THE WINTER AND THE CROWN // Harry Styles (#TCTM2)

NEW BOOK: Deep End (synopsis + preview)

Synopsis:

Legend has it that men who travel at sea should beware of the beautiful voices singing in the mist. Most of those who have encountered these creatures could not make it back to tell the tales. Sirens feed on human flesh and discard the heart, for to them, the human's heart is worthless. Unless it's the heart of a man who loves a siren.

Ezili needs that heart to become Queen of the Seven Seas. But Harry thinks she's just a naive little creature who wishes to be human. Also, he needs her to pretend to be his girlfriend.

Poor Ezi doesn't know she's about to get her heart broken, and poor Harry doesn't know this innocent siren wants to rip his heart out...literally.

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Preview: Chapter 1: Daughter of the Sea

...in which a surfing trip goes wrong, famous singer/songwriter Harry finds himself in a sticky situation. 

Harry spread his arms and did a spin as he shouted into the air, "Okay, where's the hidden camera?" He waited for his friends to jump out and scream, "Surprise, motherfucker!", but all he got was the awkward echoes of his own voice inside the cave.

The girl in the water stared up at him with a raised eyebrow. "Who are you talking to?"

He put his hands on his hips and cocked his head to the side. "How much did Niall pay you?"

"Who's Niall?"

Harry laughed dryly as he tapped a finger at the girl. "You're a very good actress, but you cannot fool me. It's my birthday so I know my friends hired you to pull a prank on me."

The girl's expression turned from confusion to disgust. "That's how humans celebrate their birthdays?"

"Stop referring to us as humans!" Harry almost shouted as he gripped the air dramatically. "You're not a fucking mermaid. How old do you think I am? I'm not gonna fall for that shit."

"I'm not a mermaid." She smiled at him like he was the idiot. "I'm a siren. Mermaids are our inferiors."

"What's the difference?" He couldn't believe he'd just asked that.

She schooled her face, and he had a feeling that he was going to receive a lecture about mythical creatures. This girl either took her job too seriously, or she was just fucking crazy.

"Mermaids don't look like us. They're horrible looking creatures living at the bottom of the ocean. They do nothing but gossip and cause drama. Sirens are highborn. We're kings, and queens, and warriors. We're trained to fight and kill for our kingdoms."

Harry groaned into his palms. It was like having a conversation with his nephew, who had just learned the difference between a horse and a cow. He threw his hand in the air. "Show me your tail then."

The girl gave a shrug. Then, from beneath the water surface, a glowing fishtail emerged, the scales reflecting the sunlight and sparkling like little green and purple and blue gemstones. How much had Niall paid for this costume? All this for a stupid birthday prank?

Harry got down on his hands and knees beside the water edge, coming face to face with the girl. She smoothed her damp hair backwards and smiled proudly at his astonishment.

"It looks so fucking real. Holy shit."

"Because it is," the girl said.

Harry swallowed hard as he reached out his hand. Before he could even blink, the girl's eyes turned white as she bared two pointed fangs and hissed. Harry jolted backwards, landing on his butt. The fake tail slammed onto the water surface and splashed cold seawater all over him. Harry was catching his breath as he wiped the burning sensation of salt off his eyes. His vision cleared again, and he watched with horror as the girl's fangs shrank, and the white things in her eyes that resembled egg membranes slid upward to reveal her irises. Harry could feel every muscle in his body shaking.

Face screwed up, she snarled at him, "Don't ever touch my tail without my permission, you filthy creature!"

Harry worked his jaw, still trembling. "T-That's a real tail?"

"Yes." The girl eyed condescendingly at his crotch. "As I could see, human tails aren't so impressive."

"Wha—" When he understood what she meant, his cheeks grew hot, and he cupped his manhood over his swimming trunks. "Hey, you—What the fuck? That's so rude!"

She looked genuinely surprised at his reaction. "Well, you saw my tail."

"This isn't—"

"What? Humans are so ashamed of their tiny tails that they have to hide them?"

Harry cleared his throat, lowkey triggered by the adjective. "Okay, first of all, mine is definitely not tiny. Second of all, what the fuck are you?"

"A siren."

Chapter 1: Daughter of the Sea will be available on Tumblr and Wattpad on Friday, March 5, 2021. You may read it now on Patreon :)