Chapter 16.5 to Chapter 24

The third part of Testing For Hope chapters

Chapter 16.5 - New Tidings Week Breaking ▶︎

Hysteria never expected anything from life. She was a kid after all. She didn't really expect anything as far as she knew. All she could even depend on was her mom being there and the cold nights when she would stare at her ceiling for hours on end long after her mom had tucked her in for the night. She has always done this, or at least she has since she met her.

The most beautiful girl in the world. Sofia. Even though she was as mysterious as she was gorgeous, Hysteria still fell hard and fast. The girl would call her over for tea and some sweets, Hysteria bringing biscuits and jam from home to fill the stomach after they were done. They would talk all through the day and then when they were about to leave they would hug and go their separate ways, never daring to ruin what they had by following the other home.

It was a nice system and Hysteria was content with keeping it the same way forever, but she couldn’t help herself. Her curiosity got the best of her and she was about to pay the price. That is all she knew when she watched her friend walk through the trees, dodging each one with ease. She had a backpack on that was no doubt filled with the supplies she had brought along with her card to the mysterious pen pal Sofia knew.

Sofia had been walking for quite a while and she was getting closer and closer to the nearby village. They had always talked about when the mask would be done and they would be able to walk through that village together without having to worry about being spotted by guards. Why is she walking towards the danger? I thought she was a siren. Aren’t they usually kidnapped when they walk in there? Hysteria thought with worry as she watched her friend pass the threshold into the town. She grabbed her hood and put it over her head with a sigh, evident from the gust of white wind coming from her mouth.

Hysteria had to think for a moment before she decided to follow Sofia into the town with a heavy heart. She shouldn’t be following her friend like this. She most definitely shouldn’t have come here either, but here she was anyway, about to enter a bar, following her friend like some creep.

She took a deep breath, made sure her hood was on securely and entered the tavern. When she got inside, she was entranced by what she saw. The whole place seemed to sparkle so much for something man-made in its entirety. Maybe they get shipme- Hysteria’s thoughts were cut short by someone yelling in the back.

She made sure to not draw attention to herself as she sat at a table and took out some of the sweets from earlier, trying to look natural. It probably wouldn’t have worked if they weren’t focused on the bar showdown going on across the bar from her. She took the chance to look around and see if she could find Sofia, but she ended up dry on luck at the moment.

She had come to the solution that Sofia must be watching the fight. She did seem to get a rise out of drama from all she told Hysteria about the siren city in their own lake. She put the uneaten sweets back in her bag, along with the wrappers from the eaten ones, and got closer to the fight. As she got closer the fighting became clear enough to get a few words out of the chaos. From what she got, the fight was about someone not wanting to leave the bar and they were refusing to get up from their seat and go home. The person yelling seemed pretty adamant, but Hysteria saw no point in watching or listening to much because it wasn’t where Sofia was.

As Hysteria started losing hope of finding Sofia, she also started thinking about how dangerous this was. The yelling was making her uncomfortable from up close and she really wanted to just give up and leave. But Hysteria had come this far and she wasn’t leaving without finding her friend. The person yelling was losing their temper and it was getting on her nerves as she was forced closer to the fight by people fighting to watch it all go down.

When she got to the inner ring of people, she used it to look around the other side of the half circle formed around the people. While doing so, she caught sight of the person yelling. It was wearing shiny armour. It was a guard. And she was this close to them. The panic started to settle in when she also caught sight of the person in the chair. She was worried about who it could be. Now all she felt was confusion and a hint of betrayal. The person that was being talked to as a noble was none other than the girl she had come all this way for.

Sofia was seated in front of a drink that looked like hard liquor and a plate of seasonal cookies the tavern did for fun around this time. She was swirling a straw in the drink and then picked it up and took a big chug of it. The guard looked at her with bewilderment as she swallowed it all down and looked her dead in the eyes and calmly said, “Where to newbie.”

She stood up at some point in the conflict and was now pulling the guard’s arm out the door while it watched in shock. Not that Hysteria could blame her. The girl was walking perfectly fine.

When Sofia finally left, Hysteria left shortly after them, running for the woods, then for home. When she walked inside, Hysteria’s mom walked around the corner. “How did you meet with your friend to go bumblebee?” She then took a good look at her daughter that was covered in dirt. Whose cheeks were red. Whose heart was broken on New Tidings Week.

Chapter 17 - The Shadow ▶︎

I woke up with the birds chirping in the trees above my tent like always. I stretched when I got up, taking off the robe with delicacy not seen anywhere else in my actions. I put on my armour from the day before, the straps on the metal being just as easy to put on as they were to take off the day before.

Leaving my tent, I walked over to the running water source nearby to wash my eyes for maximum guarding abilities. This was, afterall, what the lady above had wished us to do. The gunk from my eyes washed out with ease and I soon started strolling through the woods to the cook’s station for the breakfast of the day.

It was usually something that could be taken with us on the road, just in case anyone needed to leave in a hurry or woke up late when work was to begin. Today’s special on the menu was an egg and fried ham wrap. The bread was an export from the sirens below our kingdom. They were the source of many of our exports, in fact. As for the fried ham, it was, at its core, just bacon with some bread on it. It was a recipe found in some Northern parts of Hubain knows where.

I grabbed my breakfast with a polite nod in the cook’s direction, trying to give them praise and discovery that they had hoped for with the little energy I had that early in the morning. The sky was still dark, but slowly getting brighter, when I sat with the other knights and discussed business with the night patrol before their shift was over. The bags under their eyes were evident. It makes sense, though, considering where we had set up camp.

The Enchanted Woods were no laughing matter to the guards stationed to watch in that direction overnight from even the castle. They would turn all the heads in the room with the things they said were heard or seen from there. These knights, though, were put into the place itself. They heard and saw things they seemed afraid to mention. The woods are said to mess with your mind, which is probably keeping their tongue in their throats.

I sent them off the bed with a dismissive wave, seeing their sleep deprived eyebags and wishing all good rest for each individual that had to stand post over all of us in our most defenceless state. I then went back to my wrap and finished eating it, picking up on some of the meaningless ramble the other guards were talking about. It didn’t matter anyway. As soon as it went in one ear, it went out the other and was soon replaced with the next sentence for judgement by my ears.

When I was done, I left the site to go on a stroll. The Enchanted Woods were the attraction of our kingdom, the lights attracting all types of merchants and species brought in scientists and doctors. The terrain and lifeforms in here were like from a dream.

I stopped in my tracks when I came to the natural garden that I had ventured to many years before with Sofia. I wonder if she would still look the same in this lighting…

A crack of a twig startled me, making me pull out my hidden dagger in the direction of the noise. I squinted because of the sunlight shining right in front of my face. I could have sworn by the great goddess that there was something, or someone, behind the tree across the mystical plants.

“Come out now or I will have no hesitation,” I called out, hoping to draw it out.

“...no…” a voice replied, so quiet that I almost didn’t pick up on it.

I tried to catch another glimpse of the figure hidden in the shadows, but to no avail. The trees became too dense in the direction the voice was coming from. It was almost like talking to the void.

I then lowered my dagger, not quite putting it away yet. “What are you doing out here anyway?” It seems to be humanoid…

“what? …I live here. What are you doing in my forest?”

Chapter 18 - Too many People ▶︎

Pariz was stilling down on a nearby rock and the mysterious figure was leaning against the tree they were hiding behind. Pariz just figured out that this strange person was the person she had told everything to despite never meeting, only being able to talk through letters, Hysteria.

“So what are you going to do now? I know that you now work for her, so are you going to make me come with you? I'm guessing that you know what happened.” Hysteria said, her voice on the brink of breaking with each word. Pariz was sorry for her, every word she said carving her heart.

“I don’t know all of it. Just the bits Sofia,” Hysteria tensed more,”made seem necessary,” Pariz replied with a heavy heart, “And as for your first question that was the plan, but now….”

Hysteria looked up at Pariz where she heard her stop mid-sentence. After a pause, she tried furthering the conversation with, “Now what?”

Pariz looked at her, at the flower she was mesmerised by so long ago, and then asked, “Can I see you?”

This question shocked Hysteria, but she nodded her head and stepped out of the shadows making her stand exactly where Sofia stood years ago. She had blonde hair, just as she described and her eyes were a deep purple. She was wearing an outfit made for foraging, decorated with a bunch of knick knacks and a satchel full of herbs and mushrooms.

The sight nearly made Pariz fall over the stone she was upon, but she stood her ground anyway. “I will just tell her that you are safe. Just so that you know, this is only because you seem unsteady about the idea of seeing her so soon. I will come back every so often to check up on you and when you seem ready, I will fulfil my quest and bring you to her,” Pariz said as she stood up and got ready to leave by picking up her lowered dagger and

Hysteria took all this in with a deep breath of relief and visibly untensed. “Pariz, seeing this continued.

“She does miss you, you know. She talks about you all the time.” Pariz took a look around the area before looking back at Hysteria. “I will bring letters from the queen everytime I come here, but you can refuse.”

Hysteria looked at her and nodded again but slower this time. “That’s fine. Can you tell her something for me though?”

“Sure. What is it?”

“Tell her that I’ve missed her too and I want to know how she has been.” Hysteria readjusted her satchel before turning and saying, “Thank you for this.”

Pariz looked at her and replied with a swift “Goodbye,” before turning away herself as well, towards the camp.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few minutes later~

Hysteria was still startling when she came across the coast not too far from where it was not too long ago. She took her satchel off and kneeled down to the water to wash her face and make sure she was still awake.

When she was done with washing her face clean, she looked up and noticed someone drying themself off across the coast from her. She grabbed her satchel and hurriedly swung it on. She looked around for the nearest escape. She couldn’t bear to deal with another humanoid at the moment. She quietly started walking to the water and held her breath before lunging underneath the water. She had to get to the other side of the beach anyway.

She waited there for a little while before the person disappeared from sight. Thinking that it was safe, she swam to the coast on the other side. Suddenly she heard some movement in the water, before she saw it.

The tail designs made her stop in her tracks, then she heard it. Noticing just in time the danger she was in, she put in her special earplugs made for this situation. She squinted at the water hoping to see what it was, then she heard some sand shuffle behind her before a tap was made on her shoulder.

She turned around quickly and saw a beautiful person standing there with a robe covering most of their body. Their ears and eyes were a dead giveaway to what they were though, a siren.

“What did you try to run?”

Chapter 19 - Romantic Encounters ▶︎

“Why did you try to run?” the siren asked me.

I suddenly don’t remember anymore. I don't want to run from her…

Her beauty was breathtaking, but that was no surprise considering what she was. I have dealt with people of similar origins. The girl covered her body with a robe, only showing her siren traits. I’d be lying if I said that she was not gorgeous and enchanting and so would any other person in this situation.

She started to look impatient, but even then, she was beautiful with the shimmering sand surrounding her and reflecting off to her glowing skin. Is this something that comes with the whole siren situation too? It's been a while since I’ve been in the presence of one… I thought to myself as I wondered how I was supposed to reply to what was asked of myself.

Oh! Now I remember why I was trying to leave, but I can’t say that. The story would take too long and it's impolite…

“I did it because you were so breathtaking, I couldn’t stand to look at you,” which was obviously a lie, it was for the greater good, so I continued on, “So that begs the question, why is someone as beautiful as you so far from your home, lady of the sea?”

Nailed it!

After hearing me, she seemed to become more closed off, but replied with, “How did you know?”

Well, isn’t she very trusting… Not that it’s a bad thing…

“I know many things about many topics, Sirens just so happen to be one of my more expertise areas.” For obvious reasons…

She now just seemed more relaxed and after a moment's silence to see if there was more to be said, she just turned and left with the intention of leaving me standing on the beach alone.

No! “Wait-”

Why did I say that?!

She turned around quick enough to make dents in the once perfect sand. “What is it that you need?”

What is it that I need?

“I wanted to know if you would like some food? I have a house with a garden not too far from here.”

Why did I just do that?! I really shouldn’t have done that!

Obviously wondering if it was a good idea to trust a stranger she just met with some berries, tea, and her time, she nodded her head slowly before raising her hand, letting me go first into the woods, with her following behind me.

Maybe I can still run, losing her in my dust! Losing her-

I turned around to look at the beauty following me home and nearly lost my cool. She seemed less reserved than earlier, clearly not wanting to ruin her robe. To save it, she decided to take it off and carry it.

Her clothes were tattered, almost on purpose, but somehow it only added to her mystic beauty. It was official. The fact was that she enchanted me and there was no way out now except forward toward her ocean blue eyes and the deep depths they held in them.

I turned back around and kept walking on to my house, worried for what was to come of me and this whole situation.

Maybe I should have not gone out today… Oh Cara Mia…

Chapter 20 - Floating ▶︎

I walked back to my home, guiding the beautiful creature into my oasis. Her feet crushed the leaves that covered the trail through the garden to the front door. As we walked, I picked some fresh berries to put in some tea for later.

I turned around after getting enough fruit and grabbed her hand, pulling her from the lollipop plants my mom planted as a reward for me doing my studies years ago. I took her inside and sat her down in my living room. She looked at me in wonder, but also satisfaction. Perfect. I then got up to the kitchen to start the tea.

“Where are you going?” She asked in a curious tone. Her eyes were looking at me, holding me in place.

“Just to the kitchen to start the brew. Why did you want some company?”

Her eyebrows raised at that comment, then she said, “No.” She looked around the room as I left the area to get the kettle.

I reached up into the first counter over the stove top and got the iron teapot down and put it on a burner. I turned the water in and made it go into the kettle with magic, levitating it into the pot. I then turned the heat up to medium and started working on the herb collection for the flavouring.

“Can I look at these?”

Hearing her ask this, I leaned over to the doorframe and saw her staring at my bookshelf. “Sure! There are plenty of good stories in there.”

She reached for a book called Abandon. It was a surprise when it appeared on the shelf at first, because from the date listed, it looked like it was from another time and the description the writing used made it seem like it was from the future. After a while, I ended up just ignoring the book entirely, but it will always hold a place in my memories as the first outlier amongst the books.

She must have noticed that I wasn't paying attention entirely because she had walked over in the time I was in my head and started snapping her fingers in my face. “Snap out of it, will you? It’s creepy enough that you weren’t responding, now you won’t even flinch?!”

She was standing so close that I almost forgot how to breathe. I then heard the steam coming out of the teapot in the kitchen and grabbed her hand to bring it down, holding it there for a second longer than necessary.

She followed me as I left into the kitchen to get the cups set up, her taking a seat at the table. She had the book closed next to her and she was staring at me. I turned around to face her, two cups in hand when she must have decided enough was enough.

She grabbed the cups out of my hands and held my hands, dragging me back to the living room. She must have really looked around my house because in no time she had put a song on the record player I had forgotten I had.

She let my hands drop and stepped back a little and bowed slightly. I smiled as heat rose to my face. She smiled at my reaction and grabbed for my hand again, but also reached for my shoulder. Noticing the placement, I placed my hand on her waist and started dancing to the music. When the song started, we slowed down slightly to soak it in.

Late night telephone,
Calling all the wallflowers I know,
Out the dark and into the light

I had a feeling that she was planning something and my suspicions were confirmed when she started singing along.

“Floating on my lowkey vibe. Floating on my lowkey vibe, vibe, vibe. I don’t need that late night high. I’m floating on my vibe, vibe, vibe.” Her voice was so mesmerising that I didn’t even realise when her hands started raising to my hair, messing it up slightly by the upwards motion.

Her hands started cupping my face, but then she looked distracted before she pulled away. She looked at me with the worst betrayal, then I remembered what I had done.

I raised my fingers to my ears and felt them. I took them out and looked at them. The earplugs were there the whole time.

Out of touch in harmony
Designer drugs from dead end streets
Break the air to feel the fall
Or just anything at all

Chapter 21 - Not A Lot Of Chatting ▶︎

I couldn’t breathe. My chest felt like someone was squeezing it shut.

Hey there drama, are you into karma?

I couldn’t see much either.

Cause I’m dying to believe your next.

The world feels like it's swirling. My eyes are covered in blobs of colour, but no shapes that resemble my living room.

Oh is your mind erasing?
Well you better chase it,
Cause the thought is scaring me to death.

I can see movement and regrettably blink before looking at her back away slowly. I tried to scream after her before she got away, but it was too late. She then turned around completely and ran out the front door, slamming it behind her.

Suddenly, I felt something cold hit my cheek. I reached up to my face and realised that it was wet, my mouth only tasting salt in the tears that crawled onto my tongue. Why am I crying? I have no reason to cry.

I did my best to wipe the tears off my face and after failing to stop the flow, dragged my feet over the bottom of the staircase of the room.

Do you know that it's never, ever gonna be the way you want it?
So come on, get your fix now, now, now

Just as I was about to go up the stairs, I turned around for one last look over the room to make sure it actually happened. However, I noticed something off. On the table, I saw something that wasn’t there before I left the house that morning. A card.

Chit chat, do you want that
Or wanna take me home tonight?

I walked over to where the card was and picked it up, suddenly being able to stop my tears as confusion took over my mood. Not entirely, but enough. All I ended up staring at was a thick piece of paper that had a name and the seal of the siren city in the corner.

I looked at the name and read it over multiple times, letting it crawl in my brain and insert itself in a place that not even the trickiest of mind manipulating spells could remove it from.

Daphne… Daphne. Her name is Daphne.

Then I turned it around. On the back was a basic Lost-And-Found spell, but it was altered somehow. It seemed that it was made specially for things, or people in this case, with names and places of belonging, like a doll to a bed or a book to a shelf.

She wanted to see me again? She must have left this before we danced. Oh, right!

I put the card in my pocket and walked over to the record player. Can’t have it playing the track so much, that it causes scratches. Then, I climbed the stairs once more. I walked over to my room and got settled into my bed. The sky outside getting dark and the room feeling warm and cosy.

My eyes slipped closed, once, twice, and then finally stopped on the third time, surrounding me in darkness. Goodnight day and hello sweet night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Siren City, a few hours later~

I grabbed my stuff and got dressed like I always do and headed back to the bar to get started on my shift when a figure that was all too familiar came rushing in. Her eyes kept darting back and forth like she couldn’t tell what was real or not. Yet another thing that was all too familiar a sight.

“Hey, you okay Daph?” I asked, walking around the counter to greet her with a hand on her shoulder. She then looked at me and seemed to have gotten more scared for a split second before seeming to have realised where she was.

“Umm, yeah… I think so.” She said seemingly unsure. She shrugged my hand off her shoulder and sat at the bar, knocking twice on the wood.

Taking the hint, I walked up the liquor wall and picked up the whiskey bottle and poured two shots, no ice and slid them over to her.

Here we go. Another long day at work.

I then looked over at Daphne at the bar and Vanessa walking in. At least I’m not alone here.

Chapter 22 - The Doorstep Of Something Bad ▶︎

“So what happened then?”


That's all I heard from the conversation Daphne and Vanessa were having at the other end of the bar before I had to prepare another order. This time it was an Siren City favourite, the Blue Lagoon.


I had the alcohol while another person who was going to take over for the end of my shift walked in and got the hint at the drink. They got out the candy that was made to be put in drinks like this and placed it on the table and then got started at the night jobs they had to do when they checked in. I gave them a nod in their direction for getting them and finished the drink with a plink as the gummy hit the drink and slid over to the person who ordered it.


When I got done, I noticed that the room was silent.


I looked over to where I left Vanessa and Daphne and saw no one there. Oh no…


I excused myself from the end of my shift since it was close enough to ending anyway and left the bar in search of them. I took off the apron and grabbed my cloak from my locker, but kept on my wig.


I then left the building of neon lights and wandered the streets in search of the girls. They usually do this when the stress of the room is too high or they need to discuss something privately.


As I wandered the general area around the bar, I almost ran into an argument between a siren and their acquaintance. The human was sickeningly entranced by the shouting man as they got closer and closer to a wall.



The human looked absolutely petrified by what was going to happen to them, but they couldn’t do anything or look at anyone but the siren that kept getting closer and closer.


“Stop!” a voice called from behind them. I looked over to where the sound came from and saw Vanessa with her arms crossed and Daphne facing towards her but grimacing at the actions they were intervening in.


“And why ‘ould I?! Ish just… a lowly pet!” The man looked so intoxicated that he seemed to wobble even standing up, but to add in the fact that he turned so fast that he could have snapped his neck in two. The man was about to fall. The human was on the floor and smiling. There was no saving them from the torture they have probably endured.


It’s why the sirens are almost always forbidden from bringing humans down here. They can’t handle it and it has the same effect as playing with your food as a child in the human cities.


Vanessa was fuming, which is understandable. She has some interest in the circumstances of this part of the law.


I walked forward, deciding to pitch in at this moment when out of nowhere, Daphne walks up to the guy and grabs his tie and drags him over to the dumpster in the nearby alley way and throws him against it. “Interrupt me again and it’ll be worse. Got it?”


The man started nodding furiously as both me and Vanessa walked over to the human and grabbed them, careful to not turn them in the wrong direction, as it seems that they were pretty spelled in by the man. They now can't look in a direction that he is not in without getting hurt. It’s powerful magic, but most sirens have an innate ability to do it over time.


“Which way is your house?” I asked Vanessa.


“Right over there,” She says, pointing across the street, “Me and Daphne were heading over there to chat and catch up.”


As soon as she says Daphne’s name, she walks over and grabs the human with our help. We walked behind her and made sure the human was in the right direction.


Vanessa’s apartment was on the first floor, so we didn’t have to climb any stairs. Vanessa unlocked the door and while we got them in, she got a chair that was facing the direction of where we had left the man.


Once we got the human situated, we gathered in the kitchen behind the human and started gathering ingredients.


After all, it’s usually a witch that gets rid of a curse.

Chapter 23 - Obsessions ▶︎

Hysteria woke up with a start. Today she was going to do the unthinkable. It had been a few weeks since the incident and she had been working on a little something to help her on her excursion.

Hysteria got out of bed and changed into a clean tunic and a pair of adventuring pants paired with some high heeled platform boots. She then walked over to her desk and took the cloak she had been fixing up this past week everyday.

The dog walked in at this moment and started whimpering before Hysteria even got the chance to put the thing on. She kneeled down and patted its head and led it out of the room, closing the door behind it.

She draped the cloak over her back and looked in the mirror on the side of the bed. The outfit was missing something. She looked over to the rack above her desk and grabbed the object. The mask would be perfect for this after all. As soon as she put it on, her face disappeared, just like before. Except she had no time to cry this time.

She pulled the card out of her back pant pocket and started to read it over in her head. A deep breath later, she started chanting. A black smoke formed around her as the room started to alter. Following the directions of the card, she held on tight when the card started to pull and she was soon dragged off with it into the fog.

After a while of walking through the fog, Hysteria started to hear music and seeing lights flashing everywhere like a candle could never achieve. She had done it. She was in the mysterious Siren City.

The lights almost dragged her into the crowd in front of her like a moth to a flame, but she remained focused and walked to where the card wanted to go. She ended up at a bar looking out. People were drinking everywhere and chatting with random strangers they didn’t know before they went there.

She suddenly laid eyes upon her. Her legs showing and her tunic different from anything she had ever seen before. Her hair went backwards quickly as she took a drink of her cup. The music changed and she reached for her mask to make sure it was still there.

Hysteria walked over to where she was, making sure not to sit too close. Then she sat down, turning to her, she struck up conversation as they always did in the books she read.

“Hey,” Hysteria started, catching Daphne’s attention. “Want to dance?” Hysteria reached her hand across the seat in between them and looked into the siren’s eyes, dark and very much drunk.

Suddenly, Daphne places her hand in Hysteria’s and takes her hand to the dance floor.

Their hands gathered together, Daphne’s extra hand put around her neck and Hysteria on the siren’s hips.
They call it creeping, I say loving, it's the only way for me

They start dancing just the same as everyone in the room. The room was full of ball dancing siren’s hopping for the song to bring them closer together.

Hysteria looked back down at Daphne and saw that she was confused about something. She’ll bring it up on her own if she wants to, Hysteria concluded.

I've got a million polaroids with all the dates penned in red ink

Hysteria and Daphne pull closer together.

I sneak a walkie-talkie in your room to listen to you sleep

Daphne reaches her head over Hysteria’s head and breathes in her ear.

You just don't know it yet, but you love me and I love you the same

Hysteria dipped Daphne and grabbed her wrist, her actions no longer her own.

We'll be together, yes forever, we will never ever part

Hysteria started singing along, clearly being seen as the man in the group by the song.

You've got those eyes that drive me crazy
And I've got eyes to watch you sleep

Daphne started leading the dance and decided to pop the question after a long time waiting.

“So,” She started, “What’s the deal with the mask hot stuff?” She said while dragging her hand from Hysteria’s neck and down her chest.

“Why don’t I show you?”

Hysteria finally broke the trance they were in and brought Daphne outside to the cold, wet air. She looked nervous, looking everywhere but as Daphne.

As soon as she decided that the coast was clear, she looked Daphne deep in the eyes, her eyes darting all over her face, and mask, trying to find any resemblance there.

Hysteria let Daphne’s hands drop and reached them up to the mask pulling it down. She had her eyes closed so she didn’t see anything, but she could finally feel the smile that rested upon her lips and the blush that had formed on her cheeks.

When she finally opened her eyes Daphne was shocked to say the least. Hysteria decided to shock her more by leaning down and meeting the full red lips with her chapped pink ones.

Chapter 24 - Witch's Offerings ▶︎

A moment of silence passed after they had finally stopped kissing and parted to meet each other's eyes, both gleaming in pure bliss that the make out session brought to them.

“You may need to put that back on.” Daphne said suddenly.

I was confused, Were we not having a good time? “Why?”

She took a deep breath and looked around, gesturing her hands around in all directions. “You’re in Siren City, the society that hates humans and you think you can take it without the mask?” She seemed more worried about me than I thought was possible this morning considering how she left. “You’re more crazy than I thought then.”

“That’s my middle name, Hysteria Crazy at your service milady.” I said, bowing slightly so that the effect became real no matter how playful the intent was. It worked of course, her face practically one of the street lights of this glowing city. “But since you asked so nicely, I will gladly put the mask back on.” I said before reaching for the mask and taking a deep breath before pulling it down, my face gone.

“Thank you.” She seemed to be genuinely happy I did it before her face overcame with realisation.

“What is it?” I noticed the look on her face.

“You’re a witch right?” She said, her eyes suddenly gleaming again, but different from before. This looked more like she was formulating a plan.

“Yes?” I tentatively said, careful with my words, as I didn’t know how her plans came through in the end.

“Come with me!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Vanessa’s Place~

“So let me get this straight. You want me to help her,” I said pointing at a girl staring in seemingly random directions, “before the magic spell some random siren placed on her gets so bad that she eventually twists her neck as if her neck was a wringed out towel?”

“Quite the gruesome type, isn’t she?” The Siren standing next to Daphne said, obviously not talking to me.

Ignoring what the other girl had said, Daphne replied with, “Yes. We, as sirens, usually don’t make the potion needed for the magic to work as our species never really found any need for letting our food go.” She looked disgusted at the mention of what her kind considered humans.

She then walked into what looked like the kitchen of the small home and arised from it carrying a pot brewing what smelt like the right potion, but was just slightly off.

“As you can probably tell,” She continued, “Our attempts at the potion were unsuccessful so far. If you can help us though, we won’t even need the potion, right?” She looked excited, as if she placed a bet on how fast this girl would be healed.

I hated breaking the passion in her eyes, but some things had to be pointed out. “Actually, from what I remember, you do need the potion and if you just find a frog and get it to cough some mucus into the mixture, you may be able to have enough time to save the potion to the point where you can do it yourself. I would have to go back to my home to check my books, but if you just do that, then there is no need for a witch as it takes more power for a witch to do it with a smaller success rate then if a siren were to do it with just the potion.”

Just as I had finished my explanation, another siren girl walked through the door with blue hair that looked more like one for the fake wigs from the surface than something that replicated the other two girls' hair.

She looked at me suspiciously and then at the girls and said, “Who’s the masked stranger? Don’t tell me you guys were planning on that when the poor girl is still right there?!” She looked as if she really believed that is what would have happened.

Pretending not to hear that last comment, I spoke up. “No. Actually, I am here to help with the girl. By the way, what is her name?”

“Don't know. The spell was manufactured to not let her speak without permission from her master which we haven’t seen for quite some time.”

“That’s okay. I just wanted to know so I had more advantage.” I turned to the other two girls, specifically Daphne. “Bye! I’ll be back with the spellbooks we need!” Then I left the home and went down the stairs.

Interesting. Very interesting.