Page 7 of Forever My Siren Luna

What will Lachlan do?

I sighed deeply, not wanting to worry about that now. It's a problem for tomorrow.

“It’s been a long day. I think I’m about to call it a night,” I told Jack, pushing myself up from the log. “You looked very pretty in your corset tonight,” I teased him, one last time.

“Aye, lass, I did. I’ll be sure to keep it so I can wear it for you wherever you want.”

“Thanks,” I giggled.

He reached out and grabbed my hand before I walked away. “I’m here for you, Ela, if you ever need to talk.”

I smiled fondly at him. “Thank you, Jack. You are like the big brother I wish I always had.”

He made a face when I said that, but quickly covered it with a smile. “I can be whatever you need me to be. Good night, Ela.”

“Good night, Jack,” I told him, before walking towards my ship at the dock, to let the sea lull me to sleep as I rested in my cabin for the night.

~

Cedric

The waves crashing against the rocky shore and their steady rhythm usually help to ease my anxieties. There is something about the constancy of waves and their never ending dependability that brings me comfort.

Tonight, that sound and the salty sea air wafting around me do little to help rid me of the guilt I have taken as a constant companion the last several months.

Looking out towards the sea and the setting sun, all I can think about is Ela, my soft-hearted princess, who last I had seen, was so lost and weak from the constant turmoil of her life. I should have stayed with her and fully explained what her father had done. Maybe if I had, she would not have run away thinking the worst of us all.

Her father…

King Brennus blames himself and not at all me, which makes this hurt even more, and it makes the guilt weigh even heavier on me. He was on his way that evening, after preparing the other knights for a potential war with Alpha Wayne if my suspicions were correct, to explain to her himself what he had done. He wanted her to know that if he had known she was carrying lingering pain and anxieties from her previous life, he would do whatever he could to make it right. He thought by making the Alpha keep the secret he was just punishing Lachlan. He didn’t think that by doing so, he was punishing his daughter as well, causing her needless panic attacks and stress.

If I could go back and redo that day, I would do everything differently. I should have gone to see Alpha Lachlan first, or I should have waited and let her father be the one to tell him. If one of them were with me, it would have gone so much better. I was so fixated on the idea of helping her, I hurt her more in the end.

“Cedric?” The familiar voice of Meldec drifted over to me in the breeze.

“Not this again.” I muttered under my breath, not ready to have this same argument with him. I can't give him what he wants. Not yet.

Another thing I have been blaming myself for is what I was doing at the moment of Elelira’s escape….

~~~

“OUT!” Ela screamed at me, her green eyes shining with tears. “GET OUT!”

This is not what I expected her to do. I don’t know what I expected after telling her about her father and the knowledge I possess about her first life, but it wasn’t that. I didn’t expect her to be angry at me. Her father, maybe. Not me. She had never been angry like this with me before.

What’s worse is that her expression looks just as broken as it did last night. She looks lost and betrayed. I caused that. Guilt is weighing down on me. I didn’t help her at all. I ended up hurting her more.

“I won’t be far, my princess. Please, let me know when you are ready to talk.” What else can I say to her right now? She needs time to process. I knew she would. I just didn’t know she would be so angry at me.

I wanted to help her. I didn’t want to hurt her.

She didn't respond, so I turned to do the only thing I could do. Leave. Just like she asked.

Cherum was standing with the door open for me, having come in after hearing Ela yelling for me to leave. He is looking between us with confusion, but doesn’t ask questions. I’m glad he is here for her. Even if she doesn’t want to talk to me right now, maybe she will talk to him. He doesn’t know about her first life and always has her best interest at heart. She can safely vent to him if she needs to.

Wandering back towards the barracks where I currently reside when I choose to sleep on land and not in the water, I don’t realize he’s there, waiting in my room until I’m in it and shutting the door. My mind was so preoccupied that I didn’t pick up on his scent, or his aura emanating from the bed where he was sitting, watching me.

When I turned back around to face the room, that’s when I saw him. Meldec. He’s sitting on the edge of my bed, watching me with a wary expression.