Page 167 of A Mysterious Slave for the Lycan Prince

“How do you guys know how everything on land works?” I ask curiously. “You seem to have no problems adapting.”

“Well, we learn about these things,” Aenon says with a smile. “And underwater, we do not always use our fins. Once we reach our swarm, as we call it, it’s normally a secure place, almost like a bubble is surrounding it. When we enter it, we shift to our human forms. However, everything’s still a bit lighter there. Walking underwater can’t be compared to walking on land.”

“That’s why Nen is stumbling around so much?” I ask with a soft smile.

Nen grins. “It’ll likely be the same for you when we show you our place. You need to come see it!”

“Don’t worry, it’s safe,” Aenon reassures me. “Part of you is an underwater creature, and everyone knows about a hybrid being born. You’re like an urban legend, like a little celebrity.”

“It’ll be easier to show you everything instead of explaining it,” Nen says.

A hint of sadness fills me that I won’t have a lot of time with them. I’d love to spend weeks here, to get to know my roots better and learn about my siren heritage. I shove the thought aside, though. There is no time to be selfish. I have a mate, and his feelings matter too. “So we are sirens, right?” I ask them. “What about mermaids? Are they just legends?”

“No, mermaids and mermen exist,” Aenon explains. “We co-exist with them. They lack our predatory instincts and are mostly peace-loving, making them easy prey. They live in their own schools, but sometimes they join our swarms. Our powers differ, though.”

“What kind of powers do we have?” I ask.

“Aside from the obvious ones like your sharp eyes and hearing, and your sharp teeth, there are some more predatory gifts. You have already used one of them,” Aenon sounds impressed. “You sang. Only our females can do that. Singing will lure your prey to you.”

“I burst some windows once,” I say. “When I was angry. Was that my siren gift?”

Nen nods. “It can happen when you are angry or scared. Both work.” He grins. “Next time you are scared or angry, you might want to scream. Nothing better than seeing your attacker’s ears bleed.”

“Yeah, that’s fun.” Aenon grins.

Well, I probably wouldn’t call it fun, but it’s a handy gift indeed! And it works on land too, which will give Sereia and me an advantage.

“When I traveled through the cave with Finn and the others a few weeks ago, we walked by an underground lake connected to the sea, and I felt someone trying to pull me into the water,” I admit, while recalling that scary memory. “Was it someone dangerous? Is there a threat?”

Aenon glares at Nen. “I told you it would scare her.”

“I was just trying to reach out to her!” Nen defends himself.

My eyes widen. “Wait, it was you guys?”

“It wasn’tus,” Aenon states. “It was just Nen. However, he is right; your presence has been calling out to us.”

“Why?” I ask, dumbfounded.

“Because you’re one of us too, not just one of the wolves,” Aenon explains patiently. “We have been waiting for you to reach maturity and find your powers. We were raised to be your protectors. That’s why we were on alert.”

“Why would I need protectors?” I ask curiously.

“It’s not because you need protection. It’s to honor you,” Nen says. “First hybrid ever, you know? And your father came from an important lineage of strong female sirens. Everyone knew he had a daughter. As I said, siren populations value their females in particular.”

Not only that, but it seems, unlike a lot of other species, sirens are really intrigued by hybrids. I didn’t expect it at all.

“I have a picture for you,” Aenon says, breaking the silence. “Last night, Nen and I returned to the ocean to retrieve it for you.” He hands me a small picture pressed into glass, keeping it safe from the water. “It’s your parents. Their names were Maury and Esme. We have more of your father, but this is the only one with your mom. I’m sorry we—”

“Thank you!” I blurt out while throwing my arms around both of them, tears filling my eyes. “This is more than I ever expected.” I let go of them, blinking down at the picture. Mom was so beautiful; she had the same red hair, though hers had more blonde. It looks like she was smaller than I am, but she had soft features and beautiful green eyes. Dad looks more earnest, a bit stern, but there is kindness in his eyes. His features lean more towards edgy, sharper. I guess I got my body build and features from him. I suppose it’s the siren gene in us.

I press the photo to my heart. “Thank you,” I whisper again. “You and my dad were related, right?” I ask them, trying to distract myself before I burst into tears for real.

Nen blinks. “Right, we completely forgot to tell you the details!”

“I can’t believe it,” Aenon sighs. “You’re right.” He smiles at me. “Freya, we already told you that your dad was our uncle. So we—”

“We are family,” I say with a smile. When they nod, there is nothing stopping me anymore. I jump into their arms, allowing my tears to stream down my face freely.

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