To say I was amused would be an understatement because the moment Zander literally fleed away into thin air, I couldn't help the wide coy smile from stretching on my lips.

I'd never seen him so. . . flustered.

My siren hormonal self was a tease and it would be a lie if I said wasn't THIS close to inching my face closer to his and see how he'd react.

But then he'd stepped away, spewed a few words and dissapeared.

And now I'm left stranded in this room.

For a fleeting moment, I just looked around the dark black interior room. Admiring the starry ceiling, the flashes of how Zander held me and consoled me through my melodramatic antics played in my mind.

A warm feeling settles into my chest at the words he'd spoken about kidnapping and keeping me here and all those fiasco just so that I could have time for myself away from all the responsibilities.

It wasn't going to work, really.

But still, I couldn't help the silly smile from widening.

Well, atleast kudos to effort.

Although he'd have to take me back sooner rather than latter. Or the merfolks might as well declare war. One could never trust them. Besides, I couldn't run away from my duty no matter how tempting it seemed.

And I didn't want Zander to get involved in my mess.

Sighing, I fall on my back on the soft mattress of the bed and shut my eyes.

I don't know why but it was the first time I'd felt better in eons. Letting out all those frustration burried inside me from ages and Zander's embrace did really help no matter how badly I wanted to ignore the fact. . .

Shaking my head to rid away the strange feeling of comfort I felt in Zander's arms, I flutter open my eyes.

I should go find Avyanna and Derek in the castle so that in case Zander doesn't decide to bless me with his presence anytime soon, those two could take me out of Helvon and back to Seagill.

Deciding on it, I get off the bed on my footing ready to walk out of the room.

But just when I'm about to push open the door of Zander's room, I hear a voice call out to me.

"Mari," The person cooes as if speaking to a child.

I feel my body freeze.

Not this again.

Don't tell me the effects of the illusion haven't gone yet.

But despite it, I turn around slowly to glance towards where the sound came from.

Only to find an empty room.

Furrowing my brows, I shake my head vehemently as if to shoo away any after effects of the illusion.

"God, Marilla. You're going crazy." I murmur to myself and turn towards the door again, fully intending to go find a breathing person so this growing insanity could be far more tolerable.

"Mari, I'm here." The voice calls out again and this time, it's louder.

Letting out a heavy sigh, I ignore it and saunter out into the hallways of Helvon's castle instead.

The hallways are isolated. As always.

"Derek! Avyanna!" I yell trying to reach out to them.

There's no reply in return. Just silence.

Well, silence except that damned voice again.

"Mari, I'm in the clock tower. Won't you come meet me?" Layla's silken voice murmurs.

It's as if she is speaking into my ear but when I glance around the hallway, there's no one.

I furrow my brows in annoyance. Is everyone taken down by a zombie apocalypse or something? Why do I not see a single breathing creature in sight?

"I miss you, my baby sister. It's been so long since I saw you."

I let out a groan of frustration this time, "What the heck do you want?"

"You can hear me." The tone drops to an amused one.

I roll my eyes, "Well, I ought to have ears. Ears are used for hearing. Your welcome for enlightening you, you vily shadow creature."

"Shadow creature? What's that?" Layla's illusioned voice asks in confusion.

"Ugh! You gotta be kidding me." Pulling at my hair in pure irk, "Where exactly are you hiding?"

"Told you I'm at the clock tower, Mari." She whispers with a laugh.

I force creepy smile to no one in return, "Fine, let me come there and wring your neck myself."

The voice goes silent and then when I decide against going there at all, I hear her again,

"Why's this place so cold though?" Layla muses, "I'm waiting. Reach before I freeze here, please."

Those words. Those words have me going stand still.

Cold. . .

The clock tower. It actually has to be the coldest place in Helvon. . .

Oh, damn. Someone's really there.

Taking a three sixty turn, I head towards the castle's exit praying in mind I find someone in sight who I could take along or atleast Zander would finally decide to show up with his abra dabra stuff.

But nothing happens.

Even when my feet carry me out of the castle into the dreary garden, even when I rush through one side of the bridge to the another, even when I stand in front of the tall brick tower, there was no one in sight.

The occasional sound of the clock's handle vibrating a tik-tok tik-tok echoed in the area as I look up at the top floor containing a balcony.

At first I see nothing, absolutely nothing but when I'm almost about to turn around and abort this mission, I see the shadow of a person standing at the balcony.

My eyes squint trying to focus on the person with my siren eye-sight.

"Not this again." I mumble defeatedly staring up at the figure of my sister.

Layla's whispy ashen hair flies in the cold wind as she stares down at me from about eighteen floor above with eyes as blue as mine.

Her peachy pink lips pull into a warm smile as she raises a hand to wave at me, "Mari, you're here. Come on up, I have something to tell you."

I stand like a statue not being able to digest things properly into my brain.

How's the illusion even working outside Moonriff Mountain? But if not an illusion, sirens don't really have the power to echo their voices to a person miles away like how I could hear Layla's voice in the castle a few minutes ago when she'd been here the whole time.

Nevertheless as seconds pass by, no matter how dumb it felt like doing so, I still find myself ascending up the many many stairs of the clock tower towards the toppest floor.

My agility does help as not minutes later, the coldest wind hits me as I reach the balcony floor.

The moment I step foot in the balcony though, Layla turns to me with a big wide smile.

"Hey, baby sister." She cooes again making me look away bitterly.

"Whatever plan you're pulling at, know that your illusions won't work on me again." I say glancing right at her similar blue eyes.

Layla and I shared so many facial features, we could almost work for twins but something always differentiated us. I don't know what but people could always distinguish who was which sister whenever they spoke to us while we were young.

An amused laughter jerks me out of my reverie as I glance back at Layla's illusioned form.

"What seven seas are you on about? Illusions? Since when could sirens do it? Infact, there's no creature who can remotely do such thing." Her laughter grows before subsiding considerably as she tilts her head to the side in wonder, "Is monarchy affecting your brain?"

For a moment, I see clear confusion on her face and a tinge of concern in her voice but it's soon replaced by the same amused look as if she was confirmed I've gone retarded.

I stare, not saying a word.

This stupid illusion should end by now.

I'm fighting it. I know it's not true this time. Shouldn't it stop then? Didn't Zander's end as well when he realized it wasn't true?

"You're quiet. That's unlike you, Mari." Layla takes a step towards me, her long silk white dress flowing along with her through the floor.

I fold my arms above my chest, "As if you know me."

These shadow creatures might sense fears and desires and secrets. But they could never know about the personality of a person.

Layla's head tilts to the side in that fascinated way again, "Something is wrong with you. You're not emotional in front of me today."

I snort, "And why should I be? Who do you think you are that I should be like 'OH MY GOD, IT'S MY DARLING' with you?"

Layla let's out a chuckle taking another step ahead and then another until she's right in front of me.

"You've become funier, little sea doll." She flicks my nose with her long finger.

I blink feeling a strange surge of emotions in my chest.

Sea doll....

Layla used to call me that a lot when we were young....

Biting my lip, I fight back the emotional turmoil inside me reminding myself again and again it's not Layla.

Layla could never be here. Heck, no one could be here without Zander's permission. No one really knew where Helvon's entryway was except the king and queens of the five kingdoms.

There was only one time I'd let Charlotte know of the entryway and look what chaos it caused.

I wasn't sure of the potential of shadow creature's powers though so I couldn't say they wouldn't be able to track down the location. But I'm sure Layla would never be able to.

This wasn't Layla. This wasn't my sister.

And even if she is—which she's not—she'd just attacked my people. She'd just attacked so many innocents. Hurt so many people. Kidnapped so many of the merfolks.

Tried to kill me. . .

A startled laughter escapes my lips suddenly as I look straight up at Layla's shadow self,

"Let's say you're actually Layla," I jab a finger at her face.

"I am, sea doll." Layla's imposter lets out a laugh, her blue eyes squinting at the finger pointed to her face.

"Okay then, my lovely sister." I smile over-sweetly at her, "Can you tell me why you always let me go on the last moment everytime you try to kill me?"

A dark cloud suddenly loomes in her icy blue irises as she stares at me, "You're mistaken. I don't."

"Oh, you don't?" I laugh rolling my eyes before my angry gaze settles on her, "Then the first time you stabbed me with that crystal dagger, your aim accidentally missed my heart, right?"

Layla's expression is cold as ever, "Yes."

"Dammit Layla, stop lying! You're the best archer and fighter in our kingdom!" I burst out before letting out a heavy sigh, "Why am I even telling this to you? You're not even her."

"You're wrong." Layla's voice drops down an octave.

I glance back to her to tell whatever shadow creature it was to fuck off from my sight.

But my eyes widen as I feel a strong force push me with a breath-knocking wind. My footing stumble from the shock and I feel my heart drop to my stomach when I notice how I'm inching closer to the balcony railing.

Willing my powers, I try to fight the force pushing me ahead.

But just as I start getting a hold of the force, I feel a presence behind me.

"You're wrong, Marilla." Layla whispers into my ears, "I actually am Layla."

I'm about protest and push her the damn away when I find my body being toppled off the railing with one strong push.

Holding my breath, I glance at Layla's cynical smiling face as she says, "And I would never hesitate to kill you, baby sister."

Then she dissapears. Low-key dissapears into thin air. As if she were a royal demon.

I feel my body grow immeasurably light as I drop down the eighteen floors of the clock tower with the fastest gravity.

These are the times I wished I was either a lycan or a raven or a demon or a vampire. I could have stopped myself from the death fall.

How funny, right? Layla or whatever that thing I just spoke to was, didn't even need a crystal dagger to kill me. Easiest way to kill a siren? Push her off a high building and she'll drop dead.

I shut my eyes inviting the brutal fall that would either have my bones shattered for gods know how long or cause my death if I wouldn't heal in time.

Just as I think I'm going to hit the ground, a heavy force swishes through me and the next moment I know, instead of falling down, I'm floating back up.

In shock, I flutter open my eyelids to find dark grey eyes peering down at me. The unmistakable sound of strong mighty wings flutter behind him.

I gape at his dark black wings then at his face.

Zander's eyes twinkle as he smirks down at me, "It's the second time I'm saving your ass, Fish. You better be thankful."