The Siren Princess

by Lichelle Slater

  “That’s a wonderful idea,” she approved.

  Tavia added to the shift of conversation by asking Gerard about his adventures at sea. “You must tell us all about it. I’ve never sailed on a ship.”

  James reached under the table and put his hand on my knee, but I swatted it away. He tried again, and I stood up so sharply the chair nearly fell.

  Again, all eyes were on me.

  I cleared my throat and bowed at the waist. “Please excuse me. I’m not feeling that well. Must be all the time away from the sea. Thank you for opening your castle to us. It is lovely. And it was wonderful meeting you all. I hope we won’t bother you for staying too long.” I straightened and marched from the room.

  I wanted James to follow so I could slap him across the face, but I also wanted to be alone. I just wanted to get back to the sea, get back to doing pirate things, like finding a ship to steal. I didn’t like remembering my mother was the sea witch who sunk an entire city, or that I was stuck in this freezing land trying to get help from a cold-hearted queen, or that James had unnecessarily scolded me.

  I wanted to go back to the life where all I wanted was to be a captain.

  All this gallivanting around to save a kingdom made me long to go back to how things used to be. Maybe my mother was right after all, and I just should have listened to her and been compliant all along.

  The castle was so quiet the sound of my skirts rustling sounded like an entire army of women in dresses following behind me down the hallway. Eventually, I found myself at a corner of the castle. It curved outward, and I knew the upper floors stretched up into one of the towers. But here, there was a little alcove. Sitting in the center of the alcove was a wooden stand with a wide top covered in silver velvet.

  And upon that velvet sat a stunning blue stone.

  I reached out and poked it. “You must be the . . .” I looked around at where we were. “The winter stone. Are you the reason it’s winter here all the time?” I tilted my head and ran my finger over the finely polished surface. “If I stole you, would the winter disappear?” I picked it up and tossed it from one hand to the other, feeling the weight.

  It was rather small, about the size of a thumbnail. It didn’t appear to have any significant features, aside from being just another gemstone, except something seemed to chill my hands. It radiated from the center of the winter stone. I drew it closer to my face, wondering what it was that gave me a sense of numbing cold in my hands. It was something intangible, like . . . magic, if I imagined magic to feel like anything.

  “You are a curious girl.”

  I wheeled around, smoothly sliding the gemstone into the glove on my hand. “That’s the second time today!” I snapped.

  Mathias leaned his shoulder against a wall, strange orange eyes watching me.

  I put my hands on my hips. “And you’re nosey. I doubt lunch is over with. Why did you follow me?”

  “My instincts told me you were up to no good.” He reached his hand out toward me.

  I raised my brow. “No good? Because I’m a pirate or because I’m a girl?”

  “Both.” He grinned, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

  “What happened to your mother to bring you such unhappiness?” I asked in a cautiously low voice.

  His smile dissipated and he looked around. “You shouldn’t ask such questions.” Yet, when he looked back at me, the mask of solemnity was gone. “It’s Selina. I don’t know how or why or what her play is, but Mother hasn’t been the same since she arrived.”

  “How long is Selina planning on staying?”

  He shrugged.

  “Where is your father?”

  Again, Mathias shrugged.

  “You’re not too great at this whole conversation thing.” I gestured back and forth between us. “Usually one person asks and the other person answers.”

  “I don’t feel like I have to impress you.” He shrugged.

  “That’s good.”

  “It wasn’t a compliment.” He straightened and tugged the bottom of his jacket to adjust the wrinkles that weren’t there.

  I rolled my eyes. “Of course not.”

  He twitched a brow. “I don’t know you, and therefore how I answer your questions is irrelevant. You’re of no significance to me, and there’s no need for you to know what’s going on in my life or my kingdom.”

  “What have I done to offend you so?” I glared. “I just barely met you, but both you and Tavia look at me with nothing but disdain, which I have done nothing to earn.”

  “Perhaps because we know your true heritage. Is Ulrich aware that the answer to his problems stands right at his side?” He folded his arms across his chest. His eyes narrowed at me, and my blood ran cold. “Or aware your mother is the one who sunk his city?”

  “No. I’m not the cause of his problems. And yes, I already told him about my mother. Why must I be forced to answer your questions, yet you offer nothing in return?”

  Mathias studied me a moment. The silence between us tightened like a string, which he finally cut. “You missed the fun part of the conversation at lunch. You’re all leaving before dinner. Mother sent for the servants to pack your horses with some supplies, and you’ll leave with our fairy allies.”

  “Slaves,” I corrected.

  Mathias arched his brow. “Selina was right about one thing.”

  “What is that?”

  “You’re amusing.”

  “I’m glad I can be a piece of entertainment for you.” I rolled my eyes and walked past him.

  Mathias reached out and snagged my arm. “The stone, Odette.”

  “What st—”

  “The one hidden in your glove.”

  I turned my face and met his orange-eyed gaze, and I knew he could see right through me. I pulled my arm away, held up my left hand, plucked the glove off, then held up my right hand and did the same.

  “I must have dropped it,” I said flatly, careful not to think of what I’d really done with it. “Oops.”

  Mathias shook his head. “I can’t let you leave with that stone. You can give it to me willingly, or . . .” He lifted his shoulders.

  “Or what?” I snapped.

  “You’re brave, I give you that.” He chuckled. “But do you truly want to see why my eyes are orange?”

  “I don’t have it,” I repeated firmly.

  Mathias crouched to the hem of the dress. He snapped his fingers and flame quickly engulfed my skirts.

  “What are you doing?” I screeched.

  I tried to stomp out the flames, which completely failed considering I was wearing the thing. With no choice, I reached behind me, grabbed the ties holding the skirts on, and released the knot. I dropped the skirts to the ground and stepped out, at the same time dropping the stone that I had slipped discreetly into the waistband.

  Without so much as a word, Mathias reached over the smoldering skirts, plucked the stone from the ashes, and straightened.

  I glowered at him, wishing the look were enough to strike him dead.

  “Thank you,” he said. “I trust you can find your way back to your room without a personal escort.”

  I gritted my teeth.

  Mathias winked.

  twenty-three

  “Poke him in the face, I will,” I muttered as I made my way back to my room. I didn’t care if any fairy saw me in my indignant dress, considering it was their prince who had done this to me. “I’ve got my dagger. I could land a carefully placed jab under his ribs. Pretend I tripped,” I carried on.

  I pushed the door of my bedroom open and stopped dead.

  My mother stood in the center of the room.

  She looked every bit her normal self—black pants, white shirt, green corset to match the same color as the scale tattoos on her chest and neck. She didn’t wear her hat but had her red hair in dr
eadlocks tied back in a green bandana. She rested the tip of a sheathed sword on the floor at her side.

  She smiled. “Odette, I’m happy you finally showed up. You and I need to talk.”

  The last person I wanted to see at that moment was my mother. My attention locked on the silver chain that should have held the spiraled seashell with my memories inside. Yet the chain was empty. She was only there because I’d somehow broken the spell that took my memories.

  Whatever she had to say, I didn’t want to listen.

  “No, we really don’t need to talk,” I said with calculated slowness.

  “We really do,” she answered in the familiar “don’t argue with me” tone. “Close the door and sit.” She gestured to the couch beside the fire.

  I looked down the hallway on either side. No sign of James or anyone else. My mother had already shown she was willing to take everything away from her own daughter.

  With no one was there to back me up, I realized I had to face her alone.

  So I met her gaze. I rounded my shoulders. I stood my ground. “How did you get here?”

  “The mirror.” She gestured to the fireplace. The mirror that had once hung above it rested on the hearth and was no longer shielded by the blanket. “It’s complicated, and we don’t have time for me to explain it right now.” She approached me and lifted the sword at her side into both hands, presenting it to me.

  It was my sword.

  The one she’d given me for my sixteenth birthday two years ago.

  My eyes widened. “You had it repaired?”

  She nodded.

  With my eyes locked on Athena to gauge how dangerous she was, I took the sword from her hands. After all, a sword was a far more effective weapon than a dagger or candlestick. I pulled the handle, and the sword slid out from its sheath. The torchlight bounced off the sharpened edge. It looked just like it had, in pristine condition. There was no hint I’d taken it to a tree weeks ago.

  “I thought it was beyond repair,” I added.

  She let out a sigh. “I realized I did everything wrong with you,” she explained. “I know you remember.” Her fingers ghosted over the vacant spot on her neck. “When I tried to speak with you seven months ago, I should have tried harder to explain why I chose to do what I did. I should have had you at my side through all of it. So I’m asking now for your help.”

  I lifted my gaze to her. “Help with what, exactly?”

  “Revenge,” she replied so simply it made my blood run cold.

  I swallowed hard. “You mentioned that. But revenge for what?”

  Athena gestured to the couch. “I must explain everything so you understand. Otherwise, you will never agree to such a thing. Your inability to understand my motivation is why you attempted to stop me before. Please sit?”

  I needed to know.

  “I do want to change out of this first.” I gestured to my pantaloons and corset combination.

  Athena gave me a quick smile and glanced at the door, nervousness adding a tight edge to her pristine smile. Perhaps she didn’t want Selina and Queen Grimhilde to know she was there. She definitely wouldn’t be happy if James or Ulrich interrupted.

  If I could somehow let them know . . .

  “You can speak as I change into something proper if you’d like.” I tugged off what was left of the dress—the corset with too much ribbon.

  “You remind me so much of myself.” She chuckled, and I looked over my shoulder at her. She traced the stitch on the back of the couch with her fingernail. “When I was your age, I thought I had the world figured out too. I knew what I wanted and would do whatever it took to obtain it.” She lifted her eyes to me as I shed the pantaloons. “I was a princess, Odette. The rightful princess of Terricina.”

  “You were a princess?” I hopped on one leg as I pulled on my pants, not exactly sure I believed her. “Then how did you end up a pirate?”

  “I was born and raised in the palace,” she continued. As she spoke, she walked the length of the couch. “Everything changed when I met a man . . .” The corner of her lip strained at the sad memory.

  I pulled on my shirt and tucked it into my trousers. “How could a man take all of that away?”

  Athena leaned back into the couch. “He swept me off my feet. He was handsome, smart, brave.” She heaved a sigh. “James reminds me of him. You remind me of me. Which is why I didn’t want you and James together in the first place. I was trying to protect you from my mistakes. For that, I believe I must apologize.” There was a stiffness to her words, indicating she didn’t really want to admit she was wrong.

  I folded my arms. “You shoved a whaling hook through his hand, tortured him, and left him to die.”

  She raised her shoulders in a shrug. “I already said I didn’t do things the right way before.” She straightened. “I reacted in anger and fear. I wasn’t going to allow him to cause you heartbreak, and he needed to be punished for trying to burn my contract.”

  “So you removed him from my memory, our relationship, completely?”

  She shrugged. “I couldn’t have you repeating my mistake. When I took your memory, I wiped away your relationship with him as well. Sky is much better for you.”

  I shook my head, flabbergasted. “You punished him for what I told him to do, then ran off and sunk Delphi. To make things worse, you kept the truth from me, and forced the pirates to keep it all from me or they would lose their memories as well.” I put my hands on my hips. “Did I miss anything? Oh. And turned King Eric into the new figurehead of your ship.”

  Athena’s eyes narrowed into the same glare Selina had given Gerard.

  Gerard had shown poise over and over, and I used his example to stay calm. I relaxed my stance. “Tell me more about why you wanted revenge on the king?”

  Mother relaxed a little. “Once King Eric and I were wed, things began to change. Then I got pregnant with you and . . .” Her lip quirked. “You were a difficult pregnancy. I was ill through nearly all of it, which put me in bed. But I discovered, through loyal advisors, Eric was making deals without my consent. He had created alliances and trade routes with people I didn’t normally associate with, lands I didn’t trust. I was foolish enough to confront him.” Athena walked around the edge of the couch and slowly sat. “He assured me he was ‘securing a more powerful kingdom,’ as he put it. I tried to reaffirm I was the queen of Terricina. He might have been its king, but I was the ruler, not him.”

  I shook my head. “How did he get away with it?”

  Athena scoffed. “He had the ability to turn a phrase in such a way anyone would do anything for him. I believe magic was involved. My own people turned against me.”

  If this man was as horrible as my mother said, he deserved to have his kingdom taken from him. And then something struck me I hadn’t caught onto right away—I was actually a flesh and blood princess. Luckily, Mother carried on while the weight of the new knowledge forced me to sit in a chair.

  “King Eric became upset with me when I got rid of a contract before he could officially have it signed. In retaliation, he took me to the seashore. You see, many of my loyal subjects had begun to go missing, such as my advisors who warned me about Eric in the first place. I knew he was behind it, but I couldn’t figure out how. And then Eric revealed he had taken possession of the summer stone. He showed me that every person who had gone missing, he had transformed into sirens at his will.”

  “He used the summer stone to transform everyone into a siren?” I gasped.

  “And he did the same to me, and you, when I refused to reinstate the contracts.” She sighed warily. “Every person who had been at my side was thrown into the sea, turned into those creatures. I gave birth to you in the ocean and raised you on my own. That’s why I always told you your father was dead. We remained in the sea until Timbony discovered we could set foot on land. It was then we became pir
ates.” Athena reached over and took my hands. “If I could do one thing to hurt King Eric, it was steal his kingdom.”

  I watched my mother. Her story felt completely true yet completely surreal.

  “What other questions do you have?” she asked when I hadn’t spoken.

  “I . . . I don’t understand the pirates being sirens.”

  “Ah.” She nodded. “After we were banished to the ocean, I asked everyone to side with me. When Timbony discovered we could walk on land after all, we also learned we did better on the sea in boats. As a result, I set up Port Mere, and others stayed in the sea.”

  I rubbed my hands on my knees and looked at the fire. “The sirens who stayed behind?”

  “Became more like the creatures they surrounded themselves with.” She smiled. “I could have remained at Eric’s side as his wife. I do regret not giving you the best life possible.” She reached out and put her hand over mine. “But I don’t regret my decision to stand by my people. He doesn’t deserve to live a happy life in the kingdom that should be mine. He doesn’t deserve to have luxury while we fight for everything. Are you willing to help me?”

  I licked my lips. I had been hoping to help Ulrich get his kingdom back in order, to restore Delphi. Yet my mother had revealed I was the rightful heir to Terricina’s throne. It was no longer that she felt I deserved it. It was my birthright.

  What would Ulrich think?

  “Odette?”

  “I need a moment.” I stood and began pacing the room.

  I mulled through her information in my head. My father was the king. If Ulrich was indeed his son, then we were at least half siblings. Ulrich would probably love that. If I took the throne, I could raise Delphi, somehow freeing the sirens from their curse.

  If I took the throne.

  “We should leave now.” Mother rose to her feet and walked to the mirror, an eager spark in her gaze similar to the one she had months ago when she first told me she was going to sink Delphi.

  “I need to think.”

  “We don’t have a—”

  “You just told me my father is alive and that I’m a princess. James, Sky, and Prince Ulrich are here. I can’t just leave them. And . . .” Something dawned on me. “You knew I was here because of the pearl necklace I wore,” I murmured.