Page 31 of Of Song and Darkness

“Good.” His voice slithered through my ear and all the way down to my toes. “Again.”

I could not keep the smile within when Cael attacked again, and I successfully blocked him. Cael’s eyes sparkled, and his face shone with amusement.

“Watch his body language. See how his muscles just tensed,” Kai whispered.

On cue, Cael’s blade sliced through the air, aiming for my midsection. My reflexes were sluggish, and the blow would have cut through my skin, but Kai’s arm snaked around my stomach and pulled me backward, just out of reach of the tip of the blade. My body slammed against his, knocking the wind from my lungs. My mind told me to push away from him, but my body had other intentions. My back and shoulders were flush against his rigid torso, my frame melding perfectly with his. I glanced over my shoulder, blinking up at him as his deep blue eyes consumed me and swallowed me whole.

“Land ho, Capitán.” Rat’s voice echoed from above, knocking me from my trance.

I wet my lips, which had suddenly gone dry. Kai’s pupils dilated as he glanced down at my mouth.

Kai cleared his throat, pushing me at arm’s length. “That’s enough for today.”

My back stiffened, and I was frozen in place as Kai walked off and started thundering orders.

“I’ll take that.” Cael reached down and plucked the sword from my hand. “Cap’n obviously got lost in his little training exercise and forgot where we were. He’s going to need this.” Cael motioned to the sword in his hand.

“Where exactly are we?”

“The island of Sarpedon, home of Medusa,” Cael said without another glance in my direction.

I rushed to the bow of the boat, watching intently as a speck of land way off in the distance came into view. My nerves increased tenfold the closer we sailed to land. Kai instructed the men to adjust the sails, causing the ship to slow as we approached the island.

My eyes traced the side of a steep, jagged cliff, and my mouth fell open in disbelief. The sheer extent of the obstacle before us was intimidating, and doubt crept into my mind. There was no way we were making it up that cliff. A sense of isolation washed over me as I turned to survey the landscape. To the left and right, the treacherous cliff stretched as far as the eyes could see.

I walked over to Kai, who scanned the perimeter like a predator, muscles tensed, ready for anything.

“I take it she does not like company.” I tried to sound lighthearted but could not seem to hide the tremor in my voice.

“That’s an understatement,” Kai muttered.

“Is it like this all the way around the island?” I held my breath, hoping there was nice beach access somewhere.

Kai’s gaze shifted forward, and he motioned with his head. “Only way in is through that cove.”

I followed the direction he indicated to a crack in the cliff. I would assume this would be good news, but something about Kai’s stance and how his eyes contemplated every inch of the area had my fear blossoming.

“Lower the sails and get the quant poles!” Kai’s voice echoed off the cliffs in the distance, making him sound even more menacing.

With the sails lowered, the ship came to a complete stop, and the heat from the sun instantly became suffering without the gentle breeze. We were nearly at the entrance of the crevice in the cliff, and I could see why Kai ordered the sails to be lowered. It was a tight fit, and the boat would have never fit through with the sails raised. The men hauled up long, skinny poles and used them to push the boat forward.

They expertly navigated the ship down the long, winding passageway with great ease and precision, but as the close quarters surrounded us, a sense of trepidation crept up my chest. A potent combination of anticipation, excitement, and fear heightened the intensity of the moment. I should have been scared stiff, but this was why I had left my home.

As daunting as the obstacle before us was, it also carried the promise of hope. The narrow passageway, though confining, represented a gateway to end the turmoil caused by the Dark Hydra.

The boat creaked and whined, wood scraping the rocks the further we ventured in. No one spoke; I wasn’t sure if anyone was breathing at the moment. A gasp caught in my throat as the ship snared on a protruding boulder.

“Easy,” Kai warned barely above a whisper. “The tide is low today. Push off the starboard.”

The crew shifted to the right side of the boat, all the men pushing with the quant poles simultaneously. Finally, the ship squeezed by and continued down the narrowing slit in the island.

I eased toward the ship’s bow, carefully watching for any signs of danger. Anticipation fluttered in my chest.

“Breathe.” I sensed Kai’s presence behind me. His thick baritone voice calmed my tattered nerves.

I sucked in a ragged breath and walked closer to the railing. Just ahead, the passageway widened, and with it came a glimmering current of hope.

The ship easily passed through the end of the cliff, giving way to a massive lagoon. My mouth tumbled open at the enchanting scene. A giant waterfall cascaded over the cliff, pouring into the deep aquamarine lagoon, providing perfect, peaceful harmony. Flowers and plants of greens, purples, and blues lined the edge of the water, painting a serene scene against the otherwise jade forest. Rocks broke through the surface of the lulling water covered with a velvety-looking green moss.

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