Shadowed Realms Issue 8

SERENADE

By Mark Barnes

"Why did you do it?" Will said. Music floated through the bedroom, women’s voices and the echo of water adrift between opera and whale song.

"Hmmm?" Avy’s voice was languorous. She smelled of sex, blonde hair tousled, slick with sweat.

"I saw Mike yesterday," Will's voice was detached. "He mentioned he saw you with somebody."

"When?"

"A few days ago."

"Must have been somebody else." She reached for the champagne, drank from the bottle. "What music is this?"

"This? It's called Serenade." He frowned, running his fingers through her hair. Under candlelight her freckles looked like gold-dust. "Who were you with?"

Avy poured a small stream of alcohol onto Will’s chest. She watched as it trickled down his abdomen. She leaned forward and lapped at it.

"I’ve heard this music every time I’ve been here." Avy kissed his stomach. Her hands wandered. "It’s never sounded so sad."

"Maybe you're the one who’s sad, so the music sounds different?"

"Who sings it?"

"You've not heard of them. They're friends of mine. There're no words, just voices."

"What are they singing about?"

"Sorrow and regret." He looked down at her, a frown creasing his brow.

"It's beautiful. I'd love to meet them."

"You've a lot in common."

Will took her head in his hands and drew her face back up to his chest. Her lips, almost in a permanent pout, were glistening and damp.

"Look," he said. "I'd be hurt if you were unfaithful but it's not the end of the world. I want to know the truth. I've had unfaithful partners before. I've dealt with it. We’re all wolves in sheep's clothing. Sometimes our nature gets the better of us."

"Have you cheated on me?" Avy asked. She stretched, cat-like and indolent.

"No! I've been unfaithful in the past, but I learned my lesson."

He wrapped an errant curl of her hair around one finger. She was so beautiful it made his chest hurt. He held her gaze until she looked away, uncomfortable.

"I'd too much to drink," she murmured. "He was an old flame. Somebody I trusted. Things got a little out of control. It meant nothing. It doesn't change the way I feel about you—about us."

"How do you feel about me?"

"You need to ask? I love you, silly. You're being very calm about this. Most men would have yelled or screamed." She looked at him from beneath thick lashes. "Do you want me to leave?"

"I'm not most men and I don't want you to leave." He took her in his arms. "I love you so much and hate the thought of anything coming between us."

"Nothing will." She kissed him deeply, hands wandering. "Forgive me?"

"Promise me it'll never happen again. I don't—"

"You won't have to, I swear. Cross my heart and hope to die."

He sighed, sounding at once sorrowful and relieved. "I need to show you something."

Will led her downstairs. Below the house, behind an iron gate, was a grotto. Recessed lighting illuminated the surface of a natural pool where reflected ripples marbled rough stone walls. Steam curled, eddied, and rolled like mist on a lake.

"May I?"

"Please"

Avy laughed and dived in, surfacing in the middle of the pool. Tiny waves lapped at the rough stone edges, thicker than water should be. "It's amazing!"

"Glad you like it."

"The water feels great! Come on in." She lay on her back and Will stared at the way the water sheened her breasts. Her throat. Her thighs. She floated there, eyes closed, hair spreading in a pale fan around her head. Then she twitched, eyes flicking open.

"What was that?" she gasped. "Something touched my leg!"

"Hmmm?"

"There's something in here!"

"It's your imagination."

"Pass me a towel." Avy swam to the edge of the pool. As she tried to clamber out, Will pushed her back in.

"Hey!"

"You wanted to meet them. They’re getting to know you, to see whether they want you to join them."

"Meet who?"

"The Singers who sing my Serenade."

"What?" Avy treaded water, trying to see beneath the opalescent surface.

"I forgive you, Avy, but we'll hold you to your promise."

"What promise?"

"You'll never betray me again."

Will sat at the edge of the pool as Avy was pulled beneath the water. After almost a minute she surfaced. Water drooled from her lips as she coughed

"Stop them," she sobbed. The water thrashed around her, shadows darting in the darkness, just beneath the surface. "Let me go. I'll do whatever you want!"

"Yes, you will. In future, when you come to my bed, you’ll think of nobody else."

She sank beneath the water once more, a struggling figure surrounded by a dozen others. Avy surfaced again.

Head barely above water, she choked, "I love you. I'm sorry. I won't do it again, I promise."

"I know you won't," he murmured, staring into the water. "The Singers will teach you about loyalty, Avy. You'll learn, just as they learned."

"Please!" She screamed as the Singers took her under. Water churned and foamed as she thrashed. Pallid limbs with blue-tinged nails clasped her hair, her arms, dragging her down. She did not surface again.

Minutes passed. The waters calmed. He smiled as the Serenade began again, its mournful notes reverberating across his skin. After a few minutes more, Will heard the raw sorrow of a new voice. He felt the touch of adoring hands on his feet. Saw their pale, beautiful faces rising from the water, mouths opened in song.

"I love you, too," he said.

* * *

Author Biography:

Mark Barnes is a graduate of Clarion South 2005. His story 'Soul Garden' was published in Shadowed Realms Issue 4, and he has the story 'Say Goodbye, Again' due to be published in the Shadow Box e-anthology.

During the day Mark is an IT strategist, until such time as he can move away from full time employment to part-time consulting. The plan is to spend at least half his time doing what he loves—writing.