Page 141 of Song of Her Siren

I regretted the words the moment I said them, but Finn needed my support. I was already resolved that, should they fight dirty, I’d turn them and their snarling dragons to dust. If they gravely wounded Finn, I’d turn them to dust, too, and heal my mate. Maybe I had no honor. Maybe I was a selfish witch. I refused to lose my mate and the father of my children. Besides, these riders deserved to die after their hand in the Lupine attack.

Vidar took a step back, holding out his hands defensively. “Our issue isn’t with you, shifter.”

“Isn’t it?” Finn bowed up his chest, rage flaring in his eyes. “Did you or did you not help Ivar lead the attack on Lupine?”

The riders shared a look as Vidar took another step back. “We did.”

Ignoring the dark crimson and black dragons hovering dangerously close to us, Finn took a step toward the riders, snapping his long maw. “ThenIhave an issue withyou.”

The crimson and black dragons growled while the tops of their heads scraped the sagging tree branches.

“Fine,” Vidar said as he stepped beneath the shadow of the midnight black dragon’s maw. “I’ll fight you by sword. You’re not allowed to shift.”

Finn flashed his fangs. “You don’t get to decide the terms.”

When the black dragon snapped his fangs at Finn, acting like he was about to bite off his head, I hit him with a blast of magic. I had no time to think up a spell, so I hit him with the first one that came to mind. The dragon reared back, howling. He fell onto his side and released a powerful burst of flatulence. The smell hit me like a brick to the head. Helian and Ash cried out, fanning their faces. I plugged my nose as the dragon whimpered and stumbled into the tree trunk, rattling the branches with violent force. He whimpered again and flew toward the water while letting out a stream of smoke from his rear end.

“Did you have to use that spell?” Helian asked while coughing into his fist.

“I’m sorry.” I shrugged. “It was the first one that came to mind.”

Radnor backed away with a curse.I’ll never cross you again, witch.

“Well?” Finn threw his arms wide while stalking toward the riders. “Here I am. Let’s fight.”

Vidar made a face, his breathing appearing shallow. “It’s not a fair fight.”

“You want to talk to me about fair fights after what you did to Lupine? Unlike you, though, I’m a Fae of honor.” Finn splayed a furry hand across his heart. “I’ll fight you both at the same time. That will even the odds a little.”

“N-no.” Tyrus almost tripped over a tree root as he stumbled back. “We’ll wait until Helian is recovered.”

“No!” Finn kicked up sand like a charging bull. “You’ll fight me now. You’ve issued a challenge, and so have I.” He threw back his head and let out an otherworldly roar. “Prepare to join Ivar in the afterlife!”

Not giving the riders time to duck, Finn slashed their faces with his claws, tucking and rolling before jumping back up and facing their backs. The riders swore, brandishing their swords while spinning toward Finn.

The crimson dragon tried to pounce on Finn like a cat trying to stomp on a mouse. I hit the drake with an even more powerful flatulence spell. He let out a howl and stumbled toward the ocean, leaving behind a trail of dragon shit.

Distracted by their dragon, the riders stumbled into each other and then over a tree root. Finn was a blur of fur, pouncing on them with a roar and spraying the air with their blood. My stomach roiled, and I turned away from the carnage, which reminded me very much of the time Finn and Ash shredded Fachnan. I knew shifters could be vicious, but it was still disconcerting to reconcile my sweet mate with this lethal killer.

Finn returned to us with a heaving chest, his fur soaked with blood.

I reached for him, then pulled back, thankful when Helian wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “Just give him a moment. He’s fine,” he whispered in my ear.

I couldn’t stop my hands from trembling when Finn stood before us, two bloody swords hanging from his claws. “It’s done,” he said darkly. Then he spun around, facing the gathering throng of dragon riders who looked at Finn as if he was demon-possessed. Finn thrust the bloody swords above his head with a roar. “Would anyone else like to challenge my brother?” When they didn’t respond, he continued. “No?” He motioned toward Helian. “Then I present you with the new King of Caldaria.”

Helian mumbled his thanks when Finn dropped the swords at Helian’s feet.

I swallowed back my fear, casting my gaze to the flatulating and roaring dragons on the beach. “What about them?” I whispered.

Radnor backed away from us.I’ll take care of them.

He jumped into the sky and landed between the dragons, grabbing their necks in his jowls and snapping them with rough shakes before they could get up. I clutched my throat as I saw their spirits rise from their bodies, the tang of blood catching in the air and wrapping around my senses until I could no longer hold back my nausea. Falling to my knees, I held my sleeping rabbits to my chest while heaving. I was grateful for Helian as he knelt beside me, pulling back my hair.

Elements, how was I supposed to get through the coming war?

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Helian

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