Page 104 of Voice of the Ocean

A sword cut between them, knocking his weapon from his hand.

“Enough, Bastian,” Kiyami said coolly, hovering the point of her sword inches from the soft skin of his neck.

But there was no victory in it. Not for Celeste.

“Go,” Kiyami said, nodding toward the temple. “We’ll take care of things out here.”

With a thankful smile, the princess pushed through the doors into the temple. But she could see her sister was far from finished.

“If you give me your sister, I promise no harm will come to her.”

Celeste spun around to face Raiden. He’d managed to get past the crew. Past Nerissa. She raised her sword. “As if I can trust anything you say.”

A bitter smile played on his lips.

“I can’t leave here empty-handed,” he said, crossing his sword with hers.

“No.” Celeste slid her blade down his until they were pressed against each other. “You’ll leave here in pieces.”

Metal rang between them as she pushed him with all her strength, sending him staggering backward. But he was quick. Much quicker than she expected. He regained his balance and advanced, his sword a flash of silver.

A rage of fire within her drove her forward. Kept her in the fight and him on defense, if only because she was so unpredictable. They were not training anymore. Their swords clashed as she threw blow after blow at him. But with one step of his impeccable footwork, Raiden regained control, advancing. He knew all her weaknesses. Knew that his long arms gave him an advantage, making it harder for her to get under his guard to land a blow.

And then she made her first mistake. She let her guard down, leaving her right side open. But he did not strike. Instead, Raiden tried to dodge around her toward the pool.

He’s trying not to hurt me. The realization struck as she intercepted him, swinging her sword. He turned his wrist, attempting to disarm her. Somehow this made her angrier. She retained control of her weapon and lunged at him, but he parried easily.

Behind him, the battle pushed inside the temple. Kiyami, Nasir, Torben, and Nerissa continued to do their best to keep the king’s men back, but they were losing ground.

The music rose. Water in the pool began to circle. Within it, tendrils of light circled the sirens. Celeste could see the power moving through them. The transfer was working. She just had to keep Raiden from reaching them. It was all Celeste could do to keep her body squarely between him and her sister as they circled closer and closer to the pool. But he was backing her into the base of the statue of the Goddess. If Celeste changed direction, he could push past her to the pool.Hurry, Sephone. Please.

Suddenly, Raiden twisted in his attack, and Celeste’s sword sailed from her hand. It skittered across the temple floor behind him. There was no triumph in his eyes as he raised his weapon to her chin.

She still couldn’t believe it. Couldn’t believe that after everything they had been through he would take her sister from her. And what’s worse, a part of her still felt for him. Still would take him back if he only stopped.

Swallowing, she retreated a step. The stone leg of the statue pressed against her back. There was nowhere for her to go. But she wouldn’t let him win. Not while there was still breath in her lungs. With unearthly speed, Celeste kicked, aiming for his manhood. Raiden jumped back, anticipating the blow. But it was enough. She turned and scrambled up the base of the statue, setting her feet upon the head of the Hippokamp and pushing to reach the Goddess.

“I’m just going to borrow this,” Celeste said, perhaps to the Goddess herself, as she grasped the golden trident and pulled.

Much to her surprise, it slid easily from the statue’s hands.

The island beneath trembled. Stone fell from the temple ceiling. With a cry, the fight stopped. Celeste held tightly to the trident with one hand and clung to the Goddess’s now open hand with the other until the shaking subsided. She turned to check on the others, praying the Song was finished. But she froze when she realized the trident in her hands was glowing. Pulsing. A once dead thing now alive.

“It has been claimed,” Nerissa breathed just below her.

CHAPTERFORTY

“That can’t be,” Celeste said, looking up from the trident and meeting Nerissa’s gaze.

“No, this isn’t possible,” Nerissa agreed. “The trident can only be removed by a siren touched by the Goddess.”

Then only Sephone should have been able to move it. Celeste turned the trident in her hands.It was surprisingly light and perfectly balanced. Familiar. If she closed her eyes, she could almost believe it was the spear she had lost.This wasn’t meant for me, she reminded herself. Sunlight glinted off its golden prongs. Celeste looked to her sister, whose Song had turned frantic. Sephone moved as though in a trance, her head rolling from side to side.

From the corner of her eye, Celeste saw one of the king’s men barrel past Torben, sword held aloft, eyes trained on Sephone.

Celeste’s body leaped of its own accord. Her feet slammed into the temple floor, knees buckling. And then she was running around the pool. But it was too large, and he was almost at the edge. Sephone, roped in light and still entranced, did not notice as his sword swung.

Kicking off the side of the pool, Celeste launched herself at him. Time slowed as she flew across the water, his blade cutting the air toward Sephone’s neck. And then the teeth of the trident sank into his chest. Blood sprayed across Celeste’s face as the man’s body tipped backward. He slammed onto the temple’s white floor with a smack, and Celeste landed over him, graceful as a dancer. For a moment, she watched as the color drained from his face. She felt no regret—no shame in taking this human’s life.With a tug, she wrenched the trident free from his body. Three perfect holes were left in his chest, a red stain blossoming from them. With a flourish, Celeste brought the base of the trident down on the floor beside her. Its prongs dripped. Her wild eyes scanned the room, daring anyone to make a move.

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