A/N: The posted song is what I view as Lykos' theme song~~! 

Some part of Iliana wanted to shatter the mirror.

The impulse had been common over the last few days. Every time she glanced in the mirror, she saw the same stranger Lykos had introduced her to.

The girl in the mirror's sharp features no longer felt awkward, instead adding to her newfound beauty. Her olive skin was as soft as any nobles', seeming to erase the years spent laboring away on a merchant ship. The stranger's eyelashes were longer, her eyes a rich forest green. Her hair, which seemed to be growing an inch a day, reached her shoulders in thick, voluminous waves. The color had shifted from her unassuming, mouse brown to a dark chestnut blonde.

Perhaps more concerning was the stranger's body. She had filled out in a way that was a stark change from Iliana's washboard chest. Her bust was noticeable. Now, it was uncomfortable for her to try and bind her breasts flat. Instead, she found herself binding them loose, and being distinctly female despite the male clothing she'd donned.

Iliana was no longer plain, and she had no clue how to deal with it.

She was startled from her dull thoughts by a knock on her cabin door. With a sigh, she sat up on her bed, settled the mirror beside her, and called out for whomever it was to come in. Eumelia entered, her sharp gaze flicking over Iliana's body, as if taking note of the changes Iliana had been ruminating over, before meeting her gaze and offering a smile.

"I was wondering if we could talk."

She shrugged. Seeming to take the response as an agreement, Eumelia crossed the room and settled next to Iliana on the cot.

"I'll cut straight to the chase, then," Eumelia decided. "Neither Lykos, or Aran, told me how new you were."

Iliana furrowed her brow. "New?"

"How long ago did you become a siren?"

Iliana stiffened. For a second, she studied Eumelia with a narrowed gaze, as if she could read what the witch doctor was thinking. When the woman's smile stayed the same, she eventually just offered her another, noncommittal shrug.

"I see," Eumelia mused.

Silence coated the room for a moment. Each second caused Iliana's curiosity to grow, and it wasn't until she felt that she might burst that Eumelia spoke again.

"I was wondering how much you know of your own kind."

Iliana hesitated. "Enough."

"Really? Then, there's no need for me to explain what's happening to you? Why are you changing?"

She chewed on her lip. Telling Eumelia how little she knew about sirens seemed unwise--as wouldn't it be better to come off as someone to be wary of?--but at the same time, she hated being in the dark. As she considered her answer, she raised a hand to scratch the back of her neck. Her fingers drifted over the three, small bumps that laid in a line across the otherwise flawless skin. Would Eumelia know what those were? They'd appeared within the last days, and she found it strange given the state of the rest of her body.

"It wouldn't hurt," she muttered.

Eumelia chuckled, but seemed content to leave Iliana's ignorance on the subject unspoken. Instead, she plucked the hand mirror off the bed, and turned it over in her hands.

"Have you ever looked in one of these and pictured someone else?"

Iliana furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?"

"Have you thought: I'd look better with a smaller nose, darker skin, brighter eyes? Have you ever imagined a version of yourself that you, for some reason or another, thought would be better, or prettier? A you that you wished you could be?"

Of course she had. Growing up in her sister's shadow had left Iliana with a distinct image of how she could have been, had she had more of one parent or the other in her. With that thought in her mind, she took the mirror from Eumelia, intently studying the girl she saw in the mirror.

Suddenly, she saw it.

There were differences, of course; but for the first time in her life, Iliana resembled her sister. If she stood next to Mara, there wouldn't be a doubt in anyone's mind that they were related. The eyes were different.

"A long time ago, I traveled with a... friend," Eumelia continued. "He taught me most of what I know of the gods' children, which is more than most. When he spoke of sirens, he said that their creation was special. Inna traded every favor she had with the other gods to ensure she could give her children the most she could.

"One such gift was that within a week, or two, of their creation, the siren would become what they unconsciously imagined as their best self. For example, a woman who has been persecuted for her beauty, may become plain. Her appearance may still enchant others, but she'd be objectively homely. Or, the opposite may happen. A girl who has never turned heads may become the beauty she's always dreamt of becoming."

Iliana chewed on her lip. She set the mirror aside once again, her gaze focusing on Eumelia. "The other gifts?"

The witch doctor offered a warm smile. "There are a few that are common knowledge. The lure of a siren's voice, for example. There are some missing details, however, that aren't told in every legend. Such as the fact that a siren has many songs. They can sing of fear, of sadness, of whatever the listener desires most. It depends on the siren, the situation, and how strongly they listen to their instincts, what song comes out when they open their mouth."

As Eumelia spoke, Iliana was reminded of the song Rhode sang on the island to scare away the nightmare.

"All sirens, however, share three songs. They're called the Feather Songs, named after the feathers on the back of their necks that must be plucked for the songs to be sung," Eumelia said, her voice taking a serious tone. She raised her hand, ticking off her fingers as she spoke. "The Song of Time, the Song of Desire, and the Song of Life. They can only be sung once by each siren, and each holds its own cost."

Iliana frowned. "I've never heard of that."

"You wouldn't," Eumelia replied. "They're one of the sirens' most closely guarded secrets."

"Then how do you...?"

"The first song," Eumelia said, continuing as if Iliana hadn't spoken, "the Song of Time will give the siren a glimpse into the future. It was a gift from Koun, and will show the siren the immediate futures of everyone that hears the song. The cost, I believe, was the siren's immortality."

"You mean..."

"They'll age like a human," Eumelia explained. "Each Feather Song is said to bring a siren closer to death. With the exclusion of demons, and reapers, sirens are said to be the gods' child that is closest to death. I believe he also said that the siren would lose their memories of their own life's turning points."

Iliana could only stare at her. She would lose her memory?

"The second feather, the Song of Desire, enchants every person that can hear it. For the duration of the song, they'll either be frozen in place, or called to the siren, it depends on the intention behind the song. The cost, if I remember correctly, was the siren's ability to control their song."

Iliana was reminded of the sirens she'd met on the island, and how many of them sounded as if they were singing even if they were only speaking.

"Also, their memories of the ones they loved."

Memories, again. Ice filled Iliana's veins. This had to have been what Rhode was hiding when she'd avoided Iliana's questions about her memory.

"The third song, the Song of Life, is said to heal everyone who hears it, and if focused, able to revive the newly dead, as long as the death wasn't caused by a nightmare's poison. I... can't recall what memories were lost from using the third. I do know, however, that it puts the siren that much closer to death. They no longer need to breathe, to eat, or even sleep unless they're injured. I believe they're also able to interact with reapers at a much deeper level, perhaps even touch them. I'm a bit fuzzy on the details. Ever since we came to the island, I've been trying to recall everything I was told, but... well, sometimes you just can't remember something, no matter how hard you try."

Eumelia's smile turned apologetic, but Iliana's attention was back on the bumps on the back of her neck. They'd seemed innocent, before, but suddenly they held a much darker meaning. No doubt they were the feathers... and Iliana wasn't sure she could ever picture herself pulling one even after they fully grew. Could she sacrifice all of that, just for three songs?

"Beyond that, I believe the only other gift the gods gave sirens was one of Inna's own creation. They're more instinctual than perhaps any other species, what with Inna being the goddess of instinct. From what I can recall, I think this manifested mainly in a defensive nature. She wanted her children to be able to fight, and defend themselves, in situations where singing might not solve anything. Useful, given that Koun gave my kind the ability to bind sirens, and Kikin gave demons an immunity to a siren's song, although I believe the Feather Songs might be excluded from that, and perhaps even a witch doctor's binding.

"Of course, that doesn't mean a siren should use them without thought," Eumelia concluded. "Using every song results in the siren's death."

¸.•*¨*•.¸♪¸.•*¨*•.¸♥¸.•*¨*•.¸

Eumelia's words were still echoing through Iliana's mind hours later. At the time, she'd been unable to think up a response. The statement had caught her off guard, and she'd only been able to stare at the witch doctor in shock. By the time she'd recovered, Abiel had already called Eumelia away to find where Lykos had hidden the kid's hard candies.

Part of her wondered if she should take Eumelia's words to heart. How was it that a witch doctor knew so much about sirens? Their secretive nature was infamous. What if she was wrong about the Feather Songs? Was it possible she'd lied to make them seem more dangerous than they were? The opposite was possible as well. What if she'd exaggerated their worth, or even played down their cost? At the moment, she had no intentions of ever using them. But, what if a moment came when she needed to?

The Song of Desire could be used when they reached land. If it worked past the binding of a witch doctor, it was possible she could use the feather to run away. Or, what about the Song of Life? If Kain or one of the others was dying, would she be able to hold back? What was the value of a few memories when a life hung in the balance?

She shook her head, then laid it atop of the pile she'd made with her arms. Forcing herself to focus on the shifting ocean behind the ship, Iliana tried to cast the thoughts away, if only for the moment. She hadn't left her cabin to think further about the songs--rather, she'd been hoping to catch a glimpse of Callias. Despite the number of times she'd managed to find herself alone, she'd yet to have a second conversation.

Iliana blamed Lykos.

As if her thought of his frequent interruptions had summoned him, Iliana picked up on the sound of his voice echoing across the nearly empty deck. A peek over her shoulder told her that he'd climbed into the crows' nest, a looking glass to his eye. The position didn't surprise her. The mercenary captain had spent the majority of the afternoon searching for land. She'd overheard him telling the crew that he expected to spot their destination within the next day.

Despite her initial intention to ignore him, she found herself comparing the picture to the all-too-familiar mental image of Kain in the same position. Aboard the Airlea, it was rare to see the sun set without Kain's head poking over the edges of the nest. It'd always felt natural, calming even. There'd been something comforting about knowing he'd be watching for pirates, storms, or other dangers while the rest of the ship rested. With Lykos, she only felt annoyance. At the same time, there was a certain... something, to the sight.

She had to admit, when he wasn't being an ass, Lykos wasn't a horrible person to admire. The falling sun cast a flattering light over the man. It wasn't the first time she'd had the rather annoying thought that when one got past his intimidating features, there was something alluring about his roguish appearance. Of course, it was ruined the moment he opened his mouth.

"You finally giving into my charm?" he called, catching her stare.

She scoffed, turning her attention back to the ocean. Of course, he couldn't just leave it there. Within a handful of minutes she caught the sound of someone scaling the ladder. Rather than comment, Iliana simply let out an annoyed sigh and purposely ignored him.

"You didn't answer me," he teased.

She scoffed. "Did you really expect me to?"

"Well, no," he mused, pausing next to where she stood. Like Iliana, he rested his elbows on the back railing, turning his gaze to the open ocean. "But, a man can dream."

Something in his words rubbed her wrong, and she turned on a scowl. Within seconds, she'd focused her narrowed gaze on his cheerful expression.

"What is your issue?"

He returned her stare with a single raised brow. "Come again?"

"I highly doubt you were hired to harass me from morning till dusk," she continued, a sharp, accusing tone to her voice. "In fact, I'd love for you to enlighten me. What the fuck am I doing here, and why the name of the gods do you seem so damn determined to piss me off every time we as much as breathe the same air?"

It was a question that had been bothering her from the first day, and only the absent thought that she doubted the ass would give her a straight answer had kept Iliana from asking it. Now, however, it seemed to be a good way to escape his flirting. Although, she doubted it would serve as a distraction for but a few seconds.

In direct contrast to her thoughts, Lykos furrowed his brow as if he were giving the question some serious thought. Then, he shrugged.

"I'm not trying to piss you off," he declared. "Although, I do enjoy it."

She glowered at him, but said nothing. Apparently taking her silence as an indication he should continue, Lykos cocked his head back and studied the sky.

"I mean, talking to you is important, I think. I was hired to grab a siren." She'd assumed as much. "The who, the how, none of that mattered to him. So, I thought... why not get someone with a bit of fight in them? I told Aran, he picked you. And, well, the only way to tell that fire hasn't died is to talk to you, right?" He grinned at her. "So, we talk. Well, I talk. You just yell."

"I don't yell!"

"Sure you don't," he agreed, ignoring her answering scowl. She didn't argue, however, not wanting to stop him when he was being uncharacteristically open. "Anyways. As I said, pissing you off is just the fun side-effect."

"Why do it, though?" she pressed. "I can't see any reward being worth this. There isn't a person alive who hasn't heard Inna's reaction to those who mess with her children. You'll spend the rest of your life avoiding her attention. Umae's as well, as he often goes with whatever she wants. I can't imagine that whatever you're being paid is worth it."

It made no sense.

Lykos's grin fell away. For once, there wasn't a hint of amusement or mischief in his expression. Rather, there wasn't even the faintest glimpse of readable emotion. Iliana bit her lip, not willing to rush him. Something told her that if she interrupted his thoughts, she wouldn't get another chance to ask.

"Not every job is a choice," he said eventually, a faint hint of bitter amusement lancing his voice. "And even if it was, there are some rewards that are worth being cursed by the gods."

"Such as?"

Again, her question was met with silence. Something dark flicked across Lykos' face, and seconds later his eyes turned to meet her searching gaze.

"How much of what led you to this moment was your choice?"

Confusion echoed through her. How was that an answer? "What?"

"In order for you to be standing here, next to me, how many turns in your life were options? Aran was there for a week, but Eumelia seems to think that you're young for a siren. Did you make the choice to become a siren? How about what led you to being on that island in the first place? Was that situation caused by a choice you made, sometime, somewhere?"

As he spoke, some unidentifiable emotion filled Lykos' voice. Bitterness, perhaps. If anything, it only caused her confusion to grow. Which, of course, was reflected in her irritation.

"Everyone makes choices," she grumbled, unwilling to give a straight answer. Something about where his questions were going had her nerves on edge.

"Wrong," he announced, the corner of his mouth twitching up. "The free make choices. Everyone else simply chases the chance."

And then, as if his vague words held some sort of grand answer, Lykos offered her that familiar grin of his and turned on a heel. "Get some rest. Tomorrow'll be busy."

She opened her mouth to argue--not feeling near done with the conversation--but found herself hesitating. Everything about him, his tone, his smile, said that what he'd said was meaningless. It was just another handful of vague words. But the tension in his shoulders, and sudden retreat said otherwise.

So, Iliana held her tongue.

After all, tomorrow would be busy. The second they landed, Iliana was escaping. It didn't matter what led Lykos and the others to this situation. Nothing could justify stealing another person's freedom.

Right? 

A/N: Hey guys! I'm gonna try setting up an update schedule from here on out. The plan is for two updates a week (unless I get busy). One will be on Sat. The other, on Wed. If I get busy, then you only get the Wed. update. This is in an effort to try and finish SS in April or May.

So, what do you think? You got a lot of information about sirens in this chapter. Actually, I think you might be done with info dumps for them! I had fun with these songs, given that many legends have sirens having wings. 

Do you think they're well balanced? I'm curious. Every song has it's downfall... 

Oh, and what of Lykos? This conversation was planned, but the actual direction it ended up taking wasn't. 

In all, this is one of those chapters that I ended up just having to finish, because I wasn't quite sure how I felt about it. So... opinions? 

Like always, I love comments, and adore hearing about your ships, favorite characters, etc. Hope to see you again in the next update~~!