Page 38 of Of Song and Darkness

“A siren?” Medusa purred.

I didn’t respond. It was useless. I continued my tune even as she ventured from the shadows. A note snagged on my tongue as she slithered forward, her massive serpent tail marked with lovely hues of green and black that melded together to form a distinct pattern.

She wasn’t what I expected. Medusa was horrifyingly beautiful. Her serpentine hair hissed and struck at me as she ventured closer, stopping just out of reach. Her diamond-shaped golden eyes drifted down my form and then rested on my face as I continued to sing.

Her blood-red lips parted, fangs scraping across her lower lip. “I’ve never heard a song quite like yours.”

I was afraid to stop singing. She wasn’t under my trance, but my song seemed to soothe the beast in her. She closed her eyes, letting her head loll from side to side.

“I’m not here to hurt you,” I promised, stopping my song.

Medusa pried her eyes open. “I can see that. What is that you want?”

My gaze ventured to the object of my desire, tucked against the cleavage of her pale, viridescent skin.

One of Medusa’s eyebrows shot up. “You came for treasures, I see.” She started to turn away from me.

I stepped closer to her, prying my body away from the boulder. “No, I came for redemption.”

My words stopped her, and she turned to me, her posture suddenly stiffening. “What kind of redemption?”

Her forked tongue protruded from her lips, but I took another bold step toward her. “Is it true that inside that locket is a piece of Poseidon’s heart?”

Her jaw clenched, and her pupils dilated as she reached up, running her fingers across the silver locket. Her eyes bored into mine. My mind screamed for me to step back, but my stubbornness demanded I stay put. Medusa carefully opened the locket. A radiant, glowing essence emanated from within, casting an ethereal light upon her flawless, high cheekbones and delicate, pert nose. I bit my bottom lip to keep my mouth from dropping open in awe.

Medusa slammed the locket closed. “Does that answer your question? Now you answer mine. Why has a siren ventured into my lair in search of my locket?”

The fact that she had ceased her murderous intent and was now conversing with me like a civilized being encouraged me to speak further.

“I need it to stop the Dark Hydra.” I shifted pleading eyes to her. “Rumors are that only Poseidon could stop the Dark Hydra, and that is the only piece of him left in this world.”

“Poseidon,” she spat. “Do you know how I got this?” She pulled on the chain, the pendant dangling before my face. Medusa’s nostrils flared, causing goosebumps to erupt across my flesh. I shook my head.

She angled her body away from me. “I was beautiful once, so much so that my allure tempted Poseidon himself.” Medusa’s voice cracked with emotion, and so did my heart. She inhaled deeply, as if she were immersing herself in her memories. “He professed his love to me, but I refused his advances, enticing his anger.” She paused, her eyes searching my face. “He came for me one night… I screamed for help, but no one came.”

She trembled, and I reached a comforting hand toward her, but she pulled away. I eased my hand back to my side.

“He took me on the cold stone floor of Athena’s temple.” She shifted her teary eyes to me. “When he was through, he reached into his chest, plucked out a piece of his heart, and gave it to me.”

“Why?” I asked, barely above a breath.

She smiled as salty tears dripped down her chin. “He said that he knew Athena would seek revenge on me, but with his heart tucked close to my breast, I would be protected from her wrath.”

My gaze glided over her body, stopping on the hair of snakes, which seemed just as distraught as Medusa was.

"His heart protected me from death, but not from her vengeance. She turned me into this monster, ensuring no man would ever desire me again. One look from me will turn any human to stone," Medusa explained, her voice heavy with sorrow as she slithered further into the shadows. "I wish I had died instead."

"That’s why I am not affected. Because I am not human?" I asked.

Medusa responded with a single nod, confirming my suspicion. Tears welled in my eyes. Medusa was not the monster that legend made her out to be. She was merely a woman severely wronged by some detestable god of the seas.

I stepped into the shadows alongside her. “I would think you’d long to get rid of that locket. I don’t know why you haven’t tossed it into the sea by now. I know I would have.”

Medusa retracted, coiling her tail around her body. “It’s not that simple. If I take off this necklace, I will fall victim to my own curse and turn to stone. For you see, despite my gorgon appearance, I am still human.”

My blood turned to ice water in my veins as my gaze drifted back to the locket. It wasn’t right for me to ask a woman so severely wronged to forgo her life to save a world that so easily disregarded her.

Medusa interrupted my thoughts. “Tell me about this Dark Hydra.”

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