I find I fear (for Ray)

[Erthona]

Oh, I see. You socked it in your previous post so it never came up, that is why I did not know you had written.

alter to altar thanks, yes also "deaths'" will correct.
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bittern 2 (ˈbɪtən)

— n
the bitter liquid remaining after common salt has been crystallized out of sea water: a source of magnesium, bromine, and iodine compounds

Used once as a preservative I believe, but basically a dry piece of hard overly salted bread. Think brackish scones! I believe it is an allusion to something from Coleridge, maybe Kublai Khan.
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Siren just means compelling as used here.

Thanks for the critique, I'll keep it handy for the next rewrite. Sleepy now!

Dale