Chapter 19: Sunset Cove

"Where are you taking me?" I asked, for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Almost there." Caspian refused to remove his hands which served as a blindfold.

I concentrated on moving my legs forward, using pure instinct to not slip, or walk into a tree, or fall off a cliff. Eventually I stopped thinking of my every move and instead let Caspian guide me. I trusted him to not let anything untoward happen to me.

"We're here," Caspian confirmed, finally removing his hands from my eyes.

I gasped as I took in my surroundings. I opened my mouth to speak but no words would come out; there were no words to express the beauty of this place. I have no idea how long I stood there, staring and taking in the magic of this place. We were encased in rocky walls that parted to allow a small stream to flow through it. The water from the stream collected in a pool that shone brightly, reflecting the light from the low hanging sun. The enchantment of this place was unlike anything I'd ever seen before. It was magical; the kind of place one would expect to see water nymphs. It was completely secluded, and that added to the splendour.

"What is this place?" I asked, unable to keep the grin off my face.

"Sunset Cove." Caspian smiled at my enthusiasm.

"It's beautiful," I gushed out. "I didn't even know it was here." I had walked along the beach countless times, but somehow Sunset Cove had managed to keep itself hidden from me.

"Not many people do," he replied, snaking his arms around my waist and pulling me into his chest. He rested his chin on my shoulder and gazed longingly at the pool.

"Let's swim." He guided me towards the pool.

I watched as he undressed and gingerly dipped his toe in the pool. He quickly retracted his foot. "It's not cold," he lied, a glint in his eye. I laughed at his childishness.

He sat down and slid into the pool. I mimicked his actions.

My feet touched the floor, and the water came up to about my shoulders. My hair fanned out around me, making me look like an octopus. My butterfly necklace, a constant reminder of Asher, rose up and the pendant floated on top of the water. I unclipped the clasp of the necklace. I wasn't sure if this was freshwater, or seawater and I didn't know if it would damage the necklace. I left the necklace on the side of the pool.

I was just about to turn around, when I felt strong hands grasping my waist. Caspian began to tickle me and I shrieked with laughter, making the water splash in every possible direction.

"You remind me of a Siren," Caspian exclaimed. "Especially in the water."

"A Siren?" I asked, confused. Did he mean like an ambulance siren? Was that how my laughter sounded?

"The myths about Sirens," he stated, and then realised from my expression that I had no idea what he was talking about. "There are stories about Sirens being beautiful women who lure unsuspecting men, like myself, into the water."

I looked down at my purple bikini. I guess I did look like a mermaid-like creature. "In case you're forgetting, you lured me into the water," I teased.

He smirked, water droplets making his body sparkle. "Then I guess I'm the Siren."

"Yip, because you're a beautiful woman," I laughed.

A deep rumble erupted in his throat.

"What was that?" I asked.

"I was showing you how manly and scary I can be," he replied, kissing my forehead.

"It sounded more like a cat purring," I fibbed, resting my head on his chest.

"Or maybe a tiger," he argued.

He twisted my wet hair around his hand and gently pulled my head back, so he could look at my face.

"I love you." He pressed his lips to mine. He said it, he had actually said it. He had no idea how much those three small words meant to me.

He pulled away from me. "This is the part where you confirm your feelings for me."

"What are you talking about?" I played dumb, trying to keep the smile off my face.

"You love me." It was a statement not a question.

"What if I said no?" I bantered with him.

"That would be a lie," Caspian clarified, running the tips of his fingers down my back.

"I love you," I finally gave in.

He pressed his lips to me. I wrapped my arms around his bare shoulders. I held him to me, not wanting him to break free. His hands caressed my lower back, as he kissed me more forcefully. He broke away from the kiss and brushed his lips across my forehead.

"It's getting late," I noted, watching all the fireflies circling around us. "We should be heading home."

"There's something I need to show you first," Caspian ominously stated.

I reluctantly agreed. He led me outside the cave and onto the beach. The chilly night air had caused the beach sand to cool down, and it no longer scorched the souls of our feet. The sky had darkened and now consisted of varying shades of blue and purple.

Caspian chose a spot close to the ocean and sat down, pulling me down with him. We had arrived just in time to see the sun disappear blow the horizon. The sky was scattered with red, orange, yellow and even pink specks. The sun left, taking the day with it, providing the perfect romantic setting for a couple who had just declared their love for each other. The few clouds that remained offered a haven for birds to swoop through.

"I guess now I know why this town is named after the sunset," I observed, spellbound by how much beauty I had experienced in the past couple of hours.

"You've never seen a sunset here before?" Caspian asked, a disbelieving look on his face.

"I have, just never with you," I replied, threading my arm through his. I rested my head on his shoulder. "Being here with you I can almost forget that my brother was murdered."

"What are you going to do if you figure out he actually did commit suicide?" Caspian enquired.

Was he serious? "I know he didn't." I tried to keep the anger out of my voice. The calmness of the night had been ruined by one untoward comment.

"He might have killed himself out of guilt, you know because of Hugh," Caspian persisted.

I pulled away from him. "If you think he killed himself, why are you helping me?" I didn't give him a chance to reply. "You've just been humouring me this whole time." I practically screamed the words out.

"No, I just..." Caspian was unable to finish his sentence, probably because he couldn't come up with a good enough lie.

I got up to leave.

"Wait," Caspian yelled after me.

I was in no mood to go back and talk things out, but I couldn't stop his words from ringing in my ears. What if Asher had taken his own life? I put my hand on my chest, seeking the tranquillity that my butterfly necklace offered me, but it wasn't there. Realisation struck. I had left it behind in the cove. I turned to go back but stopped myself. I didn't want to run into Caspian. I would get my necklace back tomorrow. I mentally prayed that it would still be there, but why wouldn't it? And so, I walked away in the dead of night without looking back. People always say don't go sleep without sorting out a fight. But who said I was going to sleep? I was going to lie awake in bed and run through the argument Caspian and I had just had.