Page 25 of Crown and Dragon

“Saw it myself,” he whispered, leaning too far to the right. He was about to fall out of his chair, the fool.

“Wait. What did you say?”

“I saw her use her song myself.”

“You did?”

“Aye. One of my brother’s dear engineers lunged to grab her and before anyone realized her muzzle had slipped, she stopped his heart with three little notes.”

Goosebumps ran down Tahlia’s arms and she shivered.

“Exactly,” he said, nodding toward her. “That was my reaction too. See, she can direct the kill and can only take one soul at a time. The man was doomed just because she exudes desire and the poor man couldn’t hold himself back. Could have been me. Easy.” He upturned his mug and banged the bottom as if more ale might come out if he only tried harder.

A siren. They had to face a siren to get the crown.

“Old Durny boy tried to cage her and that went really well, too.” Jovanyth chuckled and shook his head. “Had to bargain with her. You see, our family has a history with the sirens…” He set an elbow on the table and leaned his chin into his hand.

Was he passing out? Right here, right now?

Marius made his way over and jerked his head toward the door. “We have to get going.”

Jovanyth lifted his hand, his ale-glazed eyes half open. “Enjoy the madness and stay out of my brother’s path if you know what’s good for you.”

Tahlia swallowed, murmured a thanks, and left quickly. Marius was right behind her when they emerged back into the sunshine. Dark clouds rolled in the distance, and thunder rumbled over the sound of the crowd.

“Don’t talk now,” Marius said as they forced their way through the masses toward the line of guards dressed as they were. “We’ll walk the outer edge of the crowd until the parade starts, then branch off.”

Ten tidy rows of pipers, flag bearers, and folk with small drums lined up. Guards dressed as Tahlia and Marius were—in the ornate clothing and ridiculous hat—created a boundary between the crowds and the musicians. People wearing finegowns filed in behind the musicians. Perhaps the local nobility or simply the wealthy of the city? Durniad would be among them.

Tahlia tugged at Marius’s sleeve. “Did you hear what he told me? Any of it?”

“Not now.”

They passed three other guards.

“Fall in line,” one of the other guards barked at them, making Tahlia’s stomach clench with worry. His bushy eyebrows furrowed as he studied them. “You two smell like an alehouse.”

Tahlia grinned and shrugged. “You can’t tell me my cousin and I are the only two sneaking a drink today.”

Master Eyebrows scowled, but the guard at his side elbowed him.

“Lay off, Sergee. Everything’s fine.”

“All right, but I’m watching you.”

Marius nodded at Eyebrows. That man had no idea that he was trying to intimidate the Shadow of the Shrouded Mountains, a Fae warrior who had taken down countless pirates, enemy armies, and more. It was laughable that the fellow thought he was in a position of power. Granted, he could sound an alarm before Marius or Tahlia had the chance to dispatch him to the afterlife, and this was meant to be a quiet mission…

Tahlia marched obediently between Marius and Eyebrows, who snarled at a woman who had let her child run into the street.

The music began and all Tahlia could think about was Jovanyth’s mention of the siren’s song. Sure, one could block one’s ears, but many stories claimed sirens had the ability to send their power into your very bones. No rolls of cloth stuffed in the ears would stop such a magic.

Tahlia recalled a little storybook she’d seen in the market once when she was maybe ten or eleven years old. The story had included some truly dismal poems, including one about a siren.The whole thing had been penned in blue ink and it stood out in her mind’s eye like she’d seen it yesterday.

She sings, she lures,

You listen, you lunge,

Into the cold blue-black, you go,

---