Siren's Kiss

22: Imagine My Surprise

Dark waters lay barely lit just past the sunset. Ropes of a fishing net disappeared into the forbidding depths. The crank of a winch echoed as it turned, and on the bow of the ship, two fishermen pulled up their net from the sea.

Deep underwater, the dim outline of a shape appeared, caught in the net. As the sound of the winch continued, the shape inside the net resolved into a dead body, growing clearer as it rose closer.

"Corporal! Corporal!"

The fishermen rushed to the shore, spilling their net onto the deck. The assigned templar officer hurried to their call. He looked down at the body of one of the village's oldest fishermen, known only as "Kapo". The other guards behind him gasped in unison.

The corporal leaned in, noticing strange marks on the body. Kapo was dried to the bone, not a drop of blood visible. Puzzled, the corporal reached out and opened Kapo's mouth-he had no tongue!

"Quick, assist me! We'll take the body to the physician for inspection."

The men, including the two fishermen who found the body, helped carry Kapo on a stretcher brought up by the privateers. Their destination was the nearby hospital. Meanwhile, the corporal pulled out a pen and note, folded it, and handed it to his pageboy. "Bring this to Grandmaster Thaddeus. Keep it confidential until it reaches his hands. Go!"

The pageboy hurried to do the corporal's bidding, almost tripping as he ran. From a distance, the corporal watched the body being loaded onto a carriage, his men silhouetted against the night sky. Then, his gaze shifted to the harbor behind him. The water was still and calm, but an eerie silence festered deep within, as if something hideous was hiding in the dark.

Shuddering, the corporal moved to join his men.

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Thalassara. The Siren's Kingdom

Queen Nerissa sat gracefully on her cushioned seat, gazing out the window at the graceful devil rays gliding by. Although this wasn't her usual throne room, it was no less grand. Servants bustled about, setting the table with platters of food that filled the air with the delicious scents and aromas of spiced fruits, grilled seaweeds, baked cakes, and other pastries---gifts from the people of the land. It was meant to be a fantasy feast, illuminated by the soft glow of lanternfish rather than the usual sea flora.

Her handmaiden entered the room, bowing respectfully before her. Nerissa, who had been lost in thought, quickly stirred from her weary demeanor, her eyes lighting up with a glimmer of hope.

"My Lady, Lady Maris is outside. She would like an audience with you," the handmaiden announced.

Surprised, Nerissa quickly composed herself, hiding the disappointment on her face. If there was anyone she wished to avoid right now, it was the former queen. Cyraeni's mother always made her feel as though she knew everything, despite Nerissa's cautious dealings.

"Let her in," she replied.

The handmaiden gave a brief nod and disappeared for a moment. When she returned, Lady Maris, accompanied by two of her maids, sauntered towards her.

Although Nerissa was the reigning queen, in the presence of Lady Maris, she felt as if she had never worn the crown at all. It was impossible to compare herself to the woman who once ruled Thalassara. Even the way Lady Maris's dark, penetrating eyes glanced at her made Nerissa's skin crawl.

"Leave us," Lady Maris's voice was soft and low, yet it resonated in the room, commanding the attention of all the servants. The handmaidens quickly bowed and exited, leaving the two women alone in the dim candlelight.