Troubled (The Binding Chronicles #4)

25. A Dark Siren Song

A Dark Siren Song

T he shadow monster refused to die.

Vivienne was panting, and sweat ran in rivulets down her back. Her sword was slick with black blood that oozed from dozens of cuts littering the creature’s strange body. Ice streamed from the beast, coating the ground.

By all the laws that governed this land, it should’ve died long ago.

The prince had recovered his fallen dagger, and between the two of them, they’d fought well. The beast was blind in one eye, three of its four arms hung limply at its sides, and its scream had morphed into a never-ending wail that echoed through the darkness.

And yet, against all odds, it survived.

Beware.

The warning seemed almost mocking, now.

The monster moved with the speed of a vampire, swinging its remaining arm in Vivienne’s direction.

She spun on her heels, nearly slipping on the ice as she turned away from the creature. Her heart thundered .

How much longer could they keep doing this?

Marius shouted, “Look out!”

She jumped just in time to miss a swipe of those obsidian claws.

A laceration ran across Vivienne’s cheek from earlier, and there was an incessant throb in her right side where the creature had thrown her against a wall.

It didn’t matter. She’d take a dozen injuries if it meant the prince remained unharmed.

Her mind was entirely focused on her work.

Duck, spin, slash.

Shadows rippled around her sword.

The creature wailed and strode forward.

Isvana help her, but something needed to change.

“Viv!” the prince shouted.

She twirled just in time to see the monster leap towards Marius. It was little more than a blur of darkness.

A scream ripped from her chest as she threw herself in the creature’s path. A crimson eye locked onto her as she swung her sword and kicked. Her foot connected with the beast’s stomach, and it flew back from the impact, slamming into the wall.

The red ember in its chest flickered, a beacon summoning her forward.

She ran with vampiric speed and plunged her weapon into the monster’s heart. She shoved as hard as she could, pushing against bones that inexplicably existed.

The shadow monster’s shrieks reached decibels that she’d never thought possible, seeming to stretch for an eternity. And then, when she was beginning to believe the creature would never die, ice crawled from the wound. It crept over the monster’s body, encasing it in white .

Vivienne yanked her sword free moments before the entire creature was frozen in an icy casket.

Its mouth was the last thing to be covered.

Silence fell upon the ruins.

Vivienne’s chest heaved, her muscles burned with the strain of a good fight, and her heart pounded uncharacteristically quickly.

She didn’t look away from the monster. The ice around it slowly darkened, the inky blood seeping from its heart staining the inside of its casket. The red ember in its chest still glowed eerily, a reminder that nothing in this place was normal.

Metal slid into a sheath, and Marius bent over, his hands on his knees as he panted. The ember cast him in a red glow, and sweat shone on his forehead.

After the prince caught his breath, he straightened and… smiled at her. “That was impressive.”

There was definitely something wrong with him.

Vivienne scoffed. “You and I have very different definitions of that word, Marius. That wasn’t impressive. That was close.”

She didn’t like that it had taken both of them to kill the dangerous creature. Who knew what other kinds of monsters crept through the shadows?

Beware .

She shuddered. “We should get moving. The sooner we get the vial of blessed water, the better.”

Her injuries were already healing, thanks to the blood she’d consumed prior to their departure.

Marius shouldered his pack. “You’re right.”

His agreement was so surprising that she stumbled. She’d expected him to put up a fight with her, as he always seemed to do. Surprise was tart at the back of her tongue, and she swallowed the argument she’d prepared.

As if he knew where her mind had gone, he chuckled. “I am capable of being agreeable, Viv.”

Against her better judgment, a grin spread across her face, and her core warmed.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” She kept her sword in her grip, the weapon’s weight familiar as she passed it from one hand to the other. “Ready?”

They needed to locate the heart of the House of Forgotten Shadows before another one of those creatures found them.

“Mhmm.” Marius came to stand beside her.

His fingers brushed the back of her hand, sending sparks running through her. Her lips tingled, the memory of their kiss bringing blood rushing to her cheeks. The shadow creature’s interruption had been problematic in more ways than one.

“Perfect.” Vivienne tilted up her chin and confirmed that the moon’s silver glow hung above them before walking out from beneath the overhang.

The night’s cool breeze brushed her cheeks, filling her with relief, short-lived though it was.

The shadow monster’s unnatural cold was gone, but darkness remained around them. The hum from before had quieted while they fought the beast, but it was back and louder than ever. It throbbed like a heartbeat, beckoning her forward.

Vivienne reached out and gripped Marius’s hand. She didn’t let herself think about the way her heart leaped at the touch—she had a job to do.

“Stay close, Your Highness. There may be more creatures.”

His fingers pulsed around hers, and he leaned forward, his breath warming the side of her neck .

“I’ll gladly follow you, Viv.”

Why did it sound like he was talking about something else?

Warmth pooled in her core, which was a wholly inappropriate reaction for several reasons.

A problem for another time.

Taking a deep breath, she moved forward, following the call of the magic humming in the air. It was like a heartbeat, the sound guiding her through the dark ruins. They found a door, or what was left of it, and went through it. Stairs led them down below ground.

The air thickened until it felt like they were walking through thick mud.

The arch’s warning echoed in her mind once again.

Beware .

“Careful, Prince,” she murmured, testing each stair before putting her weight on it. The steps were made of crumbling stone that slipped away when met with too much weight.

In response, he gripped her hand tighter. He hadn’t complained about his foot, but every so often, his breath hitched. She’d have to insist he let her look at it later.

The heartbeat grew louder.

Thank the gods, they didn’t encounter another monster.

They descended two more staircases. One was made of slippery shards of marble, and the next was made of rotted pieces of wood.

At the base of the third stairs, the air shifted once again.

The hum became a resounding drum drowning out Vivienne’s thoughts, and the shadows were so dark that sight was a distant memory.

“We’re almost there,” she murmured confidently, picking her way along the stone floor.

She wasn’t sure how she knew the heart was nearby, but she did. The hum spoke to the darkness in her heart, calling her forward .

“I trust you.” Marius squeezed her hand.

Those three words and the confident way he held her hand made her stomach flutter more than their earlier kiss. It was like a dozen miniature bats came to life within her.

She tried to remember that the prince was her charge, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep those boundaries in place, especially when his warm hand enveloped hers so completely and when he kissed her so wonderfully.

They’d get the vial of blessed water, and then, they’d talk about these feelings.

One thing at a time.

“I…” Her voice trailed off as a fluorescent blue glow sliced through the shadows. It had been so long since she’d seen light that she blinked several times.

The glow grew brighter, and with it, the hum morphed. It was no longer a heartbeat drawing her forward but an entire orchestra playing a dark symphony. Something tugged in her gut, summoning her. She released Marius’s hand, barely noticing her movements.

The music got louder, an eerie melody calling to her.

The prince made a noise behind her, but she couldn’t make out his words.

A low percussive beat threaded through the space, calling to her.

Come, come, come.

Vivienne’s fingers unfurled, and her sword clattered to the ground, forgotten.

Her feet moved of their own accord, drawing her towards the blue glow. She couldn’t see what it hid, but she knew she needed to get nearer.

The beautiful song spoke to her.

Her wings exploded from her back, although she had no recollection of summoning them .

The tugging grew more insistent.

The glow intensified, illuminating stone walls and a floor. They were in a cavern, but she didn’t have time to assess it further.

She had to get closer.

“Viv?” The prince’s voice came from behind her, but she could barely hear him. It was like she was swimming underwater, and everything was muffled except that song.

Tears pricked behind her eyes as the music amplified. The harmony reminded her of the first shimmering star breaking through the night sky after a long day. It promised peace, calm, and a state where nothing else mattered. She needed it.

“Vivienne, stop.”

Her foot froze mid-step as she considered the prince’s words. Stop? Why would she do that?

This was… it was… she was meant to be here. Right?

Her lips slanted down, but the music got even louder.

Another chorus joined the first, and it was like the moon itself was calling her forward. A silver siren’s song unlike anything she’d ever heard.

Her wings braced as she moved towards the source of the sound. Close. It was so close.

Her heart raced, and her eyes widened as a glowing pool came into view. A basin that could easily fit a dozen winged beings was dug into the stones, filled with midnight water that sparkled as though it was infused with moonlight. Water lapped at the sides, and bubbles rose to the surface from an unseen current.

Her breath caught.

Deep down, sitting at the base, was a cluster of spiked glowing crystals. Each was twice the size of her head and released an incandescent blue light .

Gleaming mountains of bones surrounded the crystals, like scattered petals of wilted flowers. It was an eerie display of beautiful death.

Tug .

The rope in her middle yanked her forward, and she stumbled towards the water. The ground shifted, becoming rocky and uneven. Her knees slammed into the stones. Jagged, broken edges sliced through cloth and flesh, but she didn’t stop to assess her injuries.

She had to get to the water.

She crawled forward, her gaze locked on the pool. She needed to touch that shimmering, moonlit surface. Just once. That was all.

It was just so beautiful.

An almost desperate plea came from behind her, but she couldn’t make out the words. She couldn’t even remember who was shouting at her, let alone why she was here.

The siren song summoned her.

Another rock sliced her leg, and she hissed. Something cut her palm, and she left red handprints behind her as she moved towards the water.

Up close, the liquid seemed infused with shards of the night itself. Dark ribbons were woven through it, calling for her.

Vivienne reached out.

Close.

She was so close.

One touch was all she wanted. The water just looked so inviting, and the song was ear-splittingly loud.

She needed?—

“Stop!”

Hands landed on her shoulders, wrenching her back.

Vivienne gasped, flailing. Her wings snapped. How dare someone attempt to stop her? She needed to touch the water .

A familiar face with wide brown eyes was inches from hers. Worry and anger flashed through the man’s gaze, and he shook her shoulders.

He screamed, “What are you doing?!”

She snarled, trying to rip herself out of his grasp. Why was this man yelling at her?

“Viv!”

Couldn’t he hear the beautiful song? She needed to get to it.

Wrenching herself out of his grip, she reached for the water. He shouted something else, grabbed her wing, and pulled.

She screamed, pain lancing through her back.

“You can’t touch it!” he insisted.

What? Of course, she could. She had to.

Come, come, come.

He yanked on her wing again, his other hand grabbing her leg and tugging her back.

Why was he doing this?

Angry tears leaked down her cheeks as she growled and twisted, slamming her fist into his arm. He didn’t release her, instead shouting something she didn’t understand.

She ripped herself from his grasp and flung herself towards the water. Fingers outstretched as far as they could go, she reached for the shimmering liquid.

Close.

She was so gods-damned close.

The glowing crystals called to her.

“I’m sorry about this.” The words were muted and barely made it past the water’s call. “I hoped I wouldn’t have to use this.”

Before she could question what he meant, something slammed into the back of her head. She stumbled, her fingers hovering above the water.

A grunt came from behind her. An iron grip clamped around her legs.

“What are you doing?” It took everything she had to force the words out of her mouth.

The man frowned, his eyes full of dark emotion. Should she remember who he was?

“Please forgive me for this.” He withdrew a black vial from his bag, tugged off the cork, and forced her lips open.

He poured the bitter liquid into her mouth, and she screamed.

Fire.

It burned as it ran down her throat. Her wings receded, and tears spilled down her cheeks as the liquid destroyed her from the inside out.

Black spots edged at her vision as she choked and sputtered.

She gasped, “Why?”

He said something, but she didn’t hear his response as darkness pulled her under.