Epilogue
T he orange and pink light on the horizon cradles the setting sun, its last golden rays casting out and permeating the cold ocean water. The glimmer of a choice made two hundred years ago moves with the waves, the sparkling Spell extending from the surface and down into the water a few feet, permanently separating those on land from those below it. From us.
Swimming against the current, my tail fin undulates with my lower body as I propel myself closer to the black mass ahead of me, my anxiety feeling as large as the depths of the sea itself. Beneath me, spindly multi-colored coral and silky green sea kelp begin to gleam faintly, their full luminescence waiting to peak until the moon lifts itself high into the sky. Water glides past, my gills taking in the oxygen I need to breathe.
A bloom of iridescent jellyfish—their long, delicate tentacles fluttering in the current—part for me as I flow past, my chin dipping in thanks. Finally reaching the sea stack, I lift myself up onto the black jagged rock, my tightly coiled ruby-red braids clinging to my face and body as my breathing automatically switches from my gills to my lungs—to my mortal form. The waning sunlight reflects off of the shiny gradient scales of my tail—blending from red to yellow and then into green—creating small reflective flares on the dark, craggy mass on which I’m perched. I blow out a breath, not from exertion, but from steeling myself for what is about to happen. For what I have to do.
In the distance, a ship sails the waters on its way to deliver goods, but I know that they won’t be making it to their destination. Their fate is now in the hands of me and my kind . My heart beats in anticipation—or in fear—as an ancient song tickles the base of my throat. Beside me in the water, another appears, drawing my attention.
“Are you ready?” my sister asks, the ends of her short light amethyst braids brushing the tops of her dark shoulders.
I sigh, pulling my gaze from her and looking back out over the water, as the taloned end of my finger taps the rock gently. “Do we have to kill them?” I whisper only loud enough for her to hear. For if the others heard such a thing, my life would be forfeit. It’s silent for a moment as I watch the ship draw nearer, but I already know what she’s going to say.
“You know that we do,” Lyre answers back quietly. The water ripples as another siren breaks through the surface, and another, until fifteen gather around the rock. Nearly all of them gaze at the ship with malice and hunger, their jewel-toned hair haloed with the last remaining glow of the sunset—our beauty just one of our weapons. Just one of the ways we are set apart from everyone else.
“I get the captain,” Allegra sneers from her place at the front of the group before she turns to look at me with her deep blue eyes. “You better not hesitate this time, or I will tell the queen,” she adds with unbridled disgust. “Let’s go.”
The troop of sirens dip back into the water and begin to swim towards the vessel, their excitement at the hunt palpable.
“We must go, Aria,” my sister pleads, lowering into the water so that only her lavender eyes remain above.
I nod, taking one last look at the ship against the fading sunset sky before I dive off of the rock and back into the cool ocean. My heart cracks with each oscillating movement of my tail fin that brings me closer to the unsuspecting men. This feels cruel and ruthless to me, but then again it always has. I wonder briefly if perhaps I can swim away before Allegra notices, but the thought washes away before it’s fully formed. I know that more than just one pair of eyes are watching me, making sure I do what is expected of me. So with immense regret, I follow my fellow sirens, grateful that the sea hides the saltwater tears that spill from my eyes.
Allegra swims out to intercept the ship. Though many ships are fast enough to get away from us, all it takes is the whisper of our alluring song on the wind to ensnare them to our will. A group of sirens trail behind the ship while the rest split up to move to either side. Lyre and I stick together on one side, her ombre purple to dark green tail rolling with the movements of her hips as we swim faster. A low whistle sounds in the water, our sign from Allegra to swim up to the surface. My clawed fingers twitch with nervous energy as I guide myself up higher and higher until the warm summer air meets my skin. Immediately, our eerie song fills the air, the entire ship’s crew surrounded by the melodic lilt of their impending death.
My throat tingles as our voices, a blend of bass and soprano and everything in between rains down on the men. Sounds coming from the ship clash with our song, but it’s too late. If they can hear us, they are already under our spell. The ship doesn’t slow down, however, and continues to barrel towards Allegra. Her sapphire blue hair covers most of her face, just her glacial gaze set in the stark brown of her skin stands out against the water as she watches the vessel near. Suddenly, those sharp eyes narrow, and she stops singing, a loud curse filling the air instead.
“Fucking shifters! Abandon the ship!” she growls, her teeth glinting in the now-silver moonlight before she dives back under the water. My eyes widen as I stop swimming, sculling above the water with Lyre by my side.
“Hide your relief, sister,” she whispers before slipping under the surface. I school my face into one of practiced indifference, but the truth is that I want to scream in elation.
A ship full of shifters—immune to our song when in their animal form—was the best thing that could have happened. It will be a short-lived reprieve, but I’ll take anything I can get. Any moment where I don’t have to take an innocent life is worth celebrating. The ship continues sailing away, the crew safe and unharmed.
Shifters… What incredible luck.
My head tilts back to look up at the now-darkened sky, a few stars winking into place as the moon shines on the opposite horizon. With another deep breath, I slowly sink below, opening my eyes as the coral and sea plants glow neon and phosphorescent. When I see I’m alone, the rest of the sirens already making their way back to Lumen, I let a smile upturn my lips as I slowly start following along behind.
And, though it would make the siren queen furious, I thank the stars above that I was spared from having to kill.