Page 11 of Rise of the Siren Queen
This is insane.
Iwasa prisoner, and the only person who could give me answers was nowhere to be found. But hey, at least she’d left food and water.
A small comfort amid the panic creeping up my spine.
Alone and feeling trapped, I retraced my steps, frustration gnawing at my edges, regret tightening its grip around my chest.
I had come to this island to escape the agitation of the city, the suffocating confines of my life. The politics, the constant expectations, the pretense, it was all too much. I just wanted some peace. So, I hiked along the rugged coastline, hoping that solitude would clear my head.
When I stumbled upon the entrance to a cave, curiosity got the better of me. The cool air had felt like a relief then, a welcome break from the relentless sun. My lantern flickered as I descended, the light dancing off the stalactites, shining like they held the answers I sought.
But the deeper I went, the more suffocating the darkness became. I should’ve known better, wandering into a cave alone with no gear, no backup, no way to communicate.
What was I thinking? I was smarter than that, more careful. Yet here I was, trapped in a labyrinth of my making, with no way out.
The walls felt like they were closing in. Each path, each narrow gap in the rock, led me right back to where I started. It was maddening.
The food and water, left so neatly beside the natural pool, were temporary solutions, a band-aid over a much larger problem.
How long can I survive here?
My mind raced with possibilities, none of them good. The eerie stillness of the cave, the quiet drip of water echoing off the stone, all heightened my growing sense of dread.
I was running out of time.
What made things worse was the nagging thought at the back of my mind, the woman, Iryen.
She spoke of councils, threats, and containment as if it were some vast conspiracy beyond my understanding.
And now, here I was, at some mysterious cave, utterly lost. Why me? What situation had I gotten myself into? And more importantly, how to escape?
I stood at the edge of the pond, staring into its depths as chaos swirled within me like the turbulent currents of the ocean. This place felt utterly foreign, strange, and beautiful, yet filled with secrets I couldn’t understand.
“What the hell am I doing?” I muttered, resentment boiling over. The cave felt like a prison, every stone a reminder of my helplessness. I could practically hear the whispers of the high society back in Thalassa, their judgmental eyes on me.
I glanced back at the water, heart pounding in my chest as I caught a hint of salt in the air.The ocean. Relief surged through me, mingling with an undercurrent of dread. If this water connected to the sea, I could swim out. I could escape this maze of dead ends and confusion.
Without another thought, I stepped closer to the natural pool, my feet sinking into the slick stone beneath me as I crouched and tested the water. Salty. My instincts were right, but the uneasy feeling twisting in my stomach refused to settle.
My way out… or my way todrown.
A sharp breath escaped me, and I forced my mind to focus.
Stay calm. This isn’t the time to panic.
I’d survived worse. The pit of terror nagged at me, its teeth sinking deeper with every passing second. This was a risk I wasn’t entirely ready to take.
“Fuck it,” I growled under my breath, shaking my head as if that would clear the rising storm of doubt from my mind. I waded deeper into the water, feeling the cool, briny liquid rise around me like fingers wrapping tight, cool and inviting, yet threatening. My muscles tensed as I fought the growing urge to second-guess my decision.
There’s no time for hesitation now.
With each step, the water grew heavier, its weight pulling me deep. The sea calling to me, promising freedom. But there was danger here too, something lurking in the depths, waiting for me to falter.
Be quick and you won’t drown.
That singular thought propelled me forward. I dove into the water, my body moving with purpose, powerful strokes carrying me deeper and deeper into the pool’s murky embrace. The salt stung my eyes, blurring my vision as I searched for the exit, twisting and turning through the tight, dark tunnels.It has to be here. It has to.
But with each turn, there was nothing but endless rock. I swam faster, my breath growing more labored, my lungs scream for air.
