Page 71 of The Song of the Void

For a moment, I almost thought he wasn’t going to answer me. His gaze slid from the sky back to my face, and his jaw slackened as he focused on me. Like what he saw there had him entranced. Without tearing his eyes away from mine, Rei slowly pulled my hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to the tips of my fingers. When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet, almost weak. “I see an ocean of endless constellations. A world more enchanting than any other, painted in cerulean and navy.” Reiven dragged his fingers through the wavy, tousled bangs that hung down my temples, carefully, as if they were threads of gold as thin as spider silk.

I was lost in his eyes. Because there, in the darkness flecked with the red of the nearby coals, I saw the same thing he did. A sea of stars, swirling in an abyss of obsidian. A reflection of the night sky above us, an echo of celestial light I had never truly appreciated until I saw it within his gaze. Perfection. Safety. Love.

That void truly was…beautiful.

Ashkade flung himself at us the moment we set our feet flat on the deck of the Maiden early the next morning. He apologized over and over for not being able to help us sooner. Something caught his eye, and he cocked his head, pointedly staring at how close we stood, Reiven’s lack of hand coverings, and my missing golden necklace.

“So,” he drawled. “There somethin’ y’all want to tell me?”

Rei grabbed his shoulders and shoved him towards the stairs that led below. “Let’s talk in your room.”

He flashed me a grin before disappearing with Ash down the stairs, probably to confess that we were, in fact, much closer than we had been before Vaetrik took us. I couldn't fight off a smile just thinking about the night before. My skin probably turned purple from the blood rushing to my face.

I might really…love him.

It was a silly thought for a Siren to have, but physical connection aside, Rei had shown me a side of emotion I couldn't have fathomed before. Perhaps after everything was over, after we retrieved the Voidtome, I would tell him I loved him.

I stopped by the galley to say hello to Calinia and Lyneca, who were furious at my bruises and lack of clothing. They sent me to our room with two steaming bowls of soup, bread, and tea. Putting on actual clothes again felt incredible, and I resolved to burn the lingerie Vaetrik made me wear as soon as I had the chance. When Rei joined me a few minutes later, he calmly greeted me with a kiss and sat beside me on our bed to eat.

“So…what did Ash say?”

“Kid demanded we make him the godfather when we have a baby. I told him it’s way too soon for that, but…honestly, he took it all better than I thought he would.” Reiven didn't even look at me, too interested in swirling his tea around in his cup. “I told him about my curse, too. Thought he was going to shoot me. He was so pissed I didn’t tell him sooner. Uh…Zephra, I—I…” He struggled to speak. His brow furrowed, and he kept trying to say something, but couldn’t seem to find the words.

“What? Is everything alright?”

Rei gave an annoyed sigh, then shot me a mysterious smile. “I’m just stressed. Now I have to worry about you and Ash, and god knows he's clumsy enough to get himself in trouble in Hell.” He kissed me on the cheek and let the conversation end there.

Unease settled over me like a wet fishing net that only grew heavier as we drew closer to our final destination. We arrived at Ghrysim Isle three days after being rescued. Nerves crawled up and down my skin, like the crabs I had watched scuttle on the beach. After all, this was the country of my people’s mortal enemies, the ones who stole the Voidtome, who made it their mission to capture and kill any Siren they found near their island.

Even from a distance, Ghrysim Isle was everything I expected from the home of a reclusive, hellish people. A wall of black stone stretched up out of the water surrounding the island, disappearing in the distance to concretely encircle what I had heard was a barren, sulfur-ridden island half the size of Arvensis. The Maiden cut through the water, silently approaching a black iron portcullis, mottled with rust, the only visible entrance through the wall.

As we came nearer, I spotted a net made of thin metal wire just low enough in the water that the Maiden didn’t scrape her hull. I recognized it from stories that the elder Sirens would tell about why it was so dangerous to even come close to Ghrysim Isle. My blood boiled in my veins. If a Siren, or even an unassuming dolphin, swam into that net, they would become entangled, and the wire would slice into their flesh. They would have to either wait for the Mourners to capture them or die slowly, bleeding red into the murky darkness of the water.

Soot and smoke choked the air. A gray plume billowed out of the volcano that towered over the island, visible even from the sea.

“They probably won’t even let us in.” I coughed next to Ashkade, who held a moistened cloth over his mouth.

“Guess we’re about to find out.”

Captain Larsel barked at the crew to drop anchor, pulling us to a halt before the gate. It was then that I saw the guards walking atop the wall—shrouded in dark armor and cloaks, faces covered by masks so only their glowing, demonic eyes were visible. One of them, carrying a black spear riddled with veins of fire, stood right above the portcullis. They just…stared at us.

I shrank back into Rei, grateful for his arm around me.

“Hi there. I’m Ashkade Synnex—er, the Timebreaker. I sent a letter⁠—”

“Timebreaker,” the Mourner with the spear said, their voice booming across the water. “You are here to challenge the Flames Below?”

Flames Below. Was that what they called Hell?

“Uh…yes? The four of us are.” Ash motioned to himself, Rei, me, and Calinia.

“In accordance with the order of the Fire Spirit and the laws of our people, you have our welcome and protection until you disappear into the Flames. Her Majesty is expecting you.”

The Mourner raised their hand, and an intricate, orange circle of light appeared below our feet, only to disappear after a moment. Some of the other guards set to work raising the portcullis with a strained screech of rusted metal, sharp teeth dripping overhead as the Maiden glided forward under the watchful eye of the Mourners.

“That was too easy. They’re going to kill us,” I hissed to Ash.

Calinia shook her head. “You heard them, Zephra. That magic circle that appeared below us leads me to believe they must have some sort of special ritual in place should far-off travelers request entry to Hell…After all, everyone ends up in Hell one way or another.”