Page 101 of Song of Her Siren

Helian fanned the air. “We should do as she asks and kill her.”

Oblivious to the smoke, Shiri paced between us and the dragons while chewing her bottom lip. “And then what?”

“And then you take her place as queen,” I said, holding my breath when my sister’s gaze darkened. I knew it wasn’t what she wanted, but I no longer cared. Nobody was safe as long as Malvolia lived.

“She’s a powerful sorceress,” Shiri said, her voice lacking conviction. “We need her magic to defeat the demons.”

I shook my head while squeezing the girls to my sides. Didn’t she understand that tonight could’ve gone horribly wrong? After finally getting them back, I didn’t want to leave the girls without a mother again. Not to mention, I didn’t want to jeopardize the babe in my womb or risk my mates dying while avenging my death. I didn’t trust that Malvolia simply had a death wish. What if she was just evil? It wasn’t hard to believe after the Crimson Tide.

“What we need is to not be fighting wars on two fronts. How can we fight demons when we’re constantly watching our backs?” I squeezed the girls’ shoulders when they buried their faces against my skirts. “I’m sorry, Shiri, but Helian, the girls, and I have to go.” Which meant we’d have to leave Ash behind. The thought was like a blade twisting in my heart, but we had no choice, and I knew he’d want us to go.

You’re not leaving without us, Radnor huffed.

Helian nodded his agreement. “We’ll leave at first light. Aurora can take us to Fallax.”

I swallowed back my sorrow when Shiri gave us a hopeless look. “You can come with us, sister.”

She wiped her eyes while vehemently shaking her head. “I can’t leave Drae.”

My heart ached and twisted at the thought of leaving my sister behind when she had no mates to comfort her, but Malvolia had left us with no choice. Curse the bitch. I curled my hands into claws, thinking I should just turn her to ash tonight, but some part of me feared I wouldn’t be fast enough. I couldn’t risk my unborn child’s life, too. Tears welled in my eyes, and I bit down on my knuckles to keep from crying out.

When Shiri grabbed me in a fierce hug, the children pressed between us, I gave in to my tears, letting them soak my hair and clothes. What if Malvolia turned on Shiri without Helian and me to bully? What if the demons attacked? Would my sister be able to hold them back without us?

* * *

Blaze

FORTUNATELY, BEFOREmy journey, I’d taken enough gold from the Abyssus coffers to fund a small army. The Cyrene innkeepers were more than happy to find me deluxe accommodations and a hearty, hot meal after dropping the heavy sack onto the bar counter. It didn’t hurt when I’d told them I was the brother-in-law to Princes Helian, Ash, and Finn and mate to Shiri. That earned me an extra pint of ale and a hot bath to soothe my tired muscles.

After a little investigating, I’d learned that Nikkos and Finn hadn’t made an appearance yet, but it was only a matter of time before they flew in from the Fallax Islands. In the meantime, I’d promised more gold to the innkeeper if they notified me the moment they spotted them. Then I slept like the dead.

I woke to a hard rap on the door, jumping from the bed with a start and illuminating the darkness with my flames. “What is it?”

“Lord Inferni,” a timid voice called back. I recognized the voice of the innkeeper’s shifter daughter. “A flock of wyverns is approaching the town.”

“Good. Thank you!” I answered as fire raced through my veins. I was excited to finally see Nikkos and Finn and tell them the girls were safe. Mostly, I couldn’t wait to get back to Shiri. I fingered the lock of hair in my pocket while thinking of her sultry smile and luminous eyes and couldn’t wait to hold her in my arms again. I threw open the heavy curtains, letting moonlight spill into the room. How long had I slept? I spotted a flock of a few dozen wyverns flying below the heavy clouds in the distant horizon. I splashed water on my face and slipped into my trousers and boots, anxious to greet my brothers.

I was out the door in a minute, my wings propelling me down the stairs as I called to the young shifter. “Have a hearty supper for three waiting, and I will pay handsomely,” I called over my shoulder before I was out the door.

I pushed the heavy door behind me, my eyes easily adjusting to the darkness, and breathed in a gulp of sea air mixed with the town’s many strange scents, from the harlots’ cloying perfume, to strong body odor and the pungent smell of fish.

Just as I was about to leap into the sky and intercept my brothers, several menacing dragon roars rattled the marrow of my bones and nearly knocked me on my backside. Onlookers cried out, pointing to the sky as it lit up in a fiery inferno. Venom shot through my heart as I watched dragons pluck wyverns from the sky like hawks attacking sparrows, tossing them to the sea before diving after them. I jumped into the air when I spotted the shadow of a winged Ravini Fae diving for the sea, a dragon chasing after him, his flames singing my brother’s backside.

With my supernatural speed, I passed beneath the dragon, unsheathing my blade and slicing open the soft skin of his underbelly moments before he snapped his jaw over my brother’s tattered wings.

I heard Nikkos cry out as he hit the inky water. I fell behind him in the frigid waters, mindful not to let my wings get soaked as I lifted my brother into the air. Ignoring the sting of the cold air whipping against my wet legs, I flew as fast as lightning, weaving between angry dragons as they painted the sky with fire and wyvern blood. Because of my supernatural speed, they had no time to react to the blur of black feathers that flew past them. I couldn’t look for Finn, for I had to get my badly burned brother to safety first. He was deadweight in my arms, limp and moaning. All his feathers had been burned off, and his backside felt like a sticky ball of wax. I feared if we couldn’t find a green witch, he would surely perish from his injuries—if the dragons didn’t kill us first.

I landed hard on the sandy planks, stumbling into the tavern and dropping Nikkos onto a table. “Find a green witch now!” I called to the barkeep before heading for the door. “If he dies, you’ll have to answer to our mate!” I warned before jumping back into the sky in search of Finn.

The wyverns had all fallen into the water, crying out while dragons swam through the sea like sharks, dragging the hapless creatures to their deaths. I followed the sound of an angry howl and plucked Finn in his menacing wolf form from the dark sea moments before a dragon rose up from the water, the snap of its jowls like a thunderclap in my skull.

I tossed Finn to the shore, and he landed on all fours, heaving up seawater. I landed hard in front of him, snapping open my wings and shooting flames into the air when we were met by a dragonless rider in black riding gear.

I recognized the rider’s shiny bald head and dark, beady eyes, for I’d spied on Fachnan’s forces long enough to know this was Ivar, the captain of the dragon guard, though he was now missing a hand, a new injury, judging by the bloody bandages covering the stump. Behind him stood a group of at least a few hundred dragon riders, watching the carnage. Flickering torchlight lit up their wicked grins as they stood in their encampment of makeshift tents.

“What’s the meaning of this?” I hollered, an inferno of rage pumping through my veins. I had to get back to the inn. If my brother was dead...

The rider unsheathed his sword, gripping it with his one hand. “This doesn’t concern you, firemage. Return to your queen. You’re not welcome in Caldaria.”

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