resist the siren's call

17

"There is nothing you can do about it but sit back and watch."

I stood at the sidelines as the King announced the volunteers.

Lethargy built in my stomach as they each lined up by the beach. There was a special room seperated just for them to prepare.

Calliste tapped my elbow as the King finished introducing Gunther.

"It's time for you to get changed." Calliste whispered.

I nodded and peeled my eyes away from the volunteers.

I walked past Caspian's chair. From his vantage point, he'd be able to clearly see everything I did.

I felt nervous at the sudden thought that hundreds of people would be watching me-

Watching me...kill their peers.

I wrung my fingers together as I stepped into the makeshift tent set up behind the grandeur of the stands.

Calliste helped me remove the navy blue dress and dress in the black outfit I wore to swim. I took a deep breath.

I was better than this.

I turned to Calliste, "Human emotions are more contagious than I thought."

Calliste looked taken aback, "Did you not have emotions before?"

I stepped out of the tent and let my bare feet curl in the damp sand. "Not particularly. Or at least not as potent as I do now. It's strange to think how a few weeks spent mostly out of water can change how you think."

"Well I'm sure if I spent time surrounded by unemotional sirens, I would also adopt those tendencies." Calliste giggled as she walked beside me.

I sighed, "Given this opportunity a few months ago, I'd have jumped for joy and thought I was being blessed by the heavens."

"But now?"

"But now I simply wish to go home." I looked out to the ocean, "The only problem is, I don't think the ocean could ever fully be my home again."

Calliste bumped my shoulder with her own, "That's because home is where you make it."

I didn't respond.

The sea would always be my home.

But the land felt like an extension, rather than a replacement.

I started walking to the cusp of the waves and the sand near the room built for the volunteers.

I wasn't sure who they'd let out to face me first, but I hoped Alexander would catch an illness and have to drop out.

"There she is everyone!" The official announcer proclaimed as I came into view.

The smell of the water filled my nose as I wrapped my arms around myself.

"Let's begin!"

Tension rose in my chest as they opened the door.

Out walked Finn.

I breathed a sigh of relief as the announcer reminded everyone not to interfere.

I stepped backward into the water until it pooled around my shins keeping eye contact the whole time.

"You can't trick me Astrid!" He yelled.

I smiled as anticipation made me feel giddy, "Confident? Or stupid?" I retorted.

Finn stepped closer, his toes touched the water. "I've researched sirens. I know all of your tricks."

"It matters not whether or not you know what I'll do to you. You won't be able to resist either way."

Finn took another step forward.

We were nearly a horse length away.

I glanced behind him and saw Caspian leaning his chin on his fist while watching me intently.

I couldn't help but smirk as I returned my gaze to Finn. "I'm sorry you chose this way to end your life."

Finn's green eyes made a window into his mind, and his eyes turned blank when I started my song.

I made sure to avoid others around us, solely focusing on Finn as my voice reached over and covered him completely.

His mind was putty in my hands.

I stepped back and the water lapped around my thighs.

I tugged Finn along until we were both waist deep in the water. I wrapped my arms around his neck.

I pressed my lips firmly over his and leaned back, making us both fall into the water.

The moment my head dunked under I formed my tail and instantly felt refreshed. I flipped my body so I was hovering over him.

I swam further into the ocean, I knew I wouldn't be able to make it to the spot us sirens had created to chain men to the deep.

But I'd take him far enough it would take them a while to find his body.

I pulled away and watched his eyes fill with realization, then horror.

He squirmed and kicked, I pulled away and swam away from him. I watched as he panicked, kicking, paddling, trying to orient himself in the water.

But he couldn't.

His kicks became less frequent, his movements became sluggish, until he eventually stopped.

He made one final scream into the water with the last bit of air left in his lungs until he finally stopped squirming.

I watched him sink to the bottom.

I smiled before swimming back to the beach.

I transformed my tail back into legs and strut out of the water, "Who's next!" I yelled to the announcer.