“Okay, take it from the top because I still don’t understand. What do you mean she vanished?” Nevari was pacing back and forth, rubbing her temples. Melech watched her go back and forth.

“I don’t know what to tell you,” Venali replied, sitting next to Cecilia; they were both soaked. “She drowned herself in the river and then she vanished, right in front of us.”

“She kept saying she needed to be close to him.” Cecilia was looking at the dirt, her voice almost a whisper. Melech could tell she was shaken.

“What does that mean?” It was Micah who piped up.

Venali shrugged. “Your guess is as good as ours.”

“So, we have no idea where she came from or… where she went.” Nevari sat down next to her brother and shuddered. “Gives me the creeps.”

“Yeah, me too.” Venali replied.

Melech looked at the kids around him. They were all so young. Even Nevari, who has outlived them for a few lifetimes already, was still so naive— so young. The memories of his own childhood were becoming more blurred every day. He could feel himself struggling to relate to the others. They were so new to the feelings of confusion, loss, fear… meanwhile, he knew what it felt like to drown in it.

It wasn’t as bad as it had been in his past. He had started going to clubs with Nevari, the lights and the loud music not triggering him as much as it had. Nevari was always keeping an eye on him, he knew, but the amount of episodes were dwindling down to only a few a year, if that. Dead bodies laced with magic had been every day for him back then. Friends brainwashed to turn on friends, surprise attacks when they were at their weakest…

He stood up and started to walk down the river away from the conversation, trying to shake the thoughts out of his head; the voices fading into the background. It was quiet out here in the country, nothing like Motadien. It was always busy inside the volcano. Neon signs and streets filled to the brim with bodies, always hurrying. Aduial Amon was also a city, but Melech always respected how different life was. While life was happening fast in Aduial Amon, there was a purpose to it. People always had a place to go, someone to see, something to help with. People seemed to wander aimlessly in Motadien, stumbling into clubs on a whim, hopelessly losing all sense of direction.

After the war, Daemons seemed to forget who they were. They had always been a mighty nation, militant, full of stategists. There was so much brokenness now, so much desire for a moment of peace, gotten through any means necessary.

“Melech?” Nevari had caught up to him. He looked at her. He knew that face, the one she always had when she was trying to figure out what he would do. If he would be okay or if an attack was coming.

“I’m fine, Nevari.” Melech said. He looked up at the moon as they walked together. He loved his sister, but her feeling like she needed to worry pained him. He was the older sibling. It should be his job to watch over his family, not his baby sister. But after the war, he became sick. Not a sickness of the body, but a sickness of the mind. He would dream of the violence, waking up in a blind fit of terror; screaming and slashing out at anything in the near vicinity. It would bleed into the day as well. Small noises would set him off, or a brush against his skin as people passed by. He wouldn’t even remember what happened sometimes, his fit making his mind go blank.

Only Nevari had cared for him. She would try her best to calm him, clear any triggers from his environment. She still watched out for him night and day, even though she was a victim of his spurts more than once.

They had turned and headed back to camp, walking silently in the night. By the time they arrived back, the others were already asleep again, exhausted from the events that had unfolded. Melech bid his sister goodnight and convinced her to sleep after her many protests.

Melech resumed his post at the tree, watching over the sleeping party with his blade in hand. Sleep never came easily these days, better to put that to use and do some good. He sat and thought about the woman. Mentioning her to Cassia, who they were traveling to visit, might be a wise decision. Water Feries were connected in a special way to all the Water in the world. This stream especially was close to Ratini, giving her an even better chance to sense the disturbances in the stream. Melech guessed they would get there by tomorrow. Only time would tell if Cassia could, or even would for that matter, help them.

He continued to watch the camp until the sun peaked it’s rays over the horizon.

They reached their destination by midday. At least, what Melech told them was their destination. To Cecilia, it just looked like another clearing. They had turned into the woods that lined the Southern part of Entropion a few hours after departing the camp site. The trees lingered tall above them, birdsong winding through their branches. The troup shuffled single file through the forest for what seemed like hours, and Cecilia was thankful for the shade that sheltered them from the noonday sun.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

The clearing was quite beautiful. The moss that lined the ground was soft and a deep green, spots of wildflowers added sparks of white and red color along the forest ground. In the middle was a good sized waterfall, its sound thundered through the quiet clearing, pelting the rocks that hung below.

“The border that separates Ratini from Entropion should still be about 10 miles East of here.” Micah said, looking just as confused as Cecilia felt. She could hear Venali groan at the remaining distance. “What are we doing here?”

Melech started towards the waterfall, his voice almost drowned out by the sound. “This way.”

Nevari followed her brother confidently. Apparently they knew something Cecilia didn’t. She followed as well, the others reluctantly trailing behind her.

“You must trust me and do exactly as I do.” Melech said once they had gathered around the waterfall. They watched as he stuck one hand through the center of the waterfall, then the other. After a moment, he walked directly into the water, disappearing.

“See you on the other side.” Nevari called before repeating her brother, disappearing behind the crush of water.

Cecilia took a deep breath and stepped forward. She thrust her arm into the center of the waterfall, then the other. Before fully submerging she looked over her shoulder. Micah gave her a reassuring smile and she averted her gaze. She took a breath and entered the water. Immediately, she felt as if she were drowning. Her lungs seemed to be full of water and she couldn’t breath. Cecilia struggled to continue. Her throat burned and she fell to her knees.

A hand reached out and grabbed her, pulling her the rest of the way through the waterfall. She coughed, but the sensation she had felt a few seconds before was gone. Cecilia looked up to see Melech. He was squatting beside her with concern in his face.

“You’re ok now,” he said, helping her to her feet. “This waterfall is enchanted, anyone who isn’t a nymph will feel like they are drowning.”

“Some security system.” Cecilia said, dusting off her clothes. Strangely, her clothes and hair were dry.

“Yes indeed.” Melech replied. “I believe the nymphs find it quite funny as well.” Cecilia hadn’t heard that term for Water Feries in years. Sometimes she forgot how old Daemon’s could grow to be.

“How did you get through then?” she asked.

Melech’s face turned a lighter shade of red which Cecilia guessed was him blushing. “Well, a friend of mine told me a trick to pass through.”

“This friend that we are going to see? Why would they tell you how to get through?” She tried not to smile at his embarrassment.

He hesitated. “Yes, ah, well, we—” The waterfall suddenly turned pink and Melech moved towards the water instead of finishing whatever it was he was going to say. He reached in and pulled a wheezing Venali out. He leaned over, crossing his arms over his stomach, trying to catch his breath. Micah followed soon after. Once they had all recovered, Melech motioned for them to follow him.

“It’s dangerous here.” Melech warned. “Feries love to trick trespassers. If you are caught in their trap, I’m not sure I can save you.”

Cecilia remembered what she had read about Ferie land. Ratini was home to the Water Feries, or Nymphs. They specialized in Siren song, luring their victims to different forms of torture. Many who wandered into the Ferie lands were never heard from again, doomed to dance forever, do Ferie’s bidding as eternal slaves, or sometimes even get eaten.

They walked single file along a thin stretch of land, careful not to fall into the water, after Melech had made a point to warn them. If they got too close, they were in danger, he had said. As dangerous as it sounded, Ratini was absolutely beautiful. So beautiful that it almost hurt her eyes. Cecilia marveled at the crystal clear water that ran on either side of them with cypress trees protruding every so often from the stream. Even the ground they walked on seemed like something out of a painting. It was covered in iridescent green moss and small purple flowers. Each step she took shimmered and shined in different colors. She was mesmerized by everything.

A soft melody entered her ears. At first she didn’t notice it, but as she kept walking it got louder and louder. It was a woman’s voice, clear and sickenly sweet. Suddenly that’s all she could concentrate on. The notes seemed to cradle her and she was drawn to the source. She stopped following the group and made her way to the stream. She had to find the voice, to listen to it forever. She knelt down on the bank and reached out towards the still, glass like water.

She could hear voices calling to her, telling her to stop but they sounded distant and muffled and she couldn’t remember who or why someone would be calling to her. Why would they want her to stop listening? It was so beautiful, couldn’t they hear it too? Her fingers had just barely brushed the cool water when she was pulled back and bear hugged by a stranger. She struggled against them, trying to tear herself from them and go towards the song. She thrashed against them as the melody became too loud in her head. It pounded against her brain and her body was telling her it would only stop if she got into the water. She had to go to the water. She twisted in the stranger's grasp, trying to make it stop.

“Cassia stop!” A voice rang out from the horrible symphony, and suddenly the music stopped. Cecilia stopped struggling and recognized that the person holding her was Melech. He let her go and helped her up after making sure she couldn’t hear the voice anymore. Everyone looked from her to Melech with startled expressions.

“You were in the grips of a siren song.” The red-skinned Daemon explained. “She tried to lure you to the water to drown you.”

“That was only before I realized they were with you dear, a girl’s gotta eat.”

They turned around to see that a woman was coming out of the water. She was just as beautiful as her voice. Her skin was as pale as porcelain and she looked just as delicate. Her hair seemed to be a literal waterfall, cascading down her back. She wore the most beautiful dress Cecilia had ever seen as well. From what she could tell, it was made out of pressed flowers and scales. It flowed around her small frame freely, slightly blowing in the wind. Her feet were bare.

Melech turned back to the group. “This,” he said, motioning to the nymph before them. “Is Cassia. She’s going to help us.”