A Daughter's Love

Chapter Nine.

Neptune.

The time had come for Malia to awaken as a Heart and I couldn’t allow for my son or Ryker to interfere, preventing that from happening which was why I met them there on the beach. I had been hiding in plain sight for so long that I wasn’t sure how to react or exactly what to say in that moment, however I was glad to see that Malik believed me when I told him I was his father. Darkness had fallen and our conversation was interrupted by the piercing screams of a woman, coming from the pirate ship. I wanted to stop them, to save her and make sure that she’s kept safe but if Evangeline was to ever walk the world of the living again, Malia had to die so that she could awaken stronger than she already was. Ryker turned in the direction of the ship and started forward, trudging deeper into the water with little care as to what happened to him. He was smitten but he wasn’t worthy of her love, nor Evangeline’s daughter. She deserved no less than perfect, a man of determination, a man strong enough to handle her compulsive and reckless ways just as Evangeline balanced out Caleb’s dangerous dominance. Ryker wasn’t that, he coddled her, treated her like a fragile little girl by treating her wounds and comforting her whenever she cried. She wasn’t a helpless girl, she was a powerful woman and he didn’t always realize that “Leave her” I warned when Ryker ventured onward. He paused to glare back at me, his eyes wild with worry and fear. It was clear that he didn’t understand a single thing I had said up to then and I knew that Malik would have to explain it to him again since he was too distracted, too engulfed in his own selfish emotions to comprehend any of it “Can’t you hear her?” he demanded, motioning to the ship in the distance with his arm outstretched. Her screams of agony, pain and terror ripped through the air louder than before but I gritted my teeth, turning away from it for Evangeline’s sake “She’s suffering yet you’re okay with it!” his voice grew louder, catching Malik’s attention and drawing the boy’s blue eyes up to the older one who was furious, fuming with his nostrils flaring in rage. I stayed silent, buying time until it was done by keeping Ryker where he stood “What kind of monster does that?” my lips formed a straight line as I gazed to the shallow waves that stopped just short of my feet. I felt my hand twitch inside the pocket of my coat with a need to punch some sense into him but I suppressed the desire, instead fiddling with the silver anchor necklace that Evangeline had given me a year prior with the instructions to hand it over to Malia when she was to awaken so that she could walk on land among humans. Her mother had no need for it in the place between life and death where she was just another soul ready to be judged by the Krisi river “Letting the screams of the innocent fall on deaf ears!” I bit my tongue, wanting to yell that if Malia had been the one stuck in Purgatory that he would move mountains to save her, do exactly what I was doing but before I could, Malik interrupted us “Malia” he uttered, eyes staring at the ship on the horizon, surrounded by the blackened waters of the night. Both Ryker and I turned to see what he was looking at and found the Captain of the vessel tossing Malia overboard, her wrists and ankles tied. The red headed boy began moving again but I caught up to him, my hand clamping down around his upper arm, firmly in a show of protest “Not yet” I argued, preparing to wait for the five minutes it would take for her to drown. I could feel her struggling in the water, desperate to reach the surface to no avail. Ryker tore his arm away from me and turned to address Malik who still sat on the beach, his eyes wide with horror “And you’re okay with all of this?” he questioned, attempting to use my own son against me. If I had the ability to put him to sleep without hurting him, I would’ve but the only one capable of doing something remotely similar was Psyche because of her ability to manipulate emotions and the human soul “If you stand in my way again, I will be forced to take action against you” I threatened, drawing his eyes onto my form. He could see that I was serious and Malik quickly reacted, hurrying to his feet to step into the shallow water, hand reaching for Ryker but stopping halfway when he noticed that the older boy was staring at the ship “Don’t do it” Malik pleaded with him, fearing for Ryker’s life if I were to act on a threat from him. My son harboured strong feelings for the redhead but they weren’t those of friendship, they were romantic. He loved Ryker, a fact that I had come to accept over the years but yet to tell Evangeline of “Just don’t” he gripped Ryker’s sleeve, drawing the older boys attention onto him and away from the ship. I turned to face the sea, my ears focusing in on the vibration of Malia’s slowing heartbeat among the waves until it completely stopped and I could manipulate the current to bring her to me. It didn’t take long for her body to wash up on the shore by my feet, catching the attentions of both Ryker and Malik. They moved to help her but I raised my hand, stopping them while I knelt to examine her. She was beaten brutally, her face still swollen, lip split in multiple places, nose broken and left eye swollen shut. Her arms and legs were littered in bruises and a few ribs were most likely broken from their kicks. Her wrists had been rubbed through from the rope and her body was limp, rocking back and forth in time with the push and pull of the sea water “She’s…dead” Ryker got out, wide, terrified, broken gaze staring at her, unable to look away since he blamed himself for not saving her. I closed my eyes and sighed, reaching to untie her ropes then scooped her into my arms, cradling her body to my chest when I stood upright “She won’t be once I awaken her” I explained, glancing from one boy to the next before allowing my eyes to rest on Malik’s defeated, mourning form. He was staring at the waters below, his hands balled at his sides and his lips trembling, eyes growing wetter at the memories of his sister that played out in the back of his mind “But until then, go home, rest and tell your mother that Evangeline needs this” I thought of the redheaded woman who always loved to dance. She was both Caleb and Evangeline’s best friend and they trusted her enough to raise their children for them “She’ll understand” with that I began walking deeper into the water, feeling it creep up my legs to my thighs, my torso until I was completely submerged in the substance, eyes glowing a bright sapphire while fangs poked at my bottom lip, claws extending and appendages becoming webbed along with my ears. My mind searched the water for any sign of the Sunken Soul and I managed to locate it off the coast of England, heading in that direction but moving faster in the water than I ever could on land until I managed to reach the ship by the time dawn crept over the world, ridding it of the darkness that had befallen it.  

Benjamin.

It had been nearly two decades since the last time I’d seen or heard from both Eva and Caleb. Time flew by so quickly and I only grew older with Samara by my side each passing day, free of Neptune’s curse. We were wrapped in each other’s embrace, fast asleep in the Captain’s quarters when the crew began to grow restless. I blinked open my tired eyes to find that the sun was only starting to rise over the horizon. My hands felt for my trousers, boots and coat that I hurriedly pulled on, stumbling in the process before I headed above deck, reaching for my Captains hat that hung on a hook on the wall beside the stairs. I didn’t bother buttoning the coat, instead leaving my chest bare when I exited the quarters, yawning “It’s too early for this!” I snapped, running a rough hand over my face, causing the crew to go silent, their eyes darting toward me, voices dying in the backs of their throats. I sighed, rubbing at my burning eyes then blinked up at them, allowing my vision to adjust to the light but the sight that stood before me caused my entire body to stiffen. A man whom I could only assume was Neptune due to the water that swirled and danced around him stood in the centre of the deck with an unconscious young woman cradled in his arms that I didn’t recognise yet there was something so familiar about her. His glowing sapphire eyes gazed down at her face then turned onto me “Captain Benjamin of the Sunken Soul, I presume?” he questioned, studying me as the water continued to wrap itself around his legs, arms, neck and torso. It slithered around the woman’s frail form almost protectively, lapping at the large black bruises on her legs and arms but her face was hidden from my eyes, buried in his chest “Ben? What is it?” a tired and groggy voice questioned from behind me. I turned to glance back at her, the woman with pale flesh, her navy hair so long that its strands fell to below her rear, its colour matching that of her big eyes that were half lidded and still filled with sleep. She wore one of my shirts, arms and legs bare when she reached for my coat, tugging on it to capture my attention “Neptune” I informed, causing her eyes to shoot open wide, her body going rugged when she turned her cautious gaze onto the god. He had tormented her, robbed her of her memories then chained and tormented her in order to prevent her from seeking out Evangeline yet there we were years later and she still felt fear toward the god “I need your assistance” Neptune informed, his head bowed to hide his eyes behind his messy, wet hair. Over the years Samara had learned how to speak using her lips and not her mind, she even managed to control and understand most of her emotions, growing more human by the day “This girl is Malia May Campbell-.” he explained, adjusting his arms to more comfortably hold her. This caused her head to fall limp to the side, exposing her beaten and swollen face to our eyes. Samara gasped and turned her head to hide her face in my arm, not wanting to look at the sight. Of course in her mind Neptune had done that to the girl but I knew better “She is Evangeline’s daughter-.” Neptune added, confirming my suspicions. He would never hurt Eva in such a way by senselessly beating her daughter to mere inches of her life. Malia’s arms hung limply beneath her, reaching for the deck below with scarred hands, her body was clad in a flower dress that was stained red with blood, her blood and her hair was knotted, the back of her head coated in flakes of the same substance “And she’s dying” I felt my heart squeeze in my chest at the thought of how Eva would react to her daughter’s death. Samara raised her head to look at Neptune with a silent understanding in the depths of her eyes when they moved from her to the woman he was carrying “You need me to awaken her” she declared to which Neptune went bowed his head and went down onto his knees, one at a time, the swirling water falling to the ship’s deck when he tightened his hold on the young woman, holding her tighter than he had before “I beg of you” there he was, a god pleading with a mortal man and a sea nymph who were his underlings, whom he reigned over yet he bowed his head in respect toward us and offered the woman out to us after having held her close for some time “Samara-.” I began as an attempt to convince her but the nymph beat me to it by pulling away from me, her webbed hands letting go of my coat to formally address the god, nodding her head once before she spoke “Very well. Follow me” she instructed, turning to disappear back into the Captain’s quarters. The sun coated the sky in various shades of orange, yellow, pink and purple when I moved to follow after having ordered the crew to get to work. Neptune got to his feet, neatly polished black leather shoes thudding against the floorboards as he too followed the nymph. Samara was in the bathroom, running some cold water into the tub when we entered “Lay her down in the water” she instructed and Neptune complied, leaning across the side of the tub to place Malia’s body in its chilling liquid, making sure that her head was beneath the surface, hair swaying in front of her beaten features. When the god backed away, Samara leaned down to touch the sides of her face, caressing it between her palms while she sat on her knees beside the metal tub “Heart of the sea” she uttered, lifting Malia’s head so that she could press their foreheads together with her glowing eyes pressed shut as her hair began to dance in thin air as if it were water, bubbles filling the world around us “Return to me” she whispered then placed her lips over Malia’s as if to breathe life into her lungs but instead the girl began responding. Her mismatched eyes shot open, staring up at the floorboards overhead, pupils slitting and gaze glowing as gills began to form on the sides of her neck. Samara pulled away, a bright white light radiating from both their forms until I had to squeeze my eyes shut, arms raised to protect myself from the blinding sight that soon gave way. I blinked rapidly, wanting my eyes to adjust and found that Samara was stood beside the tub, gazing down at Malia’s still form with worry and fear “She awakened as a siren” she informed Neptune who stood perfectly calm, not harbouring the same concern that the nymph seemed to have. Malia’s body sat up in the water, slowly, her clawed hands gripping the edges of the tub with her face hidden behind a curtain of dirty blond hair, lips gaping with needle like fangs scratching at the air “Blue!” I exclaimed when the younger woman flung herself at Samara, snarling like a crazed, feral animal, ears pointed upward like webbed horns with skin as white as snow. The wounds and bruises littering her body began to rapidly heal, one foot clad in a dainty brown leather shoe while the other was bare. Neptune stepped in between the two, wrapping his hand around Malia’s neck, thumb and forefinger gripping her chin roughly when he shoved her back into the wall, hard “Meaning that she will become even more reckless and unstable” the god informed, reaching into the pocket of his coat with his free hand to draw a necklace from its depths, a silver anchor necklace that I recognized as the one Evangeline always wore religiously, the one that allowed her to walk on land “Calm down” he warned the girl who fought against him, her hands clawing at his hand that pinned her down. She was wheezing, unable to breathe outside of the water. Neptune bit down on one side of the necklace’s chain and used his free hand to wrap the other around her neck, being able to tie it without letting go of her for fear of how she would react. As soon as the necklace dangled from her throat, her eyes stopped glowing, her ears, claws and fangs returned to normal as she slid down the wall, her body slumped against the wall, head hung and unconscious “That necklace belonged to Evangeline” I stated, turning my glaring brown gaze onto Neptune’s form. He was staring at Malia with so much pain and remorse that the sight of her caused him to hate himself even more than he already did. Samara rushed forward, moving to clean her, to rid her body of the bloody streaks and free her hair of its matted clumps. Neptune bent to scoop Malia up, placing her in the tub for Samara to start stripping her so that she could scrub at her flesh with various oils and soaps. We stepped outside, into the Captain’s quarters, shutting the bathroom door behind us “Where is she? Where is Evangeline?” I demanded, turning my gaze onto Neptune’s back as he stood in the middle of the room, lost in thought. Because Samara and I were mentally connected, she could see through my eyes, hear through my ears if she so wished and I felt her observing despite being in the other room “She and Caleb were murdered” his words caused my eyes to widen, my lips parting as the shock registered in the back of my mind. How? How could anyone ever manage to kill a woman blessed by five gods, who has another looking out for her? Unless it was someone who reigned above the gods themselves “Amun” I concluded, my hands balling, nails digging into the palms of my hands with my head bowed, messy blond curls a stark contrast to my ebony Captain’s hat. Neptune nodded, turning his head to glance back at me from over his shoulder “They are currently trapped in between this world and the next” I knew that he didn’t care for Caleb but appreciated the fact that he included him, that he was talking about both of them and not just one. He turned so that his left side was toward me and continued “Malia and our son is their only hope of ever seeing this world again” Malia and our son? Our son? Neptune glanced toward the far wall, the necklace that dangled from his throat a familiar heart shaped locket made of silver. Before I could even ask, he guessed my next question and answered it for me “Evangeline and I have a son together-.” this news came as a shock because of the promise Eva had made to Gaea. How could she have had contact with him after the separation? Gaea’s contract prevented it. My eyes widened when realization struck. The night she had snuck off and returned late the next morning. We all knew but no one ever said anything, not even Caleb “He is Malia’s twin brother, Malik” the shock radiated through me. It was too much for me to take in at that moment. The bathroom door opened and Samara strode into the room, glancing at both Neptune and I before she began rummaging through the dresser in search of a clean shirt for Malia to wear but her mind was locked in on our conversation “Twins from different fathers?” I contemplated out loud, finding the thought completely absurd. Neptune breathed in deep, not having aged a day since the day he became a god many centuries before, of course two decades wouldn’t leave a single hint of age “She slept with both of us within a certain time period and nine months later the twins were born” it was then that the bathroom door opened once more and Samara stood in the doorway, her hands gripping the frame as she leaned half into the room, my shirt short on her long, slender figure “Ben?” she called, her voice so familiar, so small and intoxicating that it forced me to turn and look to her with furrowed brows of concern. She stepped aside to reveal an unconscious Malia on the bathroom floor, dressed in one of my shirts with her hair neatly combed through and her flesh free of all bruises, cuts, scrapes or swelling. I glanced at Neptune and he nodded, signalling that it was alright for me to scoop her up and carry her to our bed where I laid her down on the mess of sheets, blankets and pillows “She must be starving, I’ll go prepare something for her to eat when she wakes” Samara announced, turning to leave, heading above deck. Malia was beautiful, just as beautiful as her mother with darker skin, dirty blond hair and her feminine versions of her father’s features. I tore my gaze away from her, finding it hard to believe that she was in fact Evangeline’s daughter “What happens next?” I questioned, curious as to what path he would take after having awakened Malia as a Heart. How would he bring back both Caleb and Evangeline from death? Neptune turned away from me, hands stuffed into the pockets of his coat, a coat that was made specifically for him and embroidered with pure silver on the back “Once Malia awakens I will return her to Vannes then attempt to locate Aurella” the witch’s name was something I hadn’t heard for many years but her horrifying image still resided with me. Her empty white eyes, void of even pupils as they stared directly into your soul, the ancient language that she spoke when casting spells, the way she so mercilessly slaughtered the whale with the use of her lightning without giving it so much as a second thought “Malik has yet to awaken and he will need one of those charms if he is to fight in the upcoming war” he added, motioning to Malia’s neck where Evangeline’s necklace lay, standing out against her dark flesh and the white material of my shirt. I nodded in understanding, wondering where Eva had gotten it from in the first place “I’ll be expecting you then” I said, referring to Malik that will need awakening like his sister did. Neptune nodded once, his eyes moving from the wall to Malia as he stepped closer to her. His gaze held care and concern in their sapphire depths yet there was fear swirling around among them “She’s damaged and doesn’t believe in love” he felt the need to inform me. My body went rugged with thoughts of the lengths her mother had gone to all for the sake of love so how, how had a woman who was so obsessed with the emotion manage to create a daughter who doubted its existence? Neptune ran his fingers along her cheek, pain evident in his gaze. Perhaps her damaged state was caused by her parent’s deaths? Maybe it was something else entirely that had made her into the person that she was? Whatever the reason was, it was something that only Malia could determine and something that only she could mend on her own.

Malia.

The darkness was suddenly replaced by a brilliant white light that shot out around me as I gasped, my hands reaching out to grip the edges of the tub I was in. I coughed and gasped, water dripping from my parted lips, having bubbled up from my lungs as I stared down at my legs beneath the water below. The last thing I could remember was the stinging sensation in my chest, the laughter of men and the mix of candle light and moonlight that poured into the ocean’s water around me. I panted, shoulders and back heaving, fangs clawing at my bottom lip while my nails, longer than usual scratched at the metal tub, causing a loud screech to fill the room around me “She awakened as a siren” a woman’s voice announced, an unfamiliar voice that had my muscles stiffening when memories and images of the boys and crewmen surfaced in the back of my mind. They were kicking, yelling, punching. Instinct kicked in and I lunged, ready to defend myself from this new threat but a man stepped in between me and the woman who looked different. She had pointed, webbed ears, fangs and pale blue lips, her skin the colour of the moon with long navy hair and large, circular sapphire eyes. The man wrapped his hand around my throat and shoved me back into the wall with enough force to cause me to gasp when the air was knocked from my lungs, air that I couldn’t seem to replace no matter how strongly I sucked in or wheezed. This only caused me to start panicking more than I already was. Where was I? Who was this man? This woman? Did I know them? Was I dead? All these questions continued to echo in the back of my mind including ones about why I couldn’t breathe or how I had gotten there? A second man in a Captain’s hat had cried out when I lunged at the strange woman, momentarily drawing my attention onto him. He looked nothing like Captain Curtis but he was a pirate Captain none the less. My heartrate increased and my eyes widened at the sight of him, my desperation growing too much for me to control “Meaning that she will become even more reckless and unstable” the man holding me by my neck and chin informed, studying me, taking a close look at my eyes and squeezing at my jaw for me to open my mouth so that he could look at my teeth. I tried to kick out but it was to no avail “Calm down” he ordered and it was like my body had to comply, calming enough for him to dig his hand into the pocket of his coat to retrieve an anchor necklace. He used his mouth and free hand to clasp it around my throat and the moment the silver anchor dropped to my chest, beating against it like a drum, my vision started to blur again and my lungs were able to suck in enough oxygen for me to calm down. The man with the black hair stepped away from me, letting go of my neck and face which in turn caused my legs to give way and my body to slide down the wall until I was once again dragged into unconsciousness. What was happening to me? Who were those people? Ryker. Where’s Ryker and my brother? Where they acquaintances of Captain Curtis who had fished me out of the ocean and revived me only to continue tormenting me? The pain in my head, limbs and torso began to subside until all I could feel was a calming vibration that coursed through me giving me hope that maybe that time I really would die.

Voices, there were voices all around me, gentle, kind voices that held concern and care. I groaned long before daring to open my eyes, my entire body feeling as though it had been thrown from a five story building. My hands gripped at the mattress beneath me, hoisting my body up and legs over the side of the bed as I rapidly blinked, running the palms of my hands over my eyes as an attempt to stop them from burning and to properly start to adjust “f**k sakes” I complained, rolling my shoulders back and rubbing at my wrists where the ropes had burnt me but to my surprise there was no evidence of the burns or cuts. It was then that a pair of black polished shoes and brown boots caught my attention. I drew my eyes up along their lengths to find the two men from earlier, standing close by, observing me. They appeared as though they had been conversing but their conversation died the moment I began to stir. A loud gasp tore my eyes away from them and onto the woman who stood by the stairs near the door “You should be resting! Please lie down” the pale woman with navy hair exclaimed, a trey in hand as she rushed to where I was sat, placing the trey down on the night side table before she reached for my shoulders. I stiffened at her touch and shot her a deadly glare which caused her to stagger back a few steps, quickly dropping her hold on me “Where the hell am I?” I asked past gritted teeth, staggering to my feet, hand reaching for the metal fork that sat on the trey beside me, holding it like a soldier would hold a weapon. The pirate stiffened and moved toward the woman “Samara!” he tore her aside and held her close to him, his back positioned toward me, ready to take any blow for her sake. I cringed at their show of love and expertly twirled the fork in my hand when I realized that they weren’t any threat, instead the man dressed in a press black suit was my opponent. My gaze narrowed onto him, cutting and to the point “You’re on board what used to be your father’s ship” the man with black hair explained, causing me to lower my guard at the mention of my father but only for a brief moment before I once more tightened my grip on the fork. He could be lying, could be manipulating me into thinking I was safe and letting my guard down enough for him to strike “And I saved your life by bringing you here” there was movement out of the corner of my eye and I instinctively flung the fork, watching it soar in a perfectly straight line until it connected with its target. It struck a man in the centre of his chest and knocked him onto his rear on the steps that lead into the room. He frantically snapped his teeth and raised his shaking hands to touch his wound, blood already trickling down his chest and coating his fingertips. It wasn’t a fatal blow as much as it was meant to be a warning blow. He was shocked, eyes wide and frantic “Snaggletooth!” the pirate Captain exclaimed, turning to start snapping at me with the woman still pressed tightly to his bare chest beneath the material of his red coat but I interrupted him before he could start yelling and slumped down on the edge of the bed “He’ll live” I brushed it off as if it was nothing and reached for the trey of food, my stomach growling loudly. They appeared harmless enough for me to start sniffing at the broth they had prepared, expecting it to be poisoned but after the first small spoonful I decided that I was as good as dead anyway and began scarfing it down “You honestly expect me to believe that, that is Evangeline’s daughter?” my body froze at my mother’s name and my eyes darted to the pirate Captain who was jabbing his index finger in my direction. I slowly chewed then swallowed loudly, gulping down a few mouthfuls of water in the process. The man in the suit sighed and nodded his head “As I said, she’s damaged” the Captain shot me a glare then went to help his crew member who was still bleeding, stringing the odd woman along behind him. There was something about her that intrigued me and it wasn’t the fact that she had pointed ears, big blue eyes or fangs. My hand reached for my spoon to continue eating once they were gone, my senses peaked in case he tried anything “Gee thanks” I muttered in response to his earlier words while he took a seat in an armchair that sat in the corner of the room. He looked so tired, tilting his head back and closing his eyes with his legs lazily parted and his hands gripping the arms of the chair “Go ahead, start asking” he insisted, motioning for me to continue with his hand. His wrist rolled round and round with his index finger pointed upward. I swallowed and drank the last of my water, running the back of my hand along my lips “Who are you?” I began, keeping it simple since I already knew where we supposedly were not that I believed a word that came out of his mouth. The man opened his eyes and folded his hands together over his stomach, gazing upward and never once looking at me when he replied “I am the god of the seas, Neptune-.” he said it so casually that I wanted to believe him yet there was a part of me that wondered what had happened for him to become so delusional “I also happen to be Malik’s father and your mother’s lover” I chocked on my food, gasping and banging my fist into my chest to stop from coughing so violently. Neptune lowered his eyes onto me, eyebrows raised as if he had been expecting me to fake it. I shot up from the bed and hurried to the bathroom to drink some water from the sink, splashing it onto my face before I spared a glance at my own reflection. I expected to see the bruises, the swelling, broken nose, cuts and scrapes but instead I was met with a perfect image of myself, one that was untouched by the fists of men “What the-?” I rushed out of the bathroom, eyes scanning my arms and legs as I went for any trace of a bruise but there were none. Neptune was in the exact same position as he was when I disappeared, his eyes still gazing upward and his hands neatly folded in front of him “How exactly am I healed?” I demanded, standing with my arms extended out on either side of me. I was the only one who spoke with a French accent, everyone else spoke with either British or American accents which was something I wasn’t entire used to especially with the lack of the words ‘ye’ or ‘yer’ “Siren’s typically do tend to heal faster than humans” again it was as though he was talking about the sky being blue not some made up mythical sea creature. When I remained silent, watching him with a look on my face that made it clear I thought him to be crazy, he eventually decided to continue “When you were born, you inherited what is known as a ‘Heart of the sea’ from your mother” he calmly explained, adjusting his head so that it was still lying back on the chair but making it easier for him to see me without having to strain his eyes. I widened my own, signally for him to continue, to get on with it “If a Heart dies by means of water, they can then be awakened as a true Heart or a member of the sea folk” so I really did die? My arms dropped back down to my sides while I focused in on my breathing, my heartbeat. I was still alive but I was awakened? Reborn? My lips parted after some time and I pointed at myself with my index finger “And I’m supposed to be a siren?” I questioned just to make sure whether he was keeping up with his own elaborate yet silently hoping that he would mess it up and confirm that he was indeed a mad man who had kidnapped me to try and sell me on the black market or to make me his love slave. I wanted to gag at the latter “Indeed. This means that you heal faster, your senses are heightened and you can breathe under water” he didn’t change his story. My face fell and I ran my hand over my face before heading over to the bed where I sat down on the foot of it. Something gently banged against my chest in the motion and I glanced down to find the same anchor necklace he had clasped around my neck before “This necklace. It’s-?” Neptune shifted in his chair, throwing his head back and closing his eyes as if he’d rather be sleeping than talking to me but there was a reason why he was there, why he was going through with the effort of explaining everything to me or answering my many questions “It used to belong to your mother when she was alive” he knew my mother, if he had the necklace she wore every single day for the ten years I had spent with her then that could only mean that he really did know her but then how could he have it when she drowned with it still around her throat? My parent’s bodies were never found. Maybe it was a fake meant to rule me in? “She began wearing it after her awakening so that she could walk and breathe on land” my fingers fiddled with the anchor, twisting and turning it, feeling the cold metal as it bit into my heated flesh. I thought back to not being able to breathe earlier and how after the necklace was wound around my throat, only then could I gasp for air. Could everything he was saying possibly be true? “She gave it to me to give to you after she died” and there it was again, the crazy nonsense that he was spouting. How could someone possibly meet with the dead? Was he a medium who could see and speak to the dead? No, he was the god of the seas or so he told me “Do you even realize how completely insane all of this sounds?” I questioned, having had enough of his fairy tales and magical worlds filled with gods and sea creatures. Neptune sighed and leaned forward in the chair, clasping his hands together in front of him as he watched me “Your mother and I were-.” he paused then corrected himself “Are in love and a god tore us away from each other because of something she did-.” my curiosity was peaked as I glanced sideways at him. What could she have done that was so terrible a god would wish to punish her? “Her punishment was to spend the rest of her mortal life mourning me but that changed when you and your brother were born so the god decided to punish her by taking her and your father away from you” the day of their deaths replayed itself in the back of my mind, a day that started out so innocent, so perfect but ended in rain pelting down on the earth, the sea raging and shouts echoing into the sky, my cries for my mother and father “They now reside in Purgatory, a place between this life and the afterlife. Now, both of them are counting on you and your half-brother to bring them back” I let out a loud sigh and fell back on the bed between the sheets and pillows with my hands wound behind my head and my eyes squeezed shut. I kept chanting to myself in the back of my mind ‘It’s just a dream, it’s just a dream’ and hoping that when I opened my eyes, I would find myself in the bakery’s attic after a long night of stealing and killing but they quickly shot open when his words managed to completely register in my mind “My half-brother?” I demanded, abruptly sitting upright and causing my vision to grow black with sports from having moved so quickly. Blinking them away, I stared at Neptune with confused, wide eyes when his introduction from earlier came to me ‘I also happen to be Malik’s father and your mother’s lover’ at the time I was too dumb struck by the fact that he and my mother were lovers, too busy chocking and gagging at the thought to properly take in the entire sentence. Neptune toyed with the rings on his fingers, made of silver and sapphire “I am Malik’s biological father whereas you are Caleb’s daughter” he explained and I felt my lips parting to ask a new round of questions but instead came to a conclusion. I nodded my head and fell onto the bed, turning on my side so that my back was to him, eyes closed and ready for sleep “That settles it, you’re insane” my declaration was met with a long drawn out sigh. I did have that effect on people. Whenever they were around me they would start sighing more as if the mere thought of dealing with me was too much of a pain let alone actually having a conversation with me. The poor man probably already had a headache, if gods could get headaches. There was movement and then a hand had wrapped itself around my forearm, tugging me to my feet “Let go of me!” I exclaimed and began thrashing but I couldn’t tear my arm free of his iron grasp. When I tried kicking at his shin it was as though my body was deliberately missing as if it was being controlled. Neptune glanced down at my legs “You’re a creature of a sea-.” he informed me as I let out a loud groan of frustration, yanking my arm to no avail “You can’t defy your god” with that he began dragging me toward the bathroom which had my heartbeat increasing, my breathing growing rapid with thoughts of what this insane man wanted to do to me. He left the door open and led me to the old, cracked and rusted mirror above the sink, letting go of me to reach for my neck. I hurriedly turned and tried to connect my fist with the side of his face but he dodged and grabbed hold of both of my wrists, shoving my back into the sink with his face looming near mine “Calm down, Malia” it was the second time he had said those very words to me and it was as though the stress left me, seeping out of my skin. My heartbeat slowed back down to normal and my breathing evened out. After a short pause, Neptune let go of my wrists to remove the necklace from my neck, turning me so that I faced my own reflection. He wasn’t brutal but he wasn’t exactly gentle either “Look” he instructed to which I dared glance at my own reflection. My eyes began to glow, pupils slitting like those of a cat, lips parting in confusion only to reveal a set of four needle like fangs, two protruding from my top jaw, two extending upward from the bottom jaw. I was frozen, my body numb as my hands gripped the wooden sink, claws digging into the wood, long, sharp, black claws that were accompanied by blue green webbing that stretched out between my fingers. In the light the colour seemed to shift from a bright forest green to a sea foam green to a turquoise and finally a dark royal blue that reminded me of mister Marseille’s roses. The same webbing stretched across the shell of my pointed ears and scales of the same colour began to decorate my flesh, across my cheeks, down my neck, chest, arms and legs. It was like looking at someone else, like staring at an image of an entirely different person. Was that really me? That couldn’t be me. Gills were the last to form on either side of my neck and as soon as they were finished, I began to suffocate, unable to breathe once more. That same, familiar burning sensation that I felt in the water and earlier in the bathroom came back to me and my eyes grew wide, hands gripping at my throat. Neptune held something out in front of me, a silver anchor necklace that swayed back and forth, dangling from his fingers and his earlier words registered in my mind of how the necklace allowed me to walk and breathe on land. My own hand shot out to grab it, not used to the length of my nails as I struggled to clasp it in place but as soon as the clasp was done, everything began to disappear, starting with my gills. I gasped for air, hunched over the sink which was filled with water and coughed a few times, shoulders moving in time with my gulps of air. It was true, all of it was true. I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head before I dared look up at myself again, in time to see the scales start to fade back into my skin, the fangs retracting and my pupils rounding as the glow completely dissolved “So-.” I began, forcing myself to stand upright with my hands slipping away from the edges of the sink to lay limp at my sides, eyes staring straight ahead at myself “Say I believe you-.” Neptune leaned against the wall beside me, his arms crossed over his chest, his attention focused on the floor, lost in thought. His gaze only locked with mine when I turned to fully face him, hands balling at my sides “What happens next?” he seemed taken back by my sudden question, as if he’d been expecting me to continue protesting, to insist that he was playing some type of trick on my mind and that it was all just an illusion but instead there I was wanting to know more, images of my father flickering through my mind “You go home, at least until I locate the witch” witch, right because witches also existed along with gods and sirens. I stayed silent, nodding my head before turning to retreat back into the room but I paused, glancing back at the man. He was handsome with short cropped black hair, neatly styles, piercing blue eyes and a clean shaven jaw. His facial features were strong, defined and masculine, his build taller than mine by at least a head “All this time-you’ve been watching over us, haven’t you?” Neptune studied me then gave a swift nod of his head. I somehow knew that there had always been someone watching over us even with our parents gone, there was still a presence there “I was there that day with Bastian” my body grew rugged, stiff and frozen, hand gripping the doorframe tighter than it previously had. The memories never came easy, they ached and no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t remember what happened after I saw red “You were there and you did nothing?” I demanded lowly, my voice moving past gritted teeth, head lowering to hide my eyes for fear of the anger he would see that danced in their depths. Neptune pushed off the wall and moved toward me, reaching out to firmly place his hand on my shoulder “You were strong enough to handle it on your own-.” he casually stated, drawing my eyes up to him with confusion and curiosity in their depths. Who was this man and why did I feel safe around him? How could I trust someone I had only just met? When his hand moved he gave a faint smile “And Ryker was already on his way” Ryker. I couldn’t help but think of the redhead as I felt Neptune push past me, out the door to turn and look back at me before he went. What happened when Ryker reached the flower shop? Did he think I was dead? Missing? “But I wouldn’t have allowed it to get to that, even if it meant risking my cover” with that he was gone and I found myself leaning back against the doorframe, eyes staring at the floor and mind racing with new found information on who I was and what I had been born into. Was this the world I had inherited at birth? The world I had yet to learn of until the day I was to drown? Some small part of me still chose to believe that it was all just a bunch of madness but I knew, deep down I knew everything was true and that my parents counted on me. I knew that I had to fight for them, if only to see them one last time, to embrace them and tell them how sorry I was for turning out the way I did. I was a broken, beaten, scarred mess of a woman and I knew it but there was something so beautiful in the imperfect, the shattered pieces that made it a masterpiece all its own.