Two Tails, One Rotten Heart

A soul for a...

Nala now understood why people knocked on doors and why, in the village, the richer folks sometimes had servants announce guests before said guest walked into their home. Nala now valued privacy and her eyesight above all else because after barely getting any sleep, waking up and having to ask five different sirens for directions, she had finally arrived at Cari's bedroom only to be blinded by the sight of her and Asherah in bed together. The only experience with intimacy Nala had ever had was that kiss stolen by Samuel but she didn't think pointing a knife at someone throat with a cocky grin on your face counted as romance. After Nala coughed twice to get their attention Cari finally released her hold on Asherah's wrist and turned to face the other girl.

"If you came to spit more poison then I'll have to ask you to come back, it is too early and I have much better things to do" drawled the next empress to be before sliding off the bed and swaying closer to Nala with her arms crossed.

Asherah sat up in bed and it was clear by the look on her face, only one person was going to be spitting poison this morning. "I'm surprised you're up so early considering how late you went to bed last night" she crooned. For a moment Nala felt her body go stiff all over. Despite the fight with Ula she was still her sister and she wasn't sure what would happen if the secret of their meeting ever got out.

"Surprised you're up so early too considering what you must have been doing last night." Nala kept her voice cold but disinterested, Asherah only laughed before lounging back on the bed.

"Is the baby siren jealous," she cooed, "or simply curious." Nala didn't even try to resist the urge to roll her eyes. The thought of being with a siren has never occurred to her. She didn't have a problem with it but she also didn't want it. Love had hurt her enough and so she would turn to something else. Cari made a growling sound under her breathe and Nala unsure how jealously and monotony worked in this world quickly changed the subject before Cari had a reason to impale her.

"I need your help."

As if those words were magic everything went silent and the two girls blinked at Nala in confusion.

"Help with what exactly?" Cari asked slowly, warily.

Nala swallowed and although she would deny it just for a second doubt prickled inside her before she quickly extinguished it and forced the words out.

"I want you to make me a weapon. Teach me. Teach me how to be a monster, a nightmare. Make me the bane of humans. Turn me into a siren."

Again the girls were silent as they exchanged looks, it was a calculating look. Nala knew what it felt to lose something. She had just lost her body to the sea and been given a new one. Now the feeling hit her again but slightly different. This time nothing was being taken from Nala, she was willingly selling her soul. Asherah let out a wild laugh and her face broke into a hungry grin. Cari turned back to Nala with a slight smirk on her face.

"Deal."