Siren Song (The Fated #1)

09 | Twisted Fate

Iliana's feet hit the ledge seconds after she'd launched herself over the side. The slick surface nearly sent her pitching into the waters below, but she'd spent years aboard the Airlea, and instinct built on experience saved her balance. There was little difference between wet rocks and wet decking. The moment she was certain she wouldn't fall, Iliana strained her ears for any sign that she'd been heard.

The view from behind the falls was completely different from above. Now, she could see a small split in the rock, similar to the alcove she'd hidden away in earlier. Where Iliana stood stretched out into the spraying waterfall, but was surprisingly narrow. To the left laid a sudden cut off, resulting in the only path being a narrow ledge that ran to the hole in the cliff-side. That must have been why Melitta pressed her back to the rock-face before disappearing.

When no sign of detection came, Iliana took a deep breath and shuffled towards the cave. Then, she paused. If she drew any closer, Iliana held little doubt she'd be spotted at some point. And when that happened, there was no escaping from that narrow ledge--not if she planned on making it back to the village without a split head. The water below looked too shallow to be a potential exit. Well, not without seeing how the merfolk handled it.

Still, she had to know.

So, Iliana grew closer, her heart in her throat. When she was only a foot from the entrance she became able to pick up the voices once again.

"--since he passed out again?" Melitta was asking.

"A few hours," Callias answered, tone sour. "I'll need to go soon. The ocean's calling."

There was a moment of silence, followed by the sound of someone moving around. Iliana could almost feel the tension from where she stood. The siblings seemed close, so she found it hard to understand what could cause this divide. Was rescuing someone this horrible? Why?

"I understand. I'll come with you after I replace his bandages," Melitta muttered.

No, wait, the tension had been there before, too, Iliana remembered. They'd been arguing about something when she woke up. Callias had been in a poor mood about some decision Melitta had made, and if Iliana's hazy memory of those moments were right, he'd mentioned something about it not being her he was upset about.

Was this it, then?

Iliana chewed on her lip, fighting the impulse to dart in and see who laid inside. Her heart had already seized hope and ran with it. The timing was too perfect. He had to be someone from the crew--and out of them the strongest swimmer was Kain. Logic told her to be calm, that anyone could be laid out in there. Her entire being urged her to throw all caution to the wind and take whatever came in order to prove the stupid hope right.

"We can't keep doing this," Callias said after a moment of silence. The tone he used spoke of a repeated argument--one he didn't expect to win. "It isn't right. If the sirens find out--"

"If," Melitta stressed. "If they find out. I do not think the sirens know of this place. Do you really believe they swim the tunnels?"

Tunnels? Iliana wondered.

"If someone sees us--" Callias began.

"No one will see us! Quit being paranoid and help me check his leg wounds. They are nearly closed, but I would like to be safe."

There was a pause for a full minute, then the sound of someone moving around once again.

"If you've so much trouble touching him, I should be the one to do it all," Callias grumbled. There was a long pause, followed by his sigh. "Sorry."