceiling, a balcony around the second floor, and a vaulted roof at least two stories high. With no torches lit inside, it was difficult to see much other than the shadows of shapes. Statues stood between the pillars holding the second-floor balcony.

  We were directed to the throne room, a room to the left of the grand room, stripped of our weapons, and ordered to stay there. Lord Tomblin left us with a nod of reassurance. Lord Wilfred assigned two guards to stay with us and left to get the queen.

  “Kerling,” Gerard muttered under his breath. He walked to the fireplace, tossed a few logs in, and held his hand out. He whispered words I didn’t understand, and a fire ignited.

  “You’re a sorcerer?” One of the soldiers drew his sword.

  Florian, the soldier who had been kind enough to redo Ulrich’s chains, stepped forward. “Relax. If he is the grandson of Selina, of course he is a sorcerer.”

  “Besides,” Gerard added, rising to his feet. “If I wanted to cause any harm, why would I have waited until we arrived here?”

  “Because you wanted to get here safely so you could injure the queen,” he retorted.

  Gerard rolled his eyes to us. “Non-magic folk are truly unbearable.”

  “Put your sword down,” Florian said, swatting at his companion’s hand. “He’d kill you with a word before you could take a step forward, and you don’t want that out when the queen arrives.”

  James helped Sky over to the fireplace. Sky promptly flopped onto the hearth. He didn’t look too good. His eyes were bloodshot, and I could see caked blood on the side of his head.

  Ulrich crouched at his side. “Florian, he could use a doctor, or herbalist, or whatever you have that could help.” He looked up at the soldier. “Unless you allow me to create a healing potion.” He glanced at Gerard. “Do you heal?”

  Gerard scoffed. “No.”

  Florian ran his fingers through his hair. “I’ll see what I can do, but there’s no guarantee. The queen has to approve.”

  “He’s got a terrible wound.” Ulrich frowned, straightening. “Your queen would deny that help?”

  Florian glanced at the door and shifted his weight. “Things . . . aren’t quite as they should be.”

  “I could sense it,” Ulrich replied flatly. “What is going on?”

  He shook his head. “I can’t say. I don’t exactly know.”

  It was good he didn’t try and start because the door flung open with a rush of cold air, and a queen—as regal and cold as her castle—stepped into the room. Her pale face reflected the firelight, and her eyes were so blue, they looked like the deepest part of a flame.

  “Queen Grimhilde,” Ulrich greeted, bowing as a prince should, the best he could in chains, then straightened and rounded his shoulders.

  The queen looked him up and down with a calculated slowness. She strode gracefully to her throne and sat. “Crown Prince Ulrich of Terricina. What brings you to my kingdom at this hour?”

  Ulrich seemed to relax a little after her saying his title. “I came to seek your aid. My father . . .” He drew a breath. “He foolishly signed a contract with the sea witch. Only, at the time, he didn’t know she was the sea witch.”

  Queen Grimhilde didn’t blink. “And why is this my responsibility?”

  “It is not. But we seek . . . I seek your assistance,” he corrected. “And I’m sure we can pay you back some way. I don’t know how to undo the contract. The sea witch has taken the capital city of Delphi and dragged it into the sea. All of my people who were in Delphi have been transformed into sirens, and my kingdom still on the land has been without a leader for months.”

  “A rather vulnerable position to be in.” The queen inclined her head. “And you come to me for help.”

  Ulrich blinked. He’d already said it twice. He opened his mouth to answer.

  “You think I have experience in magic enough to reverse your father’s stupidity?” she continued. “He’s dug his own grave. Let him lie in it.”

  “He already does,” Ulrich said. “At least, I believe so. I haven’t seen him since the city was dragged into the sea.” He stepped forward. “But my people shouldn’t suffer for whatever my father did. They should be on th
e land with their families.”

  “You believe it was he alone who upset her? Your people are purely innocent?” She flashed a smile, but there was no kindness in it. It looked predatory, and I couldn’t help but think her face was masking a darker expression.

  Ulrich was caught off guard. He stammered for an answer. “Your highness, I . . . don’t purport to assume . . . I . . . we need help.”

  “Why not go to the sea witch herself?”

  Ulrich turned to me. Evidentially, going to the sea witch directly hadn’t occurred to him. He swallowed hard.

  “You haven’t done a thing to try and find either of them. Have you? Tsk.”

  Still, Ulrich hesitated. I saw his fingers flex. “Not exactly,” he muttered. “We searched the debris for my father with no result. And I did send scouts to see what they could find, but no one could make it through Siren’s Gate. And I’ve been looking out for my people. Surely, you understand. Perhaps you can find her for me, and then I can go to her?”

  Queen Grimhilde’s eyes snapped to me. Silently, she rose to her feet and approached. “What have we here?”

  I sucked a breath in. I hadn’t said or done anything. I hadn’t even moved from James’s side. Nothing should have drawn her attention to me.

  The queen stopped inches from my face. Her eyes remained locked on mine, and her icy fingertips brushed my collarbone as she lifted my necklace onto her thin fingers. She chuckled, too light a sound for the tension in the room. “A spy in our midst.”

  “It’s only a pearl.” I tried to sound brave, but my voice came out differently.

  “Foolish child.” She plucked the precious pearl from my neck.

  I gasped and put my hand to my chest, as though I could stop her.

  James held my arm and gave me a firm shake of the head, preventing me from reacting.

  “Please . . . it means a lot to me,” I pressed.

  “Keeping an eye on things, are we, Athena?” Her fingers caressed the gemstone. “Of course you would. But you’re too frightened to use the mirrors.” She chuckled again, crossing to her throne. Queen Grimhilde’s gaze lifted to me. Her hand closed around my pearl. “She is protective yet disappointed in you, Princess Odette. Sent you to spy on me, did she? Well, you can return to your mother and inform her she won’t get any secrets from me.” Her eyes narrowed, began to glow blue, and the same glow enveloped her hand.

  “No, wait!” I ran forward, but a tiny puff of smoke escaped the gaps between her fingers.

  Queen Grimhilde extended her hand to me. The shattered pieces of my pearl necklace lay in her open palm. “I don’t take kindly to spies. Men, lock them in the tower.”

  I reached out for the fragments, but the queen tipped her hand and dumped the contents onto the rug. My breath caught. It was gone. Worse, she knew my mother by name. How could she know my mother? And what had she sensed in my charm?

  “We aren’t spies,” Ulrich tried. “I told you why I came!”

  “And brought the enemy with you.” She headed for the doorway.

  “She needs your help as well,” Ulrich said quickly. “She’s lost her memories!”

  “If I may, your serene majesty,” Gerard’s smooth voice said.

  Queen Grimhilde stopped and faced him. She studied him with the same look she’d given Ulrich just moments ago, but her eyes narrowed. “I know you.”

  He gave her a dashing smile and bowed. “My name is Gerard.”

  “Selina’s prodigy,” she confirmed.

  He nodded. “Prince Ulrich has something that may be of interest to you. The summer stone.”

  Her eyes locked once more on Ulrich.

  “He is willing to offer it to you in return for aid.” Gerard approached so calmly, he looked like a cat on the prowl. “Think of what having both the winter and summer stones could do to your power.”

  Her eyes flickered, and her lip curled. “Perhaps . . .”

  Gerard gave her another dashing smile. “And you wouldn’t even need to tell Selina. Keep it your secret.” He added a wink.

  Queen Grimhilde slowly turned to us. “I believe all of you are in need of warm baths, some breakfast, and sleep.” She looked once more to her guards. “Take them to the East Wing. I will have the servants run their baths and bring breakfast to you. Oh, and do unchain Prince Ulrich. He’s a mischievous one, and we don’t need him causing damage to get back at us for those.” She exited the room.

  Ulrich let out a breath. “Thank you, Gerard.”

  Gerard looked at him sideways. “Be extremely cautious. She’s more powerful than I thought. Not even I sensed that spell on Odette’s pearl.” He followed the queen.

  None of us said anything as we were led up the stone steps at the back of the great hall. From there, the two guards each gestured to a room.

  “You can have your own bed tonight,” James said, giving me a nod.

  My heart jumped into my throat, restricting my breath with panic. Just the thought of being alone made me almost lose my mind. How pathetic was I? “I would prefer you didn’t,” I said, the admission coming out in a frantic tone as I snagged my fingers on his hook.

  He stopped. “Prefer I didn’t what?”

  “Leave me alone,” I whispered loudly. “Not here, of all places. There could be hidden doors to secret passages! Someone could come in the middle of the night!”

  “I think you listen to too many of the pirate stories.” He grinned, a relieving sight, but nodded. “Can you manage without me?” He turned to Ulrich specifically, since Sky was still supporting himself on the wall.

  Ulrich nodded. “I’ll take care of him. Don’t worry. It will be payback for last night.”

  I didn’t care to ask what had happened when James and I left to get the cloaks and blankets.

  Sky patted me on the arm, giving me a pathetic smile of his own. “Don’t worry. No fairies are going to carry you away tonight. I think it’s too cold here for those sorts of things.”

  “Actually, we have fairies for servants here,” Florian, the guard, said.

  “Oh great,” I muttered.

  Sky gave me an unapologetic smile, said, “Oops.”

  I dragged my thumb across my throat.

  He laughed, then grimaced. As he stepped into his room, he waved his fingers at me unapologetically. Ulrich followed him. Florian closed the door behind them and turned to us. As James was closing our door, I saw Gerard walk on with the soldiers.

  I turned to the bed just in time to see a beautiful woman in a shimmering green dress set another log on the fire. The beautiful four-post bed with pale-blue bedding embroidered with gold snowflakes stood to my right and had been turned down for us. The girl gave me a polite nod, lifted her transparent wings—I only saw the reflection of the firelight on them—and shrunk to a few inches tall.

  My world froze.

  The fairy flitted to the mantle, leaving a silver trail of dust trailing behind her. She moved a small dragon figurine aside, then disappeared down into the mantle itself. The figurine slid back into place.

  I reached out and patted James’s body, not sure what I was patting, eyes still unblinking. “Did . . . did you see that?”

  “I saw the cozy look of that fire.”

  “You didn’t see the fairy?” I looked at him with wide eyes.

  He couldn’t hold back a teasing smile. “I saw her. But you’ve got me here now. Nothing to worry about.”

  I rolled my eyes and frowned at him. “You sleep like a lump of wood. You’re no help to me while you sleep.”

  “Then why do you want me here?”

  I lifted my chin and shrugged, then spun on my heel and walked over to chair at the desk and dragged it over to the warmth of the fire. Deliberately, I peeled my wet shirt off slowly and set it over the chair. I then shimmied out of my pants and draped it beside my shirt. Standing i
n only my underclothes did nothing to help against the cold, but at least I would be warmer once I was dry.

  I felt James’s body heat behind me.

  “You shouldn’t tease,” he said softly, his warm breath floating down to my neck and stroking my collarbone. His fingertips trailed down my hand—a ghost of a touch.

  “If I didn’t want you, I wouldn’t tease,” I said bluntly and turned to face him.

  He shook his head. “We shouldn’t.”

  “Why not?” I reached up and traced his lips. “Why shouldn’t I want to be with you? James . . . I really don’t know what happened those months ago, but you alluded to us already being together. I . . . want that feeling. I like that feeling of us.”

  He leaned down, but I kept my finger pressed to his lips, teasing him. His brows pinched in confusion.

  I grabbed the bottom of his wet shirt and lifted it over his head. As I did, I leaned forward and kissed his chest. “Your clothes are sopping wet.”

  “Who cares?” He reached up and quickly tugged his shirt off all the way and threw it to the side.

  He pulled me close and drowned me in kisses. His arms held me close, making me feel safe in a way no one ever could. His teeth pulled my bottom lip. I ran my fingers through his hair. He ignited corners of my heart I had somehow forgotten.

  James felt so right. I thought Sky was my other half. But James?

  He was my everything.

  And then the damn broke.

  Whatever spell had taken hold of me months ago broke.

  I dug my nails into James’s shoulders as the pain of memories hit me, taking my breath away as if I’d been dragged to the bottom of the sea. Memories that held the truth of the day Terricina’s capital had been dragged into the sea.

  Memories of James.

  My James.

  nineteen

  “You want me to what?” I stared at my mother, my jaw slack in shock.

  She rested her forearms on the table, the parchment before me, and her green eyes slowly narrowed. “What part of that didn’t you understand?” she asked.