Pathfinder series by Orson Scott Card

The Pathfinder series by Orson Scott Card. I hope you like it :)

The Pathfinder series by Orson Scott Card. I'm halfway through the second book and the revelations are making my head spin!

The Inheritance Cycle

The Lord of the Rings

Call of the Wild

-Books I read from 12-15 that were a bit more mature but helped me grow as a person:

A Child Called 'It'

The Long Road Home

I love this book. It's not very subtle but it has a very clear message can be fun and imaginative.

Violent, mountainous waves churn overhead. The full moon dances and bends in the refraction from below. Ever moving hues of starry purples, steel blues, and mossy dark greens swarm and undulate, lifelike in its oceanic rhythm. Amidst this darkness, this veil of shadows, I reign. Amphibious mortals, sentient or simple-minded, all know to fear us. We, the few. We, the sirens. Luring the scaleless ones above to be ours till the end. A meal. Such sweet ecstacy that only the fear and the blood of the scaleless ones can give. Hundreds have fallen prey. Tonight will bring no change. No alternative. Only death awaits. And I relish in the bloodlust. It is time to strike again. Time to set the bait. Swiftly, eager for blood, I swim up through the murk, ascending through the threshold onto the rocky coast of the expansive island the scaleless so often sail by.

Lightning flashes. In the light the outline of the small ship becomes visible. Weather is no obstacle, nor night, nor distance. Far off through the cresting waves my prey is seen clear. Two men, as they call themselves. So clever with their ships, they think. They should've stayed on dry land. But who am I to complain? I won't say no to such an easy meal.

Atop the craggy, jagged rock face, I get to work. Shifting my face and torso to a less aquatic form, folding in gills and shifting the hue of my scales to match the mens tan complexion. I close my eyes and release my sirens call.

Like the glow of an Anglerfish, of which I admire in our similar approach to hunting, the prey can't resist the bait. Almost in an instant, a boat is lowered from the ships side with one man rowing quickly to his death grip. The other jumps over the back, surely to drown in these unforgiving torrents.

He and I lock eyes. Predator and prey. Taker and the taken. Queen of dark waters and the scaleless who bleed beneath me.

Eagerly he rows forth. So blind to the wind that shall extinguish his flame.

"Please", he begs.

Ohh the begging. My bloodlust intensifies, almost an ecstacy in these final moments. Beg for me scaleless one. Beg before I rip you asunder.

"Please. Please stop singing. You're so bad at singing."

The sound of rain fades from my ears as if the storm had just cleared. What? He's not affected? And insults his death call? Interesting. I force my face into the lovely smile I know these scaleless ones like. I reach out my hand and try something new.

"If you're not here for my singing, is it my beauty that lured you in?"

A hearty laugh, so in contrast with the situation he's in. "No, no. Wow, you are beautiful though."

Fool. I fake a blush.

"I'm a renowned vocalist", he explains grabbing my hand and climbing up to the rock face with me. I'd kill him now, but let's play for a bit. I've never spent so much time with a scaleless who's still alive.

"You think I'm bad at singing?" I feign hurt.

He stops to catch his breath, wiping his soaked hair out of his face. "Well, not horrible. I was stressed from the storm, and have been known to be... arrogant about singing. I came here with the intention of hearing a siren sing, and give my critique, and tell the others back home that even a siren can take a lesson from me"

Arrogant indeed. But I'll bite. "Then teach me. It would be an honor to learn from you."

The rain let up. Dark drops drip silently from his hair. The look in his eye is like he never expected me to say anything else but "Yes".

Three hours pass by where he teaches me how to control my vocal chords, manipulate my head and chest voice, adjust my tongue to regulate sound and air flow, and tips to practice in the future. I will be honest, I forgot he was my meal. The time passed easily.

"You have skill, and you're not tone-deaf. Keep practicing and you should see steady improvement." He looks back to his ship, squinting to see the captain he's unaware is no longer there. Ah, right. I forgot myself. Meddling with scaleless. If the others knew, I'll be outcast. Time to bring this to an end.

"Thank you for everything. You really are amazing!" I coo, touching his shoulder in evanescent friendship.

"It's been a joy, my dear. This is a new one for me. Thank you for letting me be your vocal coach." He pauses, an idea striking him. "I know, I'll return this time next year and we can make a little music together. Maybe it'll bring us closer, Men and sirens."

Our gazes linger. "Oh you scaleless. Sing with you? You are my prey, and this..." His eyes go wide in disbelief. "This was just a way to pass the time." I slowly shift back into my aquatic form, unfolding gills, fins, and scales, letting my fangs lengthen. "The only music I want from you is your swansong when I extinguish you from this hell."

He backsteps, slipping and falling backwards off the rocks sharp edge. A bloodcurdling scream escapes as I widen my fangs and jump over after him, solely focused on the kill as I drag him down into the inky treacherous abyss.