Descendant of the Deep (Siren Song: Book One)

Chapter Fifteen: Betreyal

     A cold, yet familiar voice called out from behind me.
     "I was wondering when you'd find that."
I whipped around to find Sophia in the doorway, her lips forming an evil smile. My heart burst at the realization of her betrayal. How could she do this?
"How long have you been a siren?" I growled, her cloak still grasped in my hand.
She shrugged. "Long enough. I'm amazed it took you so long to figure it out. They said you would be smart." She laughed darkly. "I left you so many clues. I even swam in plain sight at the ball just so you would follow me."
I looked at her, mortified. "Why? Why would you do this? You had everything, a palace, servants that obeyed your every command, a mother that understands you-"
"And that's where you have it wrong. You know the entire reason my mother had me in the first place? As a backup plan, so if she just happened to die, her dynasty would live on. There was no love behind it, no care! And if nothing happened, oh well. I would just sit and rot at the palace until I died and dear old mom gave birth again! I mean nothing to her."
Sophia laughed a high pitched laugh that chilled my bones. "The only way to make sure I wasn't left behind was to become a siren. So what if I'm feared? It's better to be feared than forgotten."
"I trusted you! You were the one person I believed actually had a connection to me that wasn't awkward or forced. I could be myself around you! Congratulations on throwing away a friendship!"
Sophia flinched for a second, but continued on. "At first, I was scared to become a siren. I'd heard all these terrible things about how it could drive people insane. But then... Iara came. She offered me power, fame...love. How could I refuse?" Her hard face softened. "Come with me, Britta. Think about what we could do. Iara would welcome you with open arms just as she did me. Our friendship was real. Don't throw this chance away."
I shook my head. "No. Not like this."
Sophia sighed. "I was afraid you would say that." In one fluid motion, she yanked somebody into the room. He was tied up and gagged, but he was recognizable.
"Aiden!" I screamed.
"Come with me, or pretty boy dies."
I opened my mouth in horror. "You're insane!"
Sophia grinned and took a knife from her pocket. She pressed it against Aiden's neck. "Tick-tock, Britta."
"Fine! I'll come with you. Now let him him go!"
Sophia pocketed the blade. " I never said I'd release him. He's coming. He knows too much as it is."
I felt hatred vibrating in every fiber of my being. Never before had I loathed someone so much in my life.
Sophia grabbed my arm. "Come on. We have a long way to go." She dragged Aiden along by his bindings, making me wince. She grabbed her cloak and we swam out the window.
It was dark by now, so we used the night as cover. I heard the guards swimming around below, making me want to scream at them that we were escaping. But if I did that, this new, deranged Sophia would kill Aiden with a single flash of her knife. So I stayed silent.
I looked to Sophia. "Won't they spot is?"
She smiled. "Don't worry. For as great of guards they're cracked up to be, they never look up. I've done this enough to learn a few things."
My memory flashed back to when I used to sneak out on the mainland, the irresistible sea calling me. How was I any different than Sophia and Iara?
I looked back at Aiden. He was still hanging on and was giving Sophia the dirtiest glare I'd ever seen. If looks could kill, she would be dead ten times over by now.
We swam past the city gates and into the countryside, hills of rock and sand the only obstacle. Once we were a good distance from the city, Sophia allowed us to rest. I looked at her suspiciously. It was too kind of her to let us take a break when she clearly had her own agenda. Sure enough, that wasn't what she was doing. I watched her in shock as she began to change.
With nobody around, there was no need for her glamour anymore. The beautiful blonde goddess that I knew, or at least the last remnants of her, finally peeled back to reveal the disgusting creature she was. Her clear blue eyes became corrupted with an unnatural green, her fingers grew into claws, her ears became pointed. I threw up in my mouth.
She sighed. "Ah, that's better." She looked to me and curled her lip, revealing fangs. "Get up. We're leaving."
Horrified, Sophia practically dragged me for a couple of miles before I gathered myself again. I checked back every so often to make sure Aiden was still conscious.
"Sophia..." I began.
She tossed her hair back. "Don't give me that shit, Britta. I finally found a family, and it's my choice what I do from here on out."
"I wasn't going to criticize you for wanting to rebel against your mother. I wasn't content with my foster mother, either. Sometimes life sucks. But you need to ask yourself if you want to go this far."
Sophia looked down. "Even if I wanted to, I can't stop now. I have to sing to stay alive. And why would I want to leave? I have everything I want now, and soon, so will you."
I sighed sadly. "Then my friend is truly dead."
Sophia bared her teeth and swam faster. Scrambling to catch up, I stayed silent for the rest of the trip. I had nothing else to say.
Finally, we came across a series of underwater caves. The darkness of the water chilled my bones, but we pressed on. We swam into the largest cave and into several tunnels. I shivered from the chill of the water, but I dared not show weakness with Sophia around.
We came across a door of polished obsidian that oddly mirrored the ones at the palace. But instead of depicting mermaids dancing playfully among the waves, it showed men being lured to their deaths by sirens.
The doors opened on their own to reveal a dark throne room packed with sirens. All of their bright green eyes were on me as Sophia marched Aiden and I forward. Sitting on a throne was Iara. Her black hair matched the decor of the room and silver jewelry covered her chest and wrists. A towering crown of grey spikes were nestled in her hair, piercing the air. Her silver tail was wound around the throne, as if to suffocate it.
Her smokey voice rang out in the room. "The Princess has returned."