“What?” Gemma asked, staring at her quizzically.
“The golden fleece,” Harper repeated. “Pine told me that he translated something in the scroll about it, but he thought it had to do with Jason and Argonauts.”
“It was Persephone’s shawl,” Gemma explained. “The sirens had told me that before, and Demeter told us that Persephone had been found in it after she died, wrapped up much the same way I was when you found me on the shore after I became a siren.”
“The whole curse is about Persephone, so Demeter made her a part of the curse as much as she could,” Harper realized. “She made the sirens use Persephone’s golden shawl.”
“Right. To become a siren, I had to drink the blood of the sirens, the mortal, and the sea, and I had to be wrapped in the shawl and tossed in the ocean,” Gemma said. “So to break the curse, I had to reverse it, using the mixture of blood, and I had to be wearing the shawl in the ocean. Do everything like I did before, but just undo it, using the blood to erase the ink on the scroll.”
Harper smiled at her sister. “What are you doing in the water now?”
“I wanted to see what it was like to swim with legs again, and it’s better than I remembered.”
“So now you’re completely sure it’s all over?”
Gemma laughed. “I’m positive.” And just because she could, Harper hugged her sister again.
“You scared the crap out of me, Gemma,” Daniel said as he slogged through the waves to reach them. He put one arm around Harper and the other around Gemma, embracing both of them tightly.
When Alex waded out to join them, Gemma separated from the other two, ran to him, and jumped into his arms. Her legs wrapped around his waist, and he held her as she laughed.
Harper turned and looked up at Daniel. “You know, for the first time I really feel like this is over. I thought it was over before, but now I know in a way I didn’t, and it’s like a huge weight has been lifted.”
“It’s really over.” He put his arms around her, pulling her to him. “Now just as long as you don’t get tangled up with a pack of vampires or deranged witches while you’re at college, everything will be wonderful.”
Harper smiled. “So I just have to avoid those things, and everything will be perfect?”
“No, I’m pretty sure that as long as we’re together, we’ve got it made.”
As the waves splashed around them, and her sister laughed in the distance, Daniel bent down and kissed her, and Harper knew that he was absolutely right.
EPILOGUE
April 11
Harper stood on the stepladder, stretching out as she taped up the end of the streamer on the exposed beams of the cabin. Then she climbed down and put her hands on her back, admiring her handiwork.
“The streamers and balloons might be a bit much,” Daniel said from behind her, and she glanced back to see him putting out paper plates and plastic cups on the dining-room table.
She turned back to the room, tilting her head to get a new perspective on the streamers and balloons she had taped up all over Daniel’s cabin. “You think?
“Well, Gemma is turning seventeen, not seven,” he said.
“Whatever.” Harper shrugged. “She’ll like it, and I do what I want.”
“Ooh. You’ve gotten such an attitude since you’ve been home from college,” Daniel teased as he walked over to her.
“Where are they?” She ignored him and glanced over at the clock hanging above the fireplace. “They should’ve been here by now.”
“Well, Alex just got home for the weekend,” Daniel said as he slid his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him.
“I know. We shared a ride back from Sundham,” she reminded him.
“Yeah, but you know, he and Gemma are probably spending quality time together.”
Harper wrinkled her nose. “Gross.”
“Hey, you didn’t think it was gross when we were spending quality time together this morning.”
His other arm encircled her, pulling her close to him, and Harper didn’t resist. She loved it when he held her like that, crushing her to him, as his mouth pressed against hers. A familiar heat radiated through her, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.
Even after all this time, and all the kisses they’d shared, some of them in bed earlier this morning, each time he kissed her, there was still that hint of urgency and desperation, like they’d never really be able to get enough of each other.
Harper would’ve gladly stayed in his arms, kissing him all afternoon, but she heard their guests coming up the walkway on the island.
“They’re here,” she said, and since he looked so thoroughly disappointed at having to let her go, she gave him one more quick kiss on the lips before separating from him.
She was readjusting her shirt when Marcy opened the door to the cabin, carrying a birthday gift. Alex and Gemma came after her, hand in hand.
“Where do you want the gifts?” Marcy asked, but she was already setting hers down on the kitchen counter.