The Demon And The Siren [Completed]

|Chapter Twenty-Six : Be A Doll|

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▪︎ ONE MONTH AGO ▪︎
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Dark clouds hung overhead shrouding the sea below in a dull grey hue. The waves clatter against the shore taking the crispy sand along the land into the sea's endless abyss.

The Black Sea is said to be cursed by one of the Gods. This part of the seven seas suffers from acute gloomy and thundering weather and lacks of any salt in its waters-because of which if anything every falls into the sea it'd drown to the deepest pits.

Merfolks maintained distance because we can't shift to our siren or mermaid or nymph forms in the Black Sea. No merfolk could go into the seas and return back alive without the chances of drowning. Even if we knew swimming in our human forms, the sea pulls you into its pits due to the curse.

I hadn't understood how Layla had stayed here all these years along with all the other abducted merfolks.

But now I did get it as I stared up at the desolate isle to the eastern-most part of the black sea. There wasn't an isle here before. Any chances of an isle would be diminished because the sea's curse would pull the entire isle under the waves.

But somehow the isle still stood, no matter however small.

A tall castle made of stone walls the darkest shade of grey stood proud on four pillars. The bottom part of the palace where the stones were rigged into the ground were adorned with sea shells of different shades-the shells stretching from the bottom of the cement stone walls and scattering around the dreary land below.

I couldn't see a soul out here. But I knew better than to assume there wasn't anyone inside the castle.

The moment I'd voiced out my decision to indeed follow Layla to the Black Sea, she'd held out a parchment towards Zander. The isle was roughly painted on the paper and I'd wondered whether Zander could really teleport with such a rough picture in mind but he'd been able to do it anyways.

When he'd held his hand out for me to take while he gripped Layla's on the other, I'd wanted nothing more than to just rather travel two hours to the Black Sea on my own. But then after much consideration, I'd kept my hand on his and ignored every spark that tingled at the bond.

He'd given me a brief glance and I'd thought some strange emotion had flickered within those grey eyes but then it was gone and darkness enveloped. The next thing, I was at the sea shore of the isle staring up at the castle.

"Come along, sister. I don't have the whole day to wait here. My court awaits." Layla doesn't spare me a glance. She loops her arm with Zander's and tugs him along.

I follow them with a roll of my eyes. The ground underneath my feet is rocky and muddy at the same time, wind a chilly chime. We pass through a garden with dead roses and withering plants and up the few flight of stairs.

Layla pushes open the double doors leading to the interior of the castle.

It is much like the outside. Dark and dimly lit. A hall with furnishing of the darkest wood is stretched out wide. There are doors on either sides of the hall which either lead to more rooms or kitchen and other areas of the castle.

But none of it shocks me as much as the spectacle showcased right in front of me. There near the staircase at the hall's center were two horrendously large glass tubes filled with water and red berry plants. And inside those glass tubes.....

My heart clenches as I take in the way Avyanna and Ursula float inside the glass tubes. Their eyes fluttered shut in unconsciousness and their skin pale.