Ryan took me to meet Juniper, keeping the conversation as far away from the centaurs as possible.

"How do you two know each other?"

"We're friends. She was with me in not wanting to murder a ship of humans."

"Oh, that's a shame. I always admired sirens."

I stared at her. "Maybe you shouldn't."

I was thankful we were finally at the murky pond she'd described. Juniper's eyes locked with mine and she was next to me in an instant.

"How are you?"

"They put me in freshwater," she signed disdainfully, "but other than that, fine."

"Freshwater?"

"Yes, freshwater."

"Have you seen Castor?"

Her eyes flashed. "Yes."

"And?"

"They're not going to let him come see me again."

I didn't know what to say. Luckily, she let me off the hook.

"He said we could figure out a way to pass letters to each other. Romantic, right?"

"Why's that bad?" Ryan asked.

Me and Juniper looked at each other. "I can't read." Her signs were so small, I could barely tell what she was saying.

"But you can spell to sign," Ryan pointed out.

"Yes, very helpful. Because the letters look exactly the same."

"I could teach you."

"And you'll be able to come down every day?"

I nodded.

"Why would you want to?"

"Juniper. We went over this. I'm allowed to wish you well."

She looked distrustful, but she let it slide.

"And could you interpret the letters?" She looked hopeful.

"Sure."

She grinned from ear to ear as though I'd made her day.

"We have to get back," Ryan signed.

"Why?"

"We have to be there when they serve food. Or else they'll think we're missing."

I nodded.

"See you tomorrow, Juniper."

She waved me goodbye. Me and Ryan jogged to dinner, sliding into benches with the other witches. Several boys came and filled in the spaces between us. Leland plopped himself between me and Juniper.

She whispered to him, and I sat alone, waiting for the food to come. When it did, my stomach rumbled. It was Kiserite food. Spices could be seen on the chicken. The meat was hard and dry, but I closed my eyes and let the spice explode on my tongue anyway.

My father had said we'd been born in the wrong country for getting good food. I ate ravenously, only looking at the full tables once I was done. I spotted Castor instantly on the tables to the side. Guards were more concentrated there and their pale faces practically glowed in the dark. Castor looked miserable.

He never looked up at me. I needed to talk to him. Figure out how to fulfill my promises to Juniper.

Leland was signing to me. I turned. "Are you really a siren?"

"Yes," I said, turning back to Castor. He tapped my shoulder.

"What's it like?"

"It's fun. You can go anywhere you want. You can be friends with sea creatures," I lied, trying to appease him so I could go back to trying to get Castor's attention.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"That's so cool."

"I guess."

"What's it like singing people to death?"

"Terrible. Wouldn't recommend it."

He looked disappointed.

"Have you ever done it?"

"No."

"Then how do you know its terrible?"

"I've seen my mother do it. Death is always terrible."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'm sure."

I met Castor's eyes. We need to talk. I wanted to sign, but too many people would notice.

He nodded. I sighed in relief. He'd understood.

After that, I couldn't sit still. I wanted to get up and talk to Castor, but I had a feeling that wouldn't go well.

Leland was still looking at me.

"Which side is a siren?"

"My mother."

"Are you close?"

"Not particularly."

"Who are you looking for?"

I turned to him. "I thought I saw someone I knew."

"Did you?"

I shook my head. Eventually, everyone started to gravitate back to the squat buildings. The centaurs forced their way past the guards towards the witches. There was confusion and I slipped away. Ryan caught my eye and nodded.

I could barely find Castor as I ran past guards rushing toward the skirmish. When I found him, he tilted his head towards a dark alley between two of the buildings. 

"Is Juniper alright?"

I nodded. In the light of the setting sun, I could see his black eye and split lip, but he brushed past it.

"Can you tell her I'm sorry? I didn't mean to—"

"She's not mad. She liked your idea. I'll teach her to read."

"Really?"

"Yes. Now we'll have to meet up to pass off messages. Where?"

"Where can you go?" He asked.

"Anywhere if I'm quick enough." I signed.

"Ok. Ok. I have a P-L-A-N, I think."

I showed him "plan" and he nodded.

"F-O-L-L-O-W me."

I showed him the sign and he tugged on my hand. We ran, sticking as close to the shadows as possible.

"Meet me here."

I nodded.

"I already wrote something."

He handed me a crumpled-up letter and I tucked it in my shallow pocket. "I'll get it to her."

We turned to go, but he stopped me. "Thank you."

"Sure." And then we both ran so we could slip back into the group of soldiers. I kept careful note of the route we'd taken. The fight was settling down. Several men brandished shining swords at the centaurs and more restrained the witches. Only two were free. A hulking centaur stared down at Ryan. His muscles rippled under his dark skin. Ryan's hands held fires, which she proceeded to use to scare off the soldiers and keep the centaur at bay.

The centaur circled around her, his tail flicking as he took measured steps. Ryan circled at the same pace, her face illuminated by the fire, her hair tucked behind her ears.

She made a move as though about to throw a ball and the centaur raced forwards. She sidestepped him.

Ryan pressed her left hand to the ground and fire rippled out, stopping in a perfect circle around them. The soldiers backed away from the flames, pushing the centaurs and witches back in the process.

The centaur's trot grew nervous. Ryan moved to the center of the circle and she said something. The centaur charged her again, but she dodged him with apparent ease.

She spoke again everyone around me exploded in movement. The guards pushed us back and we all surged forward. I stumbled with the group.

Ryan flung her fist in the air and everyone around me followed suit.

She looked at the centaur and his fist also rose in the air. Then Ryan started to sway. The fire started to die, and when it diminished to embers, she fell to the side and the soldiers rushed towards her. More moved to restrain the witches around her. They struggled in the soldier's grasp.

Leland was suddenly running forward. The soldiers waved their swords at him and he didn't stop. My feet were moving before I could comprehend what I was doing. I gained on him in a moment, and my arms were around him, holding him back. He scratched at my arms, but I didn't let go.

The soldiers regained control, and after a stunned pause, everyone ended back in the buildings to sleep. Castor and his crew weren't with us anymore. The rest of the witches that'd stood with Ryan weren't there either. Leland fought me when I pulled him toward the building, but when we were finally inside with other witches, he ran to another boy and cried into his shoulder. I curled into a ball and pretended to sleep.