Page 86 of The Eighth Isle

Storm roared, and when he tried to push forward, he couldn’t. His head slammed against an invisible barrier in the air.

“Nobody is going anywhere now,” Syra said. “You willallpay.”

My heart shattered into a million pieces as I watched Grey flying up with both his hands raised, but whatever shield was around us now threw him back and slammed him against the ground.

I screamed, and Storm went after him, letting me go when we were just two feet away. By then Grey was already standing, and so was Valentine. Shadow was trying to break through the magic, too, over our heads, and he keptbouncingagainst it, unable to do anything to it.

“Anywhere?” I asked, my voice shaking as Grey’s wing wrapped halfway around me and we moved back closer to Storm, closer to the trees.

“No,” Grey said. “She’s created a dome around us. We can’t break through.”

I shook my head, eyes on Valentine, who was looking at the sisters, moving back as well as he could, trying not to fall. He could barely keep his balance.

“But you’re weak,” said Andya, and those words I did hear with clarity. Those words I prayed with all my heart were true.

“We can feel you, Syra. You’re weak,” said Mea.

“Your magic isn’t infinite, even if it’s more powerful than ours,” said Raxae.

“All magic has its limits,” Oreinne said. “And yours is about to meet them.”

But Syra laughed. “With sisters like you, who needs enemies, right?” she said, shaking her head as she paced in front of them.

“Nobody in the world is worse thanyou,” Fessa spit, and I could have sworn her eyes were glistening, like she was holding back tears.

“Me?” said Syra, feigning surprise. “But I’m not the one who killed your unborn baby in your womb. I am not the one who ate the love of your life in front of you.”

Bile rose up my throat, and the image she’d showed me came back in front of my eyes—Syra on the beach, bleeding between her legs, crying, shaking, while a half-eaten Hansil was by her side.

Hatred filled me to the brim—not for her, but for the others. For all the sirens who’d done this, who’d given a new definition to the wordmonster.Who were the epitome of raw cruelty—and wasn’t it comical that I was looking atthemto save us today? Wasn’t it absolutely absurd that they were the only ones who could stop Syra now before she killed all of us?

“Whatever happens, stay by Storm,” Grey whispered, wrapping his arm around my waist. “He’ll know when the magic disappears and he’ll take you out.”

“No, Grey—I can’t leave without you.” Iwouldn’tleave without him. Never.

“Baby, I need to know you’re safe. She’s too powerful. I can’t stop her from getting to you, but if Storm takes you away?—”

“Storm will take us both away,” I told him, squeezing his arm. “Let’s wait. We’ll wait—the sisters could kill her.”

“Unlikely,” Grey whispered.

“But they said she’s weak. Maybe she really is.”

Grey gritted his teeth. “What did she do to you?”

“I don’t know—nothing. It hurt for a while and then nothing. I’m fine, I don’t feel any different.” And there was definitely no blood coming out between my legs, so…

“Good,” Grey said with a nod. “We’ll figure out the rest. Just promise me you’ll stay close to Storm.”

But how could I promise him that when I knew that I wouldn’t? “I promise I’ll be the first to get on his back the moment we’re free to go.” And that I would do without hesitation. “I love you, Grey. Please don’t die.” If he did, all of it would have been for nothing. If he did, what the hell was I going to do with myself, even if I somehow survived?

Grey pulled me to his chest hard and whispered against my lips, “I won’t. I’m not going anywhere.” And he kissed me again. “I love you, my queen. And when this is over, I will spend every second of my life showing you just how much.”

“Then I’ll hold you to it.” Grey had yet to make a promise he didn’t keep, so I trusted that he’d keep this, too, with all my heart.

The next second, blinding blue light took my vision away completely, and the ground groaned and shook so violently, I’d have fallen if Grey’s hand wasn’t around mine.

I knew that it had already begun, but part of me didn’t want to accept it. How absurd was it that I was locked in a dome with the siren sisters and Syra herself—and they were fighting one another barely twenty feet away from me?

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