Page 55 of A Song of Death and Desire

On closer inspection, Sienna and Raidne appear to have similar injuries to my own from the ravens and like mine, most are shallow and will heal quickly. Vala had landed a few blows to Eagan’s face and a shallow cut to his side but apart from a bleeding lip and a bruise starting to darken on his cheek, he managed to fare quite well. My head is the only semi-serious injury amongst us. and I’m pretty sure once I get through the concussion symptoms, I’ll be perfectly fine as well.

I barely remember the journey back to the apartment but regain my awareness when Eagan places me on the sofa.

“Drinks!” Sienna calls out from the kitchen.

“None for Kairi with her head,” Eagan replies. I pout and he chuckles. “Don’t worry, vicious one, there will be plenty of time for us to celebrate later.” Despite my pounding head, warmth pools in my core.

We spend the rest of the day laughing and drinking and enjoying each other’s company. Eagan cleans the wound on my head and says it’s not as bad as it originally looked and after a couple of hours my headache dissipates. Eagan still won’t let me drink, but even without alcohol, I feel so incredibly happy. Sienna and Raidne are getting along far better than they did originally and I can’t help but notice the way they glance at each other when they think the other isn’t looking.

Eagan hasn’t stopped touching me since we returned to the apartment. Whether it’s playing with my hair, stroking my back, or just resting his hand on my belly, he makes sure I stay close as if to reassure himself that I’m safe.

Eventually, we all begin to fall asleep exactly where we are. Eagan and I lay on the sofa and Raidne rests on a pillow while Sienna sleeps with her head on Raidne’s stomach. Everything feels completely and utterlyperfect.

Chapter 50

The next morning, I wake earlier than the others—probably because I’m the only one who didn’t get drunk last night. I smile at the sight of Sienna and Raidne curled up together on the floor and I wonder what life has in store for the two of them. Perhaps Raidne might be spending more time on land after all.

I sit up, intending to get myself a drink of water but Eagan reaches up to pull me back down, not even opening his eyes. “Where are you going, vicious one?” he murmurs into my neck.

“I’m getting some water,” I reply. I’m starting to learn that Eagan doesn’t like to wake up and if he had his choice, would lay in bed with me all day.

Our whispering stirs the others, and when they become aware of the position they ended up in while sleeping, they pull away from each other looking sheepish.

“Morning,” Raidne yawns.

“Sleep well?” I question, raising my eyebrows suggestively.

“Like the dead,” Raidne answers, not rising to the bait. “I have to get home.” Sadness laces her tone, and disappointment makes my insides churn. I know she has to go back; her twenty-four hours are almost up, but a piece of me will always be missing while I live on land, and she lives in the sea. I wish there were a way for her to become human like me, but we destroyed the only one capable of doing it and even if we hadn’t, I’ve learnt the dangers of making a bargain. I’m not even certain that Raidne would want to be human if she were given the chance, but Sienna might certainly make the idea more appealing.

“I don’t want you to go back,” I say softly. She turns her warm brown eyes to me filled with sympathy.

“I don’t want to either. This is the most excitement I’ve had in my whole life. I’m going to be bored shitless when I’m back.” I laugh, appreciating the levity Raidne always brings to a tough moment.

“Let’s get ourselves freshened up, and we will walk Raidne back,” Eagan suggests, and we agree.

I stand with my feet in the ocean in the small cove where Eagan and I met for the first time. The small waves crash over my feet before pulling back as I sink. This is the first time I’ve touched the water since becoming human. I scrunch my toes in the sand and close my eyes, feeling the sea breeze tickling my face.

I’m holding back tears. Logically I know that Raidne isn’t leaving for good and that I will see her again, but this feels wrong. I don’t want her to leave me. A hand on my shoulder has me opening my eyes to see Eagan looking at me with concern.

“She’s just saying goodbye to Sienna and then it’s time,” he tells me gently. I sniffle and he wraps me in a hug. “You’ll see her again. I get the feeling she won’t be able to stay away from Sienna long.” He chuckles.

“You caught that, did you?”

He scoffs, “pretty hard not to notice the way they keep eye-fucking each other.” He’s not wrong.

We walk back over to them and Raidne pulls me to her in a hug. “Don’t worry Kai, I’ll be back soon. You won’t be able to keep me away.” I give her a little smile but know that even though she says that the realities of her life as a siren mean that she won’t be able to return as often as either one of us would like.

She gives Eagan an elbow jab to the ribs that leads to him pulling her into a head lock with one hand and tickling her with the other. A genuine, full smile lights up my face this time as I see the formation of bonds forming between us all.

Raidne quickly undresses and steps into the ocean. Although we have now all witnessed the transformation, we are still transfixed as Raidne’s legs fuse into her tail and her skin color changes.

“Love you, Kai. Oh, and Sienna, don’t miss me too much,” she calls out, shooting her a wink before diving into the waves and disappearing from view.

“Love you too,” I whisper as I finally let the tears fall.

One week later

I bound through the door, flinging myself into Eagan’s lap and planting a kiss straight on his mouth.

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