Page 176 of Song of Her Siren

I turned to Drae, and he gave me an encouraging nod.I believe in you, he said through thought while pulling me in for a hug. His love surged through me, electrifying my veins and strengthening my magic, and I felt a renewed sense of confidence. Maybe I could do it.

Before I could change my mind, Drae flew me up to Isa, dropping me into her saddle. He kissed my cheek and flew above us without another word.

I can do this. I can do this.

Isa flew me over the ruined town of Thebes, then beyond the wall, soaring over flattened trees as far as the eye could see. My heart wept for all the forest creatures and foliage that had been crushed by the giants. Hopefully, Tari could revive the forest after the war. We didn’t have to fly very far before we saw them, several hundred Terrae, all in their animal forms, running toward Thebe’s crumbling wall. There would be no containing them when they reached the city. I had to stop them now.

Fly lower, I said to Isa.

All right, she answered.Lean forward and press your hands to my scales.

Isa circled lower, and that’s when I noticed Drae following us, along with Radnor and several other dragons and riders.

The demon animals howled, their eyes glowing as red as hell’s fires. I rubbed Isa’s scales, feeling magic rush through me like a burst of venom. Elements!

“Demon-possessed shifters and Fae, hold still!” I called down, my siren voice ringing through the air like a clap of thunder. The mob stopped in their tracks, frozen in place like petrified corpses.

But they are not undead,I reminded myself.You can save them, Shiri. You can do it.

Please land in front of them, I said to Isa.

She let out a nervous whimper but did as I asked.

We set down in the center of a copse of flattened trees, several other dragons shaking the ground as they landed behind us.

A strong stench wafted off the shifters, who snarled at me with hands curled into wicked claws. They weren’t fully wolves, but they were in their monster wolf forms: seven-foot beasts with big, barrel chests, long, wicked claws, and extended maws dripping with saliva. These creatures of nightmares frightened me more than wolves.

I cleared my throat, suddenly wishing for a cup of water.“Vadeo in domum tomun!”I called, my voice rising as I repeated that phrase over and over until hundreds of fleshy holes opened in the ground. When jagged shadows slipped out of the beasts, they fell to the ground, whimpering. I continued to repeat the spell, ignoring my own fatigue as Isa’s magic surged into me. I sang the spell for what felt like an eternity, until my voice grew hoarse and my limbs trembled with fatigue.

The dragons flew above us with earth-shaking roars.

I thought I heard Isa call in my mind as she shuddered beneath me, her scales rattling my thighs.It’s done, Shiri. You saved them, but I was too caught up in the spell.

Then Drae was behind me, pulling me off Isa and into his arms.

“You were amazing,” he whispered, right before I succumbed to my fatigue.

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