Page 191 of Song of Her Siren

“Good idea,” I said. Cassandra had said that the portal had to be in our sights, but I didn’t want to stand too close.

We moved several paces away, and I summoned my magic again, repeating the spell until the portal shuddered harder, the mist dissipating before it opened into a big, fleshy hole in the ground.

We moved beneath the shadow of the tunnel entrance just in time, because the earth heaved, and a giant Indus worm slid into the portal with a screech, followed by another and another. Where had that worm come from? Was the portal sucking them in from outside the cavern?

The wind picked up, knocking us into the mud, before I felt the pull of the portal. Great Goddess! Ash dug his talons into the side of the wall, clinging to me with his other arm. Helian drove his sword into the earth, holding on to the hilt with dear life as wind whipped around us while sucking worm after worm into the hole.

Elements save us, for I feared we wouldn’t be able to hold on much longer!

* * *

Shiri

CHEERS RANG OUT ACROSSthe beach, echoing off the walls as wyverns, satyrs, shifters, and dragons slaughtered the worms. I’d no idea the satyr priests and priestesses were also killer goats.

Drae flew down to us, raising a curse chamber over our heads, blocking the worms’ deadly venom while wyverns and dragons snatched them back by their tails.

Radnor warmed Isa with his body, guarding his mate as her breathing became steadier. I still felt terrible for draining her energy, and I could tell by the dark looks Radnor gave me that he wasn’t happy with me, either.

Several roars rang out, our only warning before a wave washed over the wall. I sucked in a scream, the contents of my stomach rising to my throat as Blaze snatched me up, launching into the sky. Nikkos and Drae took to the air, too, but the dragons weren’t so lucky, crying out while the water barreled down on them. Radnor managed to tread the current, keeping Isa’s head above water until they landed on the other end of the beach.

My heart felt like it would beat out of my chest when seven serpent heads appeared from behind the wall, their forked tongues darting out of their mouths while they glared down at me. The scales had melted from the beast’s chest, open wounds exposed on its throats, but the monster still lived. What the hell would it take to kill it? It was then I realized the translucent bubbles covering its heads were gone.

“Fuuuck!” Blaze jerked back moments before the seven-headed beast launched over the wall, crushing several dragons and wyverns when it landed.

My mates and I landed on a grassy knoll above the beach, and Drae threw out a curse chamber to protect us.

Radnor pushed Isa behind him. He leaned on his good leg while guarding his mate with a growl, but he was no match for seven demonic serpents. When they reared back as if to strike him, I knew I had to do something.

Without a moment to lose, I pulled back my shoulders, summoning my siren. “Satanas, hold!”

The monster stilled, all seven heads going eerily still. Only its eyes moved, all fourteen of them glaring at me through serpentine slits.

You can’t hold me forever, witch, the demon’s ominous rumble echoed in my mind.I will summon more shields to break the spell. My magic is stronger than yours.

Several cries rang out. A cyclone of wind kicked up sand and debris, sweeping up Indus worms as it spun across the beach, sucking them down into a funnel that stretched across the wall dividing Thebes from Windhaven. It was then that I knew Tari had found the portal.

I smiled up at Satanas. “Your magic might be stronger than mine, but it’s not stronger than my sister’s.”

His eyes bulged when the cyclone widened, sucking him into its funnel, too, silencing his roars of protest and slamming him against the Windhaven wall before pulling him over the top.

Blaze slanted a smile. “That’s one way to get rid of the demon.”

The crowd broke into cheers. Drae popped the bubble, and I went boneless in my mates’ arms as every last demon was swept away.

We fell into a heap on the grass, hugging and crying and thanking the Elements. Drae flew me to the battlements as Nikkos and Blaze followed us.

My heart raced when we landed, and I saw no sign of Tari.

Mages and witches cried and hugged each other as my mates led me through the crush of Fae. We finally made it to the top of the turret overlooking the city where Malvolia and my parents were waiting.

Much to my surprise, my aunt welcomed me with a hug. “Congratulations, Shirina.” She kissed my cheek. “I knew you could do it.”

Wow. I never knew this side of Malvolia existed.

A loud rattle shook the battlements, and I spun around, bracing myself for another attack. My heart stuttered, then soared when the battlement wall ripped open, and Helian stepped through the portal, followed by Ash in his monster form, carrying my sister.

They were covered in mud and looked like they’d traversed through hell to get here. Maybe they had, but all that mattered was they were safe.

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