Fading in, fading out, on the edge of tranquility.

  Every inch, of your soul, is worth more than all the gold vigons

  I'll touch you as a peasant touches their dreams, languidly with ease.

  For every moment beside you, is a moment spent free of time.

  As Saive sang, Mairek found himself sinking into the depths of his abilities. Her words held meaning but the symphony captured him and stirred him away from the lyrics, taking him to a place he'd never known before.

  The song was a gateway and through it he found that which he never thought existed. There, between moments he was able to gleam something beyond meaning. There was grief, there was frustration, rage and then beyond it was desire, unbridled, burning like a furnace. And then there was something more...

  There's a glade by the hills amidst the trees.

  A touch of light dappling upon all the seas.

  A blotch of darkness threatens to render all else to naught.

  But as long as we fade, in and out, on the edge of tranquility.

  I fear nothing but losing you beside me.

  Love... Mairek witnessed love. Beckoning him forth, and the blue around that had transformed into a covalence of various hues that were anything but blue, turned purple, then a pulsing pink light spread out, each shine like the beating of a heart.

  Several strands of purple rope shot out from Mairek, traveling the length of the distance between him and the singer to tie around the Siren. Then a pink light pulsed from Mairek's end to Saive. And suddenly, he realized, he'd never seen anything as beautiful as the woman and her voice whose melody was otherworldly.

  Mairek assumed his reaction to be drink induced, a side effect of inebriation. Yet the feeling it warranted felt valid, it felt so right, and Mairek realized that he might abandon sobriety to be where he was now, for all eternity. Eternity!

  Love withers and dies, this sun will fall from the sky.

  Eternity is a whispered promise, undeserving of those that think themselves high.

  Take my hand, take my hand, fade in and out on the edge of tranquility.

  Let me show you the depths, let us drown in darkness.

  And as Saive motioned with her hand, stretching it in his direction. Her mouth wide, her bottom jaw trembling as she accentuated the high notes. Mairek raised his own hand towards her, without choice, without thought. He did as his heart willed of him, a heart he had long since thought of as dead, cold. As it lurched in his chest, he realized how wrong he'd been. How alive he was. Because of her!

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  Because of me, there's a storm coming.

  Because of me, a tide that will swallow the realm.

  But as long as we fade in and out, on the edge of paradise.

  We won't die, we won't drown, but we'll sure get wet.

  Her words were a promise, her voice a prophesy, her eyes that Mairek realized were glued to him, were that of an oracle's.

  Time, shifting, fading, becoming, twisting, turning, straightening. Time in its unmatched intensity, its storm of moments and walls of infinity. Its power, both tested and untested, suddenly looked so meager to Mairek. The fear he held of death dealt by time suddenly became folly. Here, before him, was something that negated all he thought he knew, all he believed he knew.

  "She's good." Tok said. "Really good." But Mairek could only nod.

  "She sends my mind back, back to my first love... To her." Lam said.

  "I'd rather you shut up than ruin this moment with your lies, Lam." Afur said. But this time Lam neither retorted, neither did his hand twitch towards his sword. He just sat there, arms crossed over the table. Eyes on Saive, as they all were.

  Sagal sobbed. Afur turned to him. "Sorry, something got into my eye." He said as he rubbed at his eyes with his fingers. Mairek saw all this yet his eyes remained on Saive, the Siren. His mind was split and each fragment held a pair of eyes. He saw everything, he experienced everything and all of it was blanketed under the weight of the Siren's call.

  "You're thinking about your ex wife huh?" Afur asked.

  "My fucking ex wife." Sagal agreed.

  Break free of her. Nielda whispered in his mind, with urgency, with a warning.

  "I can't." Mairek whispered.

  She'll take you to her domain, and you shall be forced to bargain.

  "I can't." Mairek insisted, not knowing whose domain Nielda spoke of.

  The blade's point is sharp, I can't dance free of its cut.

  The spear's length is long, cut it in half and Binoria dies.

  I can't be, I can't fight this, but I know the blade and the spear,

  They stand no chance so long as you take my hand.

  And let us fade, in and out of the edge of tranquility.

  Tranquility... Mairek had never pondered the word before, he allowed himself to do so, using her voice to guide his every step towards deriving its meaning. And as he focused, on her voice, on her. The purple ropes traveling the length between them, glowed with numerous pink lights, all flowing one way from Mairek to Saive.

  The Siren stretched her hand.

  Take my hand,

  Take my hand,

  Take my hand,

  As we fade in and out,

  Fade in and out,

  On the edge of tranquility.

  Mairek found himself exiting his chair, standing, his legs wobbling. He took one step towards Saive. There, where she stood on the table, hand stretched out in his direction. The ropes' purple hue brightened, the pink lights became blinding. Mairek took a step towards her, felt his heart lurch in his chest. He'd faced an army of Binorians, stood before swords and arrows. Never flinching, never fearing. His heart did not beat then as it was doing now.

  He recalled the spark, becoming a furnace whose flame never ceased. And as he approached her where she sang, hand outstretched, his own hand outstretched. He felt heat, as if he was walking into the furnace, getting closer. Closer.

  He knew all eyes were on him, he saw the confusion on Saive's face as he neared. Yet her voice did not falter once, she did not fumble a single note, neither did she lower her hand. His bodyguards were on their feet, moving in tandem with him yet several paces back as if unsure what to do.

  "What the fuck is he doing?" A whore muttered.

  "The Siren's got him." Another answered.

  "Wait, is he crying?"

  Tears were streaming down his face. He was as oblivious to them as the sun is to the acts of man. He was closer to her now, he could smell her sweat, her fingers were outstretched, so were his, tips inches apart. He took another step and touched her.

  Time's flow stopped.

  The tavern, with its drunks and whores and ale. All disappeared.

  Magenta clouds, pink and purple surrounded him, all over, the woman before him vanished and in her place was someone else, a woman still but not one you could brand as mortal.

  "Mairek." She spoke, pink mists trailing down her naked voluptuous body, her eyes a brilliant pink hue. "I am Nyawe, the Goddess of Love, welcome to my domain."

  xxxxxxxxx

  Enjoyed this chapter? Want more? If you're eager to continue the journey and can't wait for the next installment, you can check out my Patreon at the donation button! By supporting me there, you not only get early access to more chapters but also exclusive content, behind-the-scenes insights, and much more.