Page 20 of Rise of the Siren Queen
“I’m your way out.” Her voice, a haunting melody, sweet and seductive, weaving through the cave walls like an irresistible song. There’s a warmth to her tone that promises comfort and desire, yet hidden beneath is an edge, an almost imperceptible whisper of danger, like a silk ribbon concealing a blade.
The water seems darker and colder, swirling in unnatural patterns as though she commands it. Gone was the shimmering turquoise, and in its place was only the promise of uncertainty.
Hell no. I had been stupid twice already, but not a third.
The thought crossed my mind with a vengeance. I wasn’t going anywhere near that siren.
She was so different from Iryen. Every instinct in me screamed that this wasn’t the same. There was no tug, no attraction, no magnetic curiosity drawing me in. With Iryen, it had been instant, a force I couldn’t explain, something beyond logic that kept tugging at the edges of my consciousness.
Even before I learned what she was, her presence drew me in with an inevitable force, like the pull of the tides.
But with this siren? No. There was no allure here. Only danger.
“No, thanks. I think I’m good right here,” I respond, my voice tight, keeping the edge of annoyance hidden beneath the surface. Staying put felt safer, for now, at least.
“I can lead you out of this prison.” Her voice was smooth, almost hypnotic, each word wrapping around me like a velvet cord. There was a strain in her tone, something alluring, difficult to resist. It was as if she knew exactly how to slip past my defenses, coaxing me into the unknown.
But I wasn’t entering those waters again.
Not willingly.
I couldn’t entrust her. No matter how tempting her words, no matter how sweet the promise of escape sounded, I knew better. Herallure wasn’t just dangerous, it was lethal.
“I’m not falling for that,” I muttered under my breath, locking my gaze on the cold, rippling water, refusing to give in.
I moved to stand, every muscle in my body tense as I tried to put enough distance between the edge, the siren, and me.
My heart pounded in my chest, each beat a reminder of just how precarious this situation was. I didn’t believe her, couldn’t, and being anywhere near that water felt like walking the edge of a blade.
But before I could even take a step back, she moved. No, shesurgedthrough the water, faster than anything humanly possible. In a flash of movement, her hand shot out, cold and unyielding as it wrapped around my leg.
A shock ran through me, constricting my throat as panic rising as her grip tightened. I staggered, my balance thrown, instinct kicking in as I tried to pull away. But she was impossibly strong. The realization hit square in the chest. She could drag me under in a heartbeat if she wanted to.
“Let go!” I growled, my voice strained, though I wasn’t sure if it was anger or fear driving the words. Maybe both.
But her grip tightened, an iron vice that left no room for escape. Before I could fully comprehend what was happening, she yanked me toward the pond.
The world above me blurred as she dragged under the depths, the cold water enveloping me like a shroud.
Air rushed from my lungs, panic clawing at my chest as instinct kicked in. I thrashed against her hold, but her strength was overwhelming. The impact of the water crushed me, and the darkness wrapped around my head, muffling the sounds of the world above.
This fucking siren is going to drown me, and this time, Iryen isn’t here to save me.
A wave of regret flooded through me, hot and suffocating, mingling with the cold water that surrounded me. I shouldn’t have been such a bastard toward her.
I thrashed harder, as if sheer willpower could break her hold on me. My muscles ached, burning from the exertion. My fingers slipped from her arms, the strength leaving me as my limbs went slack.
I had failed, failed myself, failed my sister. And now I would pay for it.
My body slowed, exhaustion setting in as my vision tunneled. The panic that had once been sharp, frenzied, dulled into a cold acceptance.
And the only thing that remained was regret. Regret for all the things left unsaid, for all the promises I would never fulfill.
In the last moments before darkness claimed me, emerald eyes flashed in my sight, vibrant and piercing, like a beacon in the shadowy depths of the waters.
Iryen.
The name whispered through my mind like a lifeline, yanking me back from the brink even as the darkness threatened to engulf me entirely. Her gaze was fierce, full of power, and an unfathomable depth that both captivated and terrified me.
