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Chapter 1



“Syrena!”



With a gasp, Syrena Lancaster sat up in bed, her heart pounding in her ears. Beads of sweat clung to her skin, giving the impression that she was glimmering in the rays of moonlight. Her lungs fought for air as fear flooded through her veins. Syrena jumped when she felt a hand touch hers and she looked into the frightened eyes of her bedfellow, Mona Ellington.



“Did you have the dream again?”



Syrena nodded and swallowed down the wave of nausea that was threatening to crash upon her. She reached behind her and touched the long cut between her shoulder blades. It stung in annoyance and when she looked at her fingers, they were stained in blood. Mona lifted up the back of her shirt and sucked in a breath at the sight.



“You would think after seventeen years, this would have healed.”



Syrena reached under her pillow and pulled out a tiny dark green pot. She removed the lid and proceeded to hand it to Mona who began to spread a thick pink pasted over the wound. A hissing sound was made as the cure began to eat away at the dried blood and severed flesh.



“What time is it?” Syrena asked, careful not to wake the other sleeping girls.



“A little after five.”



“I’m sorry for waking you…”



“It’s alright. I’m glad to help out a friend.” Mona replied, gently touching her cut to check for bleeding.



The next few moments passed in silence.



“Do you remember anything yet…about your cut?”



“No, nothing.”



Mona sighed and pulled Syrena’s shirt back down, satisfied the wound had closed once again.



“I wouldn’t expect you to. You were only a baby when Madame Sinclair found you on the orphanage’s steps. I can still remember that night.” Mona murmured, disappearing into the memory of her seventh birthday.



Mona had told Syrena the story many times. Madame Sinclair was locking the doors of the orphanage for the night when she saw a bundle upon the steps outside. She opened the door and saw a baby nestled into a dirty blanket, Syrena. Madame Sinclair rushed her to the infirmary and when the nurse unfolded the blanket, her body was covered in blood from a fresh cut between her shoulder blades. No matter what poultices or cures they tried, the wound refused to heal. So, Madame Sinclair entrusted Mona to look after her. Since that night, Syrena believed Mona to be her protector.



“We should go back to sleep. Madame will be waking us in an hour for chores. You know how she gets when one of us is too tired to work.”



Syrena jolted back to reality at the sound of Mona’s voice. She nodded and slowly lowered herself down, trying not to open the cut.



“Good night Syrena.” Mona whispered, rolling onto her side.



Syrena’s golden eyes watched her friend as she slept. Mona’s mousy brown hair floated up and down with each breath she expelled from her lungs. Syrena envied her. Mona could sleep peacefully while she was plagued by images of destruction and fear every night. Images that would make even the bravest man beg for mercy.



Mona’s freckled cheeks twitched as a smile appeared on her face, a sign of a good dream. Syrena averted her gaze to the ceiling of the orphanage, a pain forming in her chest at the sight of her friend’s pleasure. The dark ceiling was cold and unfriendly. She felt dread creep into her stomach as she watched the darkness grow from the moon passing behind a cloud. She did not belong here.



“What did I do to deserve this? Was I not good enough for my parents? Why am I here?” Syrena whispered to the darkness.



Suddenly, a beam of light broke through the shadows. Syrena quickly looked towards the window and saw a falling star passing by the window. She folded her hands as if she were praying and closed her eyes.



“I wish to be where I belong.”



~*~



“Good morning girls!”



The rustling of bed sheets woke Syrena from her slumber. She opened her eyes and sunlight blinded her for a moment. She did not remember how long she slept but it did not come easily. Her body ached and her cut burned in annoyance as she rolled out of bed.



Like all of the girls, Syrena stood at the side of the bed, back straight and head erect. Madame Sinclair strolled between the rows, assessing each girl for exhaustion or sickness. If you were found guilty of one of the impurities, you would be punished accordingly, be it through extra chores, whipping, or even isolation.



Madame Sinclair paused in front of Syrena, her violet high-heeled shoe tapping in impatience. Syrena looked at her mistress and scrutinized her appearance. Madame Sinclair’s wispy grey hair was tied back into a tight bun that stretched her face. Her grey eyes were squinting in annoyance at something upon Syrena’s neck. Her thin lips were pursed while a large brown mole quivered on her chin. Her skin looked almost a grey as her hair, developed from months of no sunlight.



“Syrena. I have been kind to you. Have I not?”



“You have been very kind, Madame Sinclair.”



Madame Sinclair started to circle around Syrena, her hands clasped behind her.



“Then why have you sullied another of my shirts? It is covered in dirt, ash, and blood.”



“Madame Sinclair! She meant no disrespect!”



“Silence Mona.”



Mona stepped back to her original position and looked down at the floor, her cheeks burning. Syrena turned to her hostess, her eyes glittering with fury.



“Syrena, seeing as how this is the fourth time you’ve disappointed me, you will spend the next three days in isolation.”



Gasps erupted from the other girls as Syrena received her punishment. Isolation took place in a small cupboard near the infirmary. Syrena clenched her fists and stared at Madame Sinclair.



“I lied. You have NEVER been kind to me. I do everything you ask of me and yet you are never pleased. You are complaining about a shirt? Well, I’d like to file some complaints if you don’t mind. You put us through unnecessary labor; you underfeed us while you stuff your face in your office. You are FAT, LAZY, POWERHUNGRY, TYRANT!”



Syrena felt a sharp sting on her cheek and saw Madame Sinclair snarling in disgust, her hand raised.



“Insolent girl! Come along now! You just earned yourself a week in isolation!”



Madame Sinclair took hold of Syrena’s arm and dug her nails in as she pulled her out of the dormitory. Syrena struggled against the growing pain in her arm but her captor held on tight, her nails piercing the skin deeper each time she tried to escape.



Madame Sinclair threw open the door to the cupboard and tried to force Syrena inside. Syrena whipped her head around and bit down hard upon Madame Sinclair’s shoulder. She screamed with fury and lashed out, kicking Syrena hard in the stomach. With the wind knocked out of her, Syrena fell back into the cupboard unable to move. The door slammed shut and the lock was bolted.



“I hope you bleed to death in there, you ungrateful bitch!”



The grate on the door was shuttered and Syrena was alone.



The next three days passed by in silence. There weren’t any clocks in the cupboard so Syrena had to judge the time of day from the sun that was visible through a small window. She spent all of her time trapped in that little cupboard without any human contact. Three times a day she was delivered a tray of food under the door, but the portion was meager and very unappetizing. Syrena’s dreams became steadily worse as the nights came and went. She awoke screaming and found her arms bloody from scratching them in her sleep. It was as if she was trying to fight away some hidden demon.



The sound of plastic scraping against stone was heard as a tray of food passed into her cell. Syrena rose from the small cot that was crammed against the wall and contemplated her evening nourishment.



“Sludge and dog piss…my favorite.”



She pushed the soup and the mushed tuna back under the door and resumed her silent vigil.

Syrena spent her days delving into her memories, trying to unlock some of the mysteries of her past. Where did she come from? Why was she given up? Her attempts of remembering often left her breathless with the intensity of her concentration. No matter what she tried, her answers remained hidden.



Syrena’s nights of isolation brought dark visions of battles and death. She woke up screaming, her sheets soaked with blood from her cut that would tear itself open. She would scream for the pain, the dreams, for mercy. Little by little, she began to believe she was going mad. The next night, she vowed, she would not sleep.



As the rays of sunlight woke Syrena, the sound of scratching was heard from behind the door. Syrena crept towards the sound, her breath coming out in ragged gasps. She quickly grabbed her pillow with the intention to suffocate whoever was lurking.



“Hello?” she whispered, pressing her face to the grate.



She was met with silence until the grate was thrown open. She winced as the bright artificial light hit her unadjusted eyes. A pair of warm brown eyes met hers, Mona’s.



“Oh, Mona!” Syrena exclaimed with relief.



She dropped the pillow and slid her fingers through the thin grate. Mona’s fingers met hers and she gripped them tightly, trying to provide a sense of security.



“I only have a few minutes. I’m on serving duty tonight and I told Cook I had to use the bathroom.”



Syrena felt the first tears run down her cheeks as she heard this. Mona was risking a lot to even see her.



“Syrena…I’m so sorry.”



“I think I’m going mad!” she sobbed.



Mona gripped her fingers tighter as pain appeared in her eyes.



“I’ve heard you screaming…I can’t imagine the horrors you’ve been seeing at night.”



“The dreams are getting worse. All I see is death. I’m standing in the middle of a barren field. All of the stars have gone out, the moon my only source of light. The only thing I could see were bodies some ripped apart, others still whole. The looks upon their faces was that of pure horror. I’ve never seen anything like it. Then a figure appeared, clothed in black. I could not see a face but just looking at it made every hair on my body stand straight. I tried to rub but it was as if I had been paralyzed. The stranger approached me, its hands drenched in the blood of the fallen. It grabbed my face and it was like my body was on fire. Black flames licked my skin, burning me alive. Just as I was about to die, I woke up.”



Syrena shook as she told her story, the horror of the dream lingering.



“Whenever I wake up, I can still smell the burning flesh.” I’m terrified to fall asleep. I can’t take another night of this. I’m at my breaking point Mona!”



“SYRENA! SNAP OUT OF IT!”



Mona’s yell felt like a slap in the face to Syrena. She turned her attention to Mona’s eyes, seeing only fiery determination.



“If you keep talking like this you will go mad! You need to relax! Seeing you this distraught…I’m disappointed. You are so much stronger than this! In all of the years I’ve known you, never have I seen you this weak. Stop dreading the night and the nightmares will cease to exist. If you fall asleep afraid, your dreams will respond to the fear. You are causing the dreams and only you can stop them. Be the strong woman I know you are, not this weak child!”



Syrena stared at Mona as she concluded her speech and a smile formed on her face.



“I’ve never seen you this angry.” Syrena said, laughing.



“Oh shut up! I’m not all sugar and rainbows!” Mona replied, her eyes playful.



“Thank you.” Syrena whispered, squeezing her friend’s fingers.



“I’ve been saving that speech for just this sort of occasion.”



A door banged open down the hall and Mona quickly withdrew her fingers.



“I have to go now. You’ll be out of isolation tomorrow morning and everything will go back to normal.”



Mona quickly closed the grate and Syrena listened to her footsteps fade in the direction of the dormitories. She returned to her bed and looked out of the window behind her. The light from the sun warmed her face as she lay down.



“Mona’s right. I just have to think positive!”



For the first time in a very long time, Syrena felt something stir inside her…hope.



That night, Syrena’s dreams were filled with light. She dreamt that she was flying over the clouds, the warm wind caressing her face. She was finally free! Suddenly, a strange taste filled her mouth. Blood.



Her eyes shot open and she found herself face down, her mouth covered in warm blood. Her eyes widened and her heart began to pound as she felt something sticky and hot running down her back. Why was her cut bleeding when she was having such a good dream? Something was very wrong. She looked over towards the door and found it wide open.



“What the hell?” Syrena murmured.



She crept down the long hallway, her footsteps echoing off the marble floor. Her senses were on alert as she reached for one of the lit candleholders on the walls. The large grandfather clock in the entrance hall read half past nine. It’s too early for Madame Sinclair to be in bed, she thought. This conclusion only added to the growing numbness that was spreading through her veins. The only thing she could feel were the drops of blood that continuously ran down her back.



Syrena pushed open the large oak doors to the dormitories and shone her light inside. All of the girls were asleep, unaware of the dark presence that was lingering inside the orphanage. She rushed over to where Mona was sleeping and shook her roughly.



“Mona. Come on. We have to get out of here.” she whispered.



Suddenly a hand shot out from the covers and clamped down on hers. The blankets were pushed back and a man rose from her bed. He was dressed in a pair of tight black jeans, a ripped grey wife beater, and long black combat boots. His skin was tanned and his arms were well-developed from years of hard work. His head was bare except for a strip of hair that traveled down from the middle of his head and ending in a tight ponytail. A long white scar traveled from the corner of his right eye down to his collar bone. The stranger’s eyes however, shocked her the most. The naturally white scleras were now as dark as his pupils.



“Well…hello Miss Barlow.”



Syrena opened her mouth to scream but she was silenced as the man placed a long silver knife to her throat. He shook his head, tongue clicking against his teeth in disapproval. He began to circle around her, keeping the knife firmly against her neck.



“Let’s be a good girl now. No one has to die.”



Syrena swallowed the fear rising in her throat and tried to quiet her shallow breaths. Mona said I was strong, now is the time to prove it. Syrena turned her topaz eyes to the stranger’s and pushed aside the feeling of despair that oozed from his soul.



“Who are you?”



The stranger chuckled and pushed the knife deeper into her skin. She winced but did not take her eyes off of him.



“Why would I tell you that Miss Barlow? I’m not one to ruin my fun.”



“I think you must be mistaken. My name is Syrena Lancaster.”



He raised his eyebrows and quickly spun her around so her back was towards him. Syrena gasped when she felt his hands start to roll up the back of her shirt.



“No! Let me go!” she yelled, frantically wiggling around in his grip.



“Oh shut up…I’m not going to rape you.” he muttered, rolling his eyes.



Syrena felt his fingers gently trace her cut, pulling at the edges. After a few moments he grabbed a fistful of her red and black hair and pulled her onto her feet. She howled in pain as some of her hair was torn out of her skull.



“Don’t lie to me! You have the sign!”



“I don’t know what you’re talking about! What sign?!”



The man hissed in anger and pushed her against the door, his body pressing against hers barring her escape. The knife returned to her throat and she stared angrily into his eyes. His sour breath overwhelmed her nostrils and caused her eyes to water.



“Give me the crystal or everyone dies.”



“What crystal?!” Syrena spat. “I’m telling you, I don’t know what you’re talking about!”



“Don’t lie to me. I have seen it with my own eyes. This is your last chance. Give me the crystal or your sister’s will die.”



The man pointed his knife to the sleeping girls. Syrena noticed now that the girls were awake, yet they were paralyzed, frozen in time.



“What have you done to them?” she breathed in astonishment.



“It’s a simple Shadow Binding. They cannot run, they cannot move, and they cannot fight back… a horrible way to die if you ask me.”



Syrena watched the girls, powerless to help them. She looked down at the floor, tears streaming down her face. The man watched her for a few moments and once he was convinced she wouldn’t give him what he wanted, he slapped her hard across the face. Syrena gasped as she fell to the floor, catching herself with her hands.



“If their deaths can’t persuade you, maybe hers will. Anton! Viktor! Bring her in!”



Syrena’s head shot up as the door to the boy’s dormitory opened. Two thin men walked in, dragging a body behind them. Both men had black eyes, just like her captor. They dropped the body onto the floor, its head slowly rising to look at her.



“Mona!” Syrena called, scrambling to her feet and rushing to her friend.



“Oh no you don’t!”



The man stretched out his hand and a long rope of black smoke shot out from his palm. The rope wound itself around Syrena’s waist and tightened itself. He curled his pointer finger and the rope began to retract, yanking her back against his chest with a loud thud. She felt his breath against her ear.



“I really didn’t want to have to do this but you’ve given me no choice. Here’s how this is going to work. Her fate is now on your shoulders. Give me the crystal…or watch your friend die.”



“No…no…YOU MONSTER!”



Syrena felt her body begin to vibrate. Warmth spread from her cut to every cell of her body. She felt her eyes roll back into her head as her body began to glow.



“Anton! Viktor! It’s time to go!”



The man released Syrena from her bondage and a black smoke cloud leaked out from under his feet and wrapped around his body until he was completely hidden. His henchman followed in similar fashion and when the cloud’s disappeared, they were gone.



Syrena opened her mouth in a silent scream as her body grew brighter and brighter. A humming sound filled the air as her energy grew even stronger. Mona dragged herself across the floor and grabbed onto Syrena’s hand. She placed a small locket into her palm and closed her eyes, a single tear rolling down her cheek.



“Take care of yourself.” she whispered.



With a bang, the light from Syrena exploded out of every pore of her body. The whole orphanage was blinded by the force and power of Syrena’s energy. Her cut felt like it was on fire and she felt something sliding out of it. The sounds of bombs exploding were heard as the walls started to crumble. The curtains were lit with flames and they quickly traveled to the beds, engulfing the frozen children.



As the light faded away, a small white crystal slid completely out of her cut and hovered in front of her. Syrena watched the crystal in fascination. It was long, thin and clear with a sparkling white halo surrounding the base. Syrena could hear whispers coming from the crystal but they sounded weak and far away. Her eyes returned to their original color and her legs buckled under her. Her head slammed against the floor, the crystal falling beside her. She could taste blood from a deep gash on her forehead. Syrena’s world began to morph and darken as the orphanage continued to collapse around her. The flames roared, eating everything in their path.



“Happy birthday to me…happy birthday to me…happy birthday dear Syrena…happy birthday to me.” she sang under her breath as her eyes started to close.



She heard footsteps approaching but she did not have the energy to turn her head to see who it was. A pair of unfamiliar dark brown eyes appeared in front of hers. A hood covered the stranger’s head and a red bandana covered its mouth. The last thing she remembered was being picked up by a pair of strong arms before her world turned black.