Page 8 of The Lost Siren

"They wear a lot of jewelry, and some cosmetics. Dark around the eyes here—” he took his middle and index fingers and drew an imaginary black mask running horizontally across his eyes. Would that make me more appealing? I considered, then decided against it.

“They can be a bit prickly; they like to fight to sort things out. If I listen and stay out of the way it’s an easy enough life here, with plenty of food! Better than being eaten out there.” He waved a hand lazily towards the wall of the mountain, and I couldn’t help but agree with him. I checked the fabric binding my breasts, the cold metal of the knife a comforting weight against my skin.

“I’m ready if you are, Georg.”

He nodded and stuffed his pockets full of whatever he could. I couldn’t help but grin, reminded of all the times we tried to hide food at the breeding house. It was a small slice of normalcy in this strange, new world.

Georg pushed on the stone wall, and I memorized the mechanism to try on my own later. The wall slid and tilted to reveal the same narrow passageway from the night before. He closed it once on the other side, then led me through another labyrinth of passages and hallways that made little sense.

“Are we not going to the hall again?” I asked, noticing that we seemed to bedescendingthe further we traveled.

Georg shook his head, unconcerned. “Not big enough. We’re going to the arena.”

I stopped, just as we halted in front of a heavy wooden door.

“What?”

Georg grabbed my hand, tugging me through the door as it opened on its own. The way was at least brightly lit with torches, though I realized why as the floor took a steep incline that became difficult to manage. I was thankful for my leather boots, though I had to use the cracks and crevices on the walls at times to pull myself up. Finally, the floor leveled out again, and light was seen filtering through the other side.

“I’m supposed to go back to the kitchens now. Have fun!”

I gaped as Georg left me alone and scampered away. With a resigned air I threw my shoulders back and walked tentatively towards the light. It was obscenely bright compared to the rest of the fortress, but after a few blinks my eyes adjusted. I stood on a large balcony that overlooked a modest arena, about the size of the grounds of the breeding house. It was carved from stone and circular in shape, with raised benches all around the middle pit. Drakens were quickly filling the benches, far more than I remembered seeing last night. How many lived in the mountain? Maybe Georg knew; but there were easily several hundred seated before me now. Their friendly banter vanished the moment I stepped into the light and rested my hands against the rough stone of the balcony. I swallowed heavily, trying to look unaffected as I resolutely stared ahead. Two large chairs (Iwould notsay the word throne) sat behind me, but I refused to sit. The small act of rebellion gave me some sense of control and lessened the spiraling ball of anxiety in my chest.

The torches in the arena dimmed, and a figure walked out into the center from one of several tunnels below the bleachers. The moment the lights were gone, Benedict was at my side, seemingly appearing from nowhere as he stood beside me. Several chains of metal were around his neck, as well as a spiked necklace lined with rows of nasty looking teeth. His eyes flared when he saw me, then he looked away.

“Good morning, siren.”

I didn’t know what a siren was, so I steadfastly ignored him as we both looked down to the center of the pit. D’Arcy was easily recognizable in the center, a blue tunic covering his chest and a heavy gold necklace around his throat. He raised his fist high, his eyes alight with a strange fire. His scales were a bright turquoise around his upper body, then faded into the deep amethyst color I had also seen on Benedict. The scales at his wrist and neck were a blend of both colors, with flecks of black scattered throughout his body.

“We come together to commence the rebuilding of our race! After centuries of languishing in this mountain, we have a female amongst us!”

The Drakens cheered as the mood in the arena was exuberant. I felt Benedict slide behind me, heat radiating from his bare chest. His necklaces clinked together as he shifted, and I turned my attention back to D’Arcy.

“We have not had a female amongst us since the days of Lyoness; when our homeland blossomed, and our race was mighty in number! Nor have wedeservedone since we foolishly left our island to involve ourselves in the wars of humans and others whose business didn’t concern us!”

I gripped the stone underneath my fingertips, not knowing Drakens had fought in the Demon Wars.

“We rained death down upon the Lykos, the Vampyres, and all other manner of Demons as we fought and died with the humans! Bit by bit, we chased back the Demon menace and their allies, turning the tide of the war!”

D’Arcy trailed off, his blonde hair falling into his eyes.

“Then the Overlord changed tactics. They went after our female warriors, hunting them mercilessly. We didn’t understand why until a scout reported back from Lyoness, giving us the horrific news: the entire island was lost under a massive volcanic eruption. Every inhabitant of the island died instantly. Our elders, our children, and every female not with us fighting. The enemy got word before we did and worked quickly to snuff out our most valuable resource before we even realized: our females. We were forced to abandon Lyoness and withdraw to these mountains, mourning the deaths of thousands and the future of our race.”

Every torch and flame in the arena extinguished, engulfing the arena in pitch black. Silence blanketed the air in a tight, choking stillness.

“Yet from the darkness, comes hope. From death, there is rebirth."

A small, hovering ball of flame hovered in D’Arcy’s outstretched palms, illuminating his face and providing the only source of light. I blinked, resisting the urge to rub my eyes against the brightness of his fire. All around the stadium, small balls of light erupted to join D’Arcy’s, until the entire arena was bathed in a soft, golden glow. I inhaled deeply; it was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen.

“Here.” I turned around to find Benedict with his hands out, a small burst of flame curling and dancing in his palms. The light reflected off his scales, and I imagined a small smile at the corner of his mouth, but it was likely just a trick of the shadows. I cautiously put my hands under his, and together we lifted them over the balcony, letting our light join the others. It was a visible representation of their hope as a race, and it was breathtaking.

“The gods have seen fit to forgive our selfishness, and today we open the first Games in centuries! We await the crowning of our champions, and soon the world will see the rise of the Drakens once more!”

The individual fires grew, floating up into a layer of light that covered the entire ceiling. With a mighty blast it exploded, sending a wave of heat across the entire arena. When it burnt out, the torches were again lit, burning the way they had before being extinguished. D’Arcy turned, and I froze as he pointed right at me.

“For seven days we will battle to determine who are the worthiest Drakens among us! Our guest will determine the winners, choosing who will be worthy to share her bed, the Court of our king, and the future of our people!”

The crowd roared, every Draken stamping their feet and flaring their wings. I twisted my hands nervously in the fabric that hung from my midriff. I’d never been with a man and didn’t fully understand my purpose. Did they think I could give birth to Draken children? If that was the case, why had they waited so long to take a human female? Why startnow, and withme?

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