Page 32 of Of Song and Darkness

“It’s beautiful,” I whispered as elegant white birds sang, brushing past us and landing on the low-hanging branch of a tree.

I turned, eyes wide, when I heard the metal of Kai’s blade hiss as he drew it from his scabbard. “Looks can be deceiving.”

Iscanned the smooth surface of the water, my gaze snaring on each ripple. My muscles tensed, stretching taut across my chest and shoulder blades, ready for anything the Blood Cay had to offer.

The birds took to the air, and the melody of wild noises reverberating through the air died to a deafening silence. My grip on the hilt of my sword tightened.

“What is it?” Rhea whispered, squeezing my forearm with urgency.

The answer to her question broke through the surface of the water, adjusting her body on a rock in a tantalizing manner. Her eyes slithered to mine, batting unusually dark lashes at me. She flipped her long golden hair over her shoulder, exposing her chest with a deadly smile.

“Sirens,” Rhea mouthed, barely audible in astonishment.

“Bloody hell,” I cursed as the siren flipped her aquamarine tail back and forth in a captivating motion through the water.

She licked her sun-kissed lips, opened her mouth, and started singing a song that echoed throughout the lagoon.

“Humph, you call that a song?” Rhea mocked.

“Cover your ears! Drown out her song. Don’t let that sea nymph hypnotize you.” My voice rang out, and my crew hurried to follow my command.

“I thought we were sea demons?” Rhea contended, arms crossed angrily over her chest.

“No, that title is for you alone.” I rushed past her, heading for the ship’s bow with the intention of lopping off the siren’s head to stop her song once and for all.

“Kai,” Rhea warned, stopping my mad murderous dash.

I froze in place as about a dozen more heads broke through the shimmering water’s surface. They bobbed up and down in the water, smiling and flirting with the men. As if on cue, they all opened their mouths, mingling their songs in perfect harmony with the one perched on the rock.

The men may have had a chance against one, but a chorus of sirens singing was too powerful to drown out.

“Secure the deck!” I bellowed, snatching rope from the rigging.

The men rushed to the sides of the ship, hellbent on a suicidal leap over the edge. I grabbed anything I could—shirts, arms, hair—shoving them back with all my might, but they kept coming, lured to the depths of the sea by the singing.

Rhea screamed, sending a jolt of adrenaline down my spine. I focused on her as she attempted to block Cael from diving overboard. Cael dragged Rhea to the railing like a rag doll, her efforts no match for his determination and strength.

Rhea threw herself in front of him to block him, but he was a man possessed. I could not reach him in time, even if I tried. Desperation clawed at my throat as I shoved the rest of my men back and hopelessly watched as my friend neared his death. In a swift motion, Rhea lifted her knee, nailing him in the groin. “Sorry,” she muttered apologetically.

Relief washed over me as Cael went down on his knees.

“Rat!” Rhea cried, and I followed her horror-struck gaze up to the mast.

Rat leaped off the mast, rope in hand, swinging like a marsupial as he made his way down to the water.

“The grappling hook!” I yelled to Rhea as she finished tying a rope around Cael, anchoring him in place.

Rhea’s head swiveled until she spotted the grappling hook attached to a long rope. She snatched it from the deck and tossed it to me.

Rat dove for the water, releasing the rope that kept him airborne. I watched him free fall, his hands in front of him in a perfect dive formation. I slung the grappling hook, praying my aim and timing were perfect. Rat screeched when the hook scraped across his back, catching his vest. I quickly tied the rope off, leaving him dangling above the water like fish bait.

Rhea’s hands flew to her mouth as she cut off a scream. Blood sprinkled on the deck, the grappling hook obviously coming in contact with more than just Rat’s vest.

I rushed to Rhea’s side as a few more of my men bounded to the edge. “It’s better than him going in the water,” I ground out as I shoved my men back.

I glanced around, ready to stop any more of them who bounded toward the railing, but none came. Rhea bent over, gasping for air.

My heart raced, and I spun around as the sound of sloshing water reached my ears, followed by a resounding thud on the deck. A siren had breached the ship’s edge, dragging her body toward one of the men tied to the main mast. I rushed to his side. She screeched and slashed at me with her razor claws, but I was too quick for her. I stabbed my blade through her torso. She shrieked and sputtered as my sword anchored her to the deck, preventing her escape. She fell over dead, her head slamming against the wooden planks.

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