Page 5 of Of Song and Darkness

A sigh of relief escaped my lips as the figure swam past me and deeper into the cave. With its departure, a profound sense of ease settled over me, now that it no longer blocked the entrance.

“I am Morgana, the sea witch, dear. Ask me a harder question,” she singsonged.

I nervously gnawed on my lower lip, my apprehension growing by the second. “Very well. How do I find the gorgon that has a piece of Poseidon’s heart in its locket?" With a sense of urgency, I plunged headlong into the matter, for there was no time for pleasantries or idle talk.

At my inquiry, she stopped moving. “Now, that is an interesting question.”

I didn’t miss the sarcasm in her voice.

I gasped as a spark of magic surged through the cave. The eerie, dim cavern transformed, bathed in an otherworldly green glow. Blinking rapidly, I allowed my eyes to adapt to this newfound brightness.

I struggled to keep my mouth from falling open as I could now see her features. Inky black tentacles drifted around her, forming a twisted, aquatic halo. She appeared elderly and frail, with a sickly paleness. Her skeletal frame made it all too easy to count each rib along her side. With a graceful flick, she swept her flowing mane of white hair over her shoulder, unveiling more of her pasty gray skin.

I caught myself gawking at her and quickly averted my eyes. My attention shifted to the smooth cave walls, which were adorned with countless shelves, each crammed with an assortment of potions and mysterious objects I did not recognize. With measured movement, I eased closer to a particular shelf adorned with glowing magical bubbles. There had to be over fifty of these shimmering orbs.

“Gorgeous, aren’t they?” she asked, plucking one from the shelf and holding it out for me to see.

I leaned in closer, captivated by the enchanting spectacle. The lower portion of the bubble was filled with water, while a miniature ship floated serenely on top, mirroring its existence on the ocean's surface. Startled, I shifted my gaze back to hers. She offered me an insincere smile, her jagged, razor-sharp teeth grazing across her blood-red lips.

“Are these real?” I asked in awe as the tales of her escapades came flooding back to me.

I had heard fables of how she sank ships and of her deep hatred for the above dwellers, but it looked as if she had been collecting them, not sinking them.

“Of course. Can’t you see the skeletons of the sailors who shriveled up to nothing after I trapped them in my magic?”

I peered inside the bubble again and then reared back, disgust pulling at my lips. I hadn’t noticed the bodies before. They were nothing but skin and bones scattered among the ship. She must be more powerful than I could have possibly imagined to cast a spell like this.

“Enough of my treasures. Tell me why the princess of the sirens seeks information about a gorgon and a locket?” she asked as she delicately laid her trinket back on the shelf.

I held my breath and tried not to move as she reached up and ran her bony fingers through my hair.

“My father told me that with the locket, there was a chance of stopping the Dark Hydra and its Dark Water,” I said barely above a whisper, observing her with careful eyes.

Something dark and menacing flashed across her face. I desperately wanted to pull away from her touch but refused to show her my unease. The sea witch smiled at me, dropped the strand of my hair, and returned to the darkest corner of the cave.

“Is any of this true about a gorgon and a piece of Poseidon’s heart?” I asked again, summoning additional courage as I ventured further into the shadows. My confidence grew with each passing moment, for it seemed she had no intention of harming me. At least, not at the moment.

“The king told you this?” she asked, interest lining her tone as she ignored my question a second time.

My hesitation did not go unnoticed, and her eyes darted to mine. I sensed a pulse of something I could only assume was magic, weaving through the water. It delicately glided along the currents, its ethereal touch lightly brushing against my skin.

“You are a wicked little thing, aren’t you?” She smiled and ventured closer to me from out of the shadows. “Don’t you know it is punishable by death for a siren to influence another with her song?”

My spine stiffened as she revealed my sin. Fear lodged in my throat, preventing me from speaking a single word. I wanted to deny her accusation, but what good would it do? Her magic had already brought my treachery to light. I swallowed past the dryness on my tongue as she continued to venture closer.

“How powerful you must be to influence the King of the Sirens. Never have I heard of such.” She stopped a few inches before me and touched my hair again. I could not fathom her fascination with my hair, which made me uncomfortable. She stared into my eyes as if considering me.

“Hades created the Dark Hydra to terrorize the oceans,” she said. “Poseidon trapped it centuries ago in the deepest part of the seas. Only he could stop the Dark Hydra.”

My muscles quivered as I anxiously awaited her next words. I remained perfectly still, fearing that any movement on my part might cause her to cease speaking.

“Your father was correct, of course. There is a small piece of Poseidon’s heart left in this world.” She released my hair and leaned back against the cavern wall.

“Where?” I exclaimed, drawing nearer to her.

“That first bit of information was a free history lesson. The next will cost you.” Her voice was sinister and filled with hate. The little glimmer of hope she baited me with was instantly snatched away.

“What is it you want?” I asked, watching her every movement.