The Siren Read Online Free PDF Page A

have satiated Her though. She knew that. It was lucky for Miaka that she had not brought more down with her. Lucky for me, too. I let the joy of my new sister fill me again.
    I sensed that the Ocean didn’t like Her diet any more than we did, but I wasn’t sure. It was a condition She had to bear, and we carried it with Her. In the same way that none of us wanted to see a massive lion devour a baby gazelle, we felt sorry for the small creatures She took. We ourselves were tiny gazelles who just happened to be in the lion’s protection. But what would happen to the lion if she starved? And, even more grave in this case, what would happen to all of those who depended on the lion?
    She often waited to see if the natural and unpredictable conditions of the world would give Her what She needed instead of hastily acquiring it Herself. But this time She had pushed Herself too far by waiting. The world was in danger of losing Her support without even knowing it.
    Around the globe, fish were dying, tides were becoming erratic, and weather was slowly going amiss. A fisher might notice, or anyone who really studied weather patterns. The rest of humanity moved and slept and didn’t know their precious world was slowly becoming useless. Now She was pressed— we could all feel Her urgency. It was so heavy, we knew She was about to act out of character.
    We slowed as we reached the place She wanted us to wait. Once the speed passed, our bodies became more vertical, and we walked up to the surface like stepping up a flight of stairs. We stood on the rippling water that seemed as solid to us as hardwood. I was used to this phenomenon by now, but it was fun to see the newness of it surprise Miaka. I held her hand and looked around. It was darker now, but my eyes took in the surroundings by the light of the rising moon.
    Something was missing.
    There was no storm in the distance. We were in far too deep for rocks. The water was definitely cold enough to do harm, but the people would have to be in it first. None of the usual foreboding obstacles were nearby. What was this? Where was the danger we were meant to mask? Was it nothing more than what we were standing on?
    The Ocean told us to face west. I saw Miaka whip her head at the noise and then turn in understanding as we all faced the same direction. I squeezed her hand, and she kept her eyes on me for a sign of what to do. In the moonlight, I saw that all of our dresses were dark blues today. No greens or teals, just a mirror of the inky color of the frosty liquid.
    Aisling bent and settled down on the water. She lounged there, propping herself up with one arm while the other rested on her curves, the picture of ease. Her sparkling hair fell around her shoulders, and she licked her lips one time to make them glisten. Marilyn knelt behind her, sitting near Aisling’s legs and fanning her dress out so that it fell gracefully on the surface, moving up and down with the steady pulse of the Sea. Her red hair rose in the wind, like delicate strings of fire. I moved Miaka slightly in front of me and wrapped my arms around her. To the oncoming eyes we would look like we were in a loving embrace, but it was just so that I could sing in her ear. Not that she would be confused once it started. The four of us there would look like a dream.
    We would be a nightmare.
    A few moments passed as the Ocean waited for the right moment to enact our voices. The doomed ship had to be close enough to hear, but not see. I didn’t know how far our voices traveled, but it had to be quite some way. The song had to have a chance to grow. It had to be enough to confuse, then urge, then kill. We were something to crave, to hunt. We were an unknown aural treasure; we had to be found.
    She told us to sing. I nodded to Miaka.
    We took in breath and opened our mouths as one. The song came without worry or knowledge. It just existed. Our song was a mix of languages, the only time I couldn’t understand what I was