Siren Rises (The Rise of Ares Book 3)

by Jade Frances

  “How is everyone doing?” I asked him. When I was walking at the front, I had been hyper aware of every turn we were making. Now that I was at the back, I could watch every move the group made. It was evident with each step they took, that they were all eager to get out of here.

  “They’re ok, nervous, but holding it together. The hissing isn’t helping them, but hey, we haven’t been attacked,” Adam said.

  “Yeah, it’s just why that’s the problem with that.” Theodore caught my attention as he broke off from the group. I started to go after him, but Adam stopped me.

  “He’s already asked Pearce if he can collect some water from the falls, he believes he might be able to imitate the ice that Ava has. Provided we don’t have to use it before he can, of course.”

  I watched on as Theodore pulled vials from his pack and lowered them to the water. I took in a deep breath and hoped it wouldn’t burn him like it had Pearce. But nothing happened. He successfully filled all the vials he had. Theodore was pure. Out of most of the people here, I had no doubt that he would have been, but still, I had thought the same of Pearce.

  “Are you happy to have Darryl here?” I gave Adam my full attention again, once Theodore had re-joined the group. He kicked at the stones on the ground as he walked, his shoulders slumped slightly.

  “I’m always happy to be with my brother, but here, in this situation, I can’t help but wish he had stayed with the pack,” he mumbled. I looked over to where Darryl was laughing with the healer that had helped me. He always seemed so unperturbed by the events that surrounded us.

  “He’s strong, if any of us are going to survive this, my bet is on Darryl,” I told Adam and nudged him.

  “I don’t know whether to be offended, or agree with you,” he said with a wolfish grin.

  I hadn’t noticed the hissing had gone quiet until it started up again. This time, it was much, much closer. I glanced back and wished that I hadn’t. Pairs of eyes gleamed through the darkness at the end of the passage. There were so many of them. They lined the walls, the ceiling, and the ground. I couldn’t count exactly how many were back there, and I wasn’t sure that I wanted to either.

  “Adam,” I whispered.

  “I see them,” he replied. I’m going to tell Darryl to move faster, watch your back while I change. His energy filled the air around us until his wolf was standing beside me. Darryl, who had sensed him change, had changed himself. I found it fascinating that they could communicate that way, much like mine and the girl’s bond.

  Rose, can you tell Barak we need to pick up the pace, I sent. Even though Sandra and Darryl were at the front, we still had the group surrounded each side. Preferably, without panicking them, I added quickly.

  I couldn’t see through the sea of heads between us, but whatever they were doing had worked. Each person started walking faster, and the small humming of chatter died down. We had almost reached the passage where Athora had attacked. The thought of seeing her lifeless body again sent shivers down my spine. Adam changed back and pulled a fresh set of clothes from his bag. I looked away while he dressed as he continued to walk. That was a skill I needed to learn.

  “Why are they just watching us, I don’t understand. They were down every passage we tried, and now that we have turned back, they’re just following. It doesn’t make any sense,” I said.

  “From what I heard before Aresollo lost his memories, was that Chimeras are predators, they’re smart. These ones seem primarily made up of snake DNA, which is odd, as they aren’t generally the type to hunt in packs, unless their prey is too large.” Something that Adam said made a lightbulb ping to life in my mind.

  “Oh my God, Adam. They aren’t hunting us… they’re herding us. And we are headed right in the direction they want us to go. But what is waiting for us when we get out?”

  Chapter 23

  “Sandra, Darryl, wait,” I shouted. I tried to push my way to the front, which freaked out some of Theodore’s people. Alarmed from my shout, they started to push each other out of the way, and a couple of them let out a scream. “Calm down,” I shouted again. But I had already set them off in fear and trepidation. Why don’t I stop to think, I scolded myself. Theodore was trying to hold those back who were attempting to shove their way to the front, while Darryl tried to push against them on his way back to us. For once, I was thankful for how narrow the passages were, otherwise I had no doubt I would have been the cause of utter chaos. Eventually, Darryl made his way to us.

  “What’s wrong?” he panted as he pushed through the last couple of people.

  “They’re herding us,” I whispered and pointed behind me. “That’s why they aren’t attacking, it’s why they were blocking every other path out of here. They want us to leave this way,” I rambled on. He shook his hands in my face, then grabbed me by the shoulders.

  “Slow down. What are you saying? Why would they do that?”

  “There’s only one viable reason, something, or someone, is waiting at the exit to these mountains.”

  Darryl crossed his arms over his chest and looked at his brother.

  “There’s no other reason brother, we are walking into a trap,” Adam told him.

  “And what do you suppose we do? We are stuck between a rock and a hard place. If we carry on moving forward, we don’t know what we will be walking into. If we go back… Well…” Darryl pointed behind us. Without turning around, I knew the gleaming eyes of the Chimeras would still be there. I slumped back against a wall and watched Theodore calm the last of his people. He met my eyes and frowned. I gestured for him to join us.

  What’s going on back there? Sandra sent through our bond.

  We can’t move forward; we can’t go back…

  Oh, hell no, I’m not getting stuck in here, we are almost there! she snapped.

  Whatever you’re thinking, Evvy, Sandra is right. We can’t be stuck in here, and we don’t have the manpower to take on those Chimeras, Rose added. I sighed and blocked them both out. Theodore had reached us now, and Adam was filling him in on what we thought.

  “Sticky predicament indeed,” he said and ran his hand over his face. “I’m sorry to say, but I think our only option is to keep moving forward.”

  I groaned and lightly hit my head off the wall.

  “That’s what the girls think as well, they might not attack, they might just keep blocking us,” I mumbled, but I was only rewarded with raised eyebrows and pursed lips. “Ok,” I clapped my hands together and stood up straight, “You guys can go tell Pearce and his brothers.” I tapped both Theodore and Darryl on the shoulder and grinned. That was one job that I definitely wouldn’t volunteer for. Pearce was going to lose his head, especially when we didn’t particularly have a choice. Myself, I’d rather face the Chimeras, than the unknown of whatever was waiting for us on the other side of these mountains. But the group majority was always going to win, I guessed. Darryl let out a low growl, before guiding Theodore back through the crowd.

  “Are you ready for this Ev? It’s been not bad so far, but if it is what I think is out there… you need to be ready.” Adam cast his eyes to the ground and clicked his knuckles.

  “Honestly, no, I’m not ready. I don’t think I’ll ever be ready, but what choice do I have?” I took a deep breath and let it loose. Adam pulled me into his chest and wrapped his arms around me.

  “It’s going to be ok, we will get through this,” he said.

  “But will everyone else…” I whispered and clung to him. Whatever calming effect that Adam usually made me feel wasn’t working. Fear, terror, dread, everything dark was filtering through to my mind. My hands were getting sweaty, and I could feel the t-shirt under my jumper sticking to my back.

  “Evangeline.”

  Pearce’s voice made me jump, and I jerked away from Adam.

  “Me and Barak are going to scout ahead, just a little way, then we will come back with a report,” he said in a clipped tone. Why you, and why Barak? I wanted to say. I wanted to beg him to sta
y and send someone else. But I knew he wouldn’t listen. Pearce was a born leader; it was in his nature. As much as I wanted him safe, he was probably the only person here that was truly capable of holding his own. I gave him a weak smile and leaned up on my tiptoes to peck him on the cheek.

  “Come back quick,” I whispered. He gave me a curt nod, turned, and walked away. I slid down the wall and to the ground.

  They’re going to be ok Evvy, they’ll be back before you know it, Rose’s voice came through to me. Without realising, I must have opened up our bond and let her feel what I was feeling.

  I know, it’s just happening too fast.

  I’ll grab Sandra and make my way over, she replied, then shut down the bond.

  Adam had joined me on the floor, and before long, so had Sandra, Egan, Rose and Darryl. We sat in a circle, just looking at each other.

  “What a journey, huh?” Darryl grinned at us.

  “Journey… this is no journey, it’s torturous, look at the state of me,” Sandra quipped.

  “It hasn’t been all bad, let’s all say one thing we have learned about ourselves,” Rose said. “I’ll start. I have learned that… It’s ok to get angry, or frustrated, and not to hold it in.” Sandra looked at her sister like she had grown two heads.

  “Really, miss play by the rules all the time, has learned she can be angry like everyone else in the world.” Rose threw a stone at her.

  “You next,” she said. Sandra took a moment to think and dramatically looked up and rubbed her chin.

  “I’ve learned that, I need something, or someone, to keep me grounded. For too long I relied on myself, or occasionally Rose, until Taylor passed. That hit me hard, but a new friendship with Dakota brought me back, piece by piece. And I’m so grateful for that,” she smiled at the rest of us, then looked out to where Dakota was. “Enough of that now, you’re next Darryl.”

  “Nothing,” he said, “Adam?”

  “Na ah, your turn brother. There must be something,” Adam pushed him.

  Darryl sighed.

  “I guess, I learned that it’s ok to forgive, to move on, and it’s awesome to be in a pack,” he shoved Adam back. “Now you.”

  Adam shuffled and began picking at a loose thread in his top.

  “Erm, I don’t know. I… maybe… I learned that there is good in me. Through all my past, it was still there. I could never take back, or make up for what I did, but I could try to redeem myself,” he whispered so low that we barely heard him. Darryl pulled him in for a hug and slapped his back. I smiled as I watched them. They had come so far together since first facing each other at their old cabin. “Egan?” Adam said when Darryl let him go.

  “No, I’m cool. You guys do your thing,” he grumbled. He was the only one that had remained standing. No one wanted to push him to answer though, so it looked like it was my turn. All eyes were on me, and suddenly I felt a little shy.

  “I’m the reason you are all here. You’ve followed me to hell and back, and here you are, doing it again. I could never repay you for that,” I held back a sob. “I’ve learned that, I’m not strong, not without you guys. Sandra spoke of having an anchor, well you are all mine. I would have been dead within the first month if I didn’t have you bunch of fools to rein me in. I’ve learned that family is what you make it, not necessarily what you are born into…” I scanned the groups of people for Cole, and found him standing with Aresollo and Quinn. A part of my heart sunk to my stomach, but I had seen it coming; we’d been on very different paths throughout our lives. He saw an opportunity to right his father’s wrongs, and I couldn’t blame him for wanting to. I’d never had a father.

  “And you are all mine. You accept me for who I am, and I love you all,” I finished off without looking at any of them. I could feel my cheeks heating up as I stared at the ground.

  “Well, way to make us look like arse-”

  “Sandra,” Rose scolded. I let out a small chuckle. Hearing those two snipe at each other would never get old. I just hoped that it would continue for many more years to come.

  “That the soppiness over? Can we move on to something a little more juicy… like Rose and Barak hooking up,” Darryl grinned at Rose, whose cheeks had turned a deep shade of red. She threw a handful of stones at him and laughed as he tried to dodge each one. “What? Everyone wants to know how that came about,” he cried when a stone hit him on the cheek.

  “None of your business,” Rose said snootily and lifted her nose in the air. “Why does no one talk about Pearce and Evvy?”

  “Talk what about me and Evvy?” Pearce loomed above us. I jumped up and flew into his arms.

  “Nothing, they’re just being children,” I smiled as I gave him a chaste kiss. “What did you see?”

  “Nothing,” he said, and didn’t elaborate further.

  “Nothing,” I repeated, “As in…”

  “As in nothing, we made it quite far out and couldn’t see, or sense anything.”

  I pulled back from him and creased my eyebrows.

  “But that can’t be right,” I said, confused. Pearce lifted his shoulders and looked around us.

  “We don’t know what the Chimeras are doing, but we know we need to get out of here. And we may as well take that chance while they aren’t attacking,” he said. Sandra jumped up from the ground and clapped.

  “Let’s get out of here, I’m dying for a bath.” The others murmured their agreement and began shuffling toward the groups of people. I stood, rooted to the spot, and watched as they got back into position. Pearce squeezed my hand.

  “I’ll go back up front. You stay at the back with Adam,” he said, and made his way over to Theodore to update him.

  My stomach was doing somersaults, I looked to Adam. He looked as confused as I was.

  “This doesn’t feel right,” he muttered.

  “No, it doesn’t. I was certain we had got it right, but if Pearce says there is nothing or no one out there, then we just have to trust that and carry on,” I said, although my gut was telling me otherwise. Adam pulled me by my arm, then held my face in his hands. His gaze was intense, and full of emotion.

  “Just be ready for anything,” he said, then let me go. My cheeks stung in the cool air, where the warmth of his hands disappeared. I acknowledged what he said with a slight smile, then the two of us jogged together to catch up to the others.

  All too soon, we had reached the passage that we had first entered. It still showed signs of our plight with the pixies, but as I pushed my way to the front and over the strewn rubble from the walls, I noticed something missing.

  “The bodies,” I mumbled to myself. “Where are the bodies?” I shouted a bit louder. I spun around and looked in every direction, but there wasn’t one to be seen anywhere.

  “We didn’t see them when we reached here either,” Barak said and raised his hands in the air. I looked at Pearce, who gave me a nonchalant shrug.

  “There’s a number of things that could have happened to them. Athora wouldn’t have brought her entire clan here, maybe they came to collect their deceased,” he said. No, that can’t be right, I thought to myself, but didn’t argue. I didn’t want to set everyone in a frenzy again. “Come on, the others are getting tired, and we are almost there.”

  We continued to the end of the passage, after climbing and clambering through the walls that had tumbled down in an attempt to stop Athora passing through. We stopped just at the edge and looked down at the vast open land that was between us and the small town. Pearce was right, there was nothing here. Nothing lying in wait for us. But still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that again, this was too easy. I hung back to wait for the girls while Pearce guided the group into the open space. At the bottom of the hill, a shimmer caught my eye. I squinted and looked again. There was definitely something glinting down there, and it was only a few feet from where Pearce was.

  “Pearce, stop,” I screamed. But I was too late. He hit the barrier and his body flew back into the group. Panic ensued as Pearce
landed with a thud on the ground and didn’t move. I pushed through everyone to get to him. And that’s when the barrier lifted, revealing what was waiting for us on the other side.

  Chapter 24

  I counted four rows of Gifted, standing between us and the town. Each looked ready for a battle. Beyond them stood a lone man. He was clad in all white, from head to toe. In his right hand was a stunning gold spear, that he held with conviction. He looked like he had been pulled from a Roman Empire, from a time that no longer existed.

  “Well, isn’t he disappointing, that’s a God?” Sandra whispered beside me. The man inclined his head and smirked.

  “He can hear you,” I hissed back. I shook Pearce’s shoulder, “Get up,” I leaned down to whisper in his ear. Why we were attempting to be quiet, I didn’t know. It wasn’t like they couldn’t see or supposedly hear us. Pearce shifted and groaned.

  “What was that?” he said as he sat up. “Ah hell, guess that was why we didn’t see or sense anyone here then,” he grimaced and held a hand to his back.

  “Are you ok?” I knelt down beside him and gave him a once over.

  “Fine, fine… I guess this is it, huh?” He grimaced again. Something wasn’t right.

  “Pearce, what’s…” I got a feel on his energy before I could finish my sentence. It was laced with dark magic, and it seemed to be blocking his own. “You can’t use your element,” I whispered.

  He shook his head.

  “Go and see one of the healers, now,” I demanded, and refused to let the panic forming in me take rise. He’s our best fighter. I looked up at Sandra and Rose, whose faces were laced with concern.

  “Don’t even think about it, Evvy,” Rose muttered.

  “It’s only me that he wants…” I whispered back.

  “You are quite correct little one, it is only you that I want,” Ares’s voice boomed through the sky.