Chapter 7: A Crimson Necklace

Ludwig smiles and throws me the necklace. In the air, the moonlight hits it just right and it glistens like the stars themselves.

I catch it and stare at it in disbelief.

"Why would you…?"

He shrugs. "Felt like the least I could do to repay you for saving us."

I smirk. "It's a good start. But what do I get for being forced into that awful bucket?"

"Awful," he says and feigns being insulted. "I’ll have you know that it was handcrafted by the most famous carpenter in all of Bergtahl."

I scrunch my brows. "Really?"

"Actually yes. Though he did get most of his notoriety through a scandal, and is now no longer allowed within a hundred meters of the duchess’s red shoes."

"Her… shoes?"

"It’s a funny story. I’ll tell it to you on our way to Bergthal."

"Why would I still come with you?" I hold up the necklace. "I have everything I need."

"Oh, I don’t know," he says with a grin that makes his blue eyes sparkle like the moonlit sea. "Maybe to embark on an epic adventure? To see sights no siren has ever seen? To taste delicacies beyond the sea…"

I am intrigued. Of course I am. I can feel myself drawn to his words. But I cannot follow him.

At least not yet.

"Or…" he continues. "So you can find the sea witch's trident."

I stare at him. "How do you know about that? You can't know about that!"

"Of course I do, it was right in this book."

He holds up the old tomb. I see that a page has been torn out.

"It’s missing a page."

"Oh I know. I ate it."

"You WHAT?"

"What? Otherwise you could just take the book and find it all by yourself, couldn't you?"

"But... but it's a myth! No one can actually find the sea witch's trident!"

"You really should try though," he says. "It's likely the only thing Aeros is going to accept."

"How would you possibly know that?"

He taps his fingers against the grimoire. "Because I've read all about it. About him."

"But… but that’s impossible! That knowledge has been lost for centuries!"

"It's a tragedy, isn't it?" He muses and does sound actually concerned. "So much was lost in Atlantis."

I eye him suspiciously. How does he know about Atlantis?

It's a trick. It has to be.

Like the net.

The silver threaded net. Which he knew would work.

"You know what the weirdest part is?" he asks.

I shake my head.

"It did taste strangely fishy," he admits.

"THAT is the weirdest part?"

He shrugs. "So, do we have a deal? You'll help me and I'll guide you to the trident?"

I stare at him. "I’ll think about it."

I turn to leave.

"Wait, Leia," he says and I love the way my name rolls off his tongue.

Why do I find his accent endearing?

"Yes?"

"If you do come back, I can have Konstanze whip you up something," he says.

I don't reply.

I just turn away.

"Good luck, Leia," he says.

"Goodbye, Ludwig," I say and dive back into the ocean, unsure if I will ever see him again.

I clutch the necklace tightly. Somehow, swimming feels a little lighter now.

***

I reach a rocky reef. I break the water’s surface and climb onto a rock.

I sit there, close my eyes, take a deep breath.

And begin to sing. As always, it’s off key.

It’s an old song. It’s about a human who fell in love with a fallen angel. And their children, the first sirens.

A wind descends from the sky. I can feel it pull at me. My hair is being ripped back and my fingers begin to ache as I cling to the rock.

I hear his wings flap. Calm and powerful.

I begin to slip from the rock but manage to scoot back, still singing.

The wind calms and I fall silent.

I open my eyes, and see him and once again realize how the legends came to be.

He has the head, chest and arms of a man. But his hands bear the claws of a beast. His wings do look like those of an angel, but his are pitch black. And his eyes, those piercing green eyes twinkle with a treachery that could overthrow empires.

"Aeros," I say.

He smiles at me. "I will never understand how such beautiful lips can produce such an awful sound…"

I bite my cheek. It hurts, hearing him say it. But I cannot show weakness. Not in front of him.

He bends down with a smile. Then he urges me to come closer with a taloned finger.

I stay where I am.

He cocks his head. "What’s wrong, little fishy?" He grins. "Are you afraid that I’m going to swallow you hole?"

I am afraid. I am terrified.

I hold up the necklace and try my best not to tremble.

"I believe this belongs to you?"

He grins and feigns ignorance. "That? No. It doesn’t belong to me." His voice drops. "At least, not anymore."

"Well I’m here to return it," I say.

He laughs and shakes his head. "I don’t do refunds. Your sister knew that."

Yes she did. And so do I. But I still had to try.

I can't just offer up everything without at least trying first.

"But you do exchanges, don’t you?" I ask.

He grins. "Oh, I was hoping you’d say that, my fishy friend." He rushes to me but I hold out a hand, stopping him.

"Not so fast…," I say and the fear cracks through my voice.

"What? Playing hard to get? " He smirks. "Why must we play these games?"

I pull back.

"You don’t like games? But they make everything so much more fun…"

He perks up. "Hmm… I wonder…" He smirks.

He leans back.

I don't know what he has just realized.

And I don't think I want to know.

"All right, I might bite, my little fishy," he says. "But only if the bait you're offering me is tasty enough."

"Oh it's delicious," I reassure him. "A true feast."

He hums. Then smirks. "So how will you try to play me?" He begins to circle me. "Would you… no, that would be too easy. " His grin is sickening. "But maybe…" He clasps his hands together. I try to ignore his giant talons. "Well, I can hardly wait to see what you have planned," he says. "But whatever it is…"

He pauses and I suddenly realize just how huge he is. "I hope you know that it’s futile."

He runs his hand across his feathers. "Soon, you’ll become just like me." He grins. "My little birdie…"

His predator eyes are locked on me. A shudder runs down my spine. And for the first time in ages, and for only just a moment, I hate Pia again.