Beyond the Tower

| Sixteen | The Little Siren

Somehow, I'm even more awkward and embarrassed when we get to Leon's door than I was at Aysela's. Shifting my weight from foot to foot, we wait in silence. Aysela glares at me, Richard is pointedly not looking my way, and I'm wishing a big hole would suddenly open up in the ground and swallow me whole.

Finally the door opens to reveal Leon, already dressed and looking confused. "Richard? Why are you- Ivy?"

"Um, hi," I say for lack of better words.

"What are you all doing here?" he asks looking confused.

"Miss Ivy has requested that we go to see Lady Alyna," says Richard. "She's going to prove some things to me, apparently. I'd like to have some trusted council."

"Okay," Leon says, hesitantly. "Ivy, does this have to do with what you s-"

"NO!" I exclaim quickly, too quickly, causing Aysela to elbow me to the ribs. 

So shrouded by silence, the four of us walk down the halls of the Mirshconeese royal palace in the dead of the night towards the siren who started this whole mess. As we travel down the hall, I'm think of what to say and do but come up blank. I'll just have to hope something comes to me when we arrive because I might as well be digging my own grave right now. When we finally arrive, I don't even wait for Richard to knock, choosing instead to walk forwards and push the great door open. Richard makes a small sound of surprise but I ignore it.

"Hi there Alyna," I say, striding straight into the room which, I notice, is far more grand than Aysela's and mine. Obviously. I mean she's a lady and we're just "Miss."

I spot her instantly, curled up on the massive bed. As soon as I call her name she bolts up. In that moment of weakness, I notice how her skin, eyes, and lips all seem to have the same blueish tint. Her look of surprise reveals long and pointy teeth. At first it's subtle but the more I look at her, the more prominent the blue becomes until she's practically a blueberry. I can't believe Richard isn't seeing this.

A look to Aysela reveals that she's seeing the same thing as me. Richard looks oblivious; his eyes are dreamy clouds. As for Leon, I simply can not decipher. Although I doubt he's seeing her in her full blue glory, the way he inspects her leads me to believe he must see something different. Either that or he has really taken into consideration what I said earlier.

"Oh, hello Richard," Alyna says. "Why are your friends and yourself here in the middle of the night?" Her eyes linger on Aysela with a look that I don't like. A predatory look, as though a monster choosing how best to dispose of her prey.

"Lady Alyna," I say with a deep curtsy and a look of mock reverence. "I've heard so much about you from all three of my friends. And the story of your incredible rescue. So I was wondering if you tell me how you accomplished it? Despite my family's best interests, I am learning to swim. I just can not imagine being able to carry another person, someone larger than me especially, through open water. And how did you save him? Prince Richard, His Highness, told me about how he practically drowned and lost consciousness before you rescued him."

Alyna's mouth parts slightly. It's clear that she's surprised; this isn't what she was expecting. I can practically see the gears in her brain turning as she tries to figure out exactly what I mean, what I know, and what I'm trying to do.

"Oh," she says finally. "May I ask why you are barging into my room in the middle of the night? I mean, I would love to tell you all about it. I am so happy to see that another girl can swim. It's really not a skill that should be left just to the men. But it's the middle of the night; I'm not thinking clearly. I'm sure that I could tell you more accurately about it in the morning."