The Sound of a Siren's Call

32.) Spreading the Word

I knew I wasn't going to be able to get much-needed sleep under Ryan's plan, but when my head felt like it was going to split in half, I realized I'd underestimated just how little sleep I was going to get.
"You'll get sleep tomorrow night," Ryan pointed out.

I just grunted and ignored all her other arguments. I'd talked to Juniper and everyone sharing the lake with her. They all agreed with some hesitation. That part of my job was done. The next part, the shapeshifters, I was more eager to put off.

But for the present moment, what I could do was sleep. I stretched out and closed my eyes.

Someone tapped my shoulder.

"We still have a job to do."

"I'm not going to go around sleep-deprived. I'm not going to be persuasive when I'm cranky."

"Arriana!"

"Don't make me regret my decision. I'm still not completely sold." I glared up at Ryan.

"Fine."

I squeezed my eyes shut again. The next time someone got me up, it was morning, and I didn't have a valid argument against it.

Ryan told me that we'd each have to slip away and do our jobs quickly. I nodded and sat miserably at my wheel. I rested my head on the thick wood of the spinner a few moments before I started on my task.

"Why do you look so tired? Didn't you get a good sleep?"

"I got a fine sleep," I told the old woman. I didn't mention how brief my good sleep had been.

She looked over at Ryan. "She's a good girl, but... misguided at times. If she has another plan, it's just as likely to ruin as save."

I nodded.

"So, I'd beg you to tell us if she does have another plan."

I nodded. They were going to find out soon enough anyway.

The woman looked unconvinced, but she didn't bother me anymore. That was what mattered.

My head ached. I closed my eyes and tried to massage my temples.

Ryan tapped my shoulder. "We need a distraction. I'll slip away first. When I come back, I'll cover for you to go talk to the shapeshifters. You know where they are?"

She gave me directions to where I'd find the last group I needed to convince.

Ryan took a deep breath. "Slap me."

"What? Why?"

"We need to draw a lot of attention."

"But don't you want the attention to be on anyone but you?"

"Trust me, it'll work."

"So real slap or fake slap?"

"Either."

I hit her harder than I meant to. She stumbled back and she was right. All eyes were on us. Ryan was yelling in a moment.

"I don't understand you," I signed trying to look enraged.

The witches around me seemed to sense it was an act. The old woman's eyes bored into me.

The guards, however, bought it. They pulled as apart, and I met Ryan's eyes. I kicked and thrashed while Ryan stood, docile. Soon everyone left her to gather around me.

Someone punched me in the gut and my eyes watered. I doubled over, and by the time I looked up, Ryan was gone. I slumped over, wrapping my arms around myself. They watched us closer, but it didn't matter. I didn't have it in me to pull off anything else.

Ryan slipped back in as seamlessly as she'd left.

"Give it a moment," she signed.

I nodded.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm tired. My body hurts."

Ryan rolled her eyes. "I thought you were tough."

"Do you want my help or not?"

The old woman was watching us talk, but I didn't care. Ryan's eyes warned me to be careful, but it didn't matter to me anymore.

"Well?" I prompted.

"Yes, now be discreet."

I put my head on the spinning machine.

"But you are okay?"

If I'd been honest, I would've said no. I would've explained how homesick I was. I would've told her how worried I was about Castor and Juniper. How bad I felt physically. How much she was pulling me in several directions at once. I could feel myself starting to thin out under the stress. I was going to break eventually, but deep down, I knew she didn't care. I knew she'd never care while her sights will still be focused on her freedom.

And deep down, I knew she was lying. But I was too tired to try to figure out what she was lying about.

"Yeah. I'm fine."

She nodded. "I'm going to go talk to the centaurs. See if Leland did his job. When no one's looking, you go."

I nodded.

She strolled over and instantly had attention. But not enough. I sat for a few minutes before I crept away. Not even the old woman made any signs that she saw me leave. She'd figure it out soon enough.

I followed Ryan's directions to a part of the camp right against the wall. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and slunk forward.

A wolf brushed past my leg. I reminded myself not to scream. That wouldn't help anyone. I looked down at the wolf. It looked up at me with intelligent eyes and I backed away.

"Don't eat me. Please."

The wolf cocked its head, almost like it understood.

"Are you a shifter?"

It sat down and then in a heartbeat there was an old man in the place of the wolf. His gray hair clung desperately to his head, the same exact color as the wolf's.

"Why are you here?" The signs were slow and deliberate.

I signed carefully. "I'm here to tell you about a plan."

The man nodded for me to continue.

"Tonight, at dinner we're going to give a signal. We need all your people to cover your ears when that happens."

"Why?"

"I'm going to sing a siren song."

"So Ryan's finally going to try to pull it off."

"You'll do it?"

"Yes, but if it looks like it's going to go badly, we won't risk our lives for you."

I nodded. I relaxed. My job was mostly done. Now I needed to do something and hopefully keep it from Ryan.

I needed to warn Castor.