Page 179 of Song of Her Siren

They nodded, and I stood, kissing Finn goodbye. Finn scooped them into his arms, holding them against his broad chest. As they descended the stone stairs to the castle below, I waved to them, feeling as if Finn had taken my heart with him.

* * *

Aurora

AURORA LET GO OF PAPAFinn’s hand once they reached the nursery, excited to finally play with the toys she’d been forced to leave behind, only to be shocked and then angry to see another child building a castle with her blocks, a boy, from the looks of it, because he had two feathery wings, and Auntie Shiri had told her that only Ravini boys had wings.

Aurora didn’t pay any heed to the older maid, who sat in a chair while watching the boy play, or the firemage guards standing beside the windows. All she cared about was that boy playing withhertoys.

Papa Finn put his hands on their shoulders. “Look, another playmate,” he whispered. “Remember to play nice.”

Aurora felt betrayed when her papa pushed her toward the strange boy. She put one foot in front of the other, tugging Em toward the boy while firemages practiced pretend war right outside their windows, making Em flinch with each step. Dull light that spilled through the window curtains cast the boy’s face in shadows, making him look dark like her firemage uncles, but when she got closer, she noticed his skin was pale like Uncle Helian’s.

The boy stood when he saw them, then gave them an awkward wave, his cheeks flushing like he was hot, which was weird, because he was a Ravini, and Aurora thought they were always hot. “Hi.”

Aurora looked at her sister, who batted her lashes and sucked her thumb. She always acted shy when she met new people.

Deciding she’d have to be the brave one, she dragged Em toward the boy, noticing that his wings and hair were a dark red and he had a smattering of freckles on his nose. Weird. Most Ravini had black wings and hair and no freckles. She scowled at the block he still held in his hand, deciding that her blocks were her new favorite toys, and he should not be playing with them.

Her auntie and yaya had always told her to be polite when meeting new Fae, but she didn’t feel like being nice to this boy. “Who are you?” she blurted while holding tightly to her sister’s hand.

He splayed a hand across his chest. “I’m Teddy.”

Though Teddy looked a few years older than her, she resolved not to let him boss her around. “I’m Aurora.” She thumbed toward her sister. “She’s Ember.”

He scratched the back of his head, appearing awkward as he shifted from foot to foot. “I know who you are.”

She pointed at the block he still held in his hand. “Those aremyblocks.”

He frowned. “Cousin Flora said they are everyone’s blocks.”

Cousin Flora? Her yaya? How dare Yaya let strange boys play with her toys! And how dare this strange boy argue with her! “She’s wrong.”

Em tugged on her sleeve, then whispered loudly. “We can share, Rora.”

Aurora scowled at her sister for whispering instead of speaking through thought. The icky boy didn’t deserve to hear their conversation.

“Fine.” She released Em’s hand, crossing her arms. She smiled to herself while thinking up a plan to get the blocks away from Teddy. A game that he would surely lose. “Do you want to play hide and seek with us?”

He squeezed the block while shaking his head.

Aurora stomped a foot. “Why not?”

“Because you can cheat.” He jutted a finger at her. “I know about your magic.”

Aurora decided she hated freckles. “How do you know about my magic?”

“I’ve dreamed of you,” he said. “One day, you will marry me.”

“Eww.” Aurora stuck out her tongue. “No, I won’t.”

“You will. I have seen it.” He nodded toward Ember and then Aurora. “Our descendants will finally destroy the demons.”

Em wrinkled her nose. “What’s a descendant?”

“The children of our children,” Teddy said.

Ember covered her mouth with a hand, giggling.

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