28. Sasha

Chapter 28

Sasha

I 'm lying on my back on the boat and glance up at someone standing there—Lilia, the woman I spoke with at the pier last week, the same person in the photo at the library. Her blonde curls bounce lightly around her shoulders. There is an ageless beauty about her, though the deep lines at the corners of her eyes and mouth reveal her older age.

The tightness around my neck loosens just enough that I'm not choking, and I reach for Chowder, frozen on the spot for a moment.

Lilia's gaze blazes with anger as she watches me struggle. Behind her, a few bulky men stand close, their expressions hard, their eyes fixed on me.

"Sasha," Lilia's voice cuts through the chaos like a blade, smooth and sharp. "I would have thought you were smart enough to heed my warning and not keep looking into things that aren't your business. I gave you a chance to leave the city, to go back to South Africa, stay where you belong."

The coldness in her words sends a shiver down my spine, and my breath comes in short, panicked gasps as I continue to struggle. I scream inside my head for my wolf to come out, to help me break free. I feel her growling, pushing for release, but something's holding her back. And that worries the hell out of me.

"Don't waste your time," she mutters casually. The invisible grip around my neck completely releases, and I breathe easy. My vision swims as I struggle to regain my footing. Chowder hangs on to my shoulders, perched there, pressed close to my head.

"What the fuck do you want, Lilia?" I rasp, my voice hoarse from the struggle.

She laughs, a sound that cuts through me like shards of ice. "Oh, so you know my name. Good, you've done some research. Or was it that buffoon Kaden feeding you lies? Though he's as useless as his grandfather, so let me give you a piece of advice, girl to girl. Dump his sorry ass because he's only going to betray you in the end and rip your heart out."

"What the fuck do you want? And how are you wielding such magic?" I shout, frustration and fear making my voice tremble. My wolf is still silent, trapped by whatever magic she's used on me.

Before I can demand more answers, Chowder leaps from my shoulder, his mouth opening to reveal rows of sharp teeth as he lunges at Lilia. The woman's laughter rings out again, and one of her men steps in front of her, intercepting Chowder's attack with efficiency.

Panic grips me as I see the man's hand reaching out to catch Chowder. I lunge forward, yelling for Chowder to stop, but he's already biting down on the man's fingers.

Ouch!

Blood sprays as two fingers hit the deck, and the man screams in agony, clutching his mangled hand.

He reels, his face twisted in pain and rage, and he aims a vicious kick at Chowder. I throw myself between them, taking the brunt of the blow to my thigh. Pain explodes up my leg, sharp and burning, but I push through it, grabbing Chowder and tossing him toward the ship's edge. I throw him overboard. He hits the water and bobs back up, staring at me with those huge, terrifying eyes.

And just as I fast, I'm scrambling up over the railing.

But the noose tightens around my neck again, dragging me back in a flash. I cry out, clawing at my neck for release.

I hit the deck with a bone-rattling thud, my vision swimming as tears burn my eyes from the pain stinging across my back. The shadow of Lilia looms over me again, her smile triumphant and bitterly cold.

"Forget the damn otter," she snarls. "You had your chance, and now it's too late."

I struggle to focus, the fear in my veins turning to ice as I stare up at her.

"Kaden will find you. He'll come for me."

"That idiot?" Her laughter echoes in the open air. "I dealt with his kraken grandfather, and I will deal with Kaden, too, have no fear. Where you're going, he won't be able to reach you."

Two of her men grab me under the arms, hauling me to my feet. I fight against their hold, my fingers brushing the blade hidden at my waist. With a swift motion, I whip it out, slicing at one of the men across the middle. He recoils, cursing and clasping his wound, but the other man retaliates with a punch that snaps my head back, sending stars dancing across my vision.

The world tilts, and I drop to the deck, the pain radiating through my skull like a lightning strike. I blink up at Lilia, trying to focus, trying to comprehend the chaos around me. Her presence feels like a storm sweeping over me with endless force.

I'm choking for more air, the tightness around my neck never giving up.

"Well, just like your mother, you're a fighter," Lilia murmurs. "Which is good. The more you fight, the better you'll be."

The mention of my mother sends a jolt of electricity through me. "My mother?" The words leave my lips in a gasp, my chest tightening as memories flood back—the day I watched her drown my father, her transformation into a siren, the day I was left alone.

"You asked me earlier what I was," Lilia continues, her tone smug. "I'm part harpy, part fae, so powerful magic runs through my veins. I can control energy, but I can also force someone into a transformation. Do you know what happens when a mermaid finally takes on being a siren?"

Anger surges inside me, hot and consuming, mixing with despair that feels like it's ripping me apart from the inside.

"You turned my mother into a siren?" I cry out in a raspy voice. "Who gave you the right? She killed my father!"

I push myself to my knees, ignoring the throbbing pain and the pain in my neck. That's when I catch a glimpse of movement to my left. Chowder, hanging on to the side of the ship, dripping wet but still here. My heart aches with fear for him. Why did you return, little man? But my focus swings back to Lilia, the woman who turned my life into a nightmare.

"Yes, well, unfortunate consequences, but I needed her," Lilia says carelessly with a shrug. "And now you'll get to see her again. Isn't that exciting?"

Fear knots in my stomach, icy and cruel, and as I try to back away, the invisible cord around my throat pulls me back. Chowder hisses, ready to pounce again, but I shake my head at him, a silent plea for him to stay safe.

"Chowder, go, leave now!" I gasp, my voice firm despite the panic coursing through me.

But Chowder doesn't move, his eyes locked on me, determined to stay by my side.

"Why?" I demand, my voice breaking. "Why the fuck did you do that to my mom, to me?"

Lilia's lips twist into a cold smile. "I have a business to run," she admits in a matter-of-fact way. "I've never been more profitable since I took over the reins all those centuries ago."

My mind reels with the knowledge of siren attacks, the stories of boats lost at sea, of sailors drowned or driven mad.

"Money," I blurt out, the pieces falling into place. "That's all this is for you?"

"Riches, gold, magical artifacts," Lilia replies, her eyes glinting with greed. "You have no idea what it can buy in this world. How those things mean you live like a queen! And no one can ever hurt you again. Besides, everyone has a price. Everyone can be bought, you know that?"

"Fuck you!" I spit, rage burning in my veins. "Not everyone!"

Lilia steps forward, her hand reaching out to my throat once more. I shove it away, but she's like steel and unmovable. Her touch is cold, a chill that seeps into my skin and makes me shudder.

"Now let's do this because your sad face is ruining my day. I have things to do."

One of her men is there, forcing my mouth open as Lilia leans in, whispering words in a language I can't understand. Her breath is cold against my skin, and I watch, horrified, as black smoke pours from her mouth into mine.

I thrash, a scream in my throat, and I see commotion at my side, which I know is Chowder and the other men stopping him.

The black smoke, the breath… it's suffocating, a bitter taste that coats my throat and fills my lungs. I shove against the hold, terror making my heart race, but the darkness wraps around me, squeezing tight.

"What did you do to me?" I gasp, stumbling back as they release me. I stagger, my body heavy and barely responsive, fear thrumming through my veins as Chowder rips free from a guard and scrambles back up on the railing.

"Sasha," he keeps calling my name. "Run!"

I try to take a step and find myself glued to the spot. Lilia's laughter grows louder, a sound that promises nothing but more pain. The world tilts, threatening to swallow me whole.

I pound at my chest with my palm, trying to dispel the acrid taste of smoke that seems to cling to my insides. My vision blurs, and I fight to remain standing, to keep my focus.

The boat rocks beneath me, but there's nothing comforting about the sway. It feels like the world is tilting on its axis, dragging me down into an abyss. I glare at Lilia, standing just a few feet away, her foot tapping on the deck as if this is merely a mild inconvenience to her. Her sharp gaze cuts through me like knives. Every muscle in my body is tense, my breath shallow and rapid as panic coils around my heart.

"Sasha," Chowder calls, his voice breaking.

"Go home, Chowder," I whisper, my voice barely audible over the sound of the waves slapping against the hull. "Do it for me, please…"

Lilia's voice is a whip crack, slicing through the air. "Get that fucking pesky otter… just kill it already."

"No!" My voice cracks, raw with desperation. "Chowder, leave the boat, now!"

"Sasha," he pleads, his small voice trembling with terror. "Danger here. You must leave with me!"

His words pierce my heart, and I'm torn between the desperation to protect him and the inability to move. Tears burn in my eyes as I struggle against the invisible bonds holding me, my limbs heavy and unresponsive. I can't let them take Chowder. I won't let them hurt him.

A guard steps forward, and a cold wave of dread washes over me.

"Chowder, leave me now! Go get Kaden!"

Chowder's eyes are filled with fear, his body quivering so hard I'm afraid he might collapse, but he needs to run. My heart aches with the weight of our parting, and I'm choking on the fear that this might be the last time I ever see him.

The guard lunges, and Chowder looks at me one last time, his eyes glistening. "We always stick together… we family." His voice breaks.

"Go, now!" I scream, tears streaming down my face as he dives into the sea just as the guard's hand swipes through the air where he was. Chowder vanishes beneath the waves, leaving behind a splash and my shattered heart.

"You idiot… can't even catch a damn otter," Lilia snarls at the guard. "I should make you dive in after it for that. Knowing your luck, you'd get eaten by a damn shark." She shakes her head, turning back to me with a mock pout on her lips. "Oh, how sad… boo-hoo."

Her words ignite a fire within me, a burning rage that surges forth with a force I didn't know I possessed. My skin tingles, and I feel my body start to change, an overwhelming sensation of something powerful pushing through me. My fingers extend, claws ripping through my skin, and darker, murky scales ripple across my flesh. I scream out from the pain of the forced change.

I'm convulsing, my body twisting under the force of the transformation. I recognize it, the change I'd feared all my life. It's not just a shift; it's a violent rip, tearing away the parts of me that are familiar, replacing them with something monstrous. A numbness spreads through me, swallowing my emotions and leaving behind only hatred and an unbearable hunger.

"Good girl," Lilia coos, her eyes gleaming with triumph.

"No!" I shout, my voice shattering as I cling to the last threads of myself.

Lilia's laughter rings out. "You will work for me now, Sasha, do my bidding, and no one will ever be able to take you from me."

Fear roots itself deep within me into a suffocating vine of thorns wrapping around my soul. Everyone knows that once you turn into a siren, there's no turning back. That dread coils tighter around my heart, and my mind drifts to thoughts of my mother, the day she drowned my father, the day she abandoned me.

All my life, I feared becoming like her. I thought it was in my blood, a curse I couldn't escape, but now I see the truth—Lilia was responsible. It wasn't my destiny; it was her doing. But this doesn't lessen the terror gripping me now.

And when Kaden finds me as I know he will, I'll do what sirens do best. I'll drown him with my kiss, stealing his life.

The darkness sweeps over me like a tide, suffocating the light from my mermaid side, replacing it with the icy chill of the siren. It creeps into every corner of my being, an unstoppable coldness that's driven by magic, a change I can't control or reverse.

In my last moment of clarity, as the final tendrils of who I was slip away, the truth settles over me like a shroud.

I am lost, and there is no coming back.