Page 46 of Siren's Treasure

He led the way through the heavy white sands. After floating weightlessly through the water, her every step dragged. “See that mountain?” He pointed through a break in the trees ahead. “We’re heading straight for it. If there’s a heart to this island, we’ll find it there.”

Unlike the planks of his ship, the beach felt strange and warm against her feet, though walking became easier as they neared the canopy of jungle looming ahead. Foreign sounds emanated from within its dark maze. She froze. The verdant world around them teemed with life—screeches called from the branches overhead, followed by rustling in the brush. “What creatures are in there?”

He turned and squeezed her hand. “Nothing much, just a dragon…”

Yeah, that’s what she was afraid of… and nothing would stop her from rescuing her father, either. Setting her jaw, sheventured into the dense jungle after Raggon. The jagged fronds of towering palms overhead provided welcome relief from the punishing sun. He moved ahead, pushing aside hanging vines with one arm while keeping the other protectively extended back toward her.

The tattered remains of the once-fine cambric shirt clung to the broad planes of his back, now darkened with sweat. She found herself mesmerized by the rhythmic flex of muscle beneath fabric as he forged their path forward.

“Watch your step,” he cautioned, his voice low and husky as he pointed to a copper-banded creature with diamond-patterned scales slithering across their path.

Some primal instinct jolted within her, and she ran into his chest in her haste to escape whatever that was—some sort of eel out of the water? She didn’t like the menacing hisses emanating from it.

“Just a coral racer,” he whispered against her hair after a moment, “… not exactly life-threatening.” And still his arm remained secure around her waist, much longer than necessary. “You’re lucky you didn’t come across the serpents carved into Maddox’s bed posts—the venom in those will take you down in one bite.”

She shook her head in disbelief, trying to release her fear. “Is that the worst… out here?” She was almost afraid to ask.

“The place is called Serpent Coils—so…” his voice faded when he glanced down at her, and he turned reassuring, “I mean, yeah, probably.”

That wasn’t exactly comforting.

The heat of him seeped through the banyan and damp linen shirt, and still, she found herself reluctant to move away when he finally released her. Well, she wasn’t afraid of coral racers or other creepy crawly serpents anyway! She kept repeating that to herself.

As the sun climbed higher, filtering through the dense foliage in dappled patterns across the forest floor, the humid air grew heavy around them. Raggon had fashioned a crude knife from a jagged shell they’d found, using it to cut away the worst of the thorny vines that blocked their path. His movements were efficient, practiced—the grace of a warrior. Though she noticed his sleeve was almost soaked through with blood now.

“What happened?” she touched his arm.

“Tobias,” he muttered. “There isn’t much we can do about it now. I’ll check to see if it’s worse later.”

Later was a long time coming.

Hours passed as they wound deeper into the island’s interior. The soft sand had gradually given way to rich soil carpeted with fallen leaves that cushioned their steps as they fought through the jungle.

Circe was likely circling them with her beasts, and they were no closer to Undine’s Blade than when they started. Yet, this treasure was worth any price, even if the map to find the dagger would be written in their own blood. They’d sacrifice anything to save the ones they loved.

Chapter twenty-one

The sound of water in the distance tormented Thessa as they made their way through the tangled mangroves and climbing lianas. The heart of the island was maddening close, but the thick undergrowth cut them up into ribbons.

What should take a matter of minutes was becoming impossible. Thessa studied the corded muscles of Raggon’s forearms flexing with each swing, a thin sheen of sweat making his sun-bronzed skin gleam in the filtered light. He occasionally paused to examine broken twigs or disturbed earth, searching for any sign of their pursuers.

Thessa took advantage of the unplanned rest to catch her breath, her own arm aching from clearing the pathway of debris. The silk banyan had become unbearably hot, but she couldn’t bring herself to abandon it—the oversized linen shirt hardly covered her. She rested her fists against her hips. “Any sign of Circe?”

Raggon turned, his blue eyes striking against the backdrop of green. “No, no sign of her.”

Then why had they stopped?

A sudden crash in the undergrowth sent them diving for cover. He pulled her down behind a fallen log, throwing himself between her and this new danger. They crouched motionless, barely breathing. A snorting creature waddled through the clearing with sharp tusks and a round belly.

Her hand dug into Raggon’s arm at the horrific beast, recognizing it as the same beast displayed on Circe’s flag.

“Wild boar,” he muttered. His grip tightened on the jagged piece of shell. Thessa clutched at him, not sure how the makeshift weapon would fare going up against that thick bristled hide. Fortunately, for man and beast, the boar tottered further into the brush and away from their blundering hands. Her head sank against Raggon’s back.

This world was still too new and unfamiliar.

He made a sympathetic sound and ran his fingers through her hair. “You got this?”

“Yeah.” It came out too breathless.

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