Siren

by Jessica Wayne

  His mouth pulled into a tight line. “There could be another way.”

  “Do you honestly believe that?”

  Shane was silent a moment, but finally shook his head. “Just don’t die.”

  “I’m going to do my best.”

  “You ready?” Tony asked, stepping from the cavern with Carmen.

  “Ready as I’ll ever be.” Anastasia pulled off her boots and removed her weapons, setting them to the side of the water.

  It’s now or never. Who knew if her plan would even work? It was quite possible Rosabel wouldn’t hear her, or a better possibility that she wouldn’t care.

  After all, she already had what she wanted most.

  Anastasia closed her eyes and ignored the stab to her chest.

  “This will work,” Carmen said softly. Anastasia turned to face her grandmother.

  “I hope so.”

  Carmen squeezed her hand. “It will. Believe in yourself.”

  Anastasia looked back at Tony and Shane, and the mouth of the cavern just above them. Those who’d followed her, watched with hope and determination in their eyes. These people—her people—believed in her, and she would not let them down. “You will portal them out if things go south?” Anastasia asked, turning back to her grandmother.

  “I will get them to safety.”

  “Thanks, Grandma.”

  “You got it, girl, now go fishing.”

  Anastasia chuckled and took a deep breath. “Here goes.” She jumped into the pond, the cold water hitting her like an icy blast to the face.

  Swimming hard, Anastasia dove down to the bottom of the pond. It was dark, so, using her power, she conjured a ball of light to illuminate her surroundings.

  It was a damn good thing she’d always been a great swimmer and could hold her breath.

  She kept herself below the surface and did her best to ignore the bone-chilling cold temperature of the water.

  Just as her lungs began to burn, Anastasia started swimming toward the surface. The sunlight beckoned her closer, but just before she broke free, something gripped her ankle, dragging her back down.

  Her heart pounded as panic set in. Looking down, she saw the satisfied smile of her target as she pulled her further into the water.

  Calm down. Anastasia focused her power just as she’d done earlier, centering it around Rosabel.

  “See each step as you complete it,” Vincent had told her.

  Doing what he’d instructed, Anastasia kicked away from Rosabel and swam for the surface.

  Anastasia gasped for air, her lungs burning as she continued to focus on the cage around Rosabel.

  “You okay?” Shane was by her side as soon as she pulled herself to shore, and she nodded.

  Turning back toward the water, she lifted her hands into the air slowly.

  “What the hell?” Tony muttered as Rosabel came out of the water.

  “Let me out!” she screamed, her shrill voice nearly giving Anastasia a splitting headache.

  “You aren’t going anywhere,” Anastasia finally said, still slightly breathless.

  “How dare you!” Rosabel screamed.

  “Good job, Niece.” Vincent appeared beside Rosabel, unseen by anyone but Anastasia.

  She nodded and turned to Carmen, who beamed. “Well done, Anastasia! Your father would be so proud.”

  Anastasia smiled and turned back to her catch. “Now, you’re going to help me, or I’ll let you wither in there until the day you die, Princess.”

  Rosabel straightened at the title just before narrowing her eyes on Anastasia. “You went to see my mother.”

  “I did. Interesting woman.”

  Rosabel spat on the ground. “She’s a disgrace and a coward.”

  “Thames tell you that?”

  Rosabel didn’t respond, just folded her arms over her bare chest.

  “I know Thames still has Dakota and Elizabeth. I want them back.”

  Rosabel laughed. “Good luck with that, Sorceress.”

  Anastasia grinned and lifted a hand. With a flick of her wrist, she sent a pulse of electricity into Rosabel’s prison. No need to be in the water when I’ve brought the water to me.

  Rosabel screamed, her body jolting as the power surged through her. She crumpled to her knees, and Anastasia closed her fist, eliminating the power.

  “You will learn that you don’t have a choice here, Siren. I have the upper hand, and I will torture you every single fucking day until you help me get my husband back.”

  “If you’re so powerful, why don’t you go get him yourself?”

  “Because, as I’m sure you know, your water portals are the only way for anyone to get in or out of Luxe.”

  Rosabel grinned. “Then it seems I have all the leverage, doesn’t it?”

  Anastasia sent more power into Rosabel, and she screamed again. Kneeling just in front of her, Anastasia lowered her voice. “I will torture you until you are nothing but a smoking heap of cooked fish. I strongly suggest you help me.”

  Rosabel lunged, hitting the invisible barrier and falling back. “Agh!” she screamed. “You will not win against him.”

  “You underestimate me.” Anastasia stood. “You going to help, or should I get to cooking?”

  Rosabel growled. “I look forward to watching him bleed you.”

  She turned back to Carmen, Tony, Shane, and Vincent. “Shane, feel like a swim?”

  “Hell yeah.”

  “Great.” Not wanting to waste any time, Anastasia pulled on her boots and attached her weapons before turning back to Rosabel. “Take us there, now.”

  Rosabel snarled, before waving her hand at the pond. The water began to swirl, turning a deep purple.

  “Want me to go first?” Rosabel asked sweetly.

  “Not a damn chance,” Shane said, stepping forward. “See you on the other side.” He jumped into the water, and Anastasia followed, bringing Rosabel with them.

  Surprisingly dry, Anastasia dropped to her feet. Rosabel emerged from the portal behind her.

  “I don’t see anyone,” Shane whispered, and Anastasia nodded. They stood in a hallway made entirely of white marble.

  There were no pictures, tapestries, or decorations other than the sconces lighting the way down the hall.

  She turned to Rosabel. “Which way?”

  “Straight,” she responded tightly.

  Anastasia drew her sword, and Shane did the same as they walked quietly down the hall in the direction Rosabel had sent them.

  The entire time, Anastasia kept her focus split on what was near her and the Siren cage behind her. If she lost track and dropped the barriers, Rosabel would kill them in an instant.

  No pressure.

  “Dakota!” Elizabeth’s familiar voice traveled to them down the hall, and Anastasia broke into a run.

  The hall was long, but ended in a large throne room. Thames stood just before Dakota, smiling gleefully at her husband, who held onto a book as pure energy pulsed around them.

  “Watch Rosabel!” Anastasia yelled at Shane.

  Elizabeth spun to them. “You have to stop this!”

  “Get back by Shane.”

  Thames looked over Dakota, a smile on his face. “You’re too late, Sorceress. He’s mine.”

  The power stopped, and the book fell to the ground. Thames backed away, disappearing down a dark hallway as Dakota turned toward her.

  He stared down at his hands as if they weren’t his own, and when he looked up at her, his blue eyes had turned the same shade of violet as Thames’ eyes.

  “No.” Were they really too late?

  Dakota shook his head. “Ana?”

  She nodded. “I’m here, Dakota.”

  He stared at her a moment longer, before rushing toward her. “Ana!”

  Anastasia dropped her sword, barely hearing the clinking as the metal hit the ground. She wrapped her arms around the husband she hadn’t seen in what felt like forever.

  “How did you get here?” He pressed a kiss
to her lips, and Anastasia held on.

  “Rosabel.”

  “Not by choice, my love,” Rosabel assured him.

  “Fuck, Ana, I missed you.”

  “I missed you, too.”

  “We all missed each other,” Shane said. “But we need to get the hell out of here before dickhead comes back.”

  Dakota released her, and Anastasia stepped back to greet Elizabeth.

  “Thank you for coming,” she said, tears in her eyes.

  “Of course.” Anastasia wrapped her in a hug. “I’m sorry I was so awful.”

  “You weren’t awful; I should have been honest with you both.”

  “Let’s go,” Shane urged again.

  “Rosabel, open another portal.”

  Rosabel rolled her eyes but waved her hand, creating a swirling puddle on the ground.

  “Not so fast,” Dakota said.

  Anastasia turned, facing him. The color of his eyes darkened, and he grinned at her, so unlike the Dakota she knew.

  “You betrayed me,” he said to Rosabel.

  “No! She tortured me! I only brought her here for you!”

  “I told you to leave the Sorceress alone for now, how did she get her hands on you if you truly didn’t betray me?”

  “My king, she was vulnerable, I only wanted to make you proud!” Her voice squeaked, and Anastasia stared in horror as her body began to wither before them. “No!” she screamed. “Please no! I can still serve you!”

  “I have what I need.”

  Anastasia dove for her sword, but Dakota flung it away with a flick of his wrist.

  “Man! It feels so good to have actual power!” He flexed, and Shane pulled Anastasia to her feet.

  Rosabel was nothing but a dry husk on the ground.

  “You can’t have him!” Anastasia screamed.

  “He is already mine.”

  “Over my dead body,” she growled.

  “I can arrange that.” Dakota blasted her with a ball of power, but Anastasia blocked it, sending it flying into the nearest wall.

  Dakota grinned. “You do like to fight, don’t you?”

  “There is no contest.” In a move to distract, she flung a ball of light at him, he dodged, and she immediately blasted him with another, knocking him to the ground.

  When he didn’t move, she turned to Shane. “We don’t have much time. Get him, and let’s get the fuck out of here.”

  The portal Rosabel had conjured had shrunk, but was still active. Elizabeth dove through first, followed by Shane and an unconscious Dakota.

  Grabbing the book Thames had dropped, Anastasia headed for the portal.

  “You won’t save him.”

  Anastasia turned and faced Thames, who’d apparently released his hold over Dakota momentarily.

  “I will, and then I’m coming back for you.”

  Before he could react, she dove into the water.

  39

  Terrenia

  Anastasia

  “What the hell is the plan now?” Shane asked.

  Anastasia turned to face Tony, who stood just inside the mouth of the cave with Carmen. “You guys take everyone back to Terrenia. Tell Zarina that Rosabel is dead; she’ll let you back in.”

  “How are you so sure? We were told you weren’t allowed back ever, and there isn’t a person here who is willing to return without you.”

  Anastasia stepped toward Tony and lowered her voice to just below a whisper. “I told her to send us away.”

  “You did what?”

  “It was the only way Rosabel would leave Terrenia alone. She would have continued killing had I not left.”

  Tony ground his teeth together. “We will be discussing this further,” he said, warning in his voice.

  “You got it.”

  “What are you going to do?” he asked.

  “Shane and I are going to go see some Sirens.”

  “Where’s Rosabel?”

  “Dead.”

  “Didn’t you say they would only help you if you brought them Rosabel?”

  “I don’t have a choice now. She’s dead. I have to hope they will still help.”

  “Good luck.”

  “Get everyone back to Terrenia. We’ll meet you there.” She waved her hand to open a portal, and together, she and Shane stepped through with Dakota.

  “Shit, it’s cold!”

  Snow flurries surrounded them, the barren landscape having grown even colder than the last time she was there.

  “Set him there.” She pointed to a spot right next to the water.

  “What do we do now?”

  “We wait. Hopefully, not for too long.”

  Shane stepped up beside Anastasia. “You okay?”

  Anastasia shook her head. She was far from okay. Now, not only did Thames still have control over Dakota, but he had power, too. Power he gained because Dakota was the only other heir to that fucking hell of a place.

  “Dakota will be fine, Ana.”

  She nodded, ignoring the burning lump in her throat.

  Two women broke the surface of the water. “Do you have what we asked for, Sorceress?”

  “Rosabel is dead,” Anastasia told them. “Your queen said she would help my husband.”

  The women looked at each other. “Our queen said she would help in exchange for Rosabel. You did not come through.”

  “I didn’t kill her, Thames did!”

  “We do not accept your terms. Good luck.”

  “He will die without help! Thames has control over him and his magic now!”

  “Then we will leave our home. We suggest you do, too.”

  “Cowards!” Anastasia screamed as the women disappeared back into the water.

  Anastasia started to jump in, but Shane held her back. “Don’t, Ana, we will find another way.”

  She spun on him. “How, Shane? How the hell are we supposed to find another way?”

  Tears burned in her eyes as she looked at Dakota’s limp body.

  “You are Anastasia Silvan. The fucking Phoenix, for shit’s sake. You will find another way.”

  Anastasia shook her head and closed her eyes, trying like hell to fight back the surge of tears threatening to break free.

  They had to get Dakota secure and find a way to block Thames from getting to him. If they could do that, maybe it would buy enough time for her to figure out a way to kill the bastard.

  Then Dakota would be free, the war would be over, and they could move the hell on with their lives.

  “Let’s get back to Terrenia.”

  “You got it.” Shane lifted Dakota, and Anastasia conjured another portal to take them home.

  They stepped through just as the gates opened and Zarina stepped out. “Good to see you, Anastasia.”

  “Good to see you too, Zarina.”

  “Your grandmother and the others just finished their journey through the portal.”

  “Thanks.”

  “It’s good to see you, Shane.”

  He smiled. “You too. You look nice.”

  “Thanks.” She blushed, looking down at her colorful dress.

  “We don’t have much time,” Anastasia told them. “We need to get him somewhere secure, so if Thames has control of Dakota when he wakes up, we have him contained.”

  “Your grandmother said you were going to see someone about severing their bond? Did that not work?”

  “Rosabel was killed; she was my only leverage. They won’t help us.”

  “Anastasia, I’m so sorry.”

  “Nothing to be sorry about. We need to act, though.”

  “Of course. Let’s go.”

  They made their way inside the gate, and Anastasia couldn’t help but smile at the way everyone greeted each other.

  She’d had to leave to keep Terrenia safe, had hoped Rosabel wouldn’t have suspected she and Zarina had orchestrated it.

  Apparently, it had not only been real enough to keep Terrenia off the Siren’s hit list, but the villagers had believed the pe
rformance too.

  As for those who’d willingly cast her out, she didn’t hold a grudge. They only wanted to do what was best for their families—she might’ve done the same in their shoes.

  “Where are we taking him?”

  “My house. It’s far enough outside the village center I should be able to magically cage him just as I did Rosabel. At least until we can come up with something else.”

  “Anastasia!” Argento rushed toward her. “Is he okay?”

  “Not yet. Thames still has a hold on him.”

  Argento clenched his fist. “Lying scum. Those Sirens will pay.”

  “It’s not on them. I couldn’t deliver Rosabel, and that was the deal.”

  “Does not excuse their actions.”

  “Either way, we need to come up with a new plan and fast. My magic isn’t going to keep him contained for long.”

  They entered the cabin, and Shane laid Dakota down on the bed. “What now?”

  “Everyone, clear out,” she instructed, stepping into the living room with them. Closing her eyes, Anastasia pictured herself walling off the bedroom. Once it was done, she opened her eyes and sent up a silent prayer it would hold.

  “Lizzie?” Tony rushed inside, and Elizabeth ran to him. “Are you all right?”

  “Yes, I just—I tried to stop him.”

  “What did he do?”

  “He accepted the Luxe power. Thames convinced him it would only be used to heal the world.”

  “Dakota believed him?” Anastasia asked, surprised. It wasn’t like him to blindly trust someone—let alone an enemy.

  “He thought he could use the power to get us back home.”

  Anastasia closed her eyes. Thames had taken complete advantage of Dakota. Why was she surprised? Not like he was a fucking boy scout. Thames was a genocidal maniac.

  “Ana?”

  At Dakota’s voice, Anastasia turned. He was sitting up in bed, rubbing his head.

  “That you, Dakota?”

  He nodded. “What the hell happened? How am I back here?”

  “Thames used you as a vessel for the power. I blasted you with enough magic to knock you out, but it’ll only be a matter of time before he takes over again.”

  “I’m so fucking stupid,” Dakota said, placing his feet on the floor. “What are we going to do now?”

  “I’ve blocked you inside this room, and we’ll come up with a plan.”