For once in my life, I felt the exact opposite of cool-headed. I’d almost jumped on him, literally. I remembered about the curse, but I inexplicably stopped caring about it for one careless, dangerous moment, ready to die in hopes for a single hug from him.
Where would I be now had he not stopped me?
I cleared my throat, turning to stare out into the ocean to avoid the temptation of gawking at his crotch.
“Thank you for...um, saving my life,” I said. “But it’s hardly my fault. I’m not sure how, but it was your singing that pushed me to you. There is...magic in your songs, isn’t there?”
I’d seen plenty of miraculous things by now. Still, I tripped over the word “magic” when saying it out loud. Thinking of it as anything but an imagined concept felt incredibly weird. In this world, however, magic was a part of life. I didn’t need to believe in it. I just had to open my eyes and look.
Kye sat back on the coral branch. Hugging one knee, he dipped his other foot into the water below.
“A siren’s song is always filled with magic,” he said. “I didn’t choose to sing this particular one. I hadn’t sung in so long, I was simply trying to remember a melody or any lyrics, and this onejust...came. I didn’t mean for it to be a searching song. It just happened.”
“What do you mean by a searching song?”
“It’s what one sings when one is lonely and is seeking a mate.”
“Is that why it was so...heart-wrenching?” I guessed.
He arched an eyebrow with a flash of a peculiar interest in his gaze. “Was that how it sounded to you? Heart-wrenching?”
That was exactly how I felt when hearing him singing that time. Like someone had wrenched my heart out of my chest, leaving a gaping hole that I’d never fill again, no matter how long I lived or how many people I met.
“Yes,” I admitted. “I nearly jumped into your arms, didn’t I? Just to stop you from feeling so desperately lonely.”
A smile of deep satisfaction curved his lips. “After all these years, I’ve still got it.”
I grinned back, finally feeling lighter at heart. “Clearly you do, Your Majesty. Is that how male sirens charm women into their beds? By singing their panties off with their sad, searching songs?”
“No,” he corrected, lifting a finger for emphasis. “That would require a mating song.”
“You just have a song for everything, don’t you?”
“Pretty much. For every mood and any activity.”
“Does that really work? Can yousingsomeone into having sex with you?”
It didn’t feel like too much of a stretch to believe. Hadn’t I been ready to jump to my death just a few minutes ago, just because he was singing?
“Probably not everyone,” he admitted. “It helps when there’s some kind of attraction already in place for the magic to take hold. Which means...” that cocky grin lit up his handsomefeatures again. “Your response to my songs is so strong because you like me.”
“Likeyou?” I rolled my eyes. There certainly was a pull of attraction between us, but it wasn’t real. This world’s magic had clearly taken control of my emotions. “There is a slight but important difference between liking someone and being attracted to them.”
“Is there?”
“For me, there definitely is. I may be attracted to you—”
“Of course you are,” he murmured with glee.
“To some degree,” I added. “But I’m still trying to decide if there’s anything in you that’s really worth liking.”
“Hm.” He leaned back, staring at me as if assessing a challenge he would be delighted to accept. “Should I help you with that? There is at least one mating song I believe I now remember in full. Or would you prefer a courting song first? I’m sure I could make you fall head over heels for me, given some time.”
I shook my head with a laugh.
“You really do have a song for everything. But you can’t court me.” I lifted my left hand and wiggled my ring finger, weighed down by the massive diamond. “I have a fiancé.”
“A fiancé who isn’t here,” he dropped casually.
