It took my body several weeks to fully recover, and even then, I still had some shortness of breath. I had to learn to pace myself, take breaks when needed, and not push myself. I hadn't seen or spoken to Waverly since coming to her suite that day. Nor had I heard a whisper from Zander in the weeks following his daughter's capture.

I hadn't left our suite since that day we'd seen Aunt Nerissa and her family. I'd fallen back into that hole of depression and self-loathing that I didn't even remember who I'd been before then. I felt hollow. Jonah had stayed by my side during those first few weeks, giving me space and being there when I needed it. I hadn't heard a whisper of the Sirens in weeks, and I didn't know whether that was good or bad.

As if the very thought had summoned them, a hauntingly familiar tune reached my ears, sending shivers down my spine. I bit back a moan, rallying my strength as I prepared to rise from the bed. I shuddered to think of what Zander had in store for me next. I could only pray that Waverly had nothing to do with it.

It was barely dawn, the sunrise just stretching over the water. Wordlessly, I swam out of bed and into our closet, getting dressed quickly. Jonah rolled over in his sleep but didn't wake up. The suite door closed silently behind me, but I didn't stop. I followed the sound like a shark on a scent, robotically making my way down to the entryway and taking back hallways to not be seen.

When I swam into the open water, I took my first deep breath of the day, exhaling heavily and rubbing my eyes. I had no idea what to expect, so I was shocked when half a dozen mermaids appeared. Multiple eyes were watching me, filling me with apprehension and uneasiness. That wasn't what made my heart stop dead in my chest, however.

It was the merman interspersed between them, his expression mirroring those around us. Zander Marshal fixed me with a glare. "Faye." His tone was oozing pure hatred, years' worth of ire and shame packed into my name. "Now that we have an audience, here's how this will go."

He reached into his jacket pocket and took out a dark-blue pendant on a string. I kept my face expressionless, though my insides tightened and my breath caught, momentarily filling me with panic. "You have two choices: you use your voice to end these mermaids' lives—the easy way—or I kill them slowly and painfully—the hard way. Choose wisely."

He said the words so guilelessly and unaffectedly as if I didn't already deal with years' worth of trauma—trauma caused by those who thought power made them invincible, able to manipulate others to their gain with no consequence. Even though only a few years had passed since I'd first heard the Siren Song, I'd changed. I was no longer the shy, scared mermaid who stuck to her older brother's side.

Witnessing Jacob's death made me reevaluate everything—from my morals to personal relationships. I carried unnecessary guilt and uncertainty in my relationship with Jonah, so much so that I'd become paranoid and guarded. I kept my heart locked in the back of my chest for fear of it breaking again.

I knew that murder was wrong and immoral, yet with everything I'd witnessed over the past few years, could I say there was an easy path here? No matter my choice, it would still end with both mermaids dead and their lives on my conscience. He grinned as he approached me and stroked a hand down my cheek. I fought back a shudder.

I could tell by the wicked glint in his eyes that he was only doing this to watch me squirm. He had no motive nor reason to harm me physically—other than sick enjoyment. 

"If I do this," I said quietly, but not weakly, "you will leave our family alone?" I knew I was taking a significant risk, but I had no choice. I would do everything in my power to keep Waverly from the Sirens, from getting sucked into something she couldn't get out of. Even as I spoke, my heart lurched painfully. The tension was thick in the water as my unspoken words hung between us. Leave Waverly alone?

He scanned my face, noting the tightening of my jaw, the only visible sign of my unease. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he nodded. "You have my word," he said.

I let out a tense breath. As I swam up to the first mermaid, I had the sense of teetering on the edge of a precipice. I knew if I did this, there would be no going back. On top of everything else, there would be an emptiness inside me that nothing or no one could ever fill.

It took everything to keep my face blank, my hands steady at my sides. "Wait." His voice was cold, lacking any warmth whatsoever. Before I could open my mouth, I felt hands on me.

I hadn't even heard Zander swim behind me, but he was there, binding my hands behind my back with a length of rope. My blood ran cold, and my heart stopped as I realized what he was doing. He was recreating what had happened with Waverly. I swallowed hard but didn't struggle.

"Now," he said once he'd finished and swam back before me, "we can continue." A sadistic smile was on his face as he swam to the first mermaid and gripped her shoulder, dragging her over to me. I took a sharp breath, faltering slightly as my chest hitched. I forced myself to breathe normally again, to act as if nothing was wrong. I didn't need to give Zander any more power over me.

Her eyes were the color of seaweed, her hair like burnished copper. She stared blankly at me, and it took me a few seconds to realize why.

It was a coping mechanism—one I had used in the past. Lock every emotion, every feeling, in the very back of your heart where it couldn't touch you. Guilt squeezed my heart in a fist so tight I choked on another breath.

I remembered the story Aunt Nerissa had told me once, how her father had manipulated her (albeit in a different situation) and how it had affected her—mentally and emotionally. My heart cracked in half when I thought of eventually explaining this to her. I heard Zander pointedly clear his throat behind me, but he didn't speak. Before I could talk myself out of it, I took a deep breath, squeezed my eyes shut, and began to sing.

I felt as if a piece of my heart was breaking off with every word out of my mouth. But I didn't stop—not when tears burned in my eyes and stung my throat.

Not when my chest hitched, and I had to heave a breath between each word—not even when I was gasping for water, barely able to stay upright with the exhaustion coursing through my body. Only when every mermaid was motionless on the seafloor, guilt and shame burning inside me, did I stop, choking on my breath and the tears streaming down my face.

Zander didn't say a word as he swam before me. I wanted to scream at him, to yell until my voice was hoarse and I had no breath left. But I couldn't. It was all I could do to remember to keep breathing. We stared at each other for ages until he finally swam away.

As soon as he was gone, I sank to the ground, my shoulders shaking as I tried to breathe through the painful sobs wracking my body. Head bowed, my hair hanging over my face like a curtain, I let out a feral, heartbreaking scream that ended in a broken cry.

My throat felt raw, so much so that I knew speaking wouldn't be possible for a while. I focused so much on Zander and the other mermaids that I forgot we were in front of the palace. It felt like we'd been in the middle of nowhere.

I stayed where I was, arms wrapped protectively around myself. Aside from binding my hands and running a hand down my cheek, Zander hadn't touched me, but his gaze had been like a brand, scorching me from the inside out. I felt like someone had filled my head with chunks of sea sponge.

Forget throbbing—it felt like my skull was vibrating. I'd blocked it out while I sang, but it had returned with a vengeance. I couldn't move. I'm not sure how long I stayed there, but when I felt hands on me, I instinctively shied away.

Or tried to. I barely had enough energy left to lift my head, much less move. I felt a gentle touch on my shoulder and heard a soft voice whisper in my ear. Again, I instinctively shied away. "It's okay, honey. You're safe now."

I couldn't speak. Dad floated inches away, eyes filled with worry and concern.

"Oh, Faye," he whispered, eyes searching my face. He didn't reach for me again, but I knew my feelings showed on my face. "C'mon, honey. Let's go home."

Without consciously realizing it, I'd wrapped my arms around myself again. I'd been touched by other mermen before—Jonah, Dad, Drew, and my uncles—but none had felt so... suggestive. Even though I knew it had only been a tactic to unsettle me, it had felt like so much more than that.

When we arrived back at the palace, I'd retreated so far into myself that it would take a miracle to pull me out. I think when I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror in our bathing room was when the shock set in. My face was wan, eyes staring blankly back at me. There was a hollow look in my eyes that I knew all too well.

Exhaustion suddenly crashed into me, my eyelids fluttering. I wanted to get in bed but couldn't move. I fell asleep on the bathing room floor, arms wrapped protectively around myself.

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