Helvon is usually surrounded by dark clouds. There's no bright sunlight here. Just gloomy and chilly weather.

The castle grounds outside look like a stark depiction of those mansion's surroundings from a horror movie-dried twigs and dreary lands, leafless trees and unkempt grasslands.

The only beautiful thing I found so far is the lake in the garden that had a walk-through bridge over it. There's a tall clock tower a few yards away but I knew better than to go there alone. Don't get me wrong, I'm not scared. It's just that this whole kingdom seems dingy.

But then the underworld is supposed to be like this, I guess.

I met Avyanna right after arriving here. She'd been so calm unlike myself who felt super awkward in the isolated castle. The creepy demons lurking around the hallways with their pitch-black eyes were there ofcourse but their presence wasn't very much appreciated knowing they'd all committed some crime to be serving here.

I didn't show my discomfort outside though. Don't wanna give devil incarnate a reason to mock me now.

We both had been shown to our rooms by the butler since Zander decided he had nothing to do with me and Avyanna after dropping us here. He'd gone off to God knows where after asking the butler to assist us.

Where's your host manners at, young man? More like, old man since he's what six hundred years something? But stuck in the body of a twenties man nevertheless. So it doesn't matter as I'm somewhat the same and if someone calls me old, they're inviting their death.

Back to the topic, we'll start looking in the archives from tomorrow onwards which means today we had nothing to do. And I'd truly done nothing other than laying like a log in the confines of my room and eating the food delivered on my doorstep. I didn't even bother unpacking.

And just like that, the whole day passed and it was already night time.

I stare up at the ceiling of my room. There are silver starry patterns drawn over the dark blue paint-no comparison to the ceiling of the throne room but pretty nonetheless. I think Avyanna's room has a starry ceiling too. Is it a Helvon thing?

But really, not even a day in this place and I'm already bored to death. Only the gods could tell what the rest of my days here would be like.

Sighing, I shut my eyes and try to sleep so that I don't represent the zombies tomorrow.

But if only I knew it wouldn't be a peaceful slumber. . . .

***

"Marilla! That's not fair! You can't do that!" A little siren aged seven years with ashen white hair shrieked as someone tugged at her siren tail pulling her body underneath the waves.

Five years old Marilla giggled underwater and continued to pull her elder sister's tail, "Everything is fair in love and war, Layla." She mind-linked her sister.

Layla, who was now completely pulled underwater, shook her head and placed her hands on her hips, "This is neither love nor war. We were playing a game." She rolled her eyes speaking the words through the link.

The merfolks use their mind-link when underwater. When they were over the waves, they chose to speak through the mouth but in Seagill, it was the mind-link that came in hand.

Marilla continued to giggle before sending a wave of water crashing towards her sister's face, "Now it's a water war!"

Layla, who'd been occupied in her thoughts, shrieked again when the water hit her face. It wasn't painful in any way but it shocked her for a moment.

Narrowing her eyes, Layla swam through the water with ethereal speed and grace and tackled her little sister who broke into a dramatic screaming marathon at being caught.

"You little notorious thing!" Layla tickled her little sister's sides who fell into a laughing fit.

"Okay! Okay! I will not pull your tail next time! I will not ch-heat! Leave me now!" Marilla spoke through her laughter before pouting at her sister with big blue eyes, "PLEASE, leave me. Am I not your favourite sister, Ly ly?"

"You're my only sister." Layla shook her head with a smile at the antics the little one pulled on her with her cute face.

Stopping the tickling, she flung an arm over Marilla's small shoulders, "You're lucky that you're too cute, dumb dumb."

"Ain't I the cutest, Ly ly?" Marilla asked with a goofy smile and batting eyelashes.

Layla rolled her eyes, "No, you're the dumbest."

"Ly ly! How could you!" The look on the little blue-haired siren's face was of pure betrayal, "You're a graitor!"

"It's called traitor, Mari." Layla laughed, "That's why I said you're the dumbest."

"That hurt!" Marilla blew her nose feigning offence.

Layla raised an immaculate brow before a slow sly smirk made its way on her lips. The next moment, she was back to tickling the hell out of the little girl.

"What about this? This doesn't hurt, does it?" And she tickled some more, giggling herself as Marilla's contagious laughter bloomed in the entirety of the sea kingdom.

The merfolks lugging around shook their heads with a smile. These two were inseparable. They were sure nothing could break the bond between the sisters.

But if only they knew.

*

The scene changed, the water was gone and replaced by the woodsy confines of the room of the sea castle that was built on the lands of the capital island.

Layla and Marilla were no longer little children. Marilla was thirteen years old and Layla fifteen now.

"No, Layla. Don't do this." The desperate voice was the first to make its presence.

And then slowly by slowly, the surroundings became clear. The scene became clear.

Marilla was slumped back against the wall, her fearful teary eyes glued to the crystal dagger in her sister's hand as she stalked towards her.

Through the blurriness, she looked up at Layla as a tear after another swiped down her red cheeks, "Ly ly, you don't want to do this. You love me, don't you? We're sisters."

Layla's own eyes grew teary. She didn't like this. She didn't want to do this. But there was no other way. If Marilla didn't die, she'd never get what was always supposed to be hers.

"You never even considered once that I was your sister when you took what was mine, Mari. I love you very much, little sister. But I want this too. I'd worked so hard for this. And you took it from me." The tears in Layla's eyes had become unstoppable now but even then, there was that deep bitterness of not gaining what was always meant to be hers.

Why? Why did Marilla always get everything? She didn't want to do this either but there was no other choice.

Hardening her heart, Layla glanced at Marilla. Her hands clutched around the crystal dagger-the only weapon that could kill a siren-and in one swift movement, she ran towards her little sister with the dagger aiming for her heart.

"No, Layla! NO!"

*********

The voices blurred as I jerked up to a sitting position on the bed, my breathing heavy. Sweat trickled down the sides of my face and I felt my eyes tear up as my hand involuntarily went to my chest where my heart drummed underneath.

Dang, stop it, Marilla. It doesn't scare you anymore. Stop acting like a damsel in distress.

Taking my own advice, I brushed away the moisture from the side of my eyes.

It would be a lie if I said I didn't miss Layla but after what had happened, I don't know whether the sister I adored and looked upto was even there anymore. . .

Gee. Why am I thinking about all this when I hadn't considered it for a while now? Must be the influence of being in devil incarnate's cursed kingdom.

Running a hand through my slightly wet from the sweat hair, I get off the bed. Grabbing a royal blue robe from the nightstand, I tighten the knots around my waist.

I need to get fresh air. I need to get out of this suffocating room.

Deciding to do so, I push my feet through the soft silk pumps laying next to my bed and exit out of the room shutting the door behind me.

In my attempt to tame the frizz in my hair, I don't look ahead at my path. Because let's be honest, there'd be no-one roaming the hallways in the middle of the night.

But I was so wrong.

Because the next moment, due to my partial distraction, I go crashing against a hard chest. My feet loses balance and when I try to steady myself, the wrecked silk pumps grow slippery and before I know it, I'm falling backwards.

Wonderful! What a tragedy my life has come to. Might as well fall face front.

But before my butt can land straight on the hard silver flooring, a hand wounds around my waist in the dramatic soap-opera worthy fashion stopping my fall out of grace.

My gaze skids up the figure of the person. He's wearing a white half unbuttoned shirt which lets me a peek of the hard abs of his chest. Damn, my eyes are blessed.

When I look up to the owner of the sexy body, a pair of dark hazel eyes are staring down at me with amusement.

A slow smirk pulls on his lips as his eyes bore into mine, "Woah, are you an angel descended from the heavens who decided to bless hell with your presence?"