Page 122 of Song of Her Siren

“Did she say how?”

“She cannot see the creatures from the sea.” Standing, she wrapped her arms around herself, reminding me of a vulnerable child. “She only senses a dark presence.”

“And the sky?”

All the air seemed to be sucked from the area as her eyes hardened. “She saw a flying troll in her mists.”

“Trolls can’t fly,” Blaze blurted.

She glared at him as if he was a child who’d spoken out of turn. “This one can, and he has the strength of a dozen dragons.”

I swallowed at that. “And the attack from land?”

She grimaced. “Demon-touched giants and undead humans.”

“Great Goddess.” I was so thankful when Blaze wrapped a wing around my shoulders. Demon-touched giants and undead humans? I thought of that undead taurus who’d been immune to my siren’s call. And demon-touched giants? Would I be able to control them like the giants who’d attacked Nikkos? Or would I need to harness my dark magic to defeat them? I didn’t think I had enough strength to take down a giant army. Then what?

Arms wrapped around herself, Malvolia paced the gravel. “But there’s something else, a demon more powerful than all of them, the one they call The Darkness.”

“Go on.” I had the sickening feeling I knew exactly where to find this demon called The Darkness—inside Drae.

Malvolia stopped pacing. “She cannot tell if he is friend or foe, but he has the powers of a white witch, which explains why the Elements made two white witches. Your sister will need to return.”

I swore under my breath. “She knows, but she can’t battle demons when she’s fighting an enemy within our family too.”

“When Thorin spun my mind, he made me forget not just my memories, but the love I felt for my unborn nieces. Before Thorin’s spell, I would place my hand upon your mother’s belly, feeling you both kick and thinking how much I’d love you as if you were my own children.” She paused, her cheeks flushing crimson. “Seeing you with Ember and Aurora, I know you understand the feeling. Thorin didn’t just change my mind. He poisoned my heart.” She looked away, a single tear sliding down her cheek. “I’m ashamed of how I’ve treated Tarianya and her mate.”

I shared a shocked look with Blaze. Do you believe her?I projected to him through thought.

I do, he answered with a soft smile.

I trusted Blaze’s judgement. So why did I still doubt my aunt’s sincerity? Maybe because I’d been let down by her so many times before. “So you won’t make any more advances on Helian.”

She vehemently shook her head. “I won’t.”

“I will be sure to tell Tari when next I see her.” Not that I had hopes it would do much good. Malvolia had already done too much irreparable damage, and not just to Tari, but to all of Delfi.

“Tell her we need her back.” Malvolia’s voice broke on a plea, reminding me of the girls begging for another sweet tart. “And the dragons and wyverns, if she can rally them.”

“Between Tari and Helian, I have faith they can.” I eyed her suspiciously, wondering if she truly felt remorse for the way she’d behaved with Helian or if she finally realized she needed them to win this war. Either way, I hoped she was sincere.

I gave a start, and Blaze jerked me out of the way with lightning speed when two mages collided midair above us. Then he jumped, catching a mage who spiraled through the air, helping him land with one broken wing. Other mages landed and helped remove the injured mages while apologizing to Malvolia.

“No bother. Carry on.” She waved them away with a flick of the wrist.

Wow. Perhaps shehadchanged. Or else she was being possessed by a demon with better manners than her.

“Tell them to hurry.” She turned back toward me, her expression grim. “We’ll need the help of every living Fae if we’re to survive the coming war.”

* * *

Blaze

WELL, THAT WENT BETTERthan I expected, I projected to my mate, holding her hand as we left Malvolia’s suite. We walked through the castle’s long hall as firemages practiced their maneuvers outside, their fires reflecting prisms of light through the many tall leaded windows that lined the hall.

Shiri bent her head toward mine, as if the nearby servants and firemages could hear our mental dialogue. I hope she’s being sincere.

I pulled her closer to my side, wrapping a protective wing around her while nodding to two of Malvolia’s guards who passed us.She made advances on Helian?

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