A Cry For Help
Siralaine
“And then you put it straight into the pot, letting all the vegetables stew together.” Dorene smiles as she adds the potatoes to the simmering pot; the spices smell divine, too. “And you just keep an eye on the heat and let it cook, and we’ll have the perfect soup when it’s ready.”
“It already tastes amazing,” I compliment, tasting some from the little cup Dorene had poured for me.
“Just be careful, it’s quite hot,” she says.
“I know how to do this, too,” Alfrea says, pointing to the cloves of garlic I’m peeling.
“You’re a smart girl,” I say, smiling as I tug on her cheek.
“Mama said you have a baby in your tummy,” Sarena states, making Dorene shake her head.
“Yes, but don’t trouble Sira.”
I nod at Sarena, feeling guilty for lying. “I do,” I answer.
Last night flashes before my eyes, my heart pounding at the memory of his lips against mine. The way he held me, kissed me…
“Sira?” I look up as Dorene calls me.
“Mmm?”
“Are you alright?” she asks.
I nod, smiling softly. “I was just thinking about Kai.”
She laughs. “Now that’s why you’re blushing,” she teases. I smile, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear.
There’s a pull between us… I can’t deny it, but we’re enemies; we will never be able to be together, even if we want that, and he doesn’t want that, of that I am certain. He just needs me for now, for whatever use is fitting until he gets what he wants from me.
What is the endgame? When he finds and kills my father?
“Pregnancy can be scary, but it’s rewarding,” Dorene says, gently giving my hand a squeeze. I nod, letting her assume whatever she wants to think.
“Can we go play outside?” Alfrea asks, dropping the peeled clove into the pot.
“Yes, but stay in the yard,” Dorene orders. The girls get up and run outside, laughing and giggling as they begin chasing one another.
“They really do bring the house alive,” I say. “They’re adorable.”
“Thank you, for many years it felt so empty… until they came along,” Dorene says with a sad smile.
“It’s lovely to see you all together, too.”
I continue to peel the garlic, as Dorene hums softly beside me, rinsing a basket of spinach in the basin.
“I’m just going to take the washing off, it’s rather cloudy and I’m worried it’s going to rain. I will be right back,” Dorene says. I nod absently, lost in the mundane comfort of the task and my thoughts about Kai. For a fleeting moment, it feels almost peaceful.
She’s only been gone a few minutes when a scream rips through the air.
The garlic bulb slips from my hand, thudding to the floor. My heart thuds violently as I scramble to my feet and rush to the door. It was one of the girls! What happened?!
“Alfrea! Sarena?! Are you ok? Dorene!” I call, stepping outside. The sun has disappeared behind the clouds, casting a bleak light over the yard.
“Help me!” The scream tears through me. Alfrea! My stomach twists as I race toward the direction of her scream.
I freeze at the sight before me. My heart in my mouth as I spot Alfrea being dragged by her hair towards a cart, her small arms flailing helplessly. A few yards away, Dorene lies motionless in the dirt, blood pooling beneath her. A wave of cold washes over me.
Three men are ransacking the family’s supply shed, shoving sacks of food and grain into a cart that Alfrea is being pushed into.
Bandits!
“Unhand her!” I shout, my voice shaking more with fury than fear. Alfrea kicks and screams, refusing to make it easy for them.
“Look what we have here, boys. Seems we have an unexpected visitor here, and she’s a pretty one,” one of them sneers, his filthy gaze skimming over me. “Bring her along, she looks like she’ll be a lot of fun.”
“Don’t touch Sira! She has a scary husband!” Alfrea shouts, smacking the side of the man’s head, only for him to backhand her violently across the face.
Rage blazes through me as the little girl whimpers.
“I’m coming!” I shout.
“Sira, help!” Alfrea sobs, her brave front breaking. “They took Sarena!”
No one else is around. Not Alfren, Kai, or anyone. Their house is right at the edge of the village. It’s up to me to protect them.
All three of the men are carrying weapons, but why would they attack in broad daylight?
I don’t have time to think! I move quickly, darting towards Alfrea, but one of the men turns and sprints towards me, his sneer widening. Just before he can grab me, I duck, sliding to the left, and sweep his legs from under him. He comes down hard, grunting on impact.
But he’s fast, I’m barely past him when he’s already up again, raising his dagger at me and slashing with fury. I twist away, ducking just in time, the blade barely scraping my shoulder.
Alfrea! I’m almost to her when pain sears through me.
One of the other men has grabbed me by the hair, yanking me backwards.
I cry out, grabbing my head, trying to stop him, my scalp burning.
I claw at his wrist, kicking wildly. My knee connects with his ribs, but he doesn’t let go, snarling as he yanks me against his chest.
“You need a beating, little whore!” he snarls, spit flying from his face.
I punch and kick wildly, struggling, doing anything to get free. He shoves me down, my hands scraping on something sharp on the ground.
I get to my feet, but before I can move, another man grabs my arms, wrenching them behind me as the first man grabs my dress, yanking me towards him, causing the dress to rip along the seam.
They laugh, but it only fuels my rage. I’m not a human woman where a bit of skin would make me feel exposed. The rage beneath the surface is rising. I slam my elbow into his neck, twisting free as he wheezes. I turn and kick him square in the chest, sending him stumbling back.
“Control the woman, we need to get this stuff out of here!” the man holding Alfrea growls.
The second man lunges again, slamming me into the ground. My head cracks against the dirt, causing my vision to blur. I’m about to roll over when I feel the cold touch of a blade pressed against my throat, the smell of sweat reeking off him.
This is enough.
It doesn’t matter if I have to blow my cover. If I don’t act now, they’ll all die.
I open my mouth, and the sound that spills out isn’t human. It’s soft at first, a haunting sound, rippling through the air, stilling everything. Then it deepens into something enchanting and hypnotic, carrying promises of tranquillity, desire, and blissful surrender.
The men hesitate. One drops his weapon, and the one above me sways, his eyes clouding over. I push him off, rising to my feet. The song builds in my chest until it vibrates through the ground beneath us. My eyes scan the men who have forgotten why they are even here.
I step toward the nearest man and take the dagger from his limp hand. Still singing, I drive it through his heart, and he drops to the ground – dead. The melody shifts into despair as I yank the knife out and plunge it into the chest of the second man.
The last one stumbles back, trying to fight my sea siren song. His will may be strong, but my rage is stronger. I advance on him and reach for his face, my fingers brushing his cheek as his breath catches.
“The likes of you don’t deserve to live,” I whisper coldly.
My lips part, and my now sharper teeth graze his skin.
A paralysing warmth spreads through him as the venom takes hold.
His eyes widen in horror just before I press my lips to his.
The world hums, and I suck his essence from him, letting it flow into me, pouring out in waves of cold energy, strength flooding my veins.
When it’s done, I stab him through the chest so everyone will think he died in the same manner as his friends. Stepping back, I drop the dagger, scanning my surroundings, trying to calm my emotions.
I hurry to Alfrea’s side. Her body is limp, I reach for her, but the sudden move startles the horse. I grab her, dragging her from the cart just as the horse whinnies and bolts into the trees. My hands shake as I lay her down gently and hurry to check on Dorene.
She’s breathing! Thank the tides! Relief surges through me. The wound is superficial, and she’s going to be ok.
But Sarena – I need to find her.
“I’ll be back!” I whisper to the two women, as I turn, breaking into a run as I follow the tracks left by what looks like a solo horse. How many bandits are there?
The first drops of rain begin to fall, and I pray I find her before the rain washes away the hoofprints.
“Sarena!” My voice cracks as I follow the path. The air tastes of smoke, and I frown.
What is this?
I stumble to a halt when I see the orange glow ahead. Fire…
The village!
“Sarena!” I scream again, pushing forward through the growing chaos. The shouts, the heat, the roaring flames, all of it blurs as I search desperately through the smoke and cinders.
Is it the bandits or are the fire fae here? Kai, where are you?!
I rush through the chaos; no one spares me a glance, and everyone is fending for themselves.
I can’t find her. Did I misinterpret the tracks?
The rain begins to fall harder, turning ash into mud, and my feet in my flimsy sandals slip as I hurry along.
“Sarena!”
But there’s no answer.
“Sarena!” I scream again, plunging toward the fire. Smoke stings my eyes, but I don’t stop. People are shouting, running, trying to douse the flames. A roof collapses nearby, embers scattering across the ground. The heat bites my skin, but I keep going.
“Fae! It’s the fae!”
My heart hammers in fear. Are they here?
But I have to find her! I search everywhere I can, my throat raw from shouting her name. “Sarena!”
Where are you?!
I can’t let anything happen to her. They welcomed me into their home, I owe them this much.
A flash of blue catches my eye by a pile of fallen barrels, and my heart stops as I rush over, dropping to my knees.
I push aside the barrels and debris until I see the little girl.
Unconscious but alive beneath the wreckage.
Her eyes are closed, her lips parted as if she’d been calling for help, and she’s got several bruises over her.
“Sarena,” I whisper, gathering her into my arms. “I’ve got you,” I whisper into her hair, though I don’t know if she can hear me. “You’re safe now. I won’t let them hurt you again.” Her skin is cool, but her pulse is there. She’s going to make it.
Relief floods me, and I look around. These people need protection. I can’t leave them to die. Hoisting Sarena into my arms, I turn, spotting the balls of fire raining down on the village.
I open my mouth, ready to sing them to their doom, but then a shadow blocks out the bleak sunlight, and I look up as huge wings unfurl and a sword glints in his hand.
Kai!
For the first time in my life, I feel as if someone is there to protect me. That I can rely on him, that I can sit back and know he’ll take care of it. Rain falls harder, but I don’t move, my eyes fixed on the masked sky siren who is about to unleash vengeance on our enemy.