Page 102 of Sea's Secret

A normal mermaid song was also persuasive. We could help persuade humans and sea creatures to do as we asked, but we couldn't force any of them to do anything. If any human or magical creature did not want to do as we desired, they could choose to break through our songs. Sirens commanded, and the hearts of men were weakened by them and left entirely vulnerable to their commands. I cringed, just thinking about something so horrible. Sirens wanted blood, hearts, and death.

Many mer believed that the Traitor King created the first siren by torturing an innocent mermaid to the brink of death, and when he was unsuccessful in gaining that mer’s power for himself, he left her in a state of despondency and humiliation, having broken her completely, and having stolen all her innocence from her, he left her for dead, believing that she would soon die. That mermaid did not die, but she had been abused to a state of insanity and abject hatred. That mermaid, not recognizing her torn and polluted song, sought after revenge. She hunted down a human and sunk her nails deep into his chest, screeching at him, dragging him into the depths of the sea, ripping out his heart. Then she devoured it.

It was a horrible tale, but one I had heard hundreds of times. Humans were dangerous. We had always been taught that. Perhaps, the story was true. No one knew for sure.

I looked back and forth between the ship and the water. The sirens’ sickening, lilting screeches made the men aboard the ship smile. They could not hear the sickness of it–could not hear the corruption. I swam to the side of the ship and climbed up the rope. I ran to the wheel to find Sands.

“Sands! Tell them to cover their ears,” I shouted as I reached him.

“What is that horrible sound?” he said, and I noticed he was covering one ear and cringing, but he was not affected by their call.

“You can hear the screams?” I said with surprise. It was said that a siren could only lure a man’s willing heart–a heart not given to another. Did Sands love someone?

“Yes, of course; it is awful. What is making that sound?”

“Sirens. There are over a hundred all around the ship!” I shouted. Sands' face changed from annoyance to fear. Pirates, if they had never met a siren, had to have at least heard the lore. Too many men had lost their lives to them.

A crew member walked near us and mumbled: “That song–it is so lovely. I think I would like to take a swim,” he said, slowly shifting from side to side.

“George!” Sands smacked his face, but he only smiled. We walked around the ship, smacking the men and using their hands to cover their own ears, hoping they would snap out of the dark, magical lure. I looked over the ship and down at the sirens, their teeth gnashing with human blood permanently staining their teeth a pink color. Their eyes were soulless, nothing but blackness inside. Their hair was gnarled and messy, long masses about them–their skin a dark blueish, green tint.

I began to sing, not only from my soul’s melody, but from my voice, too. I hoped to drown out their screeches.

Corruption, Soulless, leave–

Do not come near–

We follow the Creator,

We have no need to fear.

I sang loudly, and I watched as a few of the sirens paused their calls to watch me.

They hissed, becoming louder, their squeals, then, actually became words, but just barely.

They sang:

Come men,

Come, let us give you rest–

Rest and safety in this sea–

We will give you rest at the seabed floor–

And give your heart peace.

I watched in horror as two men jumped overboard, and again in horror as two sirens latched their razor teeth to the men’s mouths, kissing them while dragging them under.

“Stop!” I called out to them. “Stop it! Now!”

“Silence!” a siren screamed at me with a sickening noise.

“Leave!” I sang, using the melody inside of me, given by the Creator, and I called upon my magic to make it even more bright and powerful.

The sirens sang in unison.

We need hearts;