Chapter 22

When the murky water cleared, Aiden was faced with the most astounding sight he had ever seen. The underwater kingdom of Anthemoessa. It looked like something straight out of a fairy tale. Given that it was the home of the sirens, on some level it was. 

From the dark sea floor large towers sprouted up like seeds that grew into magnificent, colossal trees made out of pearls and sea glass. Though light was scarce and dim, a few thin shafts of sunlight extended down over the kingdom, casting a radiant glow on every surface, making everything shimmer like a chorus of sparkling diamonds. 

The sight was breathtaking and ethereal. Everything was made out of different radiant materials. Some looked to be hand crafted out of sea glass and rare crystals while others looked to be sculpted out of silver that was shaped to mimic the look of coral. Some were short and stout while others reached up towards the surface as if longing for a glimpse of the sun.

Not a single structure was the same. Each and every one of them had a different stature and look and was decorated in unique ways. Some of the buildings had intricate carvings gracefully etched into them. Others were dotted with pearls, jewels, and shimmering shells. 

The structures looked like they were incredibly delicate, but Aiden could tell that really, they were sturdier than any other fortress he had ever seen, including his own castle. The buildings themselves all seemed to glow from the inside out, radiating with the gleam of magic. It was like they were enchanted to maintain their radiant beauty for an eternity. 

But the buildings were not the only things that seemed to be enchanted. The water itself felt like it radiated magic. The feeling was so strong that it overwhelmed Aiden the closer he swam towards the kingdom. It was like the water did not want him to enter this sacred place. 

A shiver ran down his spine. Though the sight was beautiful, there was something else about it. Something ominous. His first thought was that it was just because it was the home of the sirens, and his mind was just making him think it looked somewhat off. But that was not it. There was something else about the place. 

It was like every building was glaring at him, watching his every move and ready to strike at a moment's notice. There was a sort of shadow that was cast over everything, veiling the kingdom in an eerie and slightly unsettling gleam. Even the sea itself seemed to bite at him like it was enchanted to keep him away. 

But despite the unwelcoming glow and the paranoid thoughts in the back of his mind telling him to turn back, he kept swimming forward. Just as they entered the outskirts of the underwater kingdom, Aurelia put up a hand, signaling for him to stop. She glanced around before turning to him.

"I need you to wait here for me while I scout ahead." She said.

"Are there any sirens?" Aiden asked.

"That is what I plan to find out." She told him. "Hide in here until I return and do not come out until I retrieve you." She opened up a large clam shell and gestured for him to go inside. The shell was about six feet long and four feet tall. Though it would be cramped, he definitely could fit in there. 

Trusting that she knew best, he got inside without putting up an argument. "I will await your return." He said. Giving him a small smile, she closed the clam and swam away. Everything was suddenly pitch black and completely silent. Aiden was not usually the type to get claustrophobic, but after several long minutes he could not help from feeling a bit unnerved. 

He tried to listen closely to see if he was able to hear Aurelia coming back, but he could not hear a thing. Everything was dead quiet. The silence was the worst part of his uncomfortable situation. He would not have minded the cramped clam shell if only there was some noise to make him feel like he was not buried alive in a coffin deep under the ground. 

Aiden had half a thought of talking to himself, humming, or whistling. He just wanted to do something- anything- to break up the silence and produce even a small amount of noise. But he knew it was best if he stayed silent. If there really were sirens around, it was best to not do anything that might blow his cover.

Several more minutes passed before Aiden finally heard a sound off in the distance. His heart jumped in relief as he figured that Aurelia had finally returned. He was about to lift up the clam shell to get out but stopped himself from doing so. 

He listened closely to the sound, trying to figure out what exactly it was. As it got closer, he was able to tell. It was a voice. One he did not recognize. A second voice joined the first one as they talked back and forth to each other. He could not make out what they were saying but could tell that it was just light conversation. 

As the voices got closer, he held his breath, hoping that they would go right past him and that they would not sense his presence. Given that they were not already singing and trying to lure him to them, he figured that they were not actively searching for a sailor. But that did not mean he was safe. 

Just as the voices were about to go past him, they stopped right next to the clam that was used as his hiding spot. The words were still vague, but he was able to make out more of what they were saying. "Do you feel something?" One voice said. It was low, smooth and soothing but the knowledge of what creature it belonged to kept Aiden on edge. 

"Yes, now that you mention it. Though it is very slight." The second voice responded. This voice was higher and sounded slightly younger than the first. Aiden was completely still as his heart skipped a beat. Were they on to him? Clearly, they could tell that something was off. He only hoped that they would not try to search around for what the disturbance was. 

"Perhaps it's just a change in the current." The younger voice said. 

"Perhaps." The first voice said, though she did not seem as sure. 

"Come on." Aiden could hear the sirens' tails thrash through the water as they swam away, their voices fading off into the distance. Once he could no longer hear them, Aiden let out the breath he had been holding and allowed himself to relax. But only a little bit. He could not afford to lower his guard completely. 

Soon after the sirens had gone, another noise caught Aiden's attention. He tensed back up, ready for the worst as the sound got closer and the clam shell was pried open. Blinking his eyes several times to adjust to the new light, Aiden looked up to find Aurelia staring down at him. 

"I apologize for keeping you waiting so long." She said while he climbed out. "I had to wait for the two sirens to go by to ensure they did not see me reveal where you were."

"It wasn't so bad so long as I don't have to go in there again." He said as he stretched his aching arms. "Is it safe to continue?" She nodded. "Then let's go."

"Just be quiet and try to stay out of view. A siren may pass through at any time." She warned him. 

"I will be careful." He promised. 

"This way." She held his hand, helping him swim faster as she led him through Anthemoessa. Though he tried to stay focused, he could not stop his eyes from wandering around the magnificent buildings surrounding them. They were so ethereally beautiful that he would have loved to just sit and stare at them for hours on end. Even if he were to live down there for a lifetime, he knew he would never be able to get used to its breathtaking beauty. 

They stopped at one building that was shorter but wider than the rest. Dozens of large, white spiraling pillars held up the pearl-encrusted roof. The walls were smooth and slightly curved in different areas like it was made out of a bunch of white shells all welded together. 

Despite being one of the shorter buildings, it was still about the size of a four-story building. Inside were rows and rows of tall shelves all packed with books and tomes. Spaced out throughout the aisles between the shelves were floating orbs of sparkling blue mixed with lavender light, allowing them to see everything the library had to offer. 

Aurelia led him towards the back to a section that was separated from everything else. There the lights were a soft gold and the shelves contained books that looked more ancient than the rest. Letting go of Aiden's hand, Aurelia swam from shelf to shelf, looking for a specific book. 

"What are you looking for?" Aiden asked, wanting to help.

"I'll know it when I see it." She replied. Aiden shrugged, letting her go off on her search, trusting she could handle it. As he waited for her to find what she was looking for, he examined the other books. 

He pulled out one that was smaller than the others and had a ruby red cover. He flipped through it, running his fingers over the pages. They felt exactly like the parchment of every other book he had read, except these pages somehow were not affected by the water they were submerged in. His guess was that some sort of magic kept them in this perfect condition. 

After a while Aurelia returned to him empty handed with a disappointed look. "It's not here." She said sadly. 

"Then what are we going to do?" Aiden asked.

"There is only one other place the book can be." Aurelia said though she did not seem happy about it.

"And where is that?"

"The palace."