Siren Song (The Fated #1)

01 | Flawless

Like the sword, it wasn't something he could just replace. It'd been several years since he'd last seen his mother, so asking her to make a new one... Anxiety shot through him at the thought, Kain's body growing tense. Without Art, could he even contact her? The few times he'd met her Art had been the go between. Even the first time they'd met had been arranged.

"Kain!"

He poked his head over the side of the crow's nest. His thumb rested between the pages of his book and a faint hint of reluctance fluttered through him. It wasn't like Art was calling him to accompany him ashore, so what could he possibly need him for? At seven, he'd held little attention in anything that didn't relate to the sea, the sky, or whatever book Art had bought at the last port.

"Well, don't just look at me like that, kid, get down here," the captain ordered.

Kain hesitated, then sighed. "Fine."

Book set aside, he climbed down from the nest and joined Art outside his office. The man looked Kain over, an uncharacteristic hesitance to him.

"I've got someone here... Well, just be polite, won't you?"

Kain knitted his brow, then shrugged as he put on a mischievous grin. "You say that like I'm not."

His captain scoffed in response, and chose to turn and open the door rather than say anything. On the other side waited a woman he'd only seen in pictures--

"Help!"

The call startled him from his memories. He scrambled to his feet. Was that Iliana?

"Help! Please!"

It was, he realized. Within a second of the thought, he'd swiped his sword from the cave side and approached the entrance. Hesitation hit him then. The drop down... the shallow pool didn't offer much protection. Still, the moon hung high in the sky, and it was water. He'd be fine... probably.

"Somebody help me!"

There was no time to wait. If she was in trouble, he'd have to risk it. Decision made, Kain edged his way along the thin ledge, before he made it to the platform that stuck out beyond the thin spray of the waterfall. Here goes nothing. Or, everything I guess.

He tossed his sword over the edge, then turned so he could drop down and grip the ledge with both hands, praying to the gods he wouldn't slip. They must have listened, because he managed to position himself before he released it and dropped the bone jarring distance to the pool. There was the distinct sound of something snapping, pain lancing his left ankle and causing him to topple over as he landed. Kain paused for only a moment, then scrambled to his feet before flexing his foot with a thoughtful frown. It was probably fractured, and hurt like hell. Still, it wasn't the worst thing he'd ever done. There was that one time he decided to jump out of the crow's nest...

A thought for another time. He grabbed his sword, then tested the ankle. After deciding it could hold a moderate amount of weight-- with effort put into ignoring the pain-- Kain hurried towards the call as quickly as he could. Using his memory, he plunged into the trees in the direction he faintly recalled it having come from.

"Iliana!" he shouted. "Where are you? I'm on my way!"

There was a pause, and then, "I'm over here!"

The voice sounded close. He limped his way through the brush, then paused when it led him to a small clearing. There's no one here...

"Iliana?"

Logic overrode his concern in that moment. Neither Melitta, nor Callias had said she was coming, and unlike him, there was no way for her to get down from the cave without the merpeople's help. It didn't make sense for her to come alone. Then there was the fact it was the middle of the night... walking through these trees without a companion would be dangerous, the siblings had already told him about how the nightmares in the area had been more active--

Dammit. I'm such an idiot.

Kain twisted around, backing slowly into the middle of the clearing. He'd need to see them coming, and standing his back to the forest wouldn't help. No doubt he was already surrounded. The kottai hunted in packs.

What if you're wrong, though? The absent thought was like a knife in his heart. What if you're wrong, and she's actually out there and in trouble?

Something snapped to his right and Kain's eyes darted in the direction. His thumb pushed the sword from its sheath. The darkness and the brush hid whatever concealed itself there. He might have taken a step forward, but his instincts screamed for another action. So, he ducked, flicking his sword up above his head and tensing as the action was met with the screech of a wild animal in pain. Whatever had leapt at him from behind, dropped to the ground before him. Even in the dark, Kain could make out its shape.

He'd been right. It wasn't Iliana that'd called him out.

The strange creature that crouched before him, blood dripping from the gash in its stomach, was a kottai. At the sight of the nightmare, its head and the tail of a lion, but the body of a stag, his entire body grew even more tense than it had already been.

Where there was one, there were more.

Well... on the bright side. At least Iliana isn't in trouble.

A/N: There we go! I'm not fully done with the edits, but I did promise you guys an update at the beginning of November! I might edit this chapter as well, given I'm having a bit of trouble dropping into Kain's POV. 

Anyways, we've just started and already he's gotten himself into trouble~~ So, should I let you see what happens next~ Oooor, should we go check on Iliana, hm? (I already know what's next, but teasing is fun~~!) 

Also, any thoughts on all the reveals this chapter? There's one scene that you'll have seen that I'm gonna remove from part 1, so you guys probably have more insights on everything he's thought about this chapter! Any theories?