Siren’s Secret (Tracthesian Academy #2)

Chapter 1 – Wave

Wave drifted in and out of consciousness. She knew they were moving. Heard shouts. Flashing lights. Something smelled sterile, and an annoying beeping kept intruding on her sleep.

When she blinked her eyes open, Sinister was there. He looked a bit harried but steady. Before Wave could croak out a question, he explained.

“You are at the Council Force’s Medic Ward. I told them you fought for us with your storm spirit power during the attack. Just stay calm and rest.” He put a heavy emphasis on the spirit.

“Mm—okay.” Wave sighed, too tired to do anything else. All her power was depleted. Sinister helped her drink some water and then she was out of it again. When she woke, it was to a no-nonsense nurse waiting for her eyes to open.

Blearily, Wave looked around and did her best to follow his instructions.

He tested her reflexes, her power levels—which were nonexistent—and made sure she knew who and where she was.

Sinister had said something about storm spirit and it seemed that it had been taken as face value, since all the questions and tests went along that line.

When she just answered everything between yawns and agreed to all the tests without a word, the nurse nodded and patted her leg.

“We are going to keep you here for a few days to make sure you’re stable, but I don’t see any reason to handcuff you. As long as you keep behaving, we’ll get along just fine.”

“Thanks,” Wave murmured. “I’ll behave.” She wondered what they expected of her. She was beat mentally, physically, emotionally, every -ly really.

“I’m sure you will. Now, rest some more.” He pulled the blanket over her and even tucked in her toes since she was shivering. Wave was unconscious again before he left the room.

She dreamed of storms and the wind wailing and always woke up drenched in cold sweat, certain her secret was out. Sometimes she dreamed of Jarred’s eyes when she forced him to stay behind. Of the way Marc used to hold her hand. The fiery looks Hellion threw at her.

The only thing allowing her to truly rest was the memory of ice. Of cold surrounding her. As soon as she was better, she would have to make a plan to find a deserted arctic island.

It took three days of sleep before the nurse agreed that she was fine enough to be transferred to the regular holding cell. She never saw a doctor, but then again, she wasn’t injured, just exhausted and power depleted. They fed her and let her sleep it off.

No one asked questions about her parentage or where she came from.

The nurses didn’t tell her much about things going on outside either, just enough to let her know that the attack had ceased around the same time as her power had manifested.

No students were among the dead, so at least she knew that no one she cared about was gone. Injuries could be healed.

When she asked if anyone had come to see her, the answer was no. The nurse must have seen something on her face because she kindly explained that even if someone had tried, they wouldn’t be allowed in. Maybe all her friends knew that and didn’t waste their time.

Fuck. She had friends. People beyond her parents who might care about how she was doing. That was a first. Wave wasn’t quite sure how she felt about that. What if they hated her guts now?

The night before the planned transfer out of the medic ward, Wave dreamed of chains.

She tried to hold it together when they came to get her, but none of the four guards held handcuffs.

Briskly, they directed her to change into a gray pantsuit and white sneakers.

Once she was done, they guided her out of the room, walking at a moderate pace, and one of them even steadied her when she stumbled.

“Thank you,” she mumbled quietly. Even with her wrists and neck free, she was spiraling. The walls were closing in on her.

The cell door clanked shut behind her and Wave took in her new surroundings. Tiny table, equally tiny sink and toilet. What surprised her was the curtain offering a little privacy to the bathroom corner. Then she noticed a shower head above.

There was a narrow bed made with clean, white linen, a fluffy-looking pillow, and a thick blanket. Luxury cell? She narrowed her eyes, wondering what was going on. The door was made of metal, but it had a window and she looked through, only to be faced with the back of a guard.

Another burst of exhaustion slammed into her, and Wave struggled to her bed before falling down.

Her body was having a hard time adjusting to the power she’d wielded.

She had burned through everything she could, but claiming the untapped well messed up her internal systems beyond belief.

She was brimming with power and exhausted at the same time.

If she tried to use any of it now, it would knock her unconscious in seconds.

Weirdly, being confined in a cell where no one talked to her, asked no questions, and wanted nothing from her was probably the best way to rest. Her shields held, if barely, and that was all that really mattered.

She had way more time to think between her naps.

Food was delivered three times a day. She had a towel and a bar of soap.

The water from the shower was lukewarm but not icy.

The guards were direct but also polite. No haunted screams—besides her own that she tried to muffle into her pillow—echoed through the night.

She was already spiraling out of control.

The nightmares—memories—were back. She smelled the dank cellar, saw the dim light that wormed in through the cracks. No matter how warm her blanket was, she still woke up shivering. She had to keep her shit together or they would know.

Don’t give them anything.

Act normal.

Don’t cause a fuss.

You’ll get out of here.

She hung onto that last thought. There would be a trial over her unauthorized and not recognized heir apparent power use.

Someday. Clearly, her case wasn’t high on anyone’s priority list after an attack on the neutral ground, but eventually, it would be her turn to face the consequences of her actions.

And she would get out of this cell, if for no other reason than Sinister wanting to keep her himself. Why leave a weapon like her rotting in the cells when he could be benefiting from her gifts?

There were worse captors than him.

But then she remembered Ro’s furious face and growl. Would he keep her? Or… but no. She couldn’t indulge in the dream that he actually would keep his mouth shut.

After a week, there was a change in her routine. When the guard came to gather her breakfast tray, she motioned for Wave to get up.

“They are ready to question you now, Ms. Spinwell. Do I need to restrain you, or will you behave?”

Wave clasped her hands behind her back and gulped. “I’ll behave.”

“Good. Better for everyone if you do,” she replied matter-of-factly. “I should let you know that if you are only saying that and then causing trouble, you’ll be moved to the high-risk ward. Things are not nearly as comfortable over there.”

“Oh, this is a…” Wave trailed off, hoping the guard would fill her in. She lifted her brow, like she was surprised, and shrugged.

“Low-security ward for non-violent offenders.”

“Thank you,” Wave said. “I was still pretty out of it when they moved me from the Medic Ward.”

“Well, using unauthorized heir apparent power—” The guard shrugged. “They are waiting. Follow me.”

Wave did so without another word. They walked briskly through well-lit corridors. Everything was clean and reminded her of a hospital more than anything. Light green walls, blue floors, a red stripe on the floor.

The guard led her into a room that held a large stone table, a few stone chairs, and not a blink of metal in sight. Wave almost laughed. She may be housed in the low-security ward, but they clearly knew about her affinity for electricity.

Once she was seated, the guard left and a fae male with green hair and nails stepped in, holding a folder.

He was wearing the Council Force’s uniform, deep blue, very crisp, no wrinkles in sight, pants, and a white dress shirt.

He had rolled the sleeves up to show some forearm and opened two top buttons.

Was he trying to look disarming or something?

Wave wanted to snort. There may not have been torture threats leveled at her, but she knew how they operated.

Being a rogue storm spirit was a bad enough offence.

The Council Force liked to keep close tabs on heirs and heir apparents.

If they suspected her of stormbringer levels of power, they hadn’t shown it.

She highly doubted a low-security ward would have been an option in that case.

If any of them got even an inclination of her siren heritage, she would be thrown into the darkest, deepest dungeon they could find.

Keep it together, Wave.

She couldn’t afford to lose it here. Not now. Not ever.

The man opened his folder and pulled out a paper. He handed it out to Wave and sat down.

“Anything you’d like to add?”

Frowning, Wave began to read, and then she had to work to keep her expression in check. This was Sinister’s statement of what went down during the attack. It was… factual, but holy shit, he had made her look good. And weak.

Phrases like ‘put herself in danger to protect others’ and ‘didn’t hesitate to hold the defensive line despite her weaker disposition’ jumped out at her.

She read it over a second time before lifting her eyes to the man sitting opposite her.

He looked bored but waited patiently while she formulated her reply.

“Not much,” she finally said.

“How did you end up in the battle? Anyone sensible would have fled the other way.”

“I was following Marc, Marc Ulriche, and Grant Garretz. I was with them when they got the phone call.”

“Ah. They are both specialized in combat,” the man murmured and made a note. He still hadn’t introduced himself.

“Yes,” Wave replied even though it wasn’t a question.

“All right. Let me be frank, Ms. Spinwell. There was an attack on the neutral ground that led to casualties. There are several reports explicitly stating that you fought to protect Tracthesian Academy and its residents. Usually, I would be shaking your hand and thanking you for your service.”

Wave shrank into her chair, waiting for the but.

“But…” The man sighed. “You fought by using heir apparent powers. Your parentage is unknown and your blood tests came back inconclusive from every test we ran them through.”

“I—” Wave started to say but thought better of it and closed her mouth. The officer ignored her and kept going.

“The Council Force cannot allow unidentified power users to roam free and cause chaos. We have rules and regulations around these things for a reason. Normally, we would spend way more resources and time to figure out every detail, but with the attack and the fallout, we simply don’t have the time or manpower. ”

“So what does that mean for me?” Wave finally asked, forcing herself to sit up straight.

“It means that your case will be tried as unauthorized use of heir apparent power. Unless there’s some information you’d like to share voluntarily?” He lifted a brow and looked at her expectantly.

So that’s how it was. Spill the beans or face imprisonment for life. She wasn’t powerful or important enough to worry them, so they weren’t going to spend energy on unearthing her secrets, but they also weren’t willing to let her go free. Rules and regulations didn’t bend for nobodies like her.

Wave pursed her lips and shrank back into her chair. There wasn’t much else she could do. She wasn’t going to tell them anything and trying to lie her way out of this would very likely land her in hotter water.

“I see. Well, if you change your mind at any time before the trial is held, reach out to me.” He pulled out a card and held it out to Wave.

She reluctantly took it. There was no way in hell she was going to use it, but it would look weird if she flat out refused.

That might spark his interest to keep digging.

“Thank you for your time, Ms. Spinwell. And for your service,” he said and, with that, walked out the door. Another guard stepped in and took her back to her cell. Maybe she could decorate it somehow since it probably would be her home for the rest of her days.