Lottie’scheeks flushed with crimson, her eyes gawking. “My father!” shesaid in a desperate rush. “he came here ten years ago. Yousaw him?”
“His bodypoured over the falls, yes.”
She couldn’tkeep them back any longer. her tears streamed down. “Then it’strue,” she spoke through blubbery lips. “He did die.”
“But you knewthat,” I said, confused.
Lottie wipedher face with both hands and composed herself, shaking her head toclear it of emotions. “Yeah, I did. But part of me always wonderedif maybe he just ran off. Or was taken.” She shrugged, helpless.“You know?”
I nodded. Iknew exactly what she meant. We never did find my mother’s body,and I finally knew why. But all those years, logic told me she haddrowned. She was dead. But a part of me always held on to themaybe, the perhaps, the… hope.
Amos pushedthrough the crowd of men and came to stand next to Lottie. I feltHenry tense at my side, but I held his hand firmly. “Gaw! Enoughwith all this glabberin’ on!Where’s the God damn treasure?”
The siren,perturbed by the disheveledpirate, returned to the water. I watched as her lower half resumedits translucent appearance while the rest of her remained visible.Beautiful. “The caves you seek are hidden. And the treasure isprotected. Why should I lead you to them?”
“Please,” Ibegged her. “I need it to save someone dear to me.”
“So, you havenoble intentions?” she asked. I nodded. “I already granted you awish, Time Traveller. For nothing in return. This time I require atoken.”
“A token? Whatdo you mean?”
Henry leanedin and whispered. “Be careful, Dianna. The Fae are fickle andtwisted. She could very well lead you to your death with a slightof words.”
I cast my eyesback out to the water. “What exactly do you want from me?”
Her toothymouth twisted into a grin, accompanied by a strange and deviouslook I’d yet to witness her make. It made me uneasy. “I ask nothingof you right now. But I shall call on you in the future. It couldbe tomorrow, it could be on your deathbed. But I will call, and youwill answer. Agree, and I’ll lead you to the caves.”
I chewed mybottom lip in thought. I didn’t like the idea of agreeing tosomething I had no knowledge of. She could ask me for anything inthe world and I’d have to oblige.
“Dianna, don’tdo this. We’ll find another way,” Henry begged me.
But there wasno other way. Maria was on a warpath to my mother, with a decent head start on us. Ihad Amos and his crew of pirates, thirsty for my blood if I didn’thold up my end of the bargain. I inhaled deeply. “Fine. Iaccept.”
“Dianna!”Henry said angrily.
I shrugged andshook my head, pleading him for forgiveness. “We don’t have achoice.”
“There’salways a choice,” he replied, eyes glistening.
My hearttightened in my chest at his pain. “Not that I can see. I’m sorry.”I turned to the siren. “Show us to the caves.”
We all watchedas the sea creature raised herself up and then dove back down intothe water with a splash, creating massive ripples as she did. Justlike the night I came back. Only this time, instead of creating agiant whirlpool to suck us into oblivion, the water from our feetto the rock wall which surrounded the tiny island parted. The waterrose above us, suspended in time. As if invisible glass walls heldit in place so we could walk through to where two cave mouths wererevealed.
“Come on!” Icalled to everyone and we entered the chasm.
Just as wereached the entrance of both caves, the siren stepped out of thewater next to us and resumed her terrifying, yet beautifulmermaid-like form. “Two choices. One will lead you to the treasure.The other will take you back out to the Earth above.”
“Which one dowe pick?” I asked.
The sirendidn’t answer, and I watched as she stepped back through the wallof suspended water, disappearing in an echo of crazed laughter.
“Great,” Finncalled out with a moan. “This is just lovely.”
Amos stareddown at me in despise. “You said you knew which cave.”
“Watch it,”Henry warned him and the pirate backed away.
I glanced backand forth between the two dark mouths, trying to decide which tochoose. They were identical in every way, no determiningdifference. Both were near-perfect circles, about ten feet indiameter. Neither even had a glimmer of light from the sun on theother side, which told me the one which was an exit was probably along way out. But I had to choose, and I had to do it fast.
“It’s the oneon the right,” Lottie piped up.
I leaned andwhispered low. “How do you know?”
“I don’t,” shewhispered back. “But I remember my father always saying that theright one is always the right one. He used it for everything. Thesilliest motto, really, when you think about it. Of course, theright one is correct.” She stared at the dark holes before us. “Butwhat if the right one is truly the right one?”
I could havekissed her beautiful face right there in front of everyone. Piratesand their curious ways, their twisted words, and riddles. I knew then, the cave on therighthand side had to be the correct one.
“Finn, can yougrab that stick right there?” I removed the white scarf I worearound my neck and wrapped it tightly around the tip of the stickand then lit a match to it. I held the homemade torch in my hand asI led the way into the cave, and hopefully to our treasure.
The cavityseemed to incline slightly the deeper we went. We trudged alongquietly, the only sounds were that of our labored breaths and slickfootsteps on the wet, rocky floor. I admired the way the firelightmade the damp stone glisten and the brown seaweed that hung fromthe tops appear alive. Like lazy tentacles. Finally, we came to theend. A solid wall of stone.
And notreasure.
“No!” I crieddesperately as I felt the jagged surface in front of us.
“What kind oftrickery is this?” Amos spoke angrily. “Why lead us to a deadend?”
“Mindyourself,” Henry warned him and stepped close beside
