"Anna, you mustn't speak."

"B-" I don't even get the first word out before my grandmother claps her hand over my mouth.

"Shh, child. Do you want to kill your father?"

I shake my head. I don't understand. Why can't I speak?

"Anna, you're a very special girl, with a very lovely voice." She strokes back my hair. "Too lovely."

"What does that mean?" I push her hands away.

"No! Don't speak!"

I shut my mouth and bite down on my lips to keep it that way.

"I wish it didn't have to be this way."

"Grandmother?" I sit bolt upright in bed. My skin is like ice, yet hot sweat covers my body.

There are tears in my eyes.

I don't remember that day.

I curl my knees up to my chest, taking up as little space as I can. My heart pounds with the adrenaline I felt at Eetu's wedding.

It's still dark outside.

Taking a deep breath, I lay back down, trying to lull myself back to sleep.

"Anna, have you been practicing?" My grandmother braids my hair.

"Yeah. I still don't understand it. I'm supposed to close my throat when I speak?" It's the first time I've spoken in weeks and I just can't shut up.

"I didn't make the rules." She puts the finishing touch on the braid and ties it in place with a sea foam green ribbon. "I simply enforce them."

"But it feels so weird."

"You'll get used to it, child."

"Are you ever going to tell me why I have to speak a certain way?"

"It's safer if you don't know."

"How could that be safer? If I knew, I could control it."

"Anna, the reason you don't know isn't for others' safety, it's for yours."

The blinding white of the morning sun stops the dream before I can find out any more. I groan, rolling over in bed. A bath is being prepared already.

"Thanks." I nod to the servants as soon as they're done, hurrying out the door to let me strip down.

I've grown quite used to the hot water every morning, accompanied by the scented foam, which this morning, as far as I can tell, is vanilla. I let my hair completely submerge in the water, running my fingers against my scalp to wash out the suds.

Once the water turns cold, I step out reach over and wrap the towel around my body while I gather my dress and brush.

"Hey..." Davy and Caspian are standing outside my door as soon as I'm dressed and ready for the day. The seem to have made up. Davy is awkwardly kicking at the ground under his feet.

"Morning, boys." I bite back the anger that arises each time I look over to Davy. "To what do I owe this surprise?"

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry." Davy finally looks up to me. My anger disintegrates. "What I did was uncalled for, and probably unforgivable, but-"

"Yeah, it was. But I suppose it was half my fault too. I didn't fight back hard enough. So, I'm sorry, too."

Caspian swallows silently, no doubt reliving the experience.

"I'm leaving Yna." Caspian sighs, then gets the courage to speak. "Next week, probably."

"Cas..." Davy puts his hand on his shoulder.

"You two don't have to come with me if you don't want to. I've already roped us all into too much trouble."

"That's not true." I grab Caspian's hand and squeeze it reassuringly.

"I- I just want to leave. It's better for everyone if the kingdom forgets about me." He's choking back tears. "Anna, Davy, you're my best friends, and I love you both. But if you're happier here in Yna, you're more than welcome here and Eetu and I'll make all the arrangements necessary for you to live comfortably in the castle."

"You must not know us as well as you think you do, because I'll go wherever you take us." I smile softly. Caspian returns the gesture.

"Yeah, we'd go anywhere with you." Davy agrees.

Caspian's laugh is small, then grows into a loud, tearful hug between the three of us. We're holding each other bone-crushingly tight, afraid of letting go.

"Have you told Eetu?" I feel Caspian's hair move under my nose as I speak.

"He was the one who told me to leave, actually. He doesn't want me in danger."

"You're lucky to have a brother like him, Cas."

"I know." I left the group first.

"So," Davy holds Caspian's head close to his own, "I suppose we should start getting provisions ready?"

"I suppose a trip to the market is in order then? You feeling up to it, Cas?"

"Yeah, let's go." Caspian loops his arm through Davy's.

The sun shines brightly down on us as we walk through the square. Colorful booths have already taken up the sides of the roads.

"This way." Caspian leads us past the booths and to another road, closer to the fields.

There, we find a multicolored array of fruits and vegetables, stacked neatly on top of each other. We approach one friendly looking merchant.

"Hello, sire." The merchant bows his head in respect for Caspian. "Can I help ya with anything?"

"How much will this get us?" Caspian throws some gold coins on the table in front of the merchant.

He examines the coins, "Probably my whole booth, if I'm bein' honest." Then he spies me. His eyes turn dark. "I ain't sellin' if you've got her with ya."

"What's wrong with Anna?"

"I don't serve her kind."

"What, a female?"

"Nah, a siren."

"Okay, now you're just insane. Just let us buy the food. If not, I'm sure someone else will be more than willing to help."

"I'm tellin' ya, sire. That girl ya got there is a siren."

My face flushes hot as Caspian and Davy look at me, waiting for my response.

"I- I'm not a siren. I would know." I can't be. That doesn't make any sense.

"Really? Then ya wouldn't mind provin' it?" The merchant never breaks his glare at me.

"Now, friend, I hardly think that's necessary." Caspian's laugh has no humor in it. It's a warning.

"I ain't askin' you, sire." The merchant's voice sends shivers down my spine. "Sing, lass."

"I don't really feel comfortable doing that." I put my hands in front my chest in surrender.

The merchant takes Davy and presses a small blade up against his neck. "I said, 'sing, lass.'"

"Anna, do as he says." Caspian is frozen in place, unsure of who to help. "Please... don't hurt him."

I take a deep breath, fully aware of everyone around us, gathering to see what the commotion is about. I remember an old tune my grandmother used to hum when I was younger. I was never allowed to sing along. This time, I let the notes spill out.

Every male in the vicinity, except for Caspian, is completely entranced. They drop whatever was in their hands and start crowding around us.

"Anna, stop!" Caspian's voice drowns mine out. As soon as I stop singing, the enchantment wears off.

"I didn't know..." Tears stream down my cheeks.

"It doesn't matter right now. We need to leave."

"But what about the food?"

"We'll make it in the kitchen!"

Davy is back at Caspian's side, free from the merchant's grasp. They take each other in a little half-hug, relieved to see each other alive.

"Anna?" Caspian's eyes are full of fear as he reaches out his free hand. "Come on, this lot is getting ready to attack you."

Just as I take his hand, an axe flies right into the spot my head was in just seconds before.

"I swear, I didn't know!" I plead with Caspian, who has Davy pretty much glued to his side.

"I believe you, Anna, I do." He doesn't look at me the entire way back into the castle. "This doesn't change anything, right? You're still coming with us?"

"You still want me?"

"Of course."