As they left the bookstore, Nissa and Hattie exchanged a knowing glance. They both knew that the actual work was just beginning and that they had a responsibility to make things right. They pledged to work together, using their powers for good, and to never rest until they had brought hope back to those who had lost it.

Later that evening, Nissa struggled to get comfortable. She couldn’t shake off the feeling that something wasn’t adding up in Trevilto’s story. She confronted him alone and try to get to the bottom of things.

Under the cover of darkness, Nissa made her way to Trevilto’s house and sneaked in through a window on the upper floor. As she crept through the house, she could hear someone breathing in a nearby room. Her heart racing with anticipation, she made her way to the bedroom and found Trevilto lying in bed.

Nissa knew she had to act quickly. She needed answers about what had happened to Mistral and who was responsible. She took a deep breath and prepared to confront Trevilto, determined to uncover the truth no matter what.

Despite her aversion to violence, she understood that the only way to uncover the truth was through it. As she jumped on him while he was sleeping and wrapped her hands around his neck.

Nissa’s frustration boiled over, and her siren form manifested. Her skin turned pink and purple, and scales appeared all over her body. She knew she had to act quickly to get the answers she needed, but she also wanted to avoid violence if possible.

“Tell me the truth,” she demanded, as she grabbed Trevilto by the collar of his shirt. “What happened to Mistral, and who did it?”

Trevilto’s eyes widened in fear as he stared at the creature before him. He had seen nothing like this before. He knew he had to give her the answers she sought, or else he might not make it out of this encounter alive.

“I swear, I had nothing to do with it,” he stammered, his voice barely audible.

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Nissa tightened her grip on his collar, causing him to gasp for air. “Don’t lie to me,” she growled. “I can see the guilt in your eyes. Now, tell me what you know.

Trevilto hesitated for a moment, but then he relented. “Okay, okay,” he said, his voice shaking. “I’ll tell you everything.”

Nissa released her grip, but remained wary, ready to pounce if necessary. Trevilto took a deep breath and spoke, his voice still trembling with fear.

“It was the night of the full moon,” he began. “Mistral and I were walking in the woods when we heard a strange noise. We went to investigate and stumbled upon a group of witches performing a dark ritual. They were trying to summon a powerful demon.”

Nissa listened, her anger dissipating as she realized Trevilto might not have been involved after all.

“Mistral tried to stop them,” Trevilto continued, “but they overpowered him. They sacrificed him as part of the ritual. I escaped and went into hiding, afraid that they would come after me next.”

Nissa’s heart sank as she listened to the story. Hattie had lost her brother to a group of evil witches, and now she knew they were still out there, planning to do more harm.

Trevilto looked up at her, fear still etched on his face. “I swear, Nissa,” he said, his voice pleading. “I had nothing to do with it. I would never hurt Mistral or anyone else.”

Nissa contemplated his words, and she could see the sincerity in his eyes. She released her grip on his collar, and her siren form receded.

“I believe you,” she mumbled. “Thank you for telling me the truth.”

Trevilto let out a sigh of relief and slumped back onto his pillow. Nissa turned to leave, her mind racing with thoughts of revenge against the witches who had taken Hattie’s brother’s life.

But she knew she had to be careful. She couldn’t let her anger consume her and turn her into someone she didn’t want to be. She had to stop the witches, but she also had to stay true to her pledge as a witch - to show charity, be kind, and help ease the burdens and misery of others.

As she walked out of Trevilto’s house and into the night, Nissa knew she had a hard path ahead of her, but she was determined to do whatever it took to bring justice to Hattie’s brother’s memory.

Nissa realized the importance of absorbing all the information Trevilto had shared with her. Feeling drained, she knew she needed to recharge and unwind in the ocean. While Hattie could lend a hand and be kind to everyone, Nissa struggled with interacting with men, as it was inherent in her siren nature to feed on them.