Sirens

Chapter 46

Mature Content Ahead ;)

ONE MONTH LATER

"Thank you so much!" I tell Doctor Allen as I hand him my children. 

"Of course," he grins. "I'm glad to take the twins off your hands. They're always a pleasure to have around. And happy birthday, Harper."

I smile and wave goodbye to him as he takes Aurabella's teleportation rune back to the palace. 

When I turn back around, I see Aurabella and Cynthia standing together, both of them watching me.

"Are you ready to get your tattoo?" Aurabella asks. 

"Yeah, I think so."

"I think she's ready for something else," Cynthia says with a sly smile.

I look at both of them blankly. "What?"

Aurabella rolls her eyes. "Girl, you're turning twenty-one tonight. You'll be able to tell who your mate is!"

"And?" I ask.

"You're gonna be having some spicy time tonight," Aurabella replies, wiggling her fingers at me.

My face grows slightly warm and I rub my temples. "I don't even know if Calix is actually my mate or not."

Cynthia snorts. "In all the years I've known him, he's never treated a woman the way he treats you. That man loves and repsects the hell out of you and he shows it."

"If he loved and respected the hell out of me, he'd be here tonight," I grumble. 

Cynthia's eyes soften. "He already told us he's in a meeting tonight he can't escape. He said that he'll try to make it if the meeting ends in time."

"I know," I mutter.

"Hey, don't look so down," Aurabella says. "You get your tattoo tonight. You'll be able to shift into your spirit animal!"

I give her a small smile and say, "Yeah. That'll be fun."

Aurabella smiles in return and claps her hands. "Alright! Let's get started!"

I head out to the ocean and walk out into the water until it's up to my waist.

I look back over my shoulder at Aurabella and Cynthia, who gives me an encouraging thumbs up. 

When I turn back to the face the water in front of me, I open my mouth and start to sing. 

I continue to sing until a white ball of light starts to form in front of me. 

When I finish the song, the orb turns into a conch shell and falls into my outstretched hands.

This time, I notice the liquid inside is black. My stomach repulses at this, but I drink the liquid anyway. t's thick and bitter and tastes like something nobody should ever drink.

But as it trails down my throat, I feel it start to spread along my back and each line and curve it makes tickles and burns. 

When the sensation stops, I wait a couple seconds before turning around and calling out, "How does it look?"

"It looks good!" Aurabella calls back. 

"What does it look like?"

"A manta ray!"

Three hours later, I'm sitting on the island alone, waiting to see if Calix will show up. The sun has gone down and Aurabella and Cynthia are long gone.