Page 10 of Lured By the Siren

His brows draw together, and he snorts, “I mean, I can see that you are a person in front of me, but without my spectacles, nothing is clear, so you kind of just blend into what's around you.”

An idea forms in my mind, and I leave the strange face object, what did he call them—spec-ta-cles, in the sand far enough away that he can’t reach them, and probably can’t even see them if he’s actually telling the truth. He has to be, because if he could see me, then he most definitely wouldn’t be acting this way.

“I’ll get them for you in a moment, but first I want to ask you a few questions.”

“I’m sorry,youwant to askmequestions?” He places a hand on his chest, brows rising, and then huffs out a laugh, instantly groaning and falling into a bout of coughing. “Gods, my back feels like I’ve been attacked by a dragon.”

“I don’t think we would be talking right now if you had been attacked by a dragon.” I giggle, and he glares at me.

“How about I ask the questions, since I’m the one who is unable to see, badly injured, and obviously your prisoner.”

A sharp stab pierces my heart at that. “Who said anything about being a prisoner? You aren’t my prisoner. I saved your life.” I put more vehemence into my words than I want, but the fact that he thinks I’m holding him here against his will sets a fire of anger in me.

“Where am I then?”

My nostrils flare and I cross my arms over my chest with a huff, “You’re on the island of Kafigda. My home.”

His eyes seem to glaze over as he looks at me and whispers, “The island in the storms.”

“Yes, this is the island inside of the storms, and you're welcome by the way. The least you can do is thank me for saving you, you know.” I scoff, thoroughly annoyed by the way this conversation is going.

I much preferred the love-sick, delirious version of him that I met last night. A tingle rushes up my legs and settles deep in my belly at the memories, and I shiver in response.

His face softens, only marking the fluttering in my stomach ignite further. I squeeze my thighs tightly together as he says, “Thank you. Uh, where are my manners? I haven’t even asked you your name yet.”

“Evelyn,” my voice comes out just above a whisper as my anger evaporates almost as quickly as it came. The smile he gives me makes me quickly look away from him.

Gods, but the things this stranger makes me feel.

“Nice to meet you, Evelyn. Thank you for saving me. My name is Kai.” He holds out one of his large hands, the ones that wrapped around my waist only hours ago and held me tightly.

Slowly, I reach for it, placing my small hand in his grasp. Something electric sparks between us at the contact and he must feel it too because he cocks his head and squints his eyes at me. I quickly pull away, the shock of the connection dying as soon as my hand leaves his.

“Would it be okay if I had my spectacles back now?” He asks, and my heart jumps into my throat. I’m not ready for him to see me, to know who—what I am.

“No!” I practically shout, and he jumps slightly in response. “I mean, I haven’t gotten a chance to ask any of my questions yet.”

He huffs, grimacing and touching the seaweed that's still over the healed gash on his head, “Alright, what do you want to ask me?”

“Where are you from?”

“I’m from a small province in the Kingdom of Halvendor, called Renyir.”

My brows shoot up, many of the men in the village come from the large mainland kingdom of Halvendor, even the first of the men, Mathius, came from there centuries ago.

“Why did you sail into the storms?”

He grows quiet before saying, “I’m looking for my brother. One of his crew told me his ship got caught in those storms, and I…” He brings a hand up and pinches the bridge of his nose, letting out a small, humorless laugh. “Well, I’m not sure what I was doing, but now it all seems like the most foolish idea I’ve ever had.”

He closes his eyes, and I reach for his hand, knowing what the contact will do to my senses, but wanting to offer some form of comfort to him. “You wanted to save your brother. That doesn’t sound foolish to me. It sounds noble. I know I would do the same if it were my sister. How long ago did he go missing?”

“Nearly one month now.”

I almost choke on my own saliva. There was a storm almost one full moon ago, and there was only one survivor from it. Could Katarina’s current conquest be this man’s missing brother? I hope for his sake that it is, but I don’t want to offer him false hope, so I stay silent.

“I’m sorry.”

“What are you sorry for? It isn’t like you cast the storms that caught us both.”

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