Page 15 of Song of Her Siren

Her jaw dropped. “She can teleport that far?”

“She can.” I cut Shiri a look when Mother’s eyes widened, then narrowed.

Why doesn’t our mother know about Aurora’s powers?I asked her through thought.

Shiri rolled her eyes.Do you even have to ask?

There was obviously a lot my mother didn’t know about my children. Why? Was it because she’d ignored them while Shiri did all the work raising them, or was it because Shiri had forced my daughters to hide their magic from their grandmother? I’d never hated Thorin more than at that moment for taking me from my family and erasing my memories, making me forget I had a family for two years while hiding me in the human lands. So much precious time I’d missed that I’d never be able to reclaim.

“That’s not safe.”

My gaze shot to my mother, who impatiently tapped her foot while giving me an expectant look. Did she really think she had the right to tell me what was safest for my children after she tried to get Thorin to spin their minds? “She’ll have two firemages and a white witch with her.”

When she made a sputter of protest, I held up a silencing hand. “You don’t get a say, Mother. Not when you’ve already proven to have terrible judgment.”

“That’s not fair, Tari.” She pouted. “Thorin tricked me too.”

Unwilling to get into it with her again, I ignored her while hugging Aurora goodbye once more. I did my best to will back the tears, though a few slipped out. I reluctantly let Ash take my child from me, and she hugged her sister before letting Shiri pick her up.

My mother tried to get between them, but Drae and Blaze blocked her with their outstretched wings, devious grins etched into their faces. Had I mentioned how much I liked my sister’s mates?

I stood, brushing a strand of Aurora’s chin-length hair behind her ear. I wasn’t ready to let her go. Ash hoisted Ember into his arms, his strength pouring through me when he squeezed my hand.

I swallowed back a knot of panic. “Remember, darling,” I said to Aurora, “if there is danger, and you get separated from them, you come right back here.”

She glanced from Ash to me. “What about Auntie and Uncles?”

“You leave us, sprite,” Drae said as he pressed against Shiri. “Your safety is most important.”

She shrugged. “Okay.”

My heart raced and my throat constricted when Drae and Blaze each wrapped a wing around Shiri’s back. Any second, and they would vanish.

I blew Aurora a kiss. “I love you so much.”

“I love you, Mommy.” Aurora blew a kiss back, then waved to her sister. “Bye, Em.”

Ember pulled her thumb out of her mouth long enough to wave.

“Guard her with your lives,” Ash said to my sister and her mates.

Drae placed a hand across his heart, bowing slightly. “With our lives.”

And before I could tell Aurora I loved her again, they vanished, leaving nothing behind but the smell of sulfur and the memory of my child’s canine smile. Oh, my mother’s heart. I wouldn’t be able to rest until I was holding her in my arms again.

* * *

Shiri

AFTER LANDING HARDin the dirt, I rolled onto my side with a grunt, thanking Blaze when he pulled Aurora from my arms and Drae for helping me stand. Drae released me and summoned his flames, twin beacons in an otherwise gloomy forest. My nose instantly wrinkled at the smell of mold and smoke. I’d almost forgotten how much I loathed the only home I’d ever known until my mates had taken me to their ancestral home of Abyssus. How I longed to return there and resume snuggling with my mates in Drae’s warm, feathery bed, the invigorating smell of fresh, piney air, and Cook’s sweet and savory tarts. Abyssus was where I belonged, not in some rundown cabin in a dark, dank forest.

My mates both swore as we gaped at the overgrown weeds where the pigpen should have been and the ash that was once our house. The grain shed and outhouse were gone, too, and several trees had been blackened, their limbs stripped bare.

I clutched my throat. “Elements, what happened?”

“I’m sorry, Auntie.” Aurora hung her head while clinging to Blaze. “Thorin scared us, and I dropped the lamp.”

“Oh, that’s right,” I said. “I remember now.” She’d told me about the smoking house before, but I’d been so relieved that my nieces were safe that I’d forgotten.

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