8. Calli

8

CALLI

" W hat?"

"I sense a great deal of magic in you," she said again, plain as day.

She should say something. It was her turn to talk, but all she could do was stare at Bridget, her mouth gaping open. Then, she felt Dru's hand take hers. Somehow, this man she had known for a day was centering her.

"Do you mind if I show you?"

Calli shook her head as Bridget stood and moved next to the fire.

"Come join me," she said.

Calli didn't know why she was so nervous, but this moment felt big. There was a sense of standing on the precipice of something life-changing.

"Let me ask ye, is there anyone in yer family who never really seemed like they belonged in this world? People would accuse them of being a witch or just start rumors to steer clear of them altogether?" Bridget asked.

Calli slowly nodded. Her grandmother. She had raised her and her sisters, but there was always something otherworldly about her. Calli thought it was just in her mind. All the women in her house were just different, but she never thought too much of it.

"One more question: I've heard ye sing, and ye clearly have a beautiful voice, but I think yer voice might be magical as well. Have ye ever been able to make people do things with yer voice?"

"What do you mean?" Calli asked suspiciously.

"Nothing nefarious, my dear. Just have ye ever been able to sing in such a way that ye get things from people? Don't think of it as manipulation, more like flirting for tips."

"Oh," she said with a chuckle. "Yeah, that I've done. But everyone can do that."

"Everyone who is the descendant of sirens," said Bridget.

"What?"

"I believe ye descend from a line of sirens. Ye grew up on an island, correct?"

"I mean, yeah, I did, but that doesn't make any sense. Sirens? Like from the Odyssey? How can that be?"

"My dear, there is more to this world than meets the eye. I think if ye search yer heart, ye know what I say is true. There is a way I know to awaken the magic. It is a process ye can do on your own, but I can give ye a gentle push to speed up the process,” she said with the twinkle in her eye Calli had come to expect.

"What are you talking about?"

"Do ye trust me?" Bridget asked.

She should say no. Her logical brain was screaming this was all nonsense, but there was part of her that was curious, and all of her trusted Bridget.

"What the hell," Calli said, getting up to stand by Bridget.

"Take my hand," Bridget said, reaching out to her.

Calli looked at her hand, and then her eyes found Dru's. She wasn't sure why she was seeking reassurance from him, but she was nonetheless. His eyes seemed fixed on them with an unreadable emotion. Tentatively, she reached out and took her hand.

As soon as she did, it felt like the world was spinning around them. She felt rain on her face and heard ancient voices singing. She could pick out her grandmother's voice, and it was beautiful. It was like the feeling she had when Dru took her hand, but tenfold. It was like nothing she had ever experienced in her life. She pulled her hand away and looked back and forth between Bridget and Dru. Bridget had a grin spread wide across her face, but Dru's face was tight with concern.

"Calli, are you well?" he asked.

She nodded. "I think so."

"I was right, lass. There is magic in ye, and it is not the magic of this realm."

"What are you talking about?"

"I think Dru could fill ye in on that better than I could."

Her eyes slowly moved back to Dru. "What is she talking about?"

"The monster realm," he said, but he would not meet her eyes.

"What?" Her mind was reeling. Magic was real. There was a place called the monster realm. Even while her mind reeled, there was something in her that knew this, the part of her that felt like home when they touched, that part of her that never felt like she truly belonged. Somehow, it all made sense, as strange as that was.

"I'm going to go inside and clean up. Why don't you two talk?"

On her way in, she stopped and patted Dru on the arm. "Bring her inside when she's ready."

Dru gave her a solemn nod, and she disappeared into her tent.

"What's going on?" Calli asked.

"Calli." Her name sounded like a plea on his lips. "I beg of you to have an open mind."

She took his hand, needing to feel him.

"Do you want to go on a walk? I know a place down by the lake where we can talk,” she said.

"I would like that," he said, standing.

She took a moment to take him in in a way she hadn't before. He was tall, blond, tatted up, and so incredibly handsome. She had thought he just looked really good in his fair garb, but she was starting to think there was more to it than that.

"Shall we?" she said, holding out her hand.

He immediately laced his fingers with hers and gave a small smile. "Lead the way, my queen."