Paradise

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Five

"Now," Daphne started, glancing between Liora and Odine. "Where shall I begin?"

"Hopefully at the beginning!" I snapped, already losing patience.

Daphne laughed, the noise piercing right through me. "I was only joking, Penelope!" she said. "Please try to lighten up!"

I glared. "How can I possibly lighten up after everything that's happened? When I still don't even know what the crap's going on? Are you forgetting that you said we couldn't EVER go back?"

Daphne smirked. "Of course not. I never forget anything I say." She then spread her arms out around her, as if to bring attention to the building we were housed in, like I couldn't have possibly noticed it on my own. "This is where we reside."

"We meaning?" I asked.

"The siren sisterhood," Daphne said. "We have lived here since the great dragon bestowed the very breath in our lungs-- since he created our bodies from the overflowing cup of his magic."

"So, this dimension is ruled by a dragon?" I asked.

Daphne wagged a finger at me, and all I could focus on was that one, deadly-sharp claw. "Not just any dragon, mind you. The dragon. The first being to ever exist here. He created everything you see, everything you taste and smell. It is all the work of his almighty power."

"Praise him!" Liora and Odine shouted in unison, making me jump.

"And he gave you permission to come into my dimension and kidnap Robert and me?" I asked.

"No permission was needed!" Daphne said, smiling at me. "I operate of my own, free will-- the free will which he allows me to possess. Our siren leader has died, so I sought a new one by the opportunity I was given. The opportunity he has allowed me. It's as simple as that."

"Uh, it's actually not!" I snapped, rising to my feet. "You can't just—just take something that doesn't belong to you! People, especially. We have lives. We have minds! You might be governed by some scaly dragon in this dimension, but in my dimension he bears no merit. At all."

Daphne snickered. "You're trying to rouse me. Cause some sort of reaction? It doesn't work. A siren is cool-headed. Always. You won't rouse such reactions in me."

"Oh, really?" I asked, laughing a little. "Then why on earth did you choke out Robert in the classroom? Weren't you angry then?"

"Not at all," Daphne said, smiling pleasantly. "I choked out Robert simply to demonstrate my powers to you-- to show you what I was capable of. Nothing more."

"Whatever," I sighed.

"Shall I continue?" she asked.

"Uh, yeah," I snapped. "I still don't know crap!"

"Very well, then. About our siren leader-- he didn't just die. He was killed."

"Killed?" I shook my head. "You can die here?"Oddly enough, that surprised me. In my mind ... immortality and magic had always gone together. Just like eternal youth. I couldn't imagine one without the others.

"Not from age or sickness like in your dimension. We are immortal unless intentionally killed by an outside force."

"So, murder...."

She nodded. "Yes."

"But who would kill your leader? Are there evil creatures here?" I asked.

"There is no black and white here, Penelope. Only shades of gray. We are all neutral creatures, even our divine creator; even he acts out of rage sometimes. A dragon's temper is most fiery."