The Siren Song - Book 2 of the Legends of Henge Series

Chapter 33

Lance Taylor

Mako came the next morning, to our new location on another island, and brought us to the morgue. We looked briefly at Roze and decided we had no idea how to counter the fact that the Sirens had killed her.

So we spent most of the day talking with Mako, who I was beginning to like more and more. "Humans," Mako was saying currently. "You're just so boring to look at. All the same color." I looked at Arielle, alarmed. "Well, I suppose you have different shades, but you're all just some version of red. What was it that those groundwalkers called themselves? Red... throats?"

"Rednecks?" Lark laughed.

"That's it!" Mako agreed. "See, Mermaids, we're green, blue, purple. You could probably name any color and we have some. It's just so much more interesting to look at."

"If you say so," Lark scoffed. "Hey, Mako, do Sirens only take the form of someone's physical desire? Or can they ever turn into anything else?"

I narrowed my eyes at Lark. What was she going on about? "Well, Sirens can turn into anything they want, I suppose. It just takes a lot of energy and concentration. It's easier to just fade into what people want you to be."

Lark seemed to relax just slightly and I gave her a suspicious look. She simply shook her head at me and I didn't comment. Mako didn't seem fazed by the question so I let it go. "So, Roze was your sister?" Arielle asked.

Mako looked down at the table. "Yes, one of many."

"Were you... close?" she continued.

"Closer than with my other siblings," Mako admitted. "Nerida didn't care about the ones after me. Caspian and I named them all. I was her prize and if I died, I doubt she could tell you her second child. Roze and I grew close. We were best friends."

"I'm sorry," Arielle sympathized. "This must be hard for you."

"It'll get easier," he said bravely. "When the Sirens have paid."

"I've been meaning to ask you," Ed cut in. "Nerida made it public that she wouldn't rise to the Sirens' challenge. What changed?"

"Her mind," Mako said bluntly. "I persuaded her to see we needed to wipe them out before they tried again."

Ed narrowed his eyes slightly and I frowned. What was so odd about the Mermaid's hatred for the Sirens? That was centuries old and it didn't help that they had killed his sister.

"How does this work?" Chetan spoke up. He'd been staring at the necklace for a long time. Mako just smiled placidly. "It's really nice. We don't have to dry off by the fire at the end of the day. That would be very annoying."

Lark laughed. "I wouldn't wait by the fire, I'd just shake it all off like a dog."

"That wouldn't dry you off," I pointed out dryly.

"Besides, that might irritate Franc," Mako joined in.

***

That night by the fire we all agreed. "There's nothing to solve so there's no point in sticking around," Anvi announced. "We'll tell Mako in the morning."

After we'd told Mako, warning him that Crevan may also be involved, and made arrangements to take a Silverport back, we all settled into a relaxed state. Is this what a Quest should feel like?

A Silverport opened at noon and we piled into the boat, coming back to the Inner City. Before even being told, I knew we were the first team back. Aurum met us back at our dorm. "So, you've finished?"

"Yes," Anvi replied heavily. We all filed into the living room and took seats, whether it be on the furniture, the step, the floor, or on the small table.