The magic surrounding us wavered as Dean Thornfield’s concentration broke. The blue glow flickered and then faded entirely, the teleportation spell dissolving into nothing.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, my voice hoarse. “You’re supposed to be with the Elder Council. They were going to cleanse you of my enchantment.”
“There was no enchantment and you know that!” Teddy practically shouted, stepping into the circle. His eyes were clear and bright, no trace of confusion or magical influence. “They did the cleansing ritual. It showed the truth.”
My heart hammered against my ribs. “What truth?”
“That you never sang to me. That youneverenchanted me.” He moved closer, close enough that I could see the flecks of gold in his hazel eyes. “But it showed something else too. My parents have been controlling me with magic my entire life. Potions, compulsion spells, everything. And being around you... your siren magic was actually breaking their enchantments, not creating new ones. You were setting mefree, Nerion. Not enchanting me.”
I stared at him, trying to process his words. “That’s... that’s not possible.”
“It is,” came another voice. One of the Elder Council members approached, her white robes billowing around her. “Sirens naturally disrupt certain types of enchantment magic. It’s part of your nature as creatures of the sea. Water washes away, cleanses, and purifies.”
“No… Teddy…” I said, still staring at him. “You… You have to leave. We can’t be together. You promised not to fall in love with me, remember?”
“Yeah, well,” he replied, teeth gritted. “I’m breaking that promise.”
“You can’t,” I whispered, stepping back. “You don’t understand what that means.”
“I understand perfectly,” Teddy said, moving closer, refusing to let me create distance between us. “I know about the curse. I know what happens if I ever stop loving you.”
My breath caught in my throat. “Who told you?”
“The ritual showed me everything. Your parents, what happened to them on that beach in Greece.” His voice softened. “I saw it all, Nerion.”
I felt exposed, vulnerable in a way I’d never experienced before. The secret I’d carried for years, the memory I’d buried deep inside me… He knew it all.
“Then you know why we can’t be together,” I insisted, my voice breaking. “I won’t put that burden on you. I won’t make you responsible for my existence.”
“It’s not your choice to make,” Teddy replied, his jaw set with determination. “It’s mine. And I choose you.”
The Elder with the antlers stepped forward, her expression solemn. “The young witch speaks the truth, siren. The ritual revealed no enchantment from you, only the liberation of his true self from years of magical manipulation.”
“You don’t understand,” I said desperately, looking between them. “Even if it starts real, what happens when it fades? When the excitement wears off? When you get bored or angry or just... change? Because people do, Teddy. They change.”
“I’m not just anyone,” Teddy said fiercely. “And I’ve been changed and molded my entire life against my will. Now that I’m finally free to choose for myself, I’m choosing you.”
Dean Thornfield cleared his throat. “Perhaps we should continue this conversation somewhere more private,” he suggested, glancing around at the open grounds.
“There’s nothing to continue,” I said, panic rising in my chest. “I’m leaving. It’s for the best.”
“Running away won’t solve anything,” Teddy argued. “Believe me, I know. My parents made sure I never ran from anything they wanted me to do.”
“This is different,” I insisted.
“Is it?” Teddy challenged. “You’re making decisions based on fear, just like they did. You’re trying to control the outcome, just like they did.”
His words hit me like a physical blow. Was I really no better than his manipulative parents? Was I making choices for him under the guise of protection?
“I watched my parents die,” I said quietly, tears finally spilling over. “I stood on that beach and watched them dissolve into nothing. My mother first, then my father. Do you have any idea what that’s like? To watch someone you love literally disappear before your eyes?”
Teddy’s expression softened. He reached out, his fingers brushing away my tears. “No, I don’t. And I can’t imagine how painful that was. But you’re letting that fear control your entire life.”
“It’s not just fear,” I argued. “It’s reality. The curse is real, Teddy.”
“Then we’ll face it together,” he said simply, as if it were the most obvious solution in the world. “I’m not asking for forever right now. I’m just asking you not to disappear right now. Just… give me a chance before you call it quits.”
The Elder Council member stepped forward again. “If I may,” she said, her voice gentle but authoritative. “Siren bonds are indeed powerful and dangerous. But they are not impossible to maintain. In the Council’s records, there are accounts of sirens who lived full lives with their chosen partners.”