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

Chapter 43

Bailey Parker

Crevan was waiting for me when I swam through the Silverpool. Shireen held one of Nadia's hands while her sister Chein held the other. The Rathmoore sisters always sent a chill down my spine and I made a point to draw Nadia away from them and into my side.

Many more people stood in the shadows. The only person I couldn't seem to find yet was Ramin. I scanned the faces a second time. The numbers had grown significantly. "Where's Ramin?" I croaked before thinking.

"He'll be along," Crevan sighed. "Why are you alone?"

I frowned. "Because the Mermaids won, what do you expect?" I snapped. Crevan glared at me and raised a hand. "You can't change a war with only one person. Where was the support you promised the Sirens?"

When he smacked me, I felt my ears start to ring. "Don't use that tone with me," Crevan hissed. "If the Sirens couldn't defend themselves, then how can I expect much help from them?"

"You knew it would end up like this," I continued recklessly. "Why did you waste so much time with them if all you're going to do is watch them get slaughtered?"

"Because," Crevan spoke over me. "I needed it to happen. My reasons do not have to be explained to you."

She has proven herself...

And now, if the prophecy is correct, everyone will know Aurum's treachery soon enough.

His plan all along was just to facilitate. He wanted to make sure the prophecy came true just so his mother would be outed.

It was petty.

Suddenly, Ramin appeared from the mist and my anxiety lifted for a just a moment. He stumbled forward and I caught his shoulder to support him. He didn't like traveling this way, I knew.

"Labyrinth, report," Crevan commanded.

"Nothing," he rasped.

"Good," Crevan decided. He turned to the rest of the people there and smiled. "Tonight, we feast!"

I helped Ramin into a seat on the ground and Nadia sat in my lap. "What happened to you?" I asked tentatively. His hands were still steaming from traveling by water.

"Some Mermaids caught up with me," he said gruffly. "You?"

"Same," I lied.

"Daddy hit you, Alaska," Nadia announced, like I didn't know.

"Yeah, he did," I agreed, feeling my bruised cheek. Ramin eyed me in vague concern. After Taman had died, he and I had grown closer than most in Crevan's family. He was still a murdering terrorist though.

"But you deserved it," Nadia said gravely. "You were being bad." My heart squeezed painfully in my chest at the sound of her high pitched voice filled with so much adoration for the man who had killed so many people.

"Yes," I said quietly, for Ramin's sake only. I may be close with these two but if either found out my disloyalty, I would be dead. They were still loyal.

"Scram," Ramin growled to her and she ran off to Shireen. "She's scared of me."

"Most people are," I commented and he grunted.

"What did you do to get him to hit you?" he asked simply. I knew he didn't like it when Crevan did this but he was in no position to defend me nor would I ask him to. Besides, Crevan's personal relationship with his daughter didn't affect what he was getting out of this.

I shrugged. "I asked him why he wasted his time on the Sirens if he wasn't going to help them," I told him.

"Stop questioning him," he replied. "Seriously. You'll get yourself killed."

"And would that be so horrible?" I challenged.

"You aren't being serious?" Ramin growled. "I didn't risk my life just to keep you safe just to watch you throw away all that your mother died for."

"My mother didn't die so I could grow up fighting to stay alive," I hissed and Ramin turned away. "And how would you know anyway. This doesn't concern you, Ramin. Whatever he does to me, it doesn't affect what you get out of this." I running on the edge of what I could say. Any teenager would be upset about their parent slapping them. But I couldn't let him think it was anything more than that.

"And what do I get out of this?" he asked me. I didn't answer. "That's right. You don't know."

I knew what he was hinting at, but of course he didn't know I had heard him say it in his mind.

Ramin Labyrinth had known my mother far better than my father had. He wasn't just like an uncle to me. He was my uncle. What he got out of this? I couldn't be sure but he was always thinking about how much I reminded him of his sister.

My guess? He felt it was his duty to keep me safe but he also completely agreed with Crevan's values.

"Your mother was-"

"Your sister, I know," I interrupted, glaring at him.

Ramin narrowed his eyes at me. "How did you..."

"Crevan," was all I said. "I need some time away."

"What do you want me to do?" Ramin questioned.

"Tell him I'll be tying up some loose ends. Covering up anything that might tie me to anything," I explained. "It's not a lie."

Ramin nodded. "Whatever you need."

Maybe, just maybe, Ramin's loyalty didn't start and end with Crevan.

Update four, cuz I promised yesterday...

Question of the Chapter: Woman crush under forty.

My Answer: I'm not even sure who I'd put for that. Hayley Atwell or Jenna Coleman maybe. I also have to add David Tennant to men over forty.