Page 28 of Spring of the Cursed Fae

Chapter13

Lia

Aelfric and Rhoswen shuffled into the study, their faces grim. I waited for Aelfric to close the door before I spoke.

“Did you find Aneera and Dairion?”

Rhoswen wiped a tear off her cheek and Aelfric nodded. “Yes,” he said, his voice heavy.

“Who did you say attacked them?” I asked.

Rhoswen expelled a sigh and gave me a swift glance, then Aidan, before returning her focus to me. “The elder elves are aware of the secrets of our kingdom. They’re just forbidden to speak of it.” Aidan glanced at me with curiosity, and even I was intrigued. Rhoswen gestured to the sofa and other chairs. “Please, sit down. This is going to be a long story.”

Bayleon and Bastian settled on either side of me on the couch while Aidan sat in the armchair to our left. Holding hands, Aelfric and Rhoswen sat across from us, their expressions full of sorrow. Rhoswen closed her eyes and took a deep breath before meeting my gaze.

“What I’m about to tell you was passed down to me. I have never spoken of it out loud until now.” Her words made my entire body tremble. I could sense the urgency in her tone, the hidden fear.

“Many centuries ago,” she began, “Haleth, my grandmother from many generations back fell in love with a man named Ambrose. They were lovers for a while, but then he fell in love with her sister, Nienna.” I could only imagine where the story was about to lead. Rhoswen cleared her throat and swallowed hard. “Needless to say, Haleth wanted Ambrose and her sister to suffer for breaking her heart. So, she searched the Mystical Forest for anyone who could conjure up a revenge spell.” She shrugged. “Of course, she didn’t find anyone who would help her. At this point, she was blinded by rage and her desire for revenge. She was desperate.”

She paused and looked over at Aelfric, who rubbed her hand reassuringly. “This was the beginning of some really dark times here in our kingdom,” he said.

Rhoswen nodded and turned her attention back to me. “When Haleth came back, it just so happened that word had spread to a certain group of people who could help her.”

My pulse started to pound. “Who?” I demanded, totally immersed in the story.

Rhoswen blew out a shaky breath. “Haleth was overwrought with so much anger that she contemplated ending her own life. She walked right out into the lake and was set on drowning herself when someone appeared.” I was on the edge of my seat with the suspense. Rhoswen leaned forward in her seat, her eyes directly on mine. “It was a siren, Lia. A very powerful being named Diawen.”

My eyes shot over to Aidan, who sat utterly still, his mouth slightly agape. I knew of sirens, of course. They were talked about in stories just like werewolves and vampires—creatures that roamed the mortal realm, not the Land of the Fae. But as I looked at Bayleon and Bastian, I could tell they possessed a similar power of seduction, only they hypnotized females. Sirens were known for hypnotizing males.

Puzzled and confused, I glanced back at Rhoswen. “But how?” I asked. “Sirens live in the mortal world. Not here.”

Rhoswen shook her head. “They weren’t born here; they say they found their way over centuries ago. Our kingdom was their home; they lived in Glimmerglass Lake on the far east side of our land. Only the royal family knew of their existence.”

Taking a deep breath, I processed this new information. It was a lot to take in and I had a feeling there was a ton more I was about to find out. Rhoswen looked down at the floor, a distant expression on her face.

“My ancestors promised the sirens they could stay here, thinking they’d be able to control them.” Her gaze shifted back to me. “But they were wrong. The sirens were too powerful.”

“Are they still here?” I asked.

Rhoswen shook her head. “No. They haven’t been for a long time. Glimmerglass Lake disappeared before I was born, and I still don’t know why. Since the sirens live in water, they had to leave. They can walk on land for a short period of time, but that’s it. We have other places with bodies of water, but there have been no signs of the sirens.”

“Until now,” I added quietly.

She looked down sadly in response. “Until now.”

Bayleon shifted beside me, his shoulders stiff. “How does this all connect to the Tyvar?”

Rhoswen raised her head and exhaled deeply. “Before Haleth could drown herself, Diawen pulled her out of the water and told her she could help. All Haleth needed to do was lure Ambrose to the lake.”

“What did Diawen want in return?” I questioned.

“Blood,” Rhoswen answered. “All she wanted was a drop of Haleth’s blood.”

I didn’t like the sound of that. Blood was powerful.

“What was Haleth’s blood used for?” I asked.

Rhoswen shrugged. “I don’t know. It was never revealed. But I do know what happened to Ambrose.” The regret and shame were evident in her voice. She averted her focus to Bayleon and Bastian. “Haleth tricked Ambrose into thinking Nienna wanted to meet him by the lake. When he got close enough to the waters, Diawen used her siren magic to hypnotize him. It was there that she made him drink a potion. I don’t know what was in it. But when he ingested it, he was given the powers of seduction.”

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