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The Siren
The Siren
The Siren
Ebook277 pages4 hours

The Siren

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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About this ebook

#1 New York Times bestseller

A sweeping stand-alone fantasy romance from Kiera Cass, author of the bestselling, beloved Selection series.

Kahlen is a Siren—bound to serve the Ocean by luring humans to their watery graves with her voice, which is deadly to any human who hears it. Akinli is human—a kind, handsome boy who’s everything Kahlen ever dreamed of. Falling in love puts them both in danger… but will Kahlen risk everything to follow her heart?

This star-crossed YA romance is sure to captivate readers who grew up loving The Little Mermaid or fans of Jennifer Donnelly’s Waterfire Saga.

Originally self-published, The Siren has been completely rewritten for this edition.

Don’t miss The Betrothed, a glittering royal romance sure to captivate Kiera Cass’s legion of loyal readers and lovers of courtly intrigue alike!

Editor's Note

Beautiful twist on mythology…

Kiera Cass’ latest is a beautiful twist on siren mythology and “The Little Mermaid.” This standalone from “The Selection” author puts the limits of love and loyalty to the test and will leave you craving a sequel.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherHarperTeen
Release dateJan 26, 2016
ISBN9780062392015
Author

Kiera Cass

Kiera Cass is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Selection series and The Siren. She is a wife and mom and too many other things to list. If she could make a crown out of anything, it would be the unending tears of her readers. You can learn more about Kiera and her books at www.kieracass.com.

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Reviews for The Siren

Rating: 3.818322968322981 out of 5 stars
4/5

322 ratings25 reviews

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  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Fun read! Took me awhile to really get hooked but once I did it was great!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I loved this one just as much as The Selection series! Kiera Cass creates such an incredibly unique story unlike most little mermaid/siren retellings. My favorite character is probably the ocean. She is seen as the "villian" of the story but still has such great character development. I seriously loved everything about it!
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    NOPE. Can't do it. DNF.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Kahlen was given a second life by the Ocean 80 years ago. Saved from a shipwreck, she is in service for 100 years to the Ocean as one of her Sirens. Made to sing thousands to their death each year to sustain and feed the Ocean, Kahlen has resigned her time on her sentence to taking care of her sisters, completing her scrap books with all the people who have perished under her song, and most importantly, keeping to herself in the human world so as never to disclose her secret. Forbidden from speaking to humans lest their secret be reveled, many Sirens have had flings but none have ever had a relationship with a human, until now. Kahlen finds herself drawn to the human boy Akinli in a way she never thought possible. Torn between her growing affection for Akinli and her duties as a Siren, Kahlen finds herself in an impossible position, one which may have deadly consequences. I was absolutely sucked into this story from page one. The ocean is always something that has seemed so wonderful and majestic while at the same time dark and dangerous and this book really captured that essence for me. Watching Kahlen and Akinli fall for each other in their brief snippets of time together was heart warming and endearing. Akinli stole my heart from the beginning with his mild mannered sweetness and playful disposition. Their separation and Kahlens subsequent heartbreak and torn loyalties was gut wrenching.  My only complaint about the book as a whole was the Ocean as a character was very reminiscent of an abusive significant other at times and I sometimes had a hard time really feeling sorry for Her, even in the end. The possessive and fierce love She had for Kahlen was at times overpowering and frightening. Overall, this story was so well written, eloquently capturing the deadly beauty of the ocean and the powerful force of love. 
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Wow. The premise here is fantastic, and a great new take on the mythology of sirens. I actually think I enjoyed it more than her Selection series, and felt it was a bit better developed as well.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Kiera Cass has done it again! Another wonderful book! If you love ancient myths and you love a great romance. I loved the love story of Kahlen and Akinli! This book was awesome!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I admit I’m in love with Kiera Cass’ Selection series, and I’m counting the days until the fifth and final book of her series is in my hands. I was pleased to see that my local bookstore had copies of her stand alone novel The Siren, another YA novel, but quite different from her bestselling series. First things first, the cover. Just like her previous books, The Siren’s cover is beautiful and eye-catching. However, the story is a bit darker than her other books. Kahlen is a siren living with two other sirens – Miaka and Elizabeth. They are daughters of the ocean and as such must fulfill their duties of luring people to their watery graves. However, they are forbidden to speak publicly, or to let other people hear their voices, unless the ocean commands them to. They pose as mute teenagers, trying their best to fit in and have fun while waiting for their 100 years of being a siren to be over. After which they will return to their normal self without any memory of ever being a siren.Kahlen only has 20 more years left and then she will be free of the ocean’s curse. She is haunted by her guilt of killing innocent people, but then she meets handsome, kind and gentle Akinli. Suddenly, Kahlen’s world is turned upside down and she soon realizes what she’s willing to do to protect the one she loves.I found the idea of sirens, how they become one, what they are tasked to do, how they live, very fascinating. The story also gives us a different take on the word “soulmates.” I liked the story of Kahlen and Akinli, but I wish there were more interactions between them to substantiate the intensity of their feelings. There were several chapters devoted to conflict build-up, so I wish there were a few more chapters devoted to the resolution. I felt that the story ended so suddenly, I wanted more. Also, I was wondering where and how are the sirens getting money? Or did I totally miss that info? That being said, the author’s witty and enthralling writing kept me turning pages, and I finished this book in one sitting.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Oh man, this is tough for me. I loved THE SELECTION and recommend it all the time to youth and adults alike. THE SIREN presented a few problems for me, though. I do not mind the light writing style and frothy subject matter. What bothered me were the unexplained technicalities of the Sirens themselves. They didn't really seem bothered they were essentially slaves to this mega ocean goddess. They can talk underwater. Etc etc.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Cute book. I can tell this was her first book despite being published after "The Selection" series. I have read both this book and that series. I think I liked "The Selection" series a bit more, as the characters in "The Siren" weren't as well developed. That being said, it was an interesting story and fun to read. It wasn't a bad book by any means. I'd recommend it if you like her other works, or if you just want a quick read full of interesting female characters. I also appreciated that it gave some depth to the construct of a siren that wasn't just your typical mythos.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was such a cute read!I honestly love how Kiera Cass writes; she just makes you want to keep reading forever.I felt the ending was a bit rushed, though. Maybe 20 more pages could have created a more "full" closure...Still, this one will probably be one of my favorites this year.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A great novel by a new author. The struggle of a forbidden love in an impossible situation. Impossible because our heroine, the Siren still has 19 years of service to the Ocean, until which are up, she contains a monumental secret - that of what she is. That secret includes being unable to speak out loud to humans without killing them. It also means until her time is up, she is unable to be killed, hurt, or age in any way. The only problem is that even without the ability of speech, she falls in love with a man who knows nothing about what she really is.

    This story could be compared to "The Little Mermaid" in several ways and also has many underlying similarities to the "Twilight Saga." Fans of either would enjoy this book. It is also a CLEAN love story; not a trashy one, something that many readers, including myself, can appreciate.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is a lovely first book from Kiera Cass. The main character, Kahlen, is a girl who was saved from drowning to become one of three sirens. She is required to serve for 100 years but things get complicated when she falls in love. I look forward to more from Kiera. This was a nice read.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Imagine a world where you're granted a second chance at life, but forced to give up everything you love? That is the story of Kahlen, our beautiful heroine in the new book, THE SIREN by Kiera Cass. When approached to read this one, I was admittedly a little nervous because I hadn't heard anything about the book; nothing good, nor bad. I agreed to take the book on and as some other books I have had the fortune of being presented with, am quite glad that I did. THE SIREN was refreshing, haunting and beautiful all wrapped up into one beautiful little package.Kahlen is a loving, dark haired beauty. When life takes a disastrous turn and she's faced with the decision of death versus a century of servitude, she chooses the option that will allow her to continue living. Years later she'll question that decision, wondering if her "life" now is worth the nightmares that she must face. Kahlen is a siren. Along with her sisters, she answers to the Ocean and helps to lure unsuspecting victims to their watery deaths with her voice of liquid gold and looks to match. Being kind and good natured at heart, Kahlen has a difficult time with the actions that she must perform in order to gain a second chance at life. Her journey, from the very beginning, makes for quite the fascinating read and, at least to me, makes THE SIREN wonderful and unique.THE SIREN is actually a Young Adult novel although many of the characters in the book are above the Young Adult age. Cass does an amazing job of filling the story with just the right amount of details to satisfy any young adult reader while actually making for a great book for many adults as well. I personally find great enjoyment out of both Young Adult and Adult books, but I found that THE SIREN really seemed to satisfy both categories of books.Part of THE SIREN follows Kahlen as she unravels the mysteries surrounding her new life and her feelings about it. Can she accept what she has become? Will she always harbor hate for the Ocean for what She has done to Kahlen or will she come to accept and give thanks for the gift she has been given? Cass creates an epic story here as we follow Kahlen through her ups and downs. By the end of the book, I feel that we the reader get to know the Ocean practically as well as Kahlen does. Her feelings, both positive and negative, pop off the page and swirl around, pulling us closer into the story.While THE SIREN is great for anyone looking for a great drama or adventure read, it also satisfied those of us that like a touch of romance in our stories. Now, the romance doesn't really hit the surface until about halfway through the book, but when it does, oh boy hold on. Cass can write romance like nobody's business! She creates the perfect hero to go along with our lovely heroine. Akinli, a hard working fisherman by day and knight in shining armor by night, is a puzzle piece match to Kahlen. Cass's writing is such that, without being blatantly obvious about it, we can tell that Kahlen and Akinli are practically soul mates. While the first half of the book details Kahlen's life and struggle to understand herself, the romance between Kahlen and Akinli dominate the second half. It is this romance that really makes THE SIREN shine.As I mentioned above, one of the best ways for me to describe THE SIREN is to say that it is haunting. I don't mean that there are literal ghosts floating around, rather there are ghosts of emotions still flitting about my head. THE SIREN is not always a happy book. There are times when it can be sad, frightening, and downright depressing. As Cass mentions in the story, it is the dark that makes the light shine even brighter. Without the sad parts, without the parts that leave you on the edge of your seat on the verge of tears, the love and hope in the story wouldn't flow through quite as nicely.After pondering the review for a bit, I had to come back here and mention one final thing. I've mentioned that THE SIREN became one of those books that has stuck with me, constantly replaying through my head even though I finished the story. I think that a large reason for this is the amount of realism that Cass imbues the story with. The Ocean is a living, breathing entity. She speaks, she has feelings, she uses her great waves to cause things to happen. The Ocean is as much a character as Akinli, Kahlen or any of Kahlen's siren sisters. I hadn't realized this until after looking at some of the photos of Port Clyde, Maine on Cass's website. I saw a photo of the ocean and my first thought was that She really was alive! That's the strength of Cass's writing, allowing my brain to meander in the realm of the impossibility long after her words have ended.I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a great Romance, a great Adventure, a great Drama, and/or a great Young Adult read. There were a few times, especially with the second half of the book, where the pace seemed to get a little choked up and quirky, but overall, the story flowed quite nicely. Cass's talent with the written word is obvious as is her wonderful imagination. She has created a story unlike one I have read before, incorporating both the light and the dark.THE SIREN was a story of life and it was a pleasure to read. I'm looking forward to experiencing more of Kiera Cass's work. My only wish for THE SIREN was that it wouldn't end!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    After reading this story, it is taking everything in me to not totally gush; it is that good. The Siren is the story of Kahlen, mostly, along with her sisters and the Ocean. A siren is a singer, a singer of the Ocean. In order to maintain herself, the Ocean must feed; sirens help her to do that.Kahlen and her “sisters,” Marilyn and Aisling, begin the story and you find out quite a lot of how sirens and their lives work. They are beautiful, they can live around regular humans, they can live semi-normal lives, but there’s a catch - they cannot age, which means staying in one place for more than a few years isn’t possible, and they cannot, under any circumstances, speak, laugh, scream, or make a sound outside of a sigh or breath around a human person.There can be no more than four sirens at a time, and not everyone will choose to live the lives that these girls have agreed to. Their sentence is 100 years, after which the Ocean will return them and they will become normal again, and begin aging from whatever age they are frozen into (almost sounds like a dream come true at times). With only their “sisters” for company, it can become lonely, and for Kahlen that causes daydreams. That is, until one day while sitting on the beach she meets a man. He is beautiful, sad, lonely, in pain, and yet there is something about him that Kahlen can’t let go.The Ocean warns Kahlen that no matter what happens, those must stay daydreams and she cannot chance their secret by letting her fantasies run away with her. Kahlen decides she wants to make a difference and takes up sign language, which transforms into spending a few years at schools for the deaf teaching children, and later teenagers, that being deaf isn’t always a bad thing.Kahlen gets new “sisters,” Miaka and Elizabeth, who help transform her into something better than she ever imagined she could be. Miaka is creative and she is also Kahlen’s first “little sister,” while Elizabeth is wild and crazy, and brings out the fun and slightly mischievous side of Kahlen. Aside from Aisling being withdrawn and bitter (think Mr. Scrooge), you don’t know much about her for the most part, but she is a very important piece of Kahlen’s puzzle.Once this human, Akinli, enters Kahlen’s world, nothing else seems to mean as much. Not even the secret that she is bound to keep, and with less than 20 years left on her sentence, will it all be destroyed because of this? Now Kahlen has found the one thing she has always wanted. Is the life she could have worth destroying the life she does have? Or can she have both?More than anything, this is a story of love and hope. Whether that love be between sisters, family, lovers, strangers, or even love for yourself; it covers all the bases. Once I started, it was hard to stop, and I really didn’t want this story to end. There were numerous parts where I actually found myself tearing up, and that never happens! Some of these situations made me want to become a siren, and then there would be a moment that broke my heart.Kiera Cass may be a first-time author, but I pray this is not her only book. This is truly a beautiful story all the way through. I love the imagery; it is phenomenal and almost makes you feel like you’re really there (and let me tell you, there were many times in the Ocean descriptions where the song Dark Blue by Jack’s Mannequin got stuck in my head. Thanks Kiera!).It’s been a long time since I have seen a first-time author whose writing style is as beautiful as this, and she definitely has not only the talent to be a wonderful writer, but also the imagination to successfully tell a story that is not only entertaining, but also touching.If there was one book that I would recommend this year so far, it would be The Siren. Just make sure you have time on your hands, because once you start you won’t be able to stop until the very end. Even then, I flipped back and forth over the final pages, hoping that there would be more magically appear before my eyes. After all, this is a fantasy!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Beautiful novel and great author.
    A very nice story about an impossible love.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Do yourself a favor and read the original version of this story instead. This supposedly professionally edited version is total crap compared to the self published one. It is almost as if the editor decided to take out everything that made the original story good in the first place. What a disappointment this was.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I haven’t read a love story like this in a long time. I believe this is what people call a fairytale.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book was amazing, left me cracking with joy and full of tears at the same time. I loved it!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book is so amazing it made me cry so many times
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A light hearted and still beautiful read. As always, Kiera Cast does not disappoint.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I had high hopes for this book. It was an okay read not horrible just okay. I loved the Selection series, but this book made me begging for more. I guess with a book a Sirens I expected a bit more action but it wasn’t. Great for a quick read fix.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I don’t often like stories with the premise of being centered around a romantic relationship. But, the story spent so much time on developing the characters and other relationships as well. A very beautiful and sad way of thinking of sirens and how they exist and interact. The ending had me in tears. It was truly touching.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Quick read. I enjoyed this more than Kira Cass' later books. I hope she goes in this direction again.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I would love it if Kahlen found out that she used to be a siren
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Why do readers have to retell the story or give a synopsis when they write a review.? It kills it for those who haven’t read it yet.

Book preview

The Siren - Kiera Cass

1

It’s funny what you hold on to, the things you remember when everything ends. I can still picture the paneling on the walls of our stateroom and recall precisely how plush the carpet was. I remember the saltwater smell, permeating the air and sticking to my skin, and the sound of my brothers’ laughter in the other room, like the storm was an exciting adventure instead of a nightmare.

More than any sense of fear or worry, there was an air of irritation hanging in the room. The storm was throwing off our evening’s plans; there would be no dancing on the upper deck tonight, no chance to parade around in my new dress. These were the woes that plagued my life then, so insignificant they’re almost shameful to own up to. But that was my once upon a time, back when my reality felt like a story because it was so good.

If this rocking doesn’t stop soon, I won’t have time to fix my hair before dinner, Mama complained. I peeked up at her from where I was lying on the floor, trying desperately not to throw up. Mama’s reflection looked as glamorous as a movie star, and her finger waves seemed perfect to me. But she was never satisfied. You ought to get off the floor, she continued, glancing down at me. What if the help comes in?

I hobbled over to one of the chaise lounges, doing—as always—what I was told, though I didn’t think this position was necessarily any more ladylike. I closed my eyes, praying that the water would still. I didn’t want to be sick. Our journey up until that final day had been utterly ordinary, just a family trip from point A to point B. I can’t remember now where we were heading. What I do recall is that we were, as per usual, traveling in style. We were one of the few lucky families who had survived the Crash with our wealth intact—and Mama liked to make sure people knew it. So we were situated in a beautiful suite with decent-size windows and personal stewards at our beck and call. I was entertaining the idea of ringing for one and asking for a bucket.

It was then, in that bleary haze of sickness, that I heard something, almost like a far-off lullaby. It made me curious and, somehow, thirsty. I lifted my dizzy head and saw Mama turn her attention to the window as well, searching for the sound. Our eyes met for a moment, both of us needing assurance that what we were hearing was real. When we knew we weren’t alone, we focused on the window again, listening. The music was intoxicatingly beautiful, like a hymn to the devout.

Papa leaned into the room, his neck sporting a fresh bandage where he’d cut himself trying to shave during the storm. Is that the band? he asked. His tone was calm, but the desperation in his eyes was haunting.

Maybe. It sounds like it’s coming from outside, doesn’t it? Mama was suddenly breathless and eager, one hand on her neck as she swallowed excitedly. Let’s go see. She hopped up and grabbed her sweater. I was shocked. She hated being in the rain.

But Mama, your makeup. You just said—

Oh, that, she said, brushing me off and shrugging her arms into an ivory cardigan. We’ll only be gone a moment. I’ll have time to fix it when we get back.

I think I’ll stay. I was just as drawn to the music as the rest of them, but the clammy feeling on my face reminded me how close I was to being sick. Leaving our room couldn’t be a good idea in my state, and I curled up a little tighter, resisting the urge to stand up and follow.

Mama turned back and met my eyes. I’d feel better if you were by my side, she said with a smile.

Those were my mother’s last words to me.

Even as I opened my mouth to protest, I found myself standing up and crossing the cabin to follow her. It wasn’t just about obeying anymore. I had to get up on deck. I had to be closer to the song. If I had stayed in our room, I probably would have been trapped and gone down with the ship. Then I could have joined my family. In heaven or hell, or in nowhere, if it was all a lie. But no.

We went up the stairs, joined along the way by scores of other passengers. It was then I knew something was wrong. Some of the passengers were rushing, fighting their way through the masses, while others looked like they were sleepwalking.

I stepped into the thrashing rain, pausing just outside the threshold to take in the scene. Pressing my hands over my ears to shut out the crashing thunder and hypnotic music, I tried to get my bearings. Two men shot past me and jumped overboard without even pausing. The storm wasn’t so bad we needed to abandon ship, was it?

I looked to my youngest brother and saw him lapping up the rain, like a wildcat clawing at raw meat. When someone near him tried to do the same, they scrapped with each other, fighting over the drops. I backed away, turning to search for my middle brother. I never found him. He was lost in the crowd surging toward the water, gone before I could make sense of what I was witnessing.

Then I saw my parents, hand in hand, their backs against the railing, casually tipping themselves overboard. They smiled. I screamed.

What was happening? Had the world gone mad?

A note caught my ear, and I dropped my hands, my fear and worries fading away as the song took hold. It did seem like it would be better to be in the water, embraced by the waves instead of pelted by rain. It sounded delicious. I needed to drink it. I needed to fill my stomach, my heart, my lungs with it.

With that sole desire pulsing through me, I walked toward the metal rails. It would be a pleasure to drink myself full until every last piece of me was sated. I was barely aware of hoisting myself over the side, barely aware of anything, until the hard smack of water on my face brought me back to my senses.

I was going to die.

No! I thought as I fought to get back to the surface. I’m not ready! I want to live! Nineteen years was not enough. There were still so many foods to taste and places to visit. A husband, I hoped, and a family. All of it, everything, gone in a split second.

Really?

I didn’t have time to doubt the reality of the voice I was hearing. Yes!

What would you give to stay alive?

Anything!

In an instant, I was dragged out of the fray. It was as if an arm was looped around my waist, pulling with precision as I shot past body after body until I was free of them. I soon found myself lying on my back, staring up at three inhumanly lovely girls.

For a moment, all my horror and confusion disappeared. There was no storm, no family, no fear. All that ever had been or ever would be were these beautiful, perfect faces. I squinted, studying them, making the only guess that seemed possible.

Are you angels? I asked. Am I dead?

The closest girl, who had eyes as green as the emeralds in Mama’s earrings and brilliant red hair that billowed around her face, bent down. You’re very much alive, she promised, her voice tinted with a British accent.

I gaped at her. If I was still alive, wouldn’t I be feeling the scratch of salt down my throat? Wouldn’t my eyes be burning from the water? Wouldn’t I still be feeling the sting on my face from where I fell? Yet I felt perfect, complete. I was either dreaming or dead. I had to be.

In the distance, I could hear screams. I lifted my head, and just over the waves I spotted the tail of our ship as it bobbed surreally out of the water.

I took several ragged breaths, too confused to grasp how I was still breathing, all the while listening to others drown around me.

What do you remember? she asked.

I shook my head. The carpet. I searched my memories, already feeling them becoming distant and blurry. And my mother’s hair, I said, my voice cracking. Then I was in the water.

Did you ask to live?

I did, I sputtered, wondering if she could read my mind or if everyone else had thought it, too. Who are you?

I’m Marilyn, she replied sweetly. This is Aisling. She pointed to a blond girl who gave me a small, warm smile. And that is Nombeko. Nombeko was as dark as the night sky and appeared to have nearly no hair at all. We’re singers. Sirens. Servants to the Ocean, Marilyn explained. We help Her. We . . . feed Her.

I squinted. What would the ocean eat?

Marilyn glanced in the direction of the sinking ship, and I followed her gaze. Almost all the voices were quiet now.

Oh.

It is our duty, and soon it could be yours as well. If you give your time to Her, She will give you life. From this day forward, for the next hundred years, you won’t get sick or hurt, and you won’t grow a day older. When your time is up, you’ll get your voice back, your freedom back. You’ll get to live.

I’m sorry, I stammered. I don’t understand.

The others smiled behind her, but their eyes looked sad. No. It would be impossible to understand now, Marilyn said. She ran her hand over my dripping hair, already treating me as if I was one of her own. I assure you, none of us did. But you will.

Carefully, I raised myself until I was fully upright, shocked to see that I was standing on water. There were still a few people afloat in the distance, struggling in the current as if they thought they might be able to save themselves.

My mother is there, I pleaded. Nombeko sighed, her eyes wistful.

Marilyn wrapped her arm around me, looking toward the wreckage. She whispered in my ear. "You have two choices: you may remain with us or you may join your mother. Join her. Not save her."

I stayed silent, thinking. Was she telling me the truth? Could I choose to die?

You said you’d give anything to live, she reminded me. Please mean it.

I saw the hope in her eyes. She didn’t want me to go. Perhaps she’d seen enough death for one day.

I nodded. I’d stay.

She pulled me close and breathed into my ear. Welcome to the sisterhood of sirens.

I was whipped underwater, something cold forced into my veins. And, though it frightened me, it hardly hurt at all.

80

YEARS

LATER

2

"Why?" she asked, her face bloated from drowning.

I held up my hands, warning her not to come any closer, trying to tell her without words that I was deadly. But it was clear she wasn’t afraid. She was looking for revenge. And she would get it any way she could.

Why? she demanded again. Seaweed was wrapped around her leg, making a flat, wet sound as it dragged across the floor behind her.

The words were out of my mouth before I could stop myself. I had to.

She didn’t wince at my voice, just kept advancing. This was it. I would finally have to pay for what I had done.

I had three children.

I backed away, looking for an escape. I didn’t know! I swear, I didn’t know anything!

Finally, she stopped, just inches from me. I waited for her to beat me or strangle me, to find a way to avenge the life taken from her far too soon. But she merely stood there, her head cocked sideways as she took me in, eyes bulging and skin tinted blue.

Then she lunged.

I awoke with a gasp, swinging my arm at the empty air in front of me before I understood.

A dream. It was only a dream. I placed a hand on my chest, hoping to slow my heart. Instead of finding skin, my fingers pressed into the back of my scrapbook. I picked it up, looking at the carefully constructed pages filled with clipped news articles. Served me right for working on it before sleeping.

I had just finished my page on Kerry Straus before falling asleep. She was one of the last people I needed to find from our most recent sinking. Two more to go, then I’d have information on every one of those lost souls. The Arcatia might be my first complete ship.

Looking down at Kerry’s page, I took in the bright eyes from the photo on her memorial website, a shabby thing no doubt created by her widower husband between trying to serve up something more creative than spaghetti for his three motherless children and the endless routine of his day job. Kerry had a look of promise to her, an air of expectation hanging around her like a glow.

I took that from her. I stole it and fed it to the Ocean.

At least you had a family, I told her photo. At least there was someone to cry for you when you were gone. I wished I could explain to her how a full life cut short was better than an empty life that dragged on. I closed the book and set it in my trunk with the others, one for each shipwreck. There were only a handful of people who could possibly understand how I felt, and I wasn’t always sure that they did.

With a heavy sigh, I made my way to the living room, where Elizabeth’s and Miaka’s voices were louder than I was comfortable with.

Kahlen! Elizabeth greeted. I tried to be inconspicuous as I checked to make sure all the windows were closed. They knew how important it was that no one could hear us, but they were never as cautious as I would have liked. Miaka’s just come up with another idea for her future.

I shifted my focus to Miaka. Tiny and dark in every way except for her spirit, she’d won me over in the first minutes I knew her.

Do tell, I replied as I settled into the corner chair.

Miaka grinned widely at me. I was thinking about buying a gallery.

Really? My eyebrows raised in surprise. So owning instead of creating, huh?

I don’t think you could ever actually stop painting, Elizabeth said thoughtfully.

I nodded. You’re too talented.

Miaka had been selling her art online for years. Even now, mid-conversation, she was tapping away on her phone, and I felt certain another big sale was in the works. The fact that any of us owned a phone was almost ridiculous—as if we had anyone to call—but she liked staying plugged in to the world.

Being in charge of something seems like fun, you know?

I do, I said. Ownership sounds incredibly appealing.

Exactly! Miaka typed and spoke at the same time. Responsibility, individuality. It’s all missing now, so maybe I can make up for it later.

I was about to say that we had plenty of responsibilities, but Elizabeth spoke up first.

I had a new idea, too, she trilled.

Tell us. Miaka set down her phone and climbed onto her as if they were puppies.

I’ve decided I really like singing. I think I’d like to use it in a different way.

You’d be a fantastic lead singer in a band.

Elizabeth sat up straight, nearly knocking Miaka to the floor. That’s exactly what I thought!

I watched them, marveling at the fact that three such different people, born to different places and times and customs, could balance one another out so well. Even Aisling, when she chose to leave her self-imposed solitude and stay with us for a while, fit like a puzzle piece.

What about you, Kahlen?

Huh?

Miaka propped herself up. Any new big dreams?

We’d played this game hundreds of times over the years as a means of keeping our spirits up. I’d considered being a doctor so I could make amends for all the lives I’d taken. A dancer, so I could practice controlling my body in every capacity. A writer, so I could find a way to use my voice whether I spoke or not. An astronaut, in case I needed to put extra space between the Ocean and me. I had just about exhausted every possibility.

But deep down I knew there was only one thing I really wanted, something that was almost too painful to think about now.

I eyed the large history book that rested by my favorite chair—the book I’d meant to take back into my room last night—making sure the bridal magazine inside was still hidden from sight.

I smiled and shrugged. Same old, same old.

I swallowed as I set foot onto campus. As much as I longed for a life as typical and pleasant as anyone else’s, I never let myself get comfortable. Humans—and the constant need to keep silent for their protection—made me nervous. But even now, I could hear Elizabeth’s voice in my head. We don’t need to stay inside all the time. I’m not living that way, she had vowed, maybe two weeks into her new life with us. And she had stayed true to her word, not only getting out herself, but making sure that the rest of us also had as much of a normal life as possible. Venturing out was half appeasement for her, half indulgence for myself.

Our current home was right near a university, which was perfect for me. It meant slews of people wandering around on open lawns and mingling at picnic tables. I didn’t feel the need to go to concerts or clubs or parties like Elizabeth and Miaka. I was content merely to be among the humans, to watch them. Sure, maybe my sense of style was a little different, as I found myself forever drawn to the cut and lines of fifties skirts and dresses, but if I sat under a tree with a book, I could pretend to be one of them for hours.

I watched people pass, pleased we were in a town so friendly that some people waved to me for no reason at all. If I could have said hello to them—just one tiny, harmless word—the illusion would have been perfect.

. . . if she doesn’t want to. I mean, why doesn’t she just say something? one girl asked the crowd of friends surrounding her. I imagined her a queen bee, the others hapless drones.

You’re totally right. She should have told you she didn’t want to go instead of telling everyone else.

The queen flipped her hair. Well, I’m done with her. I’m not playing those games.

I squinted after her, positive she was playing a completely different game, one she would certainly win.

I’m telling you, man, we could design it. A short-haired boy waved his hands enthusiastically at his friend.

I don’t know. This boy, slightly overweight and scratching a patch of skin on his neck, was walking fast. He might have been trying to outwalk his friend, but his counterpart was so light on his feet, so motivated, that he probably could have kept up with a rocket.

Just a tiny investment, man. We could be the next big thing. In ten years, people could be talking about those two nerds from Florida who changed their worlds!

I suppressed a smile.

When the crowds dispersed in the afternoon, I made my way to the library. Since moving to Miami, I’d gone there once or twice a week. I didn’t like to do my scrapbook research at the house. I’d made that mistake before, and Elizabeth had mocked me mercilessly for being morbid.

Why don’t you just go hunt for their corpses? she’d said. Or ask the Ocean to tell you their final thoughts. You want to know that, too?

I understood her disgust. She saw my scrapbooks as an unhealthy obsession with the people we’d murdered. What I wished she understood was the way those people haunted me, the

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