Tuesday, 9 PM
Like many second- and third-year students, Isabelle Kano didn’t live on campus. She had opted for one of the private residences located just a few meters from the university. A wealthy developer had come up with the idea of building hundreds of student housing units around the campus. Students could pay monthly or sign a one- or two-year lease. That’s what Isabelle had done.

Isabelle Kano was seven years old when she first visited the marine kingdom of Aïdozé in southern Benin. She had been initiated by her older sister, following their mother’s instructions—her mother being, at the time, the high priestess of the region’s waters. In the physical world, Isabelle’s mother was a kindergarten teacher. But in the marine spiritual realm, she was the revered and feared high priestess across all the kingdoms.

At birth, Isabelle Kano was consecrated to the spirit Orega, who ruled over the Benin sea from the coast of Aného in Togo to Grand-Popo in Benin. Her father was a tax officer. He died when she was only five. As she grew older, Isabelle began to suspect that her mother and sister had something to do with his death. She remembered her initiation as if it happened yesterday. She had told her sister that she didn’t want to join the group. She knew them.

Like Anifath Bidé, Isabelle heard voices and saw people enter the room she shared with her older sister. She watched her sister rise while leaving her body limp on the bed. With the people dressed in red robes who came to fetch her, her sister would exit the room by passing through the walls.

Was Isabelle afraid when she witnessed these scenes? Not at all. She had understood the workings of the spiritual world from a very young age. She was the daughter of the great priestess Tassi Djando, as she was called in Aïdozé. Isabelle knew that none of those entities would dare harm her. Then came the day when she herself had to join the group. Despite her young age, her sister had spoken plainly to her:

— We are princesses of another world—far away, yet very near in the end. We must join our mother to support her and perpetuate the legacy.

At age seven, Isabelle Kano left her physical body for the first time and experienced astral travel. The kingdom lay deep beneath the seas, accessible through special portals. In Isabelle’s case, it was a mirror. And she still had that mirror. She had met the spirit of the waters, Orega, in the form of a giant sea serpent. Orega had blessed her. They made a blood pact, and Isabelle dedicated her entire life to him.

At age seven, she pledged never to marry in the physical world. She was betrothed to the spirit Orega, who temporarily took on a human form. When Isabelle turned ten in the physical world, she was already eighteen in the marine world, as time moved faster there. She married the spirit, and he impregnated her.

In the physical world, the pregnancy was invisible. Everything happened only on the other side. In return for her loyalty to the kingdom and to Orega, Isabelle received the power to make any man fall in love with her. She could also, if she wished, cast curses on people of her choice.

In 8th grade, Isabelle had an argument with a classmate named Victor Mora. Furious, she commanded Victor’s body to contract typhoid fever. The boy became gravely ill afterward. Initially, Isabelle just wanted to teach him a lesson. But her sister informed her that the kingdom had decided to make him the sacrificial meal for Easter. Victor Mora died in the hospital a few days after the celebration.

Isabelle was saddened—this was the first time something like this had happened. She hadn’t meant for things to go that far. Yet she had enjoyed the delicious taste of the meat that was shared in the kingdom of Aïdozé on Easter Day. She knew it was her classmate Victor, who had been turned into a turkey for the occasion. The food was exquisite and gave Isabelle even more power—something she immediately noticed.

— The more meals you share with us, the more powerful you’ll become, her mother had told her.

And Isabelle shared many meals. She became powerful. She sacrificed several classmates. In 9th grade, her sister told her that Orega had granted her the power to steal years of life from men by having sexual intercourse with them. She could also steal their unique abilities and their present and future wealth.

The new siren would trade these stolen riches or life years with Orega in exchange for more power. In 9th grade, Isabelle slept with nearly every boy in her class. No man could resist her charm. From some, she stole future wealth; from others, unborn children; and from others still, years of life.

Each time Isabelle had sex with a man, her husband from the marine world was present in the room. The man on the bed didn’t see him, but Isabelle did. He loved watching her strip those men of their most precious attributes. During the act, the stolen elements were immediately collected by the spirit and presented to the great spirit Orega. He would then weigh the loot on what they called the scale of destiny.

Once this was done, the spirit would determine its value in terms of occult power. The resulting energy was transferred to the girl. That’s how she became increasingly powerful—and increasingly wealthy. Isabelle had money. That was undeniable. That evening, sitting in her room in a bathrobe, Isabelle Kano was gazing at her reflection in the mirror. The mirror. She had a call to make with Prince Zindo in a few minutes and was hesitating. She hadn’t spoken to Anifath since the incident at the restaurant that afternoon. But she knew her friend was doing well.

After all those years of coldness and greed, Isabelle had finally found a true friend she genuinely loved. She had even considered initiating her to share her life with her. That’s when she noticed that Anifath had already been consecrated to the royal Zindo family of the Okaro kingdom—a water realm located at the Nigerian border. Isabelle stared into the mirror. For a brief moment, the mirror’s surface shifted. Instead of her reflection, the image of a man seated with a woman behind him appeared. They were the same people who had shown up at the restaurant. The woman was one of those Anifath Bidé often saw in her dreams.

— Good evening, Prince Zindo, said Isabelle.
— Good evening, Princess Trisha, replied the man. Where do we stand on our project? Do you have the girl you promised me?
— It hasn’t even been 24 hours. It’s not that simple.
The man in the mirror seemed surprised.
— You’re not the type to give up, as far as I know. Why not cast a full control spell on the girl? What I want is what she carries. Bring me her soul so I can speak with her. In any case, I’m not here to rush you. I just want to ensure we’re both clear on our tasks.
Isabelle shook her head.
— I already tried to speak to her that very day, she said. I couldn’t enter her. It was as if…
— …As if she belonged to the Light?
— Yes, Isabelle sighed.
— That explains her strong aura, said the man. I understand better now. If you can’t give her to me, I’ll reclaim Anifath. She’s always been ours.
— I can give you someone else.
— No! I want one of those two girls

—unless you want to give me both, he said with a sadistic, cold laugh.

Isabelle loathed him deep inside.
— How do you expect me to capture a daughter of the Light? And she’s not alone. There’s her brother… I couldn’t even look him in the eyes!
— Trisha, the man said, totally unfazed, you have fifteen days to bring me something. If I get nothing, I’ll take back my promised one. And if you get in my way, you’ll regret it.

The mirror rippled, and the man and woman disappeared. Their image was replaced by Isabelle Kano’s lovely face.
“I hate him so much,” Isabelle muttered.

She checked the time on her phone: it was 8 PM. Isabelle dialed Anifath’s number and made the call. A beep sounded just as her friend answered.

While Jerry Dimaro was having a divine encounter, Lisa and Angela continued chatting as if they had always been best friends. Angela talked about the twins, and Lisa had a vague feeling she had met them before. William returned from his short walk and found the girls still talking. It was nearly 8 PM, and Angela had to go home to rest—and, most importantly, to talk with her brother.

So the trio decided to wrap up. The drive back in William’s car was quiet. Angela and her brother, a doctor, sat in front and chatted about family matters. In the back seat, Lisa leaned her head against the window, watching the motorbike and car headlights flash by. She was thinking about the evening and that unexpected meeting. She now knew that meeting William and Angela was no coincidence.

Lisa turned her phone back on. She had switched it off to avoid interruptions during that special evening. She had had a wonderful time with the Osseys. But Lisa had no idea that even greater things lay ahead. When she turned on her mobile data, her phone was flooded with messages from Roland. She had completely forgotten about him. She didn’t have the energy to talk now. She ignored the messages and focused again on the Osseys in the front seat.

“Beautiful souls,” she thought. “You are one too, Lisie.” The voice came from deep within her. She ignored it, thinking it was her imagination. Suddenly, Lisa felt loved. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

“You are loved, my Lisie. Deeply loved. I have great plans for you. I’ve waited so long. I’ve been patient. Because I know your worth.”

Lisa cried silently. The voice echoed in her head, and she recognized it easily.
“Thank you,” she whispered. Then she heard a name: Horel.
— Horel?
— What? asked Angela. Did you say something?
— I was thinking out loud, Lisa replied, returning to reality. Does the name Horel mean anything to you?
Angela turned and looked at her in surprise.
— It’s not the first time I’ve heard that name, she said.
— It’s not a word. It’s a name, William added, eyes still on the road.
— Oh yes, right, said Angela. I heard Jerry mention him once while we were talking. Jerry is one of the twins. Lisa nodded.
— So he’s a student at UST?
— Most likely, Angela replied. I think he’s a friend of Jerry’s. Why?
— I need to meet him, said Lisa…

This text is an excerpt from the novel “SENTINELS: FIRST WATCH” written by Charles SANDAH.
We invite you to read the next article: “STAKES AND REWARDS.”

The Siren. The Siren. The Siren. The Siren. The Siren.

The Siren. The Siren. The Siren. The Siren. The Siren.