Siren Descending

by Katherine Smits

  A flock of seagulls flapped overhead, screamed, and dove for the fish. As the birds swooped, squabbled and grabbed for their buffet, they jostled and bumped into Athenia and Gelion. In the chaos, she transformed and scurried away.

  Wheezing and disoriented from the near drowning, Athenia stumbled blindly past the water line, up the beach, and through the woods. Where am I? Where’s the cabin?

  Labored exhalations sounded several yards behind her. Don’t think he’s chased many maidens because he’s not as fast as me, but why is he even bothering to chase me when he could simply appear in front of me and grab me? Guess he loves the thrill of the hunt so much, he let me go. This time.

  She gained distance from him, but from out of nowhere, a wall of water higher than her head slapped her from behind. She tumbled over and under and around, like driftwood in a storm. The wave carried her far inland before depositing her underneath a pine and receding.

  The sting of saltwater irritated her human eyes. She wiped them, sat up, and gazed around.

  Uprooted bushes and upended garbage cans lay next to fish which struggled and flopped on the ground. Off to the side, several cars rested on their smashed-in hoods. Houses dripped seawater, and many of the windows were broken. Glass shards sparkled in the sunlight.

  When I shoved the water away from me, I must have caused a rogue wave. This is my fault. Guilt rose.

  A crackling came from above as a pine at least thirty feet tall swayed. She jumped to her feet, but the tree fell. A thick branch smacked her on the head and blackness enveloped her.

  She woke up hours later, alone and sore all over. Although a lump on her head hurt like a jelly fish sting when she touched it, she was in one piece. There was no sign of Gelion. Thank you, goddess. He could have taken me while I was unconscious. Guess that wouldn’t be as much fun for him.

  The undamaged cabin seemed to beckon to her as she limped up to it. Thank the goddess, the wards held. She hobbled inside. It’s empty and too quiet here, but at least I’m home and away from Gelion for now.

  ΨΨΨ

  When Deme called and invited Athenia to lunch the next day, she jumped at the opportunity. Thorne was back, but they hadn’t spoken except for necessary, polite exchanges. Guess he’s still mad at me. I can’t stand the tension anymore, and Deme can give me some ideas on how to approach Thorne. After all, she’s involved with a mage herself.

  She found another waterproof bag, stuffed it with clothing, tied it around her waist, and headed to the water. It had rained the night before, turning the air and water colder.

  Manatees on their way back to the springs from the Gulf meandered in the bayou. The poor things probably thought winter was over and left the warm waters. Forage in the rivers must be thin by now, so they need to move to their summer homes as soon as they can. As she headed toward the Sponge Docks, she passed the sea cows. They won’t have to stay in the springs for long. This time of year, cool days are rare in Florida.

  Tourists crowded Happy Dan’s. Laughter, the clinking of plates and silverware, and the cries of “Opa” whenever a server lit the flame on a platter of Saganaki, created too much clamor for her Nerei hearing. Too many spring-breakers here right now. We should find a new place to hang out until they go back home.

  She searched the throng for Deme and located her at the back of the restaurant. When Deme waved and crooked her arm in a “come here” gesture, Athenia threaded her way through the sunscreen-scented visitors toward the table.

  Deme rose and grabbed the chair across from her. “I told you, this seat is taken. Find another.”

  A rotund man wearing plaid shorts and a Hawaiian shirt with an enormous camera slung around his neck wrestled her for the chair. “There aren’t any other seats. No one is sitting here, and I need it.” He pulled in a tug-of-war with her, but Deme’s Nerei strength won out. He glowered at her. “I’ll call the manager.”

  When she reached the table, Athenia gifted him with her sweetest smile. “I just went to the lady’s room. You wouldn’t steal my seat right out from under me, would you?” She batted her eyelashes and hummed a soft, soothing tune.

  He let go. “I’m sorry, I thought she was being greedy. We have to share.”

  Athenia touched his arm. “Oh, yes, sharing is so important. Thank you for understanding.” She hummed a little louder.

  The tourist blinked. “Well, you’re welcome. Have a nice day.” He moved away.

  He joined a bronze tanned woman dressed in a bathing suit topped by a see-through coverup. She grabbed his arm, pointed at Athenia, and shouted something at him, but Athenia couldn’t understand the words due to the din. Just as well.

  She slid into the no longer disputed chair. “This is a mad house.”

  Deme laughed. “You dealt with him perfectly. Why didn’t I think of that?”

  Athenia propped an elbow on the table and rested her head on her palm. “Probably too much on your mind with your matriarchal duties. I only wish everything I’ve done lately would’ve worked out so well.”

  Deme sobered. “What’s wrong?”

  “What isn’t? Thorne’s mad at me. I tried to locate Merlindrake’s old grimoire and found out he’s alive, but I haven’t told Thorne because I don’t know where to start with explaining everything. Now, I’m worried about Merlindrake coming after me. Plus, there’s a mighty nonhuman trying to seduce me and steal my powers. Or take them by force, if I don’t have sex with him. He came after me last night, and I thought he would catch me, but a tree branch knocked me out. When I woke up, he was gone, and I don’t know what happened to him. I have a bump on my head but otherwise I’m okay.”

  Deme’s jaw dropped. “Wow, that’s…I don’t even know what to say. So much is going on with you…”

  A waiter sauntered to their table and offered them menus while giving them the once-over. “Welcome, ladies. You might be interested in a new menu item today, a sushi platter which includes tuna sashimi, shrimp sushi, eel avocado roll, and a California roll.”

  “I want the sushi.” They both answered at once.

  The waiter grinned and gave them a thumb’s up. “I’ll put the order right in.”

  After he left, Deme leaned forward and spoke in a soft voice. “Wow. I thought I had a lot of problems. Wait. Who’s trying to seduce you? Tell me about it.”

  Athenia folded her arms across her chest. “Of all the things I listed, you’re interested in the seduction.”

  Deme blinked wide, innocent eyes. “Why not? Seduction is fascinating.”

  “Hmm...” Athenia tapped her lips. “Let’s talk about the guy who seduced you.”

  Deme leaned back and hugged her arms around her middle. “I don’t want to go into that.”

  “What’s wrong? Did you guys fight?” Athenia reached over and touched Deme’s arm.

  The waiter delivered their order. When he put on a suggestive expression as he asked if they needed anything else, they ignored him. He shrugged and left.

  Athenia pincered a piece of sashimi with her chopsticks. She ate it, savoring the fresh flavor.

  Ignoring her food, Deme stared out the window.

  Athenia said, “You’ll sort it out. You guys are adorable together.”

  Deme’s voice was husky. “It’s the worst thing imaginable. I just found out Bo betrayed us by helping the gang who killed my mother.”

  Athenia lay down her chopsticks. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what to say. I can’t believe he would do something like that. I never met Mara, but Thorne said she was an amazing person and wonderful Matriarch.”

  Tears slid down Deme’s cheeks. “I’ll never be half as good a leader. I miss her so much. Sometimes, I can’t imagine how I’ll survive it.”

  Athenia’s eyes filled, too. “Losing someone you love is the worst thing. I don’t think anyone completely gets over it.”

  Deme clenched a fist. “Losing someone you love is awful, but finding out someone else you love is responsible... That’s unbearable. The deceit. The lie
s. I’ll never get past it.”

  Athenia squirmed in her chair. I guess that’s how Thorne must feel about me, but now’s not the time to feel sorry for myself. I need to help Deme. “How did you find out?”

  “Rowan and Thorne talked to me yesterday. They said someone in a bar overheard Bo bragging about how he did something to stop the duel. Did Thorne tell you about it? The battle between our clan and Kyril Lefteris’ gang where his sister got killed?”

  Athenia nodded.

  Deme hyperventilated. Her voice went thin and high pitched, and the words tumbled out so fast they ran together. “The night before the duel, Bo drugged me and Bas and Mara, so we were almost too weak to fight, but we did and Bas lost, and almost died. The mages broke it up, but Kyril and his thugs came back and kidnapped us and threw us in a hole in the ground. During the struggle, Mara got hit in the head by a rock and died.”

  “Take a deep breath. You’re on the verge of a panic attack.”

  Deme covered her face. She inhaled and exhaled several times. Then she took her hands away. “I’m okay. Well, I’ll probably never be all right again, but no panic attack.” Her voice held a bitter edge.

  Athenia leaned back in her chair. “So, Thorne knew about it. Now, I understand what all those secret meetings were about.”

  “Secret meetings?”

  “Yeah, he kept leaving and wouldn’t tell me anything except he had to talk to the other mages. He said he would explain later, but he didn’t.”

  Deme dabbed her eyes. “I’m sorry. You wanted to talk about your problems, and I dumped mine on you instead. Besides, I can’t deal with this right now. Please tell me what happened to you.”

  Athenia filled her in. After she finished, she said, “I can’t figure out what to do about Gelion or Thorne.”

  Deme shot her a pointed look. “You need to give Thorne a chance to help you.”

  “After finding out I withheld all this from him, he’d never trust me again. He might kick me out or give me to the others for punishment. If he gets involved in this mess, he could be hurt or worse. I can’t risk that.”

  “He’s a mage,” Deme said, her voice heating. “He’s been around a while, and he’s smart. He’ll think of something.”

  A headache pulsed in Athenia’s right eye and she massaged her temples. “I can’t do it. I’ll find some other way to overcome this.”

  Deme drew a deep breath and shook her head. “If you won’t seek his help, then come join our clan. We’ll protect you.”

  Athenia’s heart lifted at the offer. “Thank you. The Atlanteans are strong, but I can’t risk you and your clan. If anything happened to one of you because of me, I couldn’t bear it.”

  Deme steepled her fingers under her chin. “You want Thorne to trust you, but you don’t believe in him.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “By hiding in your shell, trying to build your power, and attempting to manage everything on your own, you’re showing you lack confidence in him. How can he trust you when you don’t open up to him? I’m sure he can sense you’re holding something back. He’s your mentor, and he cares about you. Tell him what’s going on.”

  Athenia shook her head. “Anything but that.”

  ΨΨΨ

  After lunch, Athenia swam to a mostly uninhabited mangrove island which was smaller than an acre in area. The few birds and fish living here can be driven away with noise and magic. I don’t want to hurt anything while I practice.

  She slapped her tail against the water several times, hard enough to scare away the fish. She transformed, walked to the middle of the island, and rustled the trees with a sudden gust of wind. A cloud of birds rose and flew away squawking.

  A fiddler crab hid in a whelk shell. She pitched him beyond her area.

  She sifted the sand. Warm from the sun and white as sugar, the grains slid through her fingers. About two feet down, she found a burrowed-in snail. She pulled him out and threw him in the water. The area should be deserted now.

  She called air and created an invisible barrier around and above herself and the twenty meters she intended to use. No sounds of birds or other creatures. This should keep them away.

  Trying to manipulate water without instruction was a bad idea. My power totally got away from me, but I acted in self-defense. I won’t mess with water again until I practice some other things.

  With mage power, she called upon earth and swirled the fine grains into a mini dirt devil. That’s the first thing Thorne did when he created the sculpture. Can I make one? The process didn’t seem too complicated. I don’t need art, but the ability to superheat sand can help with defense.

  First, she twirled the granules faster, then heated them with friction until they got super-hot. When some of the grains flew free and landed on her, they charred her skin. Ow. She let the sand fall. A three-inch welt on her arm seared her skin.

  As she dropped her protective dome, she ran to the water and jumped in, allowing the cool waves to calm the pain. She needed to transform to heal, though, and she didn’t want to take the time. So, she went back. The burn still hurt, but she ignored it.

  Once again, she rebuilt her screen. The area had cooled a few degrees but was still too hot for her to stand on, so she encased her feet as well. I didn’t heat the sand enough to make glass. The temperature needs to be much higher. If I fix my attention on what I want and try one more time, I can do this.

  After she closed her eyes, she invoked a short prayer to the goddess and concentrated.

  At first, the grit felt sluggish in response to her call. The first try drained me.

  She redoubled her efforts. Obey me. Swirl around me, faster. She created a tornado of wind, sucking up dirt and hurling it into a funnel cloud.

  The air responded, whooshing and crackling with the speed and emitting a scorched odor.

  She sent the sand in a circle around her until the heat from the friction caused sweat to pour from her. Power filled her, energizing and enriching her. This is amazing. I feel like I can do anything. She let out a fierce, joyous shout at the pure thrill. She kept on swirling the air, faster and hotter, feeding the whirlwind energy from her own life force and exulting as power returned to her in a feedback loop.

  Finally, nearly drunk with power, she lowered her hands.

  The sand didn’t fall.

  A translucent orb surrounded her. She reached out and touched the surface. Solid glass encircled her from above her head to below her feet. Intrigued, she rapped on the side. Not fragile either. Must be four feet thick.

  Uh oh. She pounded on the wall as hard as possible, but the glass didn’t shatter. Oh no, I can’t break through. Damn, what am I going to do now?

  She leaned a hand against the surface and concentrated as she rammed the dome with air, but the cooling wind merely hardened the surface. Now, I’m in worse trouble than ever. I need to figure out something else, or I’ll never break out of here.

  Leaning back, she gazed around her self-created prison. Sunlight shone through the walls. Magnified by the glass, the area heated, and a small bush caught fire. Oh goddess, no.

  She stamped out the flame, but smoke filled the bubble. Soon there won’t be any oxygen left. Memories of abandoning Thorne, with no way for him to obtain fresh air, lanced her heart. She winced. How could I have done that? Suffocation is a terrible way to die, probably as bad as drowning. I guess I deserve to go out the same way.

  As the smoke thickened, she sank to the ground. This is the end. Will they ever find me? There are so many tiny islands like this. They may search forever and not come across my body. Or someone may encounter this glass sarcophagus centuries from now. It will be a mystery from ancient times, like the pyramids are to us.

  Using the last of her energy to keep her lungs moving, she comforted herself with a haunting melody. I’m using a little more air, but one last song is worth the price of a few minutes less life. She sang of her love for Delphie and her affection for her only friends, Deme and Thorne. I un
derstand now he was a true friend to me. He protected me by not letting me go too fast. I wish I could tell him how much I care for him and how sorry I am for everything I’ve done.

  When the song filled her, she felt better. Breathing came easier. She raised her voice and let her song reverberate through her and around her.

  With a sharp crash, she blasted through the glass. Shards exploded outward, landing in a precise circle around her practice zone. Thank the goddess none of those landed in me.

  I’m free. Relieved, she sagged onto her back with her face turned up toward the cloudless blue sky. Trying to wield the elements on my own was a terrible idea. I need Thorne’s help more than I ever imagined.

  The space had cooled to a toasty temp. Like a seagrass blanket heated over a steam vent, it soothed her sore muscles. She relaxed into the sand until she stopped trembling. I won’t try anything like that again until Thorne says I’m ready.

  As she scooted down to the water and eased her aching body into the cool buoyancy, she looked back at the island.

  Shattered glass littered the beach and reflected the sun with glittery sparkles. She shuddered. I almost died in there today. My abilities are so erratic. First, they’re weak, then slow to respond, then crazy strong. Now, all the power has drained away, and I’m exhausted. This isn’t normal, even for me.

  CHAPTER SIX

  After regaining her strength, Athenia sped away from the island, driven by visions of the glass prison. I can’t believe I did that to myself. I can’t tell Thorne. He’ll think I’m irresponsible, and I guess I am. Though her stomach rumbled, she ignored the hunger. I can’t take the time to eat. I’m too exposed out here with Gelion lurking around. Somehow, I doubt the rogue wave, or the fallen tree hurt him.

  When Athenia reached the cabin, it was almost dark. She beached and transformed, and then scurried to the spot where she kept her clothes. She shoved her T-shirt and shorts over her body. Maybe Thorne’s home. I’ll go back out and catch some fish for us for dinner. If he’s not still mad at me, he could come with me. He enjoys swimming and fishing, and Gelion won’t show up with Thorne around.