Page 150 of Song of Her Siren

A child’s cry startled me, and I jumped from Steffan’s lap, gaping at our old, rail-thin nursemaid who carried Teddy in her arms. She grimaced while lowering him to the ground as if he was a sack of grains. Propelled by black feathered wings that weren’t fully formed, he ran toward me, slamming into my legs.

I picked him up, settling him on my hip while wiping tears from his cheeks.

“Mama!” he cried, burying his face in my bosom.

“Shh, darling,” I cooed, stroking his dark hair. “What happened?”

The old nursemaid nervously twisted her fingers in front of her. “He was calling for you. He had a nightmare.”

Teddy cried harder. “Shh, darling.” I kissed his forehead while rocking him in my arms. “It was just a dream.”

He pulled back, blinking at me with eyes that were far too wise for one so young. “It wasn’t a dream. They’re coming.”

I stopped rocking as my veins solidified in fear. “Who?”

His lower lip trembled as he spoke. “The ghost demons.”

“Ghost demons?” Geoffrey jumped to his feet, twin flames erupting from his hands. “Where?”

Teddy pointed to the tall brick wall shielding our garden from the ocean’s strong winds.

Geoffrey arched a brow. “The sea?”

Teddy vehemently nodded. “On ships.”

My stomach churned. “You saw their ships in your dream?”

Teddy hugged me tighter. “I saw their black sails.”

Steffan stumbled to his feet, the dark circles under his eyes and his concaved cheeks even more pronounced. With his twisted and bent wings, he appeared as if he could easily topple over under a strong wind. “How many?”

Teddy released my neck, throwing his arms wide. “As many trees in all the Sorel Forest.”

All moisture evaporated from my throat, and I could scarcely breathe, let alone speak. This couldn’t be happening.

Geoffrey gritted his teeth. “When?”

More tears welled in Teddy’s eyes. “Tonight.”

Geoffrey watched him curiously, then shook his head, snickering. “It was probably just a dream.”

“Send a search party to check,” Steffan said, his command coming out on a dark rumble.

“We have no more guards.” Geoffrey balled his hands into fists, motioning toward the starry night sky. “I will go.”

* * *

Felicity

STEFFAN AND I SENTthe nursemaid and Dotty to seek shelter in the cellar. Then I carried Teddy as we climbed to the top of the guard tower facing the sea. Our small estate only housed three towers, each in need of repair, with crumbling stairs and cracks in the stone walls. From the top of the tower, we saw nothing as a heavy fog rolled over the beach below, blanketing the landscape in darkness. How odd. I’d never seen a fog so thick.

My breath hitched and my knees wobbled as we stared out into the nothingness, the sounds of crashing waves muted beneath the gray curtain. The smell of blood was stronger in the stagnant air, and I knew this was no illusion. Bile burned my throat when a horn rang out again and again and again. Three blasts to indicate war was upon us, yet the air remained stagnant. I hoped that the town situated behind the opposite wall had heard the alarm, for even the echo of my heavy breathing sounded muted.

I gasped, stumbling back when a shadowy figure flew toward us. Steffan pushed us behind him, summoning his flame, nervous-sounding laughter erupting from his throat when Geoffrey landed in front of us.

“Well, what did you see?” Steffan demanded.

Geoffrey’s face paled while he strained for breath. “Hundreds, maybe thousands of ships.”

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