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“The sirens are ancient.” Cordelia continues, her voice barely registers above the haunting tune. “They sense magic and use it to draw people in.”
I feel the pull, a magnetic force tugging at my soul. My feet inch closer to the edge, and I grip the railing tight, fighting against the urge.
“Don’t listen to it.” Cordelia steps close to me. Her hand brushes mine, sending a jolt of electricity through me. “They’ll drag you under.”
“I understand now.” My voice sounds distant to my ears. “We need to go to them.”
Cordelia’s eyes widen in alarm as she realizes what I’m about to do. She reaches out, grabbing the back of my jacket, pulling me back.
“Basil, no!” Her voice is a desperate plea.
But it’s too late. The song crescendos, filling my mind with its enchanting promise. I push her back and she stumbles against a chair as I climb onto the railing, poised to leap into the mysterious depths below.
Cordelia lunges for me, catching hold of my pants leg and ankle, but I barely feel it. My gaze is locked on the water, where shadows move and shimmer beneath the surface.
“I have to go.” My whisper is hoarse, raw with an aching longing.
In that moment, the ship, the danger, even Cordelia, fades away. I know only the call of the sirens and the need to be engulfed within the dark waters beckoning me home.
I teeter on the brink of oblivion, ready to plunge into whatever fate awaits below…
And I leap.
Chapter Ten
Cordelia Marin
Water engulfs me as I dive into the abyss, shifting into my dolphin form. My sleek body cuts through the ocean, every muscle driven by the urgent need to save Basil. The siren’s song wraps around him, pulling him deeper into darkness.
Please be okay, Basil. I can’t lose you to them, not when I’ve just started to trust you.
The water around us shimmers with ethereal light, illuminating the path but also exposing us to other creatures. I spot Basil, his eyes glazed, entranced by the siren’s call. Small bubbles of air leak from his lips. My heart twists at the sight. I have to get him to the surface before he inhales water. I nudge him with my snout, breaking the spell momentarily. His eyes focus on me, confusion battling with enchantment.
For an instant, his eyes clear and he recognizes the danger he is in.
I wrap my body around his waist and feel him grasp my dorsal fin. I push upward with all my strength. The siren shrieks in fury. Her cold fingers graze my tail flukes.
Fear spikes through me—if she catches me, we’re both doomed.
We break the surface in a rush of bubbles and saltwater spray. Basil sputters and gasps for air, his limbs flailing weakly. I shift back to human form, clutching him tightly as we float. The ship looms above us, a towering silhouette against the night sky.
“Cordelia? How... what happened?” Basil’s voice is rough, disoriented.
“Shh, it’s okay. Just breathe.” My voice trembles despite my attempt at calm.
His eyes search mine, filled with questions I can’t answer here and now.
“No questions. We’re not safe yet. When I change, grab my dorsal fin again and do not let go for any reason. When we get close to the ship, I’ll shake my head. You must immediately take a deep breath and hold it. Close your eyes to protect them. Trust me, Basil.”
I shift into my dolphin form and angle my body in the water for him to grab hold. I swim with us through the water with as much speed as I can manage with him hanging on. The ship is moving, and we must catch up or he will die in this frigid water.
A light flashes from the stern of the ship and I say a prayer of thanks. My bio monitor has alerted the bridge, and the ship is slowing. There is a concealed port below the ship’s waterline designed for shifter access, and that’s where I’m headed.
Shaking my head to alert Basil, I dive deep and find the entrance, pulling both of us inside the port and pushing the button to close the gate with my snout. As the water drains, I transform back to human and haul Basil across the threshold drains onto and up the ramp to safety before punching the command code to close the port and refill the tunnel. I collapse beside him. We’re both of us drenched and exhausted. He is shaking; I think from cold, but could also be shock.
He looks at me with a mixture of awe and suspicion.
“That was... you?”
