Siren's Call by Quinn Devyn

Author:Quinn, Devyn
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: PENGUIN group
Published: 2010-06-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Tessa, Gwen, and Addison sat on the living room floor. Several bottles of wine had been uncorked and drank, the alcohol absolutely necessary to achieve an ultimate purpose: to get Gwen to loosen up and embrace her inner Mer.

The crystals Tessa had brought out of hiding were scattered across the carpet in no particular order. She picked one up, rolled it in the palm of her hand. The green-tinged stone glinted in her hand. “This is one of the ones I’ve had a lot of luck with.” She showed the piece to her sisters.

“What is it?” Addison asked, riffling the pages of a thick clothbound diary. Though it wasn’t exactly a how-to book, their mother’s descriptions of her dabbling did help give them a grasp of their own potential.

It also gave the girls a glimpse into Jolesa Lonike’s mind. She too was afraid of hurting people with her power. Like her middle daughter, she squelched the instinct to embrace it. Their father, on the other hand, had encouraged his daughters to hold on to their inner Mer. He’d often gone behind his wife’s back to remind his daughters all three of them were special and could do anything they set their minds to.

Special was one thing. Unique was, too. But to be nonhuman in a world in which 99.9 percent of the people happened to be human wasn’t easy.

Not everybody would consider a scaly tail cool.

Tessa rolled the stone across her palm. She considered its smooth surface.

For the most part, the few humans who were aware mermaids truly inhabited the bay were loyal, proudly and fiercely guarding a privileged secret. And even though he’d attempted to bring their civilization to the attention of the archaeological world, even Jake hadn’t specifically pointed fingers their way.

Still the word freak hovered in the back of her mind.

A lump rose in her throat. She forced it down. If we knew more about our power, we could control people, let them see only what we want them to. Turning the notion into reality enticed.

“It’s fluorite,” she finally said, dragging her mind away from the wicked thoughts. The first thing their mother had warned them about their magic was an ironclad rule: Do no harm.

Addison found a page. Strange symbols and odd lettering covered the paper. “I wish I had learned more of the Mer language,” she said, frustrated. “But I think this part covers that stone.” She offered the book to Gwen. “Here. Didn’t you learn quite a bit?”

Swallowing down a gulp of her favorite Pinot Grigio, Gwen waved her hand. “No. I will not get involved in this. You know I am firmly against using our Mercraft.”

Addison harrumphed. “Don’t be stupid, Gwen. It’s our nature to use magic, kind of the way humans have to have air to breathe.”

“Uh, we need air, too, Addie.” Tessa bounced the stone on her palm. “According to Mom’s diary, this piece is a grounding stone. It balances and stabilizes intuitive powers. It’s also excellent for mental coordination.”

Gwen sucked down more wine.

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