Page 32 of Bound By Roses

“So much anger, Erwyn. Even now.”

His features flicker only a moment before the hardness remains. “You know nothing about me.”

Her eyes seem to shimmer. “I know more than you think. You’re on a dangerous path. One that could lead to—”

He points a finger at her, effectively cutting her off. “Not another word.” He speaks slowly and menacingly. “I have been poisoned by prophesies before.”

“That was your choice.”

For just a moment, I fear he might actually raise a hand to her—not that Quinn would let him live that long—but instead he turns away and marches back into the water, his legs taking the shape of blue and gold fins once the water reaches his thighs.

“Are you okay?” Quinn asks her, though it’s not concern in his voice. It’s pride. And I don’t blame him. She handled herself better against Erwyn than Quinn did. At least this time, no blood was drawn. Kaylee has the unfair advantage of foresight, though. Even if she can’t use her abilities now, she knew his name. That means she must have seen visions of him—and likely of all the sirens.

Kaylee’s lips turn up in a smirk before answering her brother. “I will be. Once I speak with my mate.”

I can’t help the laugh that bubbles up in my chest as Quinn deflates at her words. It seems Rhett was right all along. Maybe that’s why they’re here. Kaylee couldn’t stay away, no matter how hard she tried. And she did try. I think back to all the times she and Rhett had spoken, and all the times she’d pulled away from him when he got too close to touching her. There’s no exact science to what snaps a mating bond into place, but for Quinn and I, it was the kiss we’d shared when we’d chosen each other.

Quinn sighs. “I was hoping the dragon was wrong.”

He’s stalling because the last thing he wants to do is bring Kaylee to Rhett. To spare him, I slip between them and link my arm with Kaylee’s. “I’d be happy to take you to him,” I announce, flashing the widest of smiles at Quinn.

‘Stop it,’he mutters, though I know he doesn’t mean it. Despite his discomfort with this, I know he wants Kaylee to be happy and there’s not a doubt in anyone’s mind that Rhett will accept her. To be honest, I kind of want to be nosy and see the look on his face when he finds out we’re not actually being slaughtered up here while he guards Jade.

A chill runs down my spine at the memory of what happened with him. I hadn’t forgotten, of course, but it moved to the very back of my mind. If Kaylee noticed my sudden discomfort, she doesn’t acknowledge it.

“If it’s alright with you,” Quinn says, aloud this time. “I’ll stay up here.” He eyes the gathered sirens that still stare at his people with suspicion.

“That will be best,” Aurelia agrees. “I am not sure how many sirens will help, but we can repair as many of the islands for them as possible.”

“You are letting them stay?” someone cries out in disgust.

“We have no use for the ruins. Their presence will not affect us.” I doubt that’s true, but this time no one argues. As if they’re all thinking the same thing, every single siren, apart from Aurelia, disappears beneath the waves in an apparent refusal of taking part in any activity that will aid the people they call betrayers.

“We can manage,” Quinn tells her. “You don’t have to stay.” I don’t think there’s a person here who doesn’t realize that he’s giving her an out, so she doesn’t divide herself even more from her people.

I expected Aurelia to turn away, but instead, her eyes slide over the tired travellers. “You forget, some of these faces are familiar to me.”

Kaylee tugs me away from the group, so I don’t hear the end of that conversation, but it seems as if Aurelia has made her choice. I just hope she doesn’t come to regret it. She’s already done so much for us and Quinn’s aunt or not. This can’t be easy for her. Some of Rosewood’s people came from Marein, while some came from Lunae. It only just occurs to me that I never asked who was who. It never mattered. Siren, human, moon-worshipper or Sealander. They were all just people to me, and even now, that’s exactly how I see them.

Kaylee seems to know exactly where she’s going, so I allow her to lead the way to the whirlpool’s hidden staircase. I have no idea how detailed her visions are, but considering how confident she is in her sense of direction, I can only imagine she’s hadquite a few of this place. She spent five long years of her life locked away beneath Lunae, and it’s more than likely that her visions were her only escape. If I were her, I would have lived in them for as long as I could if it meant a reprieve from the suffering. How much of that time was spent exploring these glass halls? She’s already admitted to keeping an eye on Quinn, but what else was she watching?

And who else?

“Did he live?” she asks, just as we get to the base of the massive spiral staircase and take our first steps into the underwater world of glass and stone.

I’m surprised by the question. I already told her I was taking her to Rhett, so why would she ask if he survived? “He did, thanks to your warning. He was hit with two arrows, but—”

“Not Rhett. Jade.”

My feet lock into place, entirely unwilling to take another step. My sudden halt forces her to stop and emotionless eyes meet mine. “Jade?” I can barely get the name out and have to swallow my rising panic before continuing. “I thought Rhett was your—”

“Jade is not my mate,” she cuts me off again with an exasperated huff.

I breathe an audible sigh of relief and allow her to pull me onward. “Then why are we talking about him?” Gods, she almost stopped my heart. Poor Rhett would have been devastated.

“His future was clouded. Weaving his fate was difficult.”

Weaving his fate? Quinn told me that his grandmother was a weaver and what that meant, but I had no idea that Kaylee inherited that ability. How many times had she altered our paths to bring us to this exact moment? “He’s alive, though who knows how long that will last…” I let the sentence trail off because this is the first time I’ve spoken those words aloud. Jade might not survive this.

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