“I didn’t see them…” Burnside commented sadly. “I wasn’t expecting anyone but the Mer messenger to be there. And she was faster than me. She got to the child first.”
Zani watched, vaguely horrified, as Burnside fell toward the water, almost colliding with the young witch hovering below. He broke the surface neatly. But she fell off her broom.
The witches would not have been able to see what Zani could from her vantage point, with her enhanced vision. Which was that as Burnside Porter broke the surface and kicked his legs to dive deeper, he transformed. It was only a matter of seconds until he became a more aquatic creature with a long, slim blue tail. Zani gasped.
“You’re a Siren!”
“Half,” Porter corrected. “Almost all porters are hybrids. My mother was a Siren. She served the royal family. As have I through the years. I’m most comfortable on land, but I can transform when necessary, and breathe beneath the ocean.”
“I thought there was a war going on between the Sirens and Merfolk?” Zani asked.
“There is, but many Sirens remain loyal to the Mer,” Burnside pointed to the scene below. “Save your questions for later. There’s more you must see now.”
“Minodaura!” the second witch wailed. “Sister!”
For a second or two, the fallen girl’s broom hovered there without her. Then it turned itself stick down and plunged in after her.
The remaining witch flew back and forth frantically, skimming the surface and searching. But their airship was blocking what little light the night sky afforded and the streak of light below had dissipated. There was only a distant glow now. The young witch reached for her wand and drew a bright light from the tip. Desperate, she plunged the tip beneath the waves. But it was pointless. Her little light was no match for the darkness of the depths all around her.
“Sister!” she wailed, leaning forward. She thrust her free hand into the frigid water, as if she meant to reach in and pull her sister out. “Minodaura!” she desperately called out again, reaching deeper, voice choked with emotion.
Zani felt herself choking up. Where had her aunt gone? And who was this girl calling her sister?
“I am here, Philadaura!” Minodaura shot straight out of the water, still seated on her broom. But that wasn’t the most impressive part. Under one arm, Minodaura was clutching a tightly woven basket.
When Zani saw the twin sister’s warm fingers reaching out to lace together, she almost couldn’t believe it. She gasped and almost cried at the joy and shock of it.
“Who was that?” Philadaura asked, glancing up at the dirigible. “Do you think they are pirates?”
“Probably! I’ve heard they’re using airships now.” Minodaura shrugged. “I don’t intend to stick around long enough to find out. We need to get this child back to her parents. Whoever was carrying her must have gotten spooked. She was just floating down there, all alone. And would you look at this?”
Minodaura pulled her hand away and reached into the basket, retrieving an ancient-looking amulet. It glowed a curious shade of red that was enchanting to behold. She held it up in front of the other girl. Philadaura was clearly mesmerized.
“I bet this is what they’re after!” Minodaura said, glancing up at the airship suspiciously. She pulled the chain to the amulet over her sister’s head. “Bring this back to the lighthouse. The wards will keep it safe and we can return it to the Merfolk after the danger has passed. I’m going back in to see if I can find her parents. They must be so worried about her.”
Minodaura glanced downward. There was still a faint glow in the waters beneath them, but it was impossible to judge at what depth.
“You can’t be serious.” Philadaura shook her head. “How will you breathe?”
“I’m with her.” Minodaura gestured to the basket. “The sea will not take me while she’s in my care.”
“But what about the pirates?” Philadaura gazed up at the sky, and then down below again, no longer sure in which direction the threat lay.
“I don’t know.” Minodaura shook her head gravely. “But I doubt any pirate can swim faster than me on my broom. I’d like to see you try, you nasty pirates!” Minodaura screamed up angrily at the airship.
“Is she all right?” Philadaura asked, gesturing at the basket.
“Yes. Sleeping, if you can believe it.” Minodaura smiled, peeking inside again.
“And what of her parents?” Philadaura asked.
Minodaura shook her head. “They can’t be too far away.” She glanced down at the pale flickering light below. “I think that might be them. We must hurry.” Quickly, she embraced Philadaura. “I will see you back at the lighthouse, beloved sister, and not a word of this to Father!”
This was the last thing her young aunt said before pointing her broom back down toward the unknowable world beneath them and vanishing.
“Wait!” Philadaura called after her. “I don’t want to go back. How can I go back before I know that you’re safe?”
Burnside gripped her hand tighter now. “I know I don’t have to tell you that you shouldn’t try to intervene. We cannot change history,” he warned her.
