Page 85 of Gods of the Sea

I looked over my shoulder as long as I could, not seeing a glimpse of Henrik or Adrian. I wanted to speak to them. I wanted to tell them everything I had found out in such a short time. I wanted to tell them that I never planned to hurt them.

But Luc had told me that I was their enemy. Would they really try to kill me? Did they really feel nothing at all toward me without me charming them?

The sirens led us from the ship into the caverns that stretched long and wide in the darkness. The caverns only became darker and deeper, and there were moments when I couldn’t even see my hand in front of my face. The sirens in the lead commanded us to follow their voice, and I did, trying not to stumble across the slick ground beneath us. Regardless, I didn’t feel afraid in the slightest. In fact, I felt more at peace than I ever had. It was like a warm Sunday morning breakfast with my parents, a nostalgic comfort as we walked on the cool ground and breathed in the clean, fresh wind that caressed our skin.

After one final dark tunnel, the caverns opened up again to a massive dome, with a ceiling higher than any building I had ever seen. There were sirens flying slowly around the edges, their dark wings in full spread. It was impossible not to watch them soar, the graceful way they fluttered on the wind.

Suddenly, the skin between my shoulder blades ached.

I caught Luc’s glance at the sirens flying above us as we walked, his jaw slacked in complete awe.

They then brought us to a hallway that looked like it was made of glass. It shimmered and glowed the further we walked,to a room made of what looked like ruby glass. The floor was made of dark stone, stretching across a rosy lake in long strips like a spiderweb. On the far side of the room was a staircase leading up to a grand throne that must have been ten feet high, a man sitting on the throne looking tiny in comparison, with one elbow on his knee. As we got closer, I realized that there were two more figures, one on his right and one on his left.

The man on the throne had glowing alabaster skin, rich copper tones seeping from the shadows. His eyes were sharp, somehow full of darkness and light at the same time. His long hair was straight and white—not the muddled white of an aged man, but instead, a pure white that reflected light much like the moon. The man on his right had a bright round face and clear eyes, a warm smile across his face. The man on the left was the polar opposite, a long oval face, his eyes as dark and clouded as his scowl.

The man on the throne stood as we approached, nodding to the men who had led us in.

“We’ve brought a Judge and two incarnates, Your Majesty,” one of the sirens said, bowing.

The Siren King.

The king gave a nod to our leads, and they left. Jacques stepped forward, not showing any formal respect at all.

“King Melchior,” Jacques said. “It’s been some time.”

The king gave a warm smile before nodding briefly. “It’s good to see that you are still well, Jacques.”

“Well, it looks like our schedules are now disrupted,” the emotionless man on the left of the king said.

“Yes, but how wonderful to have guests again!” the man on the right replied.

“And who might you be?” the king asked us, not paying attention to the two beside him that had just spoken.

“These are two of your own,” Jacques replied for us. “In the human realm, they go by Luc and Esmeralda. They’re incarnates that have delivered a ship of humans to you now that the worlds have reopened.”

Luc gave a bow when the king met his eyes, and I gave a much-practiced curtsey when he met mine. I was a lady, after all.

“Incarnates!” the man on the right of the king said, clapping excitedly. “It’s such a rare treat to find humans who realize their true souls.”

The man on the left scoffed. “Incarnates who were condemned for a reason. Let’s not forget that they were sentenced to eternal punishment.”

“It has been some time since the Judges have come to us,” the Siren King said, nodding thoughtfully. “I assume you wish to complete the trials as quickly as possible? You always do.”

Jacques ran his tongue against his cheek, not answering. The king gave a warm chuckle in reply and stood. He turned to us.

“Please, allow me to offer you a place to stay until the Trials are complete,” he said.

“But my father—” I started.

I quickly threw my hand over my mouth. I hadn’t meant to say it out loud, but for some reason, I suddenly found it too easy to speak my thoughts.

“Forgive me, Your Majesty,” I added. “I hadn’t meant to speak out of turn.”

He cocked his head to the side, looking oddly amused. “Is that so?”

“I am, however, concerned about my father’s well-being.”

He took a few steps forward, not speaking at first. He then nodded again, the color in his face glowing.

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