The Siren's Secret

by Heather Ostler

  Riley motioned toward Loretta’s white building. “Good luck,” she called before swimming away.

  Julia took a moment before entering. It will be okay, she told herself. Whatever happens, it will be okay.

  “Julia?” Loretta stood in the doorway, her green hair tied back. She smiled, looking pleased to see her.

  “Loretta,” Julia acknowledged her back politely.

  “I know you must be anxious to hear your answer, so I won’t keep you waiting. You may enter.” She turned and walked through the white archway, her long dress floating behind her.

  Julia quickly followed. She felt beyond nervous; her future was about to be revealed.

  The shelved room glowed with sunlight, which pierced through the glass ceiling. Loretta walked to the shelf and carefully unlocked the case with the small, clear ball. She picked up the interpreter and turned to Julia.

  “Julia,” she said, “you need only to look into the mist and remind it of your question.”

  “Okay.” Julia’s heart pounded furiously as she held out her hand.

  Loretta slipped the interpreter ball into Julia’s open palm and stepped backward.

  The interpreter once again filled with mist, and Julia turned it over in her hand, steadying herself.

  “I …” she hesitated. “I wish to know the answer to my question—about my fate. Am I destined to be alone?”

  The silver mist began swirling quickly. Julia swallowed, terrified. The mist seemed chaotic and angry, only spinning around faster until, finally, it stopped. The haze dissolved, but through the smoky blur, one word formed in cursive. YES.

  Julia started to collapse in the water, but Loretta grabbed her arm. The interpreter fell out of her hands and onto the soft sand.

  Everything was wrong. Everything was lost. Julia would forever be alone. She would never be happily married or even be in a happy relationship. She would be like Alexis. Forever alone and unhappy.

  “No,” Julia whispered. “No.” She felt as though her life had ended.

  Loretta shook her. “Julia, get a hold of yourself. You knew this was likely. You are a siren.”

  “No!” She screamed in agony. Deep down she really had thought she wouldn’t be cursed. She had lied to herself, given herself hope. Everything would be different. All of her plans and hopes for her future were shattered.

  Loretta let her go, and she sunk to the floor.

  “Your life is not over,” Loretta’s voice rang out loudly. “It’s just beginning.”

  But Julia didn’t listen. Had her heart stopped beating? Everything seemed to blur into silence as she became ensnared in her own miserable thoughts.

  Time passed, and after what felt like hours, Riley entered into Loretta’s home. She lifted Julia up with one arm and pulled her out of the white house. Eventually Julia willed herself to at least move her legs and slowly swam back to shore.

  Once on the white sand of the beach, Julia fell down. A wave washed over her, and she tucked her legs into her body, feeling ill.

  “I don’t know why you’re acting this way,” Riley said, looking wary. “Life for a siren is wonderful. Your happiness depends on you alone.”

  “I wanted to be married one day, not live alone forever.”

  Riley rolled her eyes. “You won’t be alone. You can live here in Sirenity with us. And it’s not like you can’t date.

  There’s a whole city on the other side of Sirenity with so many people and—”

  Julia shook her head. “I can’t think about that right now.”

  She gazed into the ocean, feeling lifeless. “I need to go back now.”

  Riley sighed. “Yes, I think you should go. You need to figure out who you are, Julia. Otherwise, you’ll become lost.”

  Julia followed Riley back through the jungle, stumbling on rocks, roots, and vines.

  When they finally reached the water portal, Riley gave her a small departing wave.

  “I hope you figure out who you are soon, Julia.”

  Without responding, she turned to the small, circular pond and fell in. The darkness swallowed her up. For a moment, Julia wished she could stay there suspended in the portal. She didn’t want to come back to Lockham and face everyone. She didn’t want to come back and face reality.

  When the water changed, Julia swam toward the rocky shore. It felt unbelievably cold, but she didn’t seem to care as much now.

  She crawled out onto the shore and froze. Before she could get any farther, someone grabbed her wrist.

  Julia squinted into the darkness, searching for her captor.

  A large, dark-skinned soldier crouched down next to her. She tried yanking her wrist away, but he held it tightly.

  “Don’t even think about shapeshifting,” he said viciously.

  She struggled for a moment until exhausted and then gave up. “I wouldn’t dream of it,” she uttered, defeated.

  The soldier, still gripping her wrist with his massive hand, pulled her up onto her feet and escorted Julia toward Lockham. The walk back to the courtyard seemed to take forever, and she shivered in the night air.

  When they entered the castle, another soldier met them in the hallway, stopping in his tracks.

  “Get Lancer,” the dark soldier ordered. “Tell him it’s an emergency.”

  Julia didn’t even flinch. Fine, she thought. Get him.

  Lancer’s wrath would be nothing compared to what she’d already gone through.

  The soldier took Julia to the Soldier Union meeting room and told her to wait.

  The second soldier arrived carrying a blanket, which he handed to Julia before pacing back to the door. Both guards stood firm, waiting.

  “Thank you,” she answered, wrapping the thick blanket around her.

  Soon a thunderous bang echoed outside, and Julia stood as the soldiers pulled back the doors, letting in her father.

  “Please wait outside,” he said quietly to the soldiers.

  The guards nodded in unison and then slipped out.

  “Are you all right?” Lancer ran to Julia’s side and took her hand.

  She sat down, shaking her head. “I don’t know.”

  “Julia.” He pulled out a chair next to her. “What happened?” His words came out slowly, and he seemed restrained.

  “I went back,” she answered. She couldn’t lie now; he needed to know the truth. “I snuck back to Sirenity to talk to Loretta—”

  “The siren queen?” he asked. “Do you understand how completely dangerous that was?”

  “I don’t care,” she said. “I’m sorry I scared you, and I know I did exactly what you said not to—but that’s not the problem.”

  She didn’t want to cry or scream or even be upset anymore. She felt too exhausted.

  “And what is the problem?” Lancer asked in disbelief.

  “The problem is I have no motivation to be happy. My life has completely changed.”

  “Just because you’re a siren doesn’t mean you can’t be happy,” he said. “Everything will be okay.”

  “Dad, being a siren isn’t the worst of it,” she said. “I’m not sure how to say this, but I’m cursed.”

  He looked confused. “Cursed?”

  “All sirens are destined to be alone,” she answered. “That’s why things didn’t work out for you and Alexis. That’s what will happen to me.”

  “Loretta told you this?” he asked.

  “She told me that all sirens are cursed. But the interpreter confirmed it.”

  “You asked a question to an interpreter?” Lancer asked.

  “And it told you that you were cursed?”

  Julia nodded. “I asked it if I was destined to be alone—

  and it answered with a definite yes.”

  Lancer put a hand over his mouth, stood up, and began pacing the room.

  “It’s not true. She was lying to you,” he said, breathless.

  “This is exactly what she wants you to think. She wants you to feel desperate and then leave Lockh
am to live in Sirenity—

  it’s madness.”

  “Dad,” Julia said. “It’s not a lie. Gabe did the research—

  all sirens are cursed.”

  “No.” He stopped pacing. “You’re wrong. You’re not cursed, and you’re not destined to become like Alexis.”

  “I have to accept it.” She stood up too. “This is what’s happening. I know you don’t want me to become like Alexis, but I’m a siren. And I’m cursed.”

  “No,” he said again. “You went back to the sirens when you knew how dangerous it was. You disobeyed me, and now you’ve been brainwashed—hypnotized.”

  “I know you think Loretta is a bad person,” Julia said,

  “but I wasn’t hypnotized.”

  “How can you be sure?”

  “Because I know how to hypnotize now, and I don’t think it would work on me.”

  Lancer looked shocked. “What?”

  “I figured out that I can hypnotize others,” she answered quietly.

  “Julia, that’s considered to be very dark magic,” he whispered. “Please don’t say you’ve been hypnotizing people.”

  “I didn’t know it was dark,” she said nervously. “And I only hypnotized Sierra.”

  Lancer put a hand to his forehead and shook his head. “I can’t believe this.”

  “That was the first time, and I only hypnotized her so that I could go back to Sirenity without her telling you.”

  He closed his eyes for a moment. “This is unforgivable, Julia. I don’t even know how to punish you. You’ve done something so”—he clenched his hands—“so awful.”

  “But I had to know,” she said. “I had to know the truth about my destiny.”

  “Well, it’s not the truth. And you will never, ever return to Sirenity to be brainwashed again. And until you come to your senses, I’m going to punish you.” He looked down. “I’m going to schedule Terrence away from Lockham, and I’m going to hold on to your writing tablet.”

  “What?” Julia blurted out angrily. “How can you do that, when I’m going through this right now? I need to tell him what’s going on.”

  “No,” he answered. “You can’t tell him about any of this.

  I’ll tell Terrence that your teachers have been complaining about your work ethic—which they have—and that I’m cutting off communication until you adjust your attitude.”

  Julia glared at him. “You’re only making things worse.”

  “I’m keeping you safe from Loretta and her dark magic,” he said. “So you can go back to your room and tel Sierra what happened—but only Sierra. No one else can hear about this.”

  She didn’t respond.

  “After tonight, I’m going to make sure the lake is completely barricaded off.”

  “You can’t do that,” Julia protested. “You’ll have so many students asking questions. The truth will come out.”

  “I can’t have you going back there, and I’m out of options.

  I’ll talk to Scarlet about what Loretta has told you. Maybe she can talk sense into you.”

  “There’s nothing she can say. I already know my fate. I’m cursed.”

  “I don’t want you talking about the curse anymore,” he said, “or hypnotizing people. Do you understand?”

  “I’m leaving. This is ridiculous!” She wrapped the blanket tightly around her and marched to the door. However, before Julia left, she turned back to Lancer, one question burning in her mind.

  “How did you know to check the portal tonight, anyway?”

  she asked.

  Lancer sighed. “One of the soldiers got a tip from Mr.

  Knightly that they should keep an eye out for any strange activity by the lake. He said it was intuition.”

  Fury surged through Julia. How did Mr. Knightly know?

  Did her healed hands connect her to the lake?

  Without saying another word, Julia left for her dormitory. The sun began to rise just as she entered their room, and Sierra still lay on top of her bed, sleeping.

  Just as Sierra sat up and stretched in bed, Julia had climbed into hers.

  “I can’t talk about it now,” Julia said in answer to Sierra’s puzzled face. “I just need to take a personal day and figure things out, and then I promise I’ll explain everything.”

  Sierra looked at Julia’s wet clothes and her soaking hair.

  “Okay?” she said groggily.

  Fortunately it was Saturday, and Julia slept well into the afternoon before she finally showered and dressed.

  When Sierra returned after a couple of hours, she wore a coat and scarf, and looked absolutely frozen.

  “Gabe just lost his game,” she said to Julia. “So I sat out in the cold for nothing.”

  “Oh,” Julia responded. “I’m sorry.”

  Sierra shrugged. “So are you ready to tell me what’s going on? I couldn’t focus on the game at all. I had to know—did you go back to Sirenity?”

  “I did,” she replied. “And I think I owe you a really big apology.”

  Sierra’s eyes opened wide. “Why? What happened?”

  “Well, do you remember anything from last night?” Julia asked, biting her bottom lip.

  “No.” She shook her head. “I don’t remember anything unusual.”

  “That’s probably because I hypnotized you.”

  Sierra dropped her jaw. “What?”

  Julia felt guiltier by the second and wished things could have been different. “I’m so sorry, Sierra. I just had to go back and find out if I was cursed.”

  “So you hypnotized me? Your best friend?” She looked horrified.

  “I just told you to go to sleep, that’s all.”

  “I can’t believe this, Julia. How can I ever trust you again?”

  “I don’t know,” she replied. “I’d be furious too, and I promise, I’ll never do it again.”

  Sierra raised an eyebrow. “Did you find your answer then?”

  “Yes,” Julia breathed. “I went back—and I am cursed.”

  She watched Julia, looking skeptical. “And why do you believe them?”

  “Because I asked an interpreter, which doesn’t lie.”

  “So what about your dad? Does he know everything now?”

  Julia nodded.

  “And he believes all of this?”

  “Of course not,” she answered. “But that doesn’t matter. I know it’s the truth.”

  “Sneaking back to Sirenity was not a good idea. How do you know they weren’t lying to you?”

  Julia looked at her wearily. “Not you too. Why is it so hard to believe?”

  “Why is it so easy for you to believe? If you’re cursed, wouldn’t there be a way to break it?”

  Julia looked down. “I don’t want to get my hopes up.”

  “But what are you going to tell Terrence?” she asked.

  “I don’t know. My dad took away my tablet, and he’s not letting Terrence come here for Christmas.”

  “Oh,” Sierra said softly. “Wow, that’s really tough. I know you were excited to see him. I’m really sorry.”

  Julia felt overcome with sadness again. “I am too,” she answered.

  That evening Julia met again with her father. He asked her to bring the tablet, and with a heavy heart, she handed it over. Lancer took it and tucked it safely away in a briefcase.

  “I hope you tell Terrence that you took that away,” Julia said. “I don’t want him to keep writing me, wondering why I’m not responding.”

  “I’ll tell him,” he said. “He’ll have to understand that he may be an adult; however, you are still my daughter.”

  “Dad.” Julia shook her head. “Stop. I get it. You’re upset.”

  “I’m more than upset. But I’m leaving now, and I’d like to end on a good note.” He leaned forward and hugged her.

  Even though she hadn’t forgiven him yet, she hugged him too.

  “Good-bye, Julia,” Lancer said, standing up. “I hope you do know that I love
you.”

  The following Monday in transformation class, Julia sat as far away from Mr. Knightly as possible. Though she felt extremely upset with him for telling on her, she would not confront him. She didn’t want to get in any more trouble.

  The assignment that week involved a shapeshifting competition for class, and oddly enough, Julia became worried.

  Last year when everyone had been beginners, she had proudly tied Camilla for the title of fastest shapeshifter. She had worked hard to learn how to transform fast, and, in the end, it paid off.

  Now that passion had faded. Julia wasn’t just a shapeshifter anymore—she was a siren, and that felt like her new identity.

  She’d participate, but she knew it wouldn’t end as well as last year; she didn’t have the drive anymore.

  On the first competition round, it didn’t surprise Julia when Conner Allay shapeshifted into his panther werecat before Julia shapeshifted into her white tiger, even though most students looked shocked.

  “Mr. Allay will move on to the second round,” Mr.

  Knightly announced.

  Julia tried not to show any emotion as she stepped back, but Camilla moved next to her, beaming.

  “Looks like I’m still the fastest,” she said, tilting her head.

  Julia wanted more than anything to hypnotize Camilla and make her suddenly start tap dancing around the room.

  However, she restrained herself and only watched as the rounds continued.

  Fewer and fewer students moved up in the competition until finally only Ziphilia and Camilla were left.

  Julia watched closely as both girls stood in the middle of the class, facing each other.

  “Three, two, one,” Mr. Knightly yelled, signaling for the final competition to begin.

  Both girls became instant blurs, but Camilla’s jaguar materialized first.

  Julia sighed, disappointed.

  Once they changed back into human form, Mr. Knightly announced Camilla as the winner. Everyone in the class erupted in applause—except for Julia.

  When class ended, Julia approached Ziphilia. “Hey,” she said. “Good job. You did amazing.”

  Ziphilia smiled. “Thanks. That means a lot coming from you. I’ve always wanted to shift as fast as you.”