“Oh, you must really love me then,” Riona teased, her voice barely a whisper. Her gaze lifted to meet his.
Emry didn’t hesitate. “I do.”
She drew in a breath, the corners of her mouth curving. “Someone might hear you.”
“Let them,” he said, his tone lighter now, though his eyes didn’t waver from hers.
Riona’s cheeks flushed, but she held his gaze. The space between them seemed to stretch, filled with unspoken words like the lingering notes of a melody. As the music faded, Riona stepped back, her expression carefully composed as she smoothed her tunic. Emry let her go, his fingers brushing hers one last time before he returned to the table. If anyone noticed, they didn’t comment. Along the docks, the waves whispered. Overhead, lanterns swayed, their light flickering on the water. Eirin walked beside Riona, silent and inscrutable. Meanwhile, Sorcha’s mind wandered to the blue eyes in the tavern and the night that seemed to cling to her skin.
“Peaceful, isn’t it?” Emry murmured, his gaze fixed on the dark horizon. He took a few steps, his hand brushing lightly against Riona’s.
“Too peaceful,” Rhosyn said from behind them.
Riona gave a soft snort, her unease evident in her glance toward the water. “Don’t start with the ominous talk, okay? Not tonight.” Silence hung in the air until Eirin abruptly stopped, his body stiffening. He tilted his head slightly, eyes narrowing as if listening for a distant sound.
“Do you hear that?” he asked, his voice quiet, almost hollow. The others paused.
“Hear what?” Rhosyn asked, frowning. Voices, carried on an invisible current, swirled around them. The haunting melody rose from the water, achingly beautiful and laced with sorrow, and enveloped them, its pull undeniable. “It’s…” Eirin trailed off, taking a step toward the pier.
“Wait.” Emry’s voice was urgent, his brow furrowed as he turned to Eirin. But as the hymn swelled, his gaze shifted towards the dark waves, and he hesitated.
“Emry?” Riona’s voice cracked slightly as she reached for him, her hand closing around his arm.
“Don’t.” “It’s… calling,” he murmured, his voice distant.
“Damn it, no!” Riona snapped, tugging on his arm, her panic barely contained. “Look at me! Stay with me!”
But Emry took a faltering step toward the water, his expression softening into something unrecognizable. Beside him, Eirin moved closer to the edge, his movements slow and unsteady.
“Eirin, stop!” Sorcha’s voice cut through the stillness as she stepped in front of him, planting herself firmly in his path. She grabbed his arms, shaking him. “Eirin, look at me!”
The hymn grew louder, its mournful melody weaving through the air. Sorcha glanced back and froze.
A figure swayed just beneath the surface, its form shifting between human and horse. The kelpie moved with an eerie grace, its sleek black coat gleaming like wet obsidian. It resembled a massive horse at first, with apowerful, lean, muscular frame, but something was off. Its mane clung to its neck in long, tangled strands, a mixture of seaweed and bone, dripping briny water. Its webbed hooves shifted into hands, transforming it from beast to almost human. The change should have been clumsy, but it wasn’t; the kelpie simply became something else, as if both forms had always belonged to it. Its glowing eyes held an eerie light that reflected off the water. Its sleek, otherworldly form swayed in time with the melody, the song digging into the deepest corners of her mind.
“Emry, stop!” Riona pleaded, her voice breaking as she pulled harder on his arm, her nails digging into his sleeve.
“He’s slipping,” Rhosyn hissed, rushing forward to grab Emry’s other arm. “And so is Eirin! Pull them back!” Her strength was steady as she strained against the men, her movements deliberate and controlled, but they fought against her, as if the hymn had stolen their will. Sorcha’s panic rose.
“Eirin, come back!” Sorcha’s voice trembled, a choked gasp escaping her as she gripped his shoulders. Desperation clawed at her, and a blossoming warmth bloomed beneath her skin. Hidden runes beneath her clothes glowed faintly, intricate patterns illuminating her. The air crackled with a light that intensified, igniting the air. The kelpie’s song faltered, its eyes flaring like lanterns. Light danced on the water like the sun’s glare on the dark waves. The creature recoiled, its smooth body shuddering, the hymn’s melody fractured into a raw, guttural cry.
“Sorcha…” Eirin murmured, stumbling as the trance shattered. His eyes flicked to hers, wide with confusion.
Emry’s movements stilled as the kelpie let out a final, piercing wail before vanishing beneath the waves. The silence it left behind was almost deafening.
“Emry,” Riona whispered, her grip still tight on his arm. He blinked, his blue eyes clearing as he turned to her, his breathing unsteady.
“I’m here,” he said hoarsely, though his gaze darted to the water, a lingering daze in his expression.
Rhosyn pulled both men farther from the pier, her movements unrelenting. The group stood in stunned silence, the cool night air suddenly feeling heavy, oppressive.
“What the hell just happened?” Riona asked, her voice tight with a mix of fear and anger.
Sorcha’s heart pounded as she glanced at Riona, who was staring at her but not at her face, at her hands. The faint glow of the runes was already fading, the warmth dissipating into the night.
Riona’s expression flickered but then she turned away, acting as though she hadn’t noticed anything. “We need to get out of here,” she said curtly.
Sorcha swallowed hard, her gaze drifting back to the water. “It was a kelpie,” she mumbled.
