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But this boat would not move. What in the seven seas were they doing?

With an aggrieved sigh, she kicked her tail to propel herself straight upward, the water turning clear as she neared the surface. She kept going, breaking through with a delighted shriek. Dragging the garbage net with her, she leaped through the air and caught hold of the largest mast. Blinking her eyes to adjust to the harsh sunshine, she tossed the net indiscriminately on the deck of the boat, making sailors dive out of the way.

Her tail shone, her fins and scales iridescent blue and pink in the sun.

“Siren!” yelled one of the men. “Siren!”

She wrapped her tail around the mast and slid down it, surveying the scene before her. It was a fishing boat, with nets and rods and a pile of dead-eyed flounder growing stinky in the heat. The men were probably from Klatos, the nearest port city. In the distance, the brown and green land shimmered on the horizon like a mirage.

“You will dispose of this garbage,” she said, her musical voice bouncing off the water. “Now. Or I will eat you for my supper.”

She burst into laughter at the mens’ reactions to her presence. Several jammed their hands over their ears, fearing Sirensong. Others wore expressions of wide-eyed desire as they gazed at her body. It never ceased to amuse her, the ridiculous contradictions of the male nature.

A siren’s first weapon was her beauty. Even as the men feared for their lives, they gave in to the temptation to stare at her bare gleaming skin, ocean-blue eyes, and pouty pink lips. Her wet silvery-white hair clung to her shoulders and pert bust. To disarm them further, she gave a slow, smirking smile. The men covering their ears dropped their hands, their mouths going slack.

One sailor stepped forward, pulling his battered hat from his head and holding it in front of him with both hands, as if it might protect him. He was older than the others. The captain, perhaps.

“I, uh—” He gulped. “We’re from Klatos. Our boat, uh?—”

Riella slid farther down the mast and leaned forward, so that her face was level with his.

“Speak up, human,” she said in a teasing voice.

He cleared his throat and tried again, sweat pouring from his bald head. “Our rudder was destroyed on the reef. We’re unable to return to port.”

Riella bared her teeth and hissed, making the man stumble backward in fear. “Surely you meant to say that you damaged the reef with your rudder?”

His face crumpled. “Yes. I am sorry. Sorry. I’m sorry.”

“Shut up!” she howled, her voice scaling several octaves. She could feel the Sirensong bursting to spring forth from her throat. “Save your breath, for you will need it when I fling you into the ocean as an offering to the sacred beauty you feel so entitled to desecrate.”

He fell silent, quivering.

Riella considered her options. She was supposed to return to Zydenthis soon for the ceremony. But the boat would sink sooner or later if she left the men here. She scanned the horizon again. No other boats or ships were visible in the afternoon glare.

She hissed in frustration. “Withdraw your lines. I’ll pull you to the nearest shore.”

The man stammered in shock. “Th—thank you.”

Riella rolled her eyes. She pushed off from the mast, snapping it in half out of spite, and dove cleanly into the water.

“What’s the delay?” Sent Mareen, from a distance, having sensed Riella return to the water. “Were you tormenting the sailors? If so, why didn’t you invite us to join in?”

The lines started to move through the water. Riella swam out of the way, lest the hooks snag her as they flew past. “They’re stranded with a faulty boat. I’ll take them to shore.”

Mareen and Galeil reacted with indignant cries. “They don’t deserve our help! Let’s sink them and be done with it.”

“And pollute the water even more?” countered Riella. “The boat would sit on the ocean floor, spreading filth.”

She knew they understood the logic. Their protestations were the sirens’ obligatory rebuke of any human foible, no matter how big or small.

“Do you need assistance?” Sent Galeil when her scorn had ebbed away.

“No, the boat isn’t large. Return home and I’ll follow you shortly.”

“Alright.” Mareen sighed exaggeratedly. “Promise you’ll terrorize them a little, for your trouble.”

A thick rope splashed into the water at the bow of the boat, spiraling downward until Riella caught it. She gave a firm tug, to ensure the men had secured it properly. The rope held.