by Katie Dunn
“I-I sent them away. They were going to make you go under the water. I stopped them,” I rushed to explain, holding my hands up to show I meant no harm.
He stared down at me trying to figure out if I was telling the truth. “How did you send them away?”
My eyes still wide, I explained everything that happened from the moment I saw him heading for the water until now with him threatening me with fire. He looked surprised by my story and the flames died out. He offered me a hand and helped me stand up. I dusted myself off and stepped away from him.
“You shouldn’t have been able to enchant the siren blessed,” he said, studying me curiously.
I shrugged. I didn’t know what to say. I was new to this whole siren thing.
“Well, thank you. I’m Ian.” Ian held out his hand, this time in greeting.
I nodded and shook his hand. “I’m Serena.” My brows furrowed. “Why do they do that to you guys?” I asked remembering the lunchtime fiasco yesterday because Laneli enchanted someone.
Ian shook his head and looked toward the school angrily as if he could project his thoughts to Laneli. “She mainly targets Elliot and his friends. It is a long-standing feud, one that she instigates. I was waiting for Elliot after class and she snuck up on me. Next thing I knew I was here.”
Ian looked down at his wet clothes which began smoking. Literal smoke emanated from him and his clothes began to dry. I stared in awe, although I was a little frightened. I figured he knew what he was doing though. Remembering why he had to dry himself made me turn my thoughts to Laneli.
I felt angry for him and his friends. Laneli was taking these people’s free will away. I startled, realizing that is what I did by sending the girls away and enchanting the people at Tang’s Karaoke. If I continued using this power, I would be able to take away free will. This wasn’t a gift; it was a curse. I started walking back to the quad on a mission to see Mr. Drakari to explain Laneli’s behavior today. I was not going to stand by and let her bully people.
“Where are you going?” Ian called after me.
“I’m going to Drakari’s office,” I called over my shoulder. “She shouldn’t be able to get away with that. I’m glad you’re okay!”
I left Ian by the lake and marched across the quad, into the school, and to Mr. Drakari’s office. I heard voices inside, but I didn’t care. I was too angry. I burst into the office interrupting the conversation. Dominic Drakari looked up from his desk, surprised by my entrance.
“Ah, we were just about to call you,” Drakari exclaimed, pleased once he got over his shock.
I stopped in my tracks, almost forgetting why I came here. “You were? Why?”
The other person in the room, who I couldn’t see before because of the long back chair they were in, stood up and turned to me. I stared at familiar dark curly hair tied back, bangs hanging down just above her eyebrows, and hazel-gray eyes that almost looked purple.
“Tamara? What are you doing here?” I asked,
both confused and excited.
Chapter 5
Best Friend Said What?
“Surprise!” Tam shouted nervously with raised hands.
“What are you doing here?” I asked again and rushed forward to give her a hug.
Returning my hug, she said, “I wanted to see how your first day went.”
I stepped back as a thought occurred to me. “How did you get on campus?” As far as I knew, only myth blessed were allowed to enter.
Mr. Drakari and Tam gave each other a knowing look. “I think we should go somewhere to talk,” Tam said, guiding me out of the room.
I thought I would have to be the one leading her around, but she seemed to know where she was going. We went down a few halls until we came to a set of double doors and a sign reading library on the front. Glancing at me briefly, Tam walked into the library. I was getting more confused by the minute. I didn’t even know where the library was, yet she had led me straight to it.
She took me away from the tables in the front, to the back of the library where another set of tables were set out. She chose one and sat down, nodding her head to the other side indicating I should take a seat too.
“How do you know your way around so well?” I asked bewildered. A growing sense of understanding was starting to dawn, but I had not figured it all out yet.
Tam twiddled her thumbs and bit her lip nervously. “I’ve been keeping a secret.”
Was she about to admit to being myth blessed? That would explain many of her actions such as having Drakari’s number and entering the Academy. I didn’t want to rush her since what she was about to say seemed tough for her to admit so I waited, although my foot tapped impatiently.
Tam started to say something but stopped herself. Then with a determined sigh, she laid her hand flat on the table and looked me in the eyes. “I’m a mythological being.”
I titled my head in confusion, reminding myself of a puppy. “What do you mean?”
Tam tapped her purple nails on the table and looked around to make sure no one was listening. She leaned forward and whispered, “I’m a djinn.”
My eyes widened at her declaration. I had expected her to admit she was myth blessed, but her actual announcement stunned me.
After her admission, a cork must have been pulled because she started spilling everything about the secret she had been keeping. “Seventeen years ago, my mother became a free djinn and met my dad, then they had me. We all had to hide away for almost eight years of my life so I could control my abilities and learn to blend in with humans.”
It was odd to hear her say humans as if she wasn’t one. Then again, she truly wasn’t one. I knew she was homeschooled at an early age, but I never knew it was because she was a djinn. My best friend was a mythological being!
“At one point I was discovered by Drakari, but he never claimed me as most people would have done. He just asked me to be his eyes and ears in school to make sure no one was in danger by other myths and to report if I find any myth blessed.” At that point she looked guiltily to me.
So that was why she had Drakari’s number and that was why she called him when I enchanted the people in Tang’s Karaoke. Something still perplexed me. “Since you are djinn that means I cannot enchant you right?”
Tamara nodded, “I was not affected by you that night, and good for that otherwise we would be in a totally different situation right now.”
I didn’t want to know what she meant by different situation. “Does that mean I am not able to enchant mythological beings with my songs?” I asked hopefully. The less wills I could take away the better. I didn’t want to always have to be watching my back.
“Mmm, kind of. Djinn are immune to most enchantments, but other weaker beings may still be affected.” Tam studied me. “Why, what’s wrong?”
I shook my head, the anger from earlier coming back. “My tutor, a siren blessed, has no qualms about enchanting innocents and making them do dangerous things.” My voice quieted to a whisper and I looked down, focusing on the circles I was tracing with my finger. “I don’t want to have that kind of power.”
Tam reached out a hand and laid it on mine comfortingly. “You don’t have to be that kind of person. You can use your gifts responsibly.”
I shrugged not wanting to discuss it more. Tam picked up on my mood and changed the subject. “Tell me about your first day of classes.”
I looked up thanking her silently for not pushing the topic of using my gifts. We sat there for a while as we went over the day’s events and her life as a djinn over the years. She mentioned how Rae was freaking out about her friend being myth blessed. Apparently, Tam hadn’t revealed her secret to Rae otherwise Rae would have something else to freak out about.
It was nice to be with my friend and be part of some kind of normalcy even though our lives were far from normal. I looked at my panda watch and exclaimed, “It’s already five! I haven’t eaten yet and I need to talk to Mr. Drakari about getting a new tutor!”
/> Tam chuckled, standing up. “We should probably head back then.”
I nodded and stood to leave. It was weird to look at Tam knowing she was not human. Human or not though, it didn’t change the fact that she was my best friend.
We walked back to Drakari’s office where she checked in with him and waved farewell to us. I waited for her to leave before turning to the principal with a serious expression. “I came here earlier for a purpose, although seeing Tam was a nice surprise.”
“She told you everything?” Drakari asked with raised brows.
I nodded.
“Must be different knowing your friend is a mythological being.” Drakari watched me carefully. I knew he was waiting to see my reaction.
“It was a shock to find out she is a djinn, but our friendship is no different.” We had been friends for way too long to let a simple thing like being a secret powerful mythological being come between us.
Drakari nodded seeming pleased. “What did you need to talk to me about?”
I walked over to the high back chair in front of his desk and sat down, ready to talk. “I need a new tutor. I can’t work with someone who is so willing to put people in danger and take their will. If that is what being a siren is then I don’t want any part of it. I refuse to use my siren powers.”
Drakari held his hands up to slow me down. “Whoa, wait a minute. Tell me what happened.”
I explained to him everything that occurred from the moment I saw Laneli by the lake to storming his office after breaking Ian’s trance.
Drakari sat back and shook his head looking annoyed. “How many times do I have to talk to that girl?” he mumbled to himself. “I will have to put a guard on her from now on. One that cannot be enchanted.” He seemed to remember I was still there and looked at me with sincere and apologizing green eyes. “I will set up a new tutor for you. You will meet at the same place.”
Drakari stood up and walked to the door, holding it open for me and effectively ending our conversation.
Before I walked out, he said, “Don’t give up on your gifts. There is a lot of good you can do.”
I pursed my lips and nodded, not seeing the point in arguing but silently disagreeing with him. He closed the door softly behind me. Laneli seemed like she would be a problem and I was not willing to involve myself with her or that feud she started.
I was not hungry anymore, so I decided to skip dinner. I walked back across the quad toward the water wing, thoughts of my djinn friend and new tutor racing through my head.
“Watch out!”
I looked up at the shout and saw a frisbee flying toward my head. I immediately ducked then stood up straight again when it landed on the grass nearby. I looked around for the owner of the object and saw Ian and Elliot crossing the quad to me.
“Ah, my savior!” Ian shouted with widespread arms.
I put a hand on my hip and raised my eyebrow. “You almost hit me.”
“Right, sorry about that,” Ian said sheepishly.
We shared a playful smile. It was nice to have another friend even though it was because we both had a problem with Laneli.
“Why did you call her your savior?” Elliot asked, looking between the two of us.
Ian looked guilty again. “Right, um, I didn’t want to tell you but Laneli enchanted me.”
Elliot looked to have fire in his eyes, and he balled his hands angrily, looking to the water wing as if already thinking of his revenge. Black scales erupted over his skin, but no fire appeared. “When was this?” He growled at Ian.
Ian tapped his chin in thought and looked at me for confirmation as he answered, “About an hour after lunch.”
I nodded in agreement. Ian looked much happier now that he was dry and free. He even reminded me of a playful fox in a way.
Elliot looked upon me with hatred and disgust. I took a step back at the force of it and hurt pinched me. This was the look I was wanting to avoid. This is what being a siren caused. I shook my head and walked toward my dorm. I didn’t need to stand there and be judged for something I didn’t do. There was also no point in arguing. Elliot hated the water myths according to Marion, especially sirens.
“Dude, no need to hate on her. She saved me from them,” I heard Ian say.
I didn’t stop to hear the rest of the conversation. I stomped up the stairs to my room and flung the door open. Marion wasn’t there so I collapsed on my bed and laid there, simmering with annoyance at Elliot and anger at Laneli until I finally fell asleep. I only had to be there for one year, then I would fulfill my plans by moving
across the country.
Chapter 6
I’m Seeing Triple
Three days passed since the lake incident, my first day of classes, and since I found out about my djinn best friend. Laneli had made it her mission to bother me at any opportunity by sneering at me, snickering loudly when I walked by, or whispering about me behind my back since I enchanted her and her friends. She never did anything to provoke me into singing, most likely scared of what I could do to her, but it was still annoying. My new tutor became Marion who was helping me find a connection to the water and manipulate it but so far, no luck. She explained to me about natural opposites and weaknesses which I found intriguing. Earth and air are opposites, but spirit did not really have an opposite which made it one of the strongest elements in mythology. Fire and water are natural opposites and they made each other weak which is why fire myths do not often go swimming and water myths do not like fire. It was odd that water myths gained strength in the water, yet my chest tightened with fear and panic every time I was near lakes or the ocean.
Through our training, I could only connect enough to the nearby water to access my siren gifts, but I still refused to use them. Marion and Mr. Drakari tried talking to me about how using my siren abilities could be good, but I didn’t know how taking away will was good.
Elliot tried to approach me during gym, but I avoided him, not wanting to see the mistrust and disgust from him. Other than the fact that the school was for students blessed by mythological beings, school was normal.
Thankfully, it was the weekend so there were no classes. Marion explained that every weekend groups of Myth Blessed students would go to town to get away from school for a while. I asked to tag along with her and Devon for a day, feeling like a day out was exactly what I needed. Marion jumped up and down, excited to show me around town.
It was a little after lunch when we decided to go. I put on some sneakers, my panda watch and grabbed my wallet. I left my chestnut hair down to blow in the wind. Marion decided to do a little extra dressing up by adding tinsel to her pigtails and glitter to her face. She said it made her feel magical. She was officially the most interesting roommate.
Marion texted Devon to meet us outside as we walked out of our dorm room. I wasn’t looking forward, so I didn’t see the solid chest in front of me until I ran into it.
“Oof,” I grunted.
Marion plowed into my back and we both stumbled.
“You’ve really got to stop doing that,” the owner of the solid chest joked.
I glared at Elliot “I wouldn’t keep doing that if you weren’t standing in a path frequently walked.”
Marion peered over my shoulder her eyes widening. “What are you doing here?”
Elliot held out a letter with the school stamp on it. “Serena is being summoned.”
Marion snatched it from his hands and studied it. “Serena got a summons? That’s so cool! When is it?”
“What is a summons?” I asked, taking the letter from Marion and opening it to read.
“Sometimes Mr. Drakari asks students to go on missions. Looks like he is asking you,” Marion answered.
I looked at Elliot who nodded in confirmation then read the letter which stated almost the same thing Marion had explained.
Your presence is required at 2:00pm in front of the school on the day this letter is received. You will be going off school property for a classified missio
n. Your parents have already been notified and give permission.
I checked my panda watch and realized it was almost two. Wow, they don’t like giving much notice. I sighed feeling disappointed that I could not go with Marion and Devon to town.
Understanding my sigh, Marion patted me on the back and squeezed passed us. “I guess I will see you later.” Marion gave me a small wave and stared at Elliot curiously before walking down the stairs to go to town.
I waved the letter at Elliot. “Lead the way.”
We walked down the stairs and left the dorms, walking silently across the quad toward the edge of the school. I wasn’t expecting to make any conversation with Elliot, so his voice surprised me.
“I’ve been wanting to say thank you for what you did for Ian.”
I looked sharply at him with suspicion, but he looked back with sincerity and not an ounce of disgust. “Why didn’t you say anything before now if you have been wanting to?” I asked.
Elliot’s features turned to frustration. “I have been trying to, but you keep avoiding me in gym and I never see you around school. The only reason I was able to get inside your dorm was because I was delivering the summons.”
My cheeks reddened with guilt and embarrassment of my behavior but c’mon no one could blame me for wanting to avoid him. He was like the King of Drama at that school. However, I was starting to think his feud was just with Laneli, not all the water myths.
I decided to change the subject. “So, no giant lizard today?”
Elliot chuckled, “He’s a Komodo dragon, and his name is Moto.”
Komodo dragon, I heard those were dangerous. How did Elliot come to have one as his familiar? “Fine. So, no Moto today?”
“Nah, he will not be able to fit in the car,” Elliot answered.
We fell back into silence, not really knowing what else to say as we walked the rest of the way to the front of the school where three people and a black SUV waited.
