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My eyes blazed as a thrilling energy zapped through my veins, my blood, my eyes. I could feel the intensity of the raw powers that had been taken out of me spring to life.

My gaze landed on Ursula with a predatory glint.

Ursula who'd been standing on her spot observing me with bored look, now seemed startled. The green of her eyes widened in pure terror as she took a step back.

She must've thought I wouldn't even think of hurting her. Because no matter what she did, I'd been fond of her growing up. She'd been the one to guide me to be a queen. I'd really trusted her.

But she'd broken that trust. She'd hurt Layla and in return hurt me. She'd separted us, put Layla in great peril for something she hadn't ever been responsible for.

And no matter how much I'd been fond of Ursula, nothing could justify what she did to Layla. She had to pay for that.

To test my newfound powers, I flicked my wrist through the air in front of me drawing a straight horizontal line that glowed electric blue but could cut through ice.

A smirk lit up my lips. I wouldn't even need a weapon with that glow thing that worked like a blade. It was pure, lethal God power and it was. . .amazing.

Shifting my sight to Ursula, I saw her take one after another step back attempting to flee now that she knew she had no way out without losing her pathetic life. I darted over to the woman and grabbed her arm with my left hand.

Ursula's eyes flew wide open in panic, "Don't run, my sweet hun. Would you not listen to the queen?" It felt weird to sing-song the words in my siren voice after so long of barely using it.

It was as enchanting as it had always been but somehow the intensity of the voice seemed so much stronger now, pro of having my added powers I suppose.

Siren's song could lure people into madness. Could make them do anything despite their better judgement. They would realize what they're doing, they might even want to not do it but over all the urges, the urge that would be the strongest would be to hear to that voice again and again whisper sweet nothings.

It was very much like compulsion. The only difference though, is that compulsion would result the person to do what is asked of them without any hesitation. A person might compulse you to jump off the cliff and you'd do it. No questions asked. Because you wouldn't even know what you're doing. And after the compulsion is taken off, you wouldn't remember a penny of what you did.

Siren's song though, can't numb a brain. It'll just make all the other senses hyper-active making you want to do what is asked of you. And once the song is stopped, you'll remember every bit of what you did. And if someone has a very strong mind, they can even fight off a siren's song. Compulsion, they can't unless they have talismans worn against the power.

Ursula fell into a daze, her mind weak as it may be, falling into the song's bidding. Her arms fell limply against her sides indicating she wouldn't run but their was a horrified look in her eyes.

Good. She should know what I was doing.

"I want to be fair, so I wouldn't ask you to stand still while I kill you. You can fight me as long as you don't run." This time I utter the words in my normal voice and she snaps out of the siren song stupor.

Instantly, she lunges forward and I realize she had a crystal dagger clutched in her hand all along.

But it was fine.

Just as the dagger nears my heart, I swish to the side fast as a eagle. Taking the advantage of her slipping forward towards the floor due to the lost aim, I grab her arms and knee her spine brutally.

Ursula hisses, the dagger falling out of her palm at the pain lurching up her back.

I don't wait for her to gather the weapon again. Twisting her arms, I turn her around so she's facing me.

"You're not Mariane's daughter. Stop acting like the vile woman." Ursula seethes, trying to wriggle out of my tight hold on her wrists that I have clasped behind her back.

"You know what?" I tighten my hold on her wrist with one of my hand and bring my other hand up towards her face.

My palms glow violently. I smile as I slide my index finger down the side of Ursula's face making a clean deep cut, drawing blood in its wake.

Ursula hisses profoundly and my smile widens, "My mother must be Heather. But Mariane raised me as her daughter. I'm more like Mariane than Layla is. So technically, I'm supposed to be a bit cruel, aren't I?"

Atleast with the enemies.

Ursula snickered a bitter snicker, "If that's true, then you should've died instead of your cousin sister taking the blow." Then she spat, "No one like Mariane is supposed to live. Neither you nor that Layla bitch."

There she goes again. Calling Layla names even after. . .

Quitting with a single finger, I spread my palm wide over her face and see the skin of her face beneath my hand sizzle and burn.

Ursula screams as blood pours down her face, as the lids of her left eye melts showing eyeballs when I drag my palm over them sliding it down towards her throat.

"You should've died." I say feeling the vein of her pulse beat frantically under my fingertips as her skin started burning a bright pink, "Layla would've never suffered then. If she hadn't suffered, she would've never tried to vent out the injustice cast upon her on the merfolks. She would've never turned against me, the kingdom and the merfolks. You are the root of every problem caused. And you know what they say, if you want to end a venomous plant, rip it out of its root. So I need to end you."

Ursula yelps as my hand wraps around her throat. Her own hand clasps over my wrist, her nails desperately digging into my skin creating half-moon marks.

Mermaids couldn't use much of their powers when on land. Despite the fact that Ursula wasn't in the water right now, her not knowing any physical martial art was a very big con on her side.

Not that I could do anything about it. She'd lived long enough, she could've learnt. It's not my fault she can't even defend herself right now.

But she wasn't going to have a easy death. I couldn't let her have that after her taking Layla away from me just when I thought we could mend things between us.

Ursula would suffer every inch of what Layla did, even if I don't know most of what happened to her in the slave establishment.

I let go of Ursula's throat and before she could even breathe, I slashed my hand down in a wide arch on her right shoulder severing her right hand out.

Ursula screamed, her voice booming over the walls.

It didn't faze me. I just did the same thing to the other shoulder blade disabling her from both her hands as they fell to floor in a heap of blood and bones and tissues.

Ursula cried in pain falling to her knees, "Let me go!" She begged trying to scoot away from me as I took a step towards her.

I wanted to feel bad, wanted it to leave a guilt in my heart. But all I saw is Layla's face instead of Ursula's, crying those same words.

Layla must've said that too. She must've asked, begged for mercy from Ursula to not sell her, from those captors in the slave establishment who must've done unspeakable things to her. But no one had listened to her pleas. She'd suffered and I wasn't able to do anything for her.

Making the one who was the cause of Layla's misery suffer would be the only thing I could do now.

I stalked over to Ursula who fell down on the floor in a fit of panic. I towered her frame. Her skin was burnt at all the places my hands had made contact. Her dress sleeves were bloody and hanging loosely on her shoulders that bore no arms anymore.

Let's end this.

I leant down towards her. Letting my palms warm again, in one quick movement, I slashed my hand across her neck like a knife swishing her throat open.

Ursula's eyes rolled to the back on her head as blood gushed out of her throat. She writhed against the floor a few times before her life left her and she ended laying limply on the floor.

I stepped back, feeling horrified at what I'd done but at the same time there wasn't a single remorse.

My eyes blurred as I stepped back from Ursula's severely mutated corpse on the floor. I took another step back then another until a large warm hand clamped down on my shoulder.

I turned to the person to avoid looking at anything except what I'd done.

"You're trembling." Poseidon said softly, "It's okay. She deserved it." He bought his hand up to pat my head, "It's okay, Easter."

"Easter?" I croak out as a tear slips down my cheek.

"Your mother used to call you Easter egg and sometimes Dove when you were in her womb." His smile was full of fondness and sadness.

"You really loved her, didn't you?" My hands were still shivering, my powers begging to unleash again.

"With everything I had." He retorted honestly before taking a look of my face, "God powers are overwhelming to handle by half-bloods if they don't learn to control it from childhood. There would've been no one to teach you to control them, that's another reason I took them away from you."

There was no one for me now either. With Layla gone. . . .I don't have anyone. Zander would be there but. . .

"I get it." I answered distantly, staring down at my glowing palms, "Can you please take the powers back?"

Poseidon stared before blinking down at me and spreading his arms for an embrace, "Come here, child."

I don't know what took over me but I lurched into my father's arms as tears streamed down my cheeks.

"I know it's late, but I'll help you learn to control them and use them in enough intensity so that Zeus doesn't sense it. I was too much of a coward to reveal myself to you earlier in the risks of Zeus finding out somehow. But now you know who I am and I'll try to be a better father. If you still don't want the powers or you prefer I stay away, then I'd understand." The last line seemed uncertain and sad.

He'd lost the love of his life. His brother was a horrible man. And I don't think any titan Gods above Poseidon, Zeus and Hades even existed anymore.

He had no one either. No one except his daughter. Except me.

"Thank you." I said letting him know I accept his offer of teaching me to control my powers.

I stepped back out of his embrace and swiped at my cheeks.

"How about you starting with showing me how to lift the curse?" I asked with a soft smile.

Poseidon returned the smile before a seriousness took over his features, "Let's do this."

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Zander and Derek had cleared almost everyone out of the isle by the time Marilla killed Ursula.

Now, with only the two of them left, Zander quickly turned to Derek, "I'll teleport you."

Derek shook his head vigorously, "Avyanna and. . . Laira. I still need to find them. I'm sure they're both at the same place somewhere in the castle."

Zander peeked a quick glance at the ballroom. Marilla and Poseidon would lift the curse soon. If they didn't make it out quick and if the isle bursted amidst the whole curse-undoing, then they'd both be dead meat. But Derek was right. They had to find the Avyanna and Laira.

They also had to find-

Zander's eyes widened, "Wait, I need to check the cave portal again! If the cave explodes then the gateway to Lethe forest in the underworld would dissapear forever. Hades won't willingly let us go to the woods even if we visit him in the underworld. The cave portal is the only way in!"

"You idiot, you're realizing this now?! What were you doing the past week? Sulking?!" Derek hollered, "Your mother could be in there! And this place might burst up in minutes!"

"I know I know." Zander tugged at his hair in frustration, "I need to check."

"Okay okay, relax." Derek chided, "I'll go look for Avyanna and Laira. You go look for your mother. Deal?"

Zander nodded with a long sigh before casting Derek a glance, "Good luck, man."

Derek shook his head with a small smile, "Thanks, bitch. And same to you." A mischievous look crossed his face suddenly, "By the way, congratulations on being tied down my the mating."

Zander's eyes widened at how Derek had figured out but before he could ask, his friend had already turned on his heel and ran into the corridors in a mad-dash of a search.

With a roll of his eyes, Zander let out a sigh before shutting his eyes and winnowing himself to the cave entrance as he prayed to every God existing it didn't take as long as last time to reach the portal.

It was time he met his mother again.