5.

image [https://i.imgur.com/eoCbolO.jpeg]

The cave was much of the same as we travelled further in. Here and there was the skittering of creatures or critters. Whatever they were, none of them tried to assault us. And though the pathways were a literal maze, our search for the dungeon entrance did not take long; Felix had drawn a well-detailed map in his journal.

His other map, the big one on his desk, had been one of the entire island. Useful, for sure. Only, the edges of the valley were uncharted. Inspecting the map revealed that it was a ‘Partial map’. Logically speaking, that must meant the full one was out there somewhere.

We arrived on a stone landing that overlooked a set of stone pillars protruding out of a pool whose surface was glowing. The landing was connected to the next with a bridge, which was in turn connected to another landing. At the far side we could see a gate. The dungeon entrance.

Even from how far we were standing the figure etched into the brass gate was clearly visible: a woman with the lower body of a snake curved around the circumference of the double door entrance. Her head rested at the bottom—a hand underneath her chin as she smiled—and looked out across the waters towards our location.

It was almost entrancing.

‘You think it’s safe to cross this?’ I said, eyes still on the snake-woman.

I frowned. Had her smile widened? Must be my poor visibility.

‘His notes did not mention any dangers,’ May said. ‘But I couldn’t translate all of it.’

She palmed her pouch.

‘Buying a dictionary at the academy may be worth it.’

I nodded.

We crossed the bridges, warily looking around us for any threats. Nothing jumped out at us, and we arrived safely in front of the door within moments. The door was built into the cavern walls. Up close, the statue of the woman was even more lifelike. Though I couldn’t tell what it was, the material she had been carved from was not the same as that of the gate. Hers was closer to blue. Parts of her flowing hair also shimmered and reflected in the dim lighting the waters offered as a backdrop.

‘Creepy,’ May said.

‘Agreed.’

I was at an angle in front of the head. So why did it feel like she was gazing directly at me?

May turned to the two golden handles on the gate, and I inspected them.

[Name: Brass Gate of the Siren - Requirement: S rank Basic Body Enhancement x 2 and Student Acceptation token.]

‘That’s why he needed it,’ I said.

‘Apparently,’ May said.

Her tone of voice turned soft again.

I could no longer hold in my sigh.

‘Do you want to talk about it?’ I said, unsure of how to broach the subject any other way.

May fell silent. The moments passed. I started to doubt she was going to speak at all, but I settled in to wait. Out of boredom, my feet carried me to the head of the siren. Given the figure’s size, her eyes were level with mine. My hands rubbed over her hair. It should’ve been rough like stone, but it was smooth to my touch.

Behind me, May shuffled, and my gaze tore away from that of the statue only to lock with that of May. There were fires burning within them, and I could smell the ash clouds again. I shivered.

‘Rankless,’ she said, drawing out the word slightly, ‘you—what’s your reason for being here?’

I blinked. That’s not what I had expected her to ask me. Neither did I have an answer despite thinking on it all morning.

‘My mother sent me here,’ I said for lack of anything better.

Her facial expression went slack.

‘You were abandoned?’

‘Sent,’ I corrected sharply.

…but was I really? Mother had directed me towards the academy, yet she hadn’t forced me to come. That decision was my own.

I glanced at the floor and added, ‘She tasked me with becoming a hunter.’

May and I were standing apart. But if I took a few steps and reached out, I’d be able to touch her. However—how do I say it?—it was like there was an ocean between us. When May next spoke, it was with that same sense of distance, the words quiet as if they had travelled over a great body to reach me.

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‘You killed him because you want to become a hunter?’ she said.

There was an undercurrent to the tone that I did not like at all, and I pursed my lips.

‘I killed him because I thought he was lying and a threat to our safety.’

The stress on the word ‘our’ caused her pause. She breathed out sharply a moment later.

‘Nevermind,’ she said, shaking her head. Her attention turned on a completely different subject. ‘What happened to his corpse, did a predator get to it?’

The question caught me off guard.

‘Didn’t go to check,’ I said simply, keeping the strained look off my face.

Disposing of Felix’s corpse had been a struggle. I’d placed him on his used robes and dragged him over the stone cavern floor, leaving trails of blood. After finally dumping him in the lake, I was too tired to think about it any more and went to bed. I had no interest in returning to the entrance this morning, either. So, I honestly didn’t know. Had the entire surface of the lake turned red with blood? That would attract predators for sure.

May turned her chin down.

‘You didn’t go to check?’ she said sceptically. ‘Do you even care?’

Frowning, I crossed my arms.

‘I was busy looking for an item to relieve someone’s pain if you didn’t know.’

She paused again, not sure what to say.

My fingers pinched my upper arms. A surge of warmth crawled up my limb, my neck and then my head.

Why does she get to judge me? I thought.

…Yeah. Why did she? She was the one at the most risk of Felix, not me. I could still run. I did what I did for her.

When she opened her mouth to speak, I waved my arm to cut her off.

‘Shut up,’ I said. Her brow spasmed, but my words flipped out faster than I could think. ‘Why are you here. You don’t get to judge me without explaining yourself.’

I sneered and continued:

‘Are your goals so small that you’re not willing to get your hands dirty?’

‘Of course not!’ Her raised voice echoed in the big chamber. ‘I cannot die here. Under no circumstances. I have someone…there’s something I must do.’

‘Oh,’ I drawled. ‘I’m all ears.’

She bit her lip.

‘My family…’ she shook her head, then chuckled self-mockingly. ‘I was the first in line for my father’s heritage. Until he banished me. He said this “test” is my way to return.’

May spit on the floor.

‘He’s hoping that I’ll die,’ she said, ‘and he doesn’t mind buying initiates with gold and items to aid that goal.’

‘You accused me of being bought,’ I said. ‘Almost killed me, too.’

She laughed and looked up at the ceiling.

‘Sorry,’ she said. Her heart wasn’t in it. ‘But I’m leaving this place at all costs, Rankless. When I return, I will be undeniable.’

That same ferocity I had glimpsed from her as she made her last stand was lit on her features. It was enough to give me the chills. And that’s what confused me.

‘Then why are you so distraught over one initiate,’ I said. ‘He may be the first. But with how things are going, he won’t be the last, May.’

Her sable-coloured eyes fixed me in place.

‘You should’ve seen the look on your face as you killed him,’ she said. ‘Barely a flicker of emotion. That’s trained. It must be.’

‘I butchered on a farm,’ I said.

Her tone was low. If I didn’t know better, there was a threat underlying it. But how could that be? Something was going on here…I narrowed my gaze, trying to think and come up with an answer.

…yes. May was just being a bitch. After everything I did to keep her safe, no less.

‘Those are animals,’ May said. ‘That’s not enough.’

My brows touched each other, and the stance of my feet squared a little.

‘What do you mean with that,’ I said.

Was she insinuating what I thought she was?

She squared, too.

‘I’m starting to wonder,’ she said—she spoke slowly, pronouncing every syllable—‘if you’ll slit my throat just like that.’

I opened and closed my mouth.

‘That question is dumb on so many levels,’ I said, incapable of wrapping my head around what I was hearing.

She huffed.

‘Is it? You didn’t hesitate to kill Felix. Why would you me?’

‘He was not a part of our school!’ I said. ‘You are.’

‘Again with the fish metaphors. So, what? Those outside our school okay to be savaged? He was a student just like us, and for the record, Rankless, we’ve known each other for a day.’

I squeezed my forehead to stop the incoming headache.

‘You missed how he was eyeing your wounds,’ I said. ‘No. You know what—screw you. Next time, I’ll close the door and wait outside so you can figure out together if they’re a good person not trying to kill you. The blame will be fully yours, then. That float your boat?’

May averted her face, and I gnashed my teeth. If this turned into an even bigger disagreement, things would turn ugly quick. We both knew of the location to the dungeon yet only one could have the map.

Would I need to fight her? I didn’t want to fight May…why did I care if I fought her? I am stronger than her. I don’t know why that thought shot into my head, but my core heated up, backing it up with confidence. The sudden assault on my mind was a pincer attack, and a second thought joined the first. It left my mouth just as quickly as it came in.

‘Didn’t you want to leave Jax and the others behind?’ I said.

May’s chin snapped towards me.

‘That was different.’

I snorted.

‘Right. Because you didn’t slash their throat yourself. Asking the alpha to do it makes it okay?’ I paused. Then added, ‘Isn’t your father doing the same thing?’

‘Don’t liken me to my father! He’s a coward. I’m not.’

Fire licked the ends of her hair as she stepped forwards using her blade as a walking stick and yelled in my face. I did not step back.

She pointed a finger in my face.

‘I’m not teaming with an indiscriminate killer!’

‘Didn’t you say you were leaving at all costs a moment ago.’

‘Shut up! You know what I meant.’

‘No,’ I deadpanned. ‘I don’t. You’re questioning my behaviour when all I did was keep us safe.’

I sidestepped her finger and closed the remaining distance. If our height wasn’t so different, our noses would’ve touched.

‘You talk of one day,’ I said. ‘ Well. How many times did I have the opportunity to leave you for dead during that time? Did I? Tell me.’

She stared down and I up. My toes gripped the inside of my shoe, preparing to dodge if she decided to swing on me.

The siren grinned in anticipation as the waters beneath and around our platform held their breath.

May stepped back, exhaled and closed her eyes.

‘You’re right, Rankless,’ she said. ‘You could’ve killed me plenty of times already.’

Some of the tension left the room, and my shoulders sagged.

‘Glad you’re not dumb,’ I said, stepping back myself.

‘That’s why I must commend the trick,’ she said.

I stopped mid-motion, the confusion striking me.

‘What—’

‘—it almost made me lower my guard.’

May’s blade nearly cleared her scabbard faster than I could follow, aiming for my throat.

Then from all around, the waters rumbled, trembling with the siren’s laughter.