A Song of Death and Desire (The Sirens of Witches Cove)

14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

W hat is it about Eagan that makes me so crazy? Since the moment I found him, I have been making one stupid decision after another, with obviously disastrous consequences. And now here I am trying to undo my mistakes by potentially making another one. I don't know if finding the witch is a good idea.

What I told Eagan was correct. We all have been told stories about the witch, but I left out the specifics about the warnings we also received. Although the witch will occasionally make bargains with those who seek her out, they are often edged with darkness. She appears to offer whatever your heart desires. But there's a catch. Often those who make the bargain, wish they never had. Often the price that is asked of you is more than you are willing to pay.

I didn't know what else to tell him. He looked desperate. Distraught. I hate knowing that I am the one responsible for his pain. I know that my experiences with humans are not always in the humans’ best interest. Okay, well I do kill many of them. So yeah, I guess I'm not that great for humans. But I don't cause them pain. Soul consumption isn't felt by them at all, and our song allows them peace and happiness while we feed. And then the men I seduce on land enjoy themselves just fine. Even though I don't usually allow them to remember much of the encounter. My point is that this is the first time I've seen first-hand the destruction I have caused simply from being what I am. And it’s a fucking awful feeling. Now I feel like it is my responsibility to fix it and the only option I can think of that has any potential of working, while also keeping Eagan alive, is the witch. I only hope that this will not be added to my list of regrets.

I explain to Eagan where I believe the witch’s cave to be located. I think even getting to the cave may be a little dangerous and I'm nervous as I am already so tired from dragging Eagan out of the ocean. But we need to do this now before Eagan tries to throw himself back into the bloody ocean. Oh fuck. I hope he doesn't try to jump off the cliff.

“How are you feeling?” I ask tentatively, attempting to gauge his current mental state.

“I'm exhausted and sore but being around you makes me feel less crazy,” he laughs dryly. “I mean this whole situation is crazy as fuck but at least the song has quietened and now I know you're real, I don't feel quite as much like I'm losing my mind.”

Okay so hopefully his insane actions earlier are not about to repeat themselves now. After walking up, away from the beach and towards the edge of the cliff, I point to where I believe the cave to be. Eagan pales at the height and the imminent death that awaits us if we are to fall, the sharp rocks that will break our fall by breaking us. There is a small section of the cliff face that somewhat resembles a pathway further down, but we have to get there first. And the rocks are bound to be slippery due to the earlier storm. From our vantage point, we can't see the cave, so we are acting on a hunch that it is truly there and that doesn’t instill a lot of confidence.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” I ask one last time. He gives me a firm nod in response and moves towards the edge. I try to take some deep breaths to steady my nerves. Up until this very moment I did not know that I was afraid of heights. Although falling to the ocean below would have no impact on me whatsoever, it's the collection of sharp, jagged and deadly rocks that promises a gruesome death if I were to fall. I may be a siren but my bones break and my skin tears in just the same way as a humans would.

I try to not let Eagan see just how scared I am. I don’t know if we will even survive the witch if we are able to find her. Or what she may ask us to give up in return for Eagan’s life back. Raidne would kill me if she knew I was doing this. Especially as I’m doing it for a human. I can confidently say that none of my sisters would feel the same way I do. Why am I so different?

Eagan wastes no time in lowering himself over the edge. A gasp escapes me as he disappears from view but as I rush towards him, I realize he has lowered himself onto a small rocky ledge about six feet below. I close my eyes and say a quick prayer to whatever gods or goddesses that exist in this world that this is not one of the dumbest mistakes of my life and then follow him down.

I am grateful that the storm has passed but the rocks remain slick. The exertion of my descent down the cliff is also causing sweat to run down my face, mixing with the collection of sand and salt water already caking my skin. I focus on the movements of my body and try to forget that I'm scaling a rock wall above raging waters, with muscles already tired and sore. I move one of my feet to a small ledge, my hands finding purchase on the protruding rocks. My other foot then finds a small hole just big enough to allow me to move down a little more. We don't speak. The only sounds are my quick breaths, the pounding of my heart and the occasional screech of a bird. One foot after the other I follow Eagan. I don't dare take my eyes off of the cliff for fear of losing my footing. I can only trust that he will be okay.

I search for another foothold, finding it difficult to locate one this time. I curse and lower myself further, straining my arm muscles as I do so. I finally find the tiniest gap in the rocks and wedge my toes inside. As I loosen my hand to move down once more, the section my foot is placed on begins to crumble and I start to slip. I scream and claw at the rocks trying to hold onto anything I can find to stop me from falling to the rocks below me. I scramble but manage to regain my footing as a large hand is pressed to the small of my back, steadying me.

“Easy,” Eagan says softly. “Are you alright?”

It takes me a moment to compose myself and avoid the hysteria fighting its way to the surface. Through short, shallow breaths, eventually I'm able to nod and respond. “I’m okay. Let's just keep moving.” My limbs are shaking now and I’m unsure if it is due to my near-death experience or my overall weakness but I'm eager to get us both to safety as quickly as possible and never do anything like this again.

Shortly we make it to the small ledge that acts as somewhat of a pathway. While far from safe, this offers a little more comfort than the small crevices we were using for support before. Eagan stops in front of me with a sharp intake of breath. I steady myself and turn to look. We've reached a small opening in the rock. It would be mostly invisible from above if you didn't know to look for it. And even now it doesn’t really look like much. But I'm quite sure this is what we are looking for. I muster up a smile, faking confidence I absolutely do not feel and step in front of Eagan to enter the cave. I feel him at my back as he follows me, and I take comfort in his presence despite our messed-up circumstances.