Page 71 of Mountains of Mist and Magic

“I'm not going, Grayden!” Renya's voice was a quiet hiss among the otherwise still ocean.

“Me either,” Selenia chimed in, and to his dismay, Esmeralda and Julietta nodded in agreement.

“What is it?” Sion asked, looking over the side of the ship, his knuckles white as he gripped the railing.

“Not too close,” Triston called, adjusting the wheel at the helm with a sharp turn. “It's the sirens.”

“The sirens?” Esmeralda asked. “They're a myth.”

“It appears not, Sister.”

Another eerie call echoed across the water, louder and more intense than before. At the same time, a massive wave rocked the boat suddenly, and Triston nearly lost his balance, his feet sliding on the slick deck. Esmeralda ended up on the floor with a thud, and Selenia tumbled as well, both of them scrambling to find purchase on the shifting surface.

“What's happening?” Julietta asked frightenedly. Triston held out his arms and she rushed to his side, her body trembling against his as he wrapped her in a protective embrace.

“I've always heard it as a legend. The Siren’s Sea is said to be home to actual sirens. Beings that have control over the waves.”

“Control how?” Renya asked, as another melody whipped through the air, this time sharper. The second they heard the note, they all braced themselves for another wave. Sure enough, an even larger wall of water broke against the ship, sending spray high into the air and drenching everyone on deck.

“Through their song. It's some kind of enchanted melody.” Triston peered out into the darkness, but he couldn't make out anything other than the stars that he was using to guide them.

A single splash sounded from the right side, and Triston saw something leap out of the water for a split second, scales shimmering in the starlight like a flash of silver.

“Mermaids!” Renya exclaimed, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and fascination.

“You have those in the human world?” Grayden asked, his voice tight with tension.

“No, but we have legends. But the glimpse I just saw…it was like a mermaid. A human, or, rather, fae-like body with a long tail.”

“Do they mean us harm?” Julietta asked, looking up at Triston. He cupped her face gently in his hands, feeling the softness of her skin against his calloused palms.

“Stay next to me. I'll protect you.” He grabbed the small, trident-like knife from his boot and nodded towards the other men, who withdrew their weapons as well. The sound of steel sliding against leather filled the air as blades were drawn. Not to be outdone, Renya pulled out a blade hidden somewhere on her body, and Triston instantly wanted one for Julietta so she would always be armed.

Another splash sounded, and Triston looked directly behind him. At the back of the ship, he could just make out several heads poking out of the water, each with a set of eyes that were practically luminous and glowing under the moonlight. He studied the creatures, with their slender, sinewy bodies covered in scales that shimmered darkly under the water, like polished obsidian. Their faces were gaunt and skeletal, with skin stretched tight over sharp, angular bones. Their eyes were unsettlingly large with an eerie, phosphorescent light, casting an ominous glow in the darkness. Long, stringy, and seaweed-like hair tangled around their face and shoulders.

“What do you want?” Triston asked, once again trying to shield Julietta. He pushed her behind him and blocked her with his body, feeling her grip tighten on his shirt.

The mermaid nearest the boat hissed, her teeth black and sharp. Triston shuddered, imagining those teeth on flesh.

“They've surrounded us,” Esmeralda screeched, and sure enough, more fluorescent eyes popped up just above the surface of the water. As if on cue, the earlier melody started up again, and the waves began to rock the boat harder. With each wave, barrels and supplies broke free from their storage places, and a few tumbled off the ship with loud splashes. Selenia was nearly thrown overboard, but Sion grabbed her at the last minute, his arm wrapping around her waist and yanking her back from the edge.

“Do something!” Julietta shouted, and Triston could feel her entire body shake with fear. He tried to remember the tales he'd heard about mermaids. What stories did he remember? He racked his memory, but the only thing he could come up with was that they liked shiny objects.

Grayden was desperately trying to freeze the creatures using his magic, but he could barely cool the water. Renya was shooting her golden strands, but the mermaids easily dodged the attacks, slipping beneath the waves with fluid grace. Even Cyrus, who possessed more magic than any of them, seemed unable to conjure more than a few sparks against them.

“They dull magic,” Cyrus bellowed, and Renya nodded in agreement. Agatha also ceased her attempts. “I'm just depleting my energy,” she said, and Triston saw fear in the old woman's eyes.

There was another outburst of song, louder and more haunting than before, and a huge wave crashed over the entire ship. The deck became a chaos of sliding bodies and tumbling objects as everyone fought to stay upright.

Sion's panicky gasp instantly became a wail of distress. Triston saw it almost as if in slow motion. Selenia went to grab the edge of the ship, and then moved to grab one of the ropes by the mast just as the giant wave hit. She was swept overboard in one smooth motion, her scream cut short as she disappeared beneath the dark waters.

“Selenia!” Sion roared, his voice raw with anguish. Without a thought for himself, Sion jumped in after her, diving into the churning sea with a powerful leap.

Suddenly, a gust of wind came from above, and Triston looked up in time to see Brutus careening down from the sky. Cressida was upon his back, an intense look in her eyes. Beauty followed behind, landing on the deck near Renya as if to shield her, the dragon's massive wings creating a gust that nearly knocked them off their feet.

The mermaid nearest Triston, who seemed to be the leader, let out a frightened yell, and in a blink, Brutus swooped down towards the mermaid. Triston saw a flash of a dark tail, and then saw the other creatures quickly descend back into the water. He could see their wake as they moved away from the ship, swimming faster than he ever thought possible.

The seas instantly calmed; the rocking of the ship immediately ceased, leaving an frightening stillness in its wake.

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