Page 27 of Song of Her Siren

“Not that I’m aware.” I gave her a long look. “How did it go with Malvolia?”

A hush fell about the room as Ash and Helian hovered nearby, their features frozen, as if they were afraid Malvolia would materialize if they uttered a sound.

“She refused to save the possessed firemages.” Shiri’s features fell, and I could feel depression and desperation pulsing off her as she spoke in an urgent whisper. “She turned them to dust, and then she told her entire army that they must practice abstinence, or she’d kill them.”

“Holy Elements,” Ash blurted. “She’s definitely lost her mind.”

I placed a finger to my lips, and Ash mouthed a silent apology. There were no servants in our rooms, but they were always popping in unannounced. And then there were the castle guards that flew suspiciously close to our balcony, plus at least two more stationed in the garden below. No doubt they were reporting all they heard and saw to the bitch queen.

Helian glanced over his shoulder as though the queen would creep out of the shadows behind him. He turned back toward us, the color having drained from his face. “Do you think the abstinence law applies to us?”

I pulled back my shoulders, a steaming kettle of anger threatening to split open my skull. “I dare her to try.”

“I don’t,” Helian said darkly. “We don’t want to cross her.”

“Is Malvolia practicing abstinence?” Ash asked.

“It appears so.” Shiri glared sideways at Helian. “Though I’m sure she’d make an exception for him.”

I couldn’t contain the bitterness in my voice. “No doubt she would.”

Helian jumped to his feet, his ashen cheeks turning crimson. “I’d rather swallow my sword.”

“It won’t come to that,” I said, summoning a confidence I didn’t feel. “The bitch knows better than to cross me.”

“I’m afraid she’s lost her reason since Mortimus died.” Shiri squeezed my hand, her eyes flaring with fear. “Be cautious around her, sister.”

“I will.”

Why were we still here? Perhaps we should return to the Fallax Islands, far away from both demons and Malvolia. But the demons had reached my daughters there. Was nowhere safe for us? The only way we’d be safe again was if we sent the demons back to hell, but first, I’d need to discover their weaknesses.

I jumped from the sofa and smoothed out my skirts. “We need to question the girls about their captivity,” I said to my twin, “but I wanted to wait until you returned.”

She sat up with a grimace. “Good idea.”

I walked to the edge of the room, watching the girls from behind the sheer curtain. Cassandra was giving directions to servants that walked up the balcony stairs carrying platters of tarts and tea. Aurora was still trying to coax Wolfy to fetch a stick, but Ember was in the corner, talking to a tall plant. My child was talking to a plant? That couldn’t be right.

“I don’t believe you.” She wagged a finger up at the top of the foliage. “You’re just being jealous.”

I stepped aside as the servants walked past me and placed the platters on a buffet by the fireplace. Ash immediately attacked the food like it was his last meal. Hopefully not.

“Ember, Aurora, come here, please.” I held my arms open, smiling when both children ran to me. I knelt in front of them, my nose wrinkling at the smell radiating off their clothes. I’d already bathed them after they’d helped the servants wash Wolfy, and they needed another bath. Whatever the hound had rolled in was still clinging to his fur. We would need stronger lye and oils to combat it.

I cupped Ember’s soft cheek. “Who were you talking to, darling?”

She shrugged. “My friends.”

Of course. The ghosts. I was still getting used to the idea that my child was a spirit talker. “Oh? What were they saying?”

She bit her bottom lip, her cheeks flushing. “Nonsense.”

“Nonsense?”

I wasn’t reassured when she looked away. “They were making up stories.”

“Darlings,” Cassandra called from the doorway. “Come eat some tarts with Grandma.”

I took the girls’ hands and stood, walking with them to the bathing room, where Cassandra and Shiri helped me change their frocks and thoroughly wash their hands. Then we sat at a table beside the fireplace that had enough places for all of us, plus three empty seats, no doubt for our parents who wouldn’t be joining us.

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