“What do you want?” Julia asked. “Are you with the Guild?”
Riley’s face became troubled. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
Julia looked at the castle. She wasn’t close enough for anyone to see what was going on. And who would even be looking out the windows right now? Sierra wouldn’t realize Julia was missing until morning.
“It seems pretty suspicious that you lured me out here.
Please say what you need to, quickly, and then release me.”
“This is important, Julia,” Riley answered. “I’m about to change your life.”
“Ch-change my life?” Julia’s heart began to beat madly. It was time she shapeshifted and clawed her way back into the castle.
“Yes. You see, you are a siren.”
Julia willed herself not to shapeshift. “What?”
Riley nodded innocently. “I’ve been sent on behalf of our leader. It’s time you know the truth.”
“I’m not a siren,” Julia answered. “I’m a werecat, a shapeshifter.”
“I know what a shapeshifter is,” Riley said. “And I know what a siren is. You are both.”
Julia shook her head. “No!” she yelled. “That’s impossible.
Sirens are evil.” She’d been taught repeatedly to stay away from them because of how dangerous and manipulative they were. “You’re lying to me. It’s not true.”
Riley watched her. “So you haven’t had any strange occurrences lately? Nothing to do with,” she glanced at the lake, “water?”
She didn’t answer. Whenever her reflection changed, it had been in water.
“You’re a siren, Julia. And it’s not the first time someone’s been half-werecat, half-siren.”
Julia opened her mouth to protest but fell silent. Could this be possible? She had once denied that she was a werecat.
What if she were a siren too? The thought made her feel sick.
Sirens were scary, terrifying creatures.
“And now having told you that,” her sweet voice began again, “I need to continue my mission and take you to Loretta.”
Julia immediately took a step back. “Loretta?” she whimpered.
Riley walked closer, and her blue hair stirred softly in the breeze. “Yes, it’s my job.” She spoke so kindly.
Something stirred in the lake, and Julia froze. She watched as two more sirens arose from the water and slowly walked out onto the lake’s shore. The women looked almost identical to each other, but one had long, silvery white locks, while the other had short, apple-green hair.
“I’m not leaving the castle grounds.” Julia planted her feet.
“Come with me,” Riley said, an edge to her voice. “Now.”
Julia closed her eyes and began to imagine herself shapeshifting. She felt the fear rising inside of her and used it to motivate the process.
However, as two clammy hands gripped each ankle, Julia’s legs flew out from under her and she landed on her back. She yelled out as the two women dragged her away from the castle.
“Stop! Help!”
“Quiet, Julia,” Riley ordered. “You’ve left us with no choice.”
Riley stepped onto the shore and the two sirens followed, pulling Julia. She kicked and thrashed against them, but they were too strong and only ignored her cries.
Julia dug her fingers into the lake’s gravel, but she could already feel her foot in the water. She let out one last cry before she became completely submerged, and her conscious-ness slipped away.
CHAPTER FIVE
Dreamwalker
So you put up quite a fight?”
Julia’s eyes had been open for sometime, but as if trapped in a nightmare, she couldn’t respond.
“I’m happy you did. You wouldn’t be a siren if you didn’t struggle a little. I knew you would. That’s exactly why I sent so many sirens to retrieve you.”
Julia stared at the tall, middle-aged woman’s wide, expressive eyes and lemon-colored hair. It only took a moment before she remembered the kidnapping.
She tried to touch her face but found her arms tied behind her back. Julia watched the siren in front of her, studying her.
Lines shimmered on her face, and something about her hair—
besides the color—seemed odd. It was the way it moved. No wind blew, yet her silky hair floated around her face.
Julia screamed. She looked around, panicking as it all made sense. She was tied to a chair, underwater.
“Don’t fret now,” the siren said. “You’ve been underwater for two hours already. I really doubt anything will happen now.”
“Two hours!” Julia yelled. She had spoken underwater yet heard everything perfectly as if on land.
She glanced around the white room. Several large windows revealed bright blue water outside.
“Would you like to waste more time panicking?” the siren asked. “Or do you want to know more about who you are?”
The water shifted, and Julia’s hair moved in front of her eyes.
“What do you want with me?” she asked. “Is this for ransom? Or are you working with Alexis?”
The siren’s green eyes opened wide. “Those are some hasty accusations. Why do you suspect me to have such evil intentions?”
“Because you’re a siren,” Julia answered. “I know how you are.” She glared at Julia and shook her head. “You’re blinded by prejudice. That’s exactly why I sent someone to retrieve you—”
“Kidnap me,” Julia corrected.
“The Soldier Union has no idea what our intentions are, and I’m guessing they have no idea that you’re a siren.”
“I am not a siren,” Julia hissed. “You’re lying to me.”
The siren looked disappointed. “I expected a little more intelligence from you. After all, you’re breathing, talking, and listening underwater. How else can you explain it?”
“Dark magic,” Julia said. “You really need to let me go.
Once the Soldier Union realizes I’m missing, they’ll come looking for me.”
“That’s why I don’t plan on keeping you long,” she said.
“I shall return you unharmed to your castle soon. I simply wish to tell you a few things.” The sunlight beamed onto her yellow hair, making it look fluorescent.
“Fine,” Julia replied. She wanted to believe she would be released soon, but she was doubtful.
“First I wanted to introduce myself. My name is Loretta Oncord. I am queen of the sirens—and a fierce leader. So I suggest you stay on my good side. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Julia replied.
“I tried to send a siren to communicate with you before, but like a coward, you ran from her. So really, it’s your fault that you’re here now.”
Julia didn’t dare contest.
“So,” Loretta said, “my intentions really are innocent. I needed you to know what you are.” She lowered her gaze at Julia. “You’re a siren, Julia. Your mother was a siren, and even though she hid it, that doesn’t change what you are.”
Julia’s stomach twisted into a knot.
“You have a choice.”
She swallowed. “A choice?”
Loretta motioned behind Julia, and another siren appeared.
Julia jumped in alarm but remained silent.
The siren’s blue hair flowed around her tan face as she swam toward Julia. She leaned forward, removed the bands tying Julia, and released her.
“Riley is my assistant,” Loretta said. “She’ll show you to a portal, and then you may go back to Lockham. You are welcome back here whenever you’d like. All you have to do is go back to the lake at Lockham and call out Riley’s name.
She’ll find you.”
Julia tried to hide her surprised face. Did Loretta really think Julia would ever want to come back here after they’d kidnapped her?
“A siren is a rare treasure to the world,” she continued.
“And we are so often misunderstood. Eventually Ossai will learn what you are and things wil
l not be easy for you. Here we can protect you. You’d be happy. Remember that.”
Julia nodded, hoping desperately that Loretta would let her go unharmed.
Loretta watched Julia for a moment. “I hope to see you soon. Riley,” she said, turning to her assistant, “you may go.”
Julia stood up against the weight of the water.
“Follow me,” Riley replied.
Julia followed her slowly through the water to a white entryway.
Loretta didn’t go after them as they left the white underwater building and walked out onto the ocean floor.
Julia noticed a few small, white buildings grouped together underwater, each with numerous windows and surrounded by different waving sea plants.
Her feet sank into the sand with each step, and she squinted as the sunlight pierced the aquamarine water.
“There must not be many sirens,” Julia said, glancing to the small buildings. “You all live here?”
Riley turned to look at her. “That is not Sirenity. That’s simply an underwater housing area for Loretta in case she ever needs the protection.”
As they began climbing a large sand hill, Julia knew they were headed toward the shoreline.
“This is Sirenity.”
Julia took a couple more labored steps up the slope and then felt her face break the surface of the water. Instinctively, she sucked in a breath of hot, humid air and exhaled. Warm waves moved over her as she continued forward to the white shore.
Past the sand and farther into the land, a wall of palm trees, tropical plants, and vines made up a jungle.
Julia stepped out of the water and onto the dry sand, which burned her feet.
“These are our homes,” Riley said, standing next to her and pointing to hundreds of smal square huts that dotted the beach. “And now you can see how many of us there real y are.”
Sirens filled the tropical huts, shoreline, and water surrounding her. She glanced around, relieved that they seemed oblivious of her.
The amount of bright hair overwhelmed her and made a rainbow across the shore—red, green, blue, yellow, orange, and violet.
At least thirty more sirens sat atop large, white rocks, talking, laughing, or sleeping. They wore dresses and wraps paired with brown sandals.
“So what do you think?” Riley asked.
“It’s incredible.”
Riley smiled. “I thought you might say that. We share this island with the water nymphs that live on the other side. It’s a harmonious relationship, and we protect each other’s kingdoms.”
They continued forward, but the sound of a singing siren distracted Julia. At first she only heard a solo voice, but soon more sirens joined in.
The song was beautiful, but almost eerie, similar to the song Caleb sang back at the house in New York. Their voices became louder, carrying across the beach.
“It’s pretty,” Julia said, consumed by the spontaneous wave of singing.
Riley tilted her head sideways, as if trying to listen better.
“Yes, the song of the siren is irresistible.”
The thought made Julia nervous. Did they use their singing to trick others or to manipulate them?
“Don’t worry.” Riley laughed. “I just mean that sirens are known for their lovely voices. A siren’s song isn’t destructive.
It’s our ability to hypnotize that makes others do what we want. We just like singing.”
A loud wave crashed onto the shore, startling Julia.
“It is time for you to go back to Lockham,” Riley said to her. “Before anyone finds out you’re missing.”
Julia bit her bottom lip. “Is the portal close?”
“It’s not too far.” Riley began heading in the direction of the jungle, which lined the shore. “Follow me.”
Julia followed, trying to keep pace with Riley’s quick steps as they walked through a long stretch of dense jungle land.
Tropical birds seemed to laugh at Julia as she passed by out of breath. After at least fifteen minutes through the lush jungle, Riley pushed back a long palm leaf. Julia looked through at a small, dark pond only ten feet in diameter.
“This portal will lead you straight back to the castle lake,”
Riley told her.
Julia looked into the water hesitantly.
“Don’t be afraid,” she said. “I’m sure you’ve traveled through portals countless times.”
“It’s not the portal I’m afraid of,” Julia answered. “It’s the burden of what I now know.” She sighed. “And I have to explain to the Soldier Union where I was.”
Riley raised her eyebrows. “Perhaps they haven’t noticed you were gone yet.”
“Oh, they’ve noticed,” she replied, taking a step forward.
She crouched down next to the pond and propelled herself into the water.
Right away a force pulled her through the portal back to Lockham. The rushing noise filled her ears, and the darkness swallowed her. After only seconds, she found herself swimming in ice-cold water. She opened her eyes and kicked her way to the surface.
Near the rocky shore of the lake, Julia felt a hand grasp her back and place her on the gravel. Once she spit out the taste of lake water, she looked up to see one of the soldiers standing above her.
“I found her!” he yelled. “She’s here!”
Julia sat up, shivering in her nightclothes.
Another soldier ran down the steep grass hill toward the lake. Both men looked familiar to Julia, but she didn’t know their names.
The second soldier opened his eyes wide as he looked at her. “Bring her to the castle immediately. I’ll get Lancer.”
The burly soldier who had pulled Julia out of the water leaned over and attempted to pick her up.
“I can walk,” Julia said, moving away from him.
“But if you’re injured”—he held out a hand to help her—
“then we can’t take any chances.”
She began heading up the grassy hill toward the castle.
“I’m fine.”
He remained, annoyingly, only inches away from her until they reached the courtyard outside the castle.
Once there, the glass castle doors burst open. However, instead of Julia’s father, Liam strode through, his eyes anxious.
“Julia!” He carried a large gray blanket in his arms and wrapped it around her. “Are you all right?”
She nodded. “Yes, I was with—”
“It’s okay,” Liam said, cutting her off. “You can explain once you’re inside.”
They entered Lockham and passed a few baffled faculty.
Julia avoided eye contact with anyone and clung tighter to the blanket around her shoulders.
“Liam,” Julia began again, “you need to know that—”
“It will be all right.” He stopped her midsentence. “Lancer will be here any minute.”
Irritated, Julia kept quiet until they arrived at the large classroom where Soldier Union meetings were held. She entered and sat down at the long rectangular table.
Liam dismissed the other two soldiers from the room and thanked them.
Once the door shut, and they were alone, Liam turned to Julia. “I am so sorry to cut you off,” he said. “But we have to keep everything that involves the sirens confidential.”
Julia dropped her jaw. “How did you know about the sirens?”
Before he could answer, the office door flew open again and this time Lancer appeared with Caleb at his side.
Everything seemed to move in fast-forward; Julia couldn’t even catch her breath, let alone sort out what to tell her father.
Lancer rushed to her side. “Julia, are you okay?”
She nodded. “I’m fine, Dad.”
He embraced her and then pulled away, looking her in the eye. “You had me terrified.”
“I know, and I’m sorry you didn’t know what was going on.” “Julia.” Lancer’s voice was strained. “What on earth were you doing with those sirens?”
Except for the second hand ticking loudly on the clock, the room became silent. Lancer, Liam, and Caleb watched her.
Exhausted, Julia slumped over. She shivered with fright and cold, her long, wet hair dripping down her back.
“I have something I need to tell you,” she said, “and I know it’s going to change everything.”
Lancer gripped the back of the chair in front of him, and both Liam and Caleb didn’t seem to breathe.
“I’m a siren.” She waited for a response. But none of them said anything.
“That’s impossible,” Lancer said finally.
“It’s not impossible,” she replied. “It’s the truth.”
Liam’s brow creased. “Julia, who told you this?”
“Loretta, the siren queen. And that’s not all.”
Lancer raised an eyebrow. “It’s not?”
She wrapped the soaked blanket tightly around her arms and spoke. “Alexis is also a siren.”
Her father’s face hardened and his face became pale.
“Alexis is a werecat.”
“Yes, but she’s also a siren. How else can you explain why I am?” She shrugged. “I was breathing, talking, and could hear underwater.”
The look on Lancer’s face twisted Julia’s stomach.
“Dad, I—”
“Julia.” He held up a hand. “I need to process this information for a moment.”
Liam looked at the ceiling. “If this information is true …
then Alexis is more powerful than we ever imagined,” he said.
The stress on his words prickled Julia’s skin.
“I think we need Scarlet.”
“I’ll get her.” Caleb stirred in the corner. He’d been so quiet Julia had almost forgotten his presence.
“Thank you, Caleb,” Liam said. “Tell your mother it’s urgent.”
Julia remained silent and waited until Caleb returned.
Soon Scarlet entered the room behind him, looking poised and alert.
“I’m here,” she said. “What’s going on?”
“Julia.” Liam turned to her. “Can you start from the beginning?”
Julia tucked a strand of wet hair behind her ear and recounted everything that had happened, including that Loretta had wanted Julia to come back.
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