Mermaid Tear (The Fated #2)

30 | Too Much

"I will not. I cannot. Do you not get it, Rhode? I am not strong enough!"

The feather. It seemed so obvious now that the woman in question was standing in front of her. After all, Iliana herself had feathers that graced the back of her neck.

"You--"

"The pain is too much. Dancing tomorrow, it will be impossible. Standing is impossible. How am I supposed to--I cannot save anyone like this! And I shouldn't have to."

Rhode was the feather, and therefore connected to Iliana by the strings of fate. The possibilities spun through her mind, before falling into place with a sickening weight.

"It's not fair!"

Had the gods always meant for Iliana to become a siren?

The conversation in her ears seemed to turn into a wordless buzz as Iliana's thoughts circled that single, damning question.

Ever since the gods had revealed their meddling in her life, Iliana had begun to question how much of her history was the product of true fate, and how much of it had come about by the gods' actions. The realization that she was connected to Rhode in such a way only strengthened those concerns, while stroking new flames of anger.

One did not become a siren just because they knew a siren.

Yet, whatever future Aatami had spoken of, the one in which Zuher fell, the one the gods were obviously aiming for--Iliana was a siren. They had said as much. If the gods had hoped to assure that by linking her to Rhode, as it was the only reason Iliana could think of for their connection, did that mean that no matter what choices were made when she was young, Iliana was always destined to suffer at others' hands?

Or, had they altered that too?

"--calm down, please. Your heal--"

Something unknown bubbled in her chest. It sparked like panic, but strangled like anger. It curled around her lungs, squeezing until Iliana felt like she might suffocate. Gods. Never had that curse felt so appropriate, or so damning.

Koun may have seemed to care for her, but obviously that only went so far.

Or, was the source different? Koun didn't make sirens.

A half-sob, half-scoff noise cut the air. Iliana barely realized it hadn't come from her gasped breaths.

"Calm, how can you expect--I cannot!"

The person who placed the anklet on her, the one who had damned her to this path...they had fired an arrow.

"Lady Inna--"

"Made it perfectly clear how much of a choice I have--!"

Inna. Had Inna been the one to place the anklet?

"--You cannot expect me to be calm, Asha! I cannot live this life they have chosen for me, and be forever calm. I am not that selfless of a person."

Melitta shoved Rhode away from her. The siren stepped back, nearly bumping into Iliana's non-existent body. It drew her attention from her trembling hands, forcing her to refocus on the two women. It was then Melitta's words sunk into Iliana's mind.

'Asha? She called Rhode...Asha?'

Memory of the black-haired, elegant woman from Asha's portrait in Nokos flashed through Iliana's mind. The painted figure had been older, more weathered and tired, but as Iliana stared at Rhode, she could see it. It was impossible--but it matched. How had she not recognized her back then?