Page 4 of Song of Her Siren

She pouted like a child forced to put away her toys. “I’m giving it back to them.”

“Wonderful.” I threw my hands in the air. “Your throne is safe. Now you’ll just need to worry about finding an heir, because, trust me, none of us wants to rule Delfi.”

Malvolia flinched as if I’d slapped her. Surely, she didn’t expect me to want her throne after the buckets of blood she’d spilled to guard it.

“Is the city prepared for another demon invasion?” I asked, choosing to switch the subject. I wasn’t interested in talking about my aunt’s throne, and doubted I ever would be, but I had to know if my family was safe here.

Malvolia tossed back her head, letting out a boisterous laugh. “I think the mistress knows better than to send more spiders.”

“The demon mistress is preparing an army to invade the Fae lands,” Tari said. “They could be on their way here even now.”

“Not yet.” Malvolia gave Tari a dismissive look, almost as if my sister wasn’t fit to mop the slick throne room floors, before facing me. “From what my spymaster and the seers have gleaned, the demon mistress won’t launch her attack until after she kills Thorin and takes his power for herself.”

“How will we know when she kills him?” I asked.

“When I can remember,” Malvolia answered. “I still don’t have my memories back from the time he changed them.”

“The spell dies when the mage dies,” Drae said. “Makes sense.”

Blaze mumbled his agreement.

“Exactly.” Malvolia leaned back in her throne. “After my memories return, the demons will come.”

My gut roiling at the thought, I clenched my fists until my nails broke skin. “Until then, we should prepare.”Starting with unearthing the spellbook that holds the key to sending every demon back to hell, I thought to myself.

Malvolia let out an unladylike snort. “What do you think we’ve been doing while you’ve been flying all over Faedom?”

I could feel Tari tense behind me as her mates swore and growled.

I gritted my teeth to keep from lashing out. “We were rescuing the children.” I motioned toward the girls. “The demon mistress figured out a way to teleport them to her lair.”

Malvolia jumped to her feet, her eyes widening. “You went to her lair and didn’t kill her?”

Drae cleared his throat. “We barely escaped with our lives.”

I fixed my aunt with a stony glare. “And saving the children was our priority.” I held my breath, waiting for her to say something that would prompt Tari to turn her to dust.

Malvolia paced in front of her throne. “So this mistress figured out how to teleport the children?”

I nodded. “She did, but Ember’s ghost friends say they can’t be teleported again, as long as they wear Tau stones.”

Malvolia stopped pacing and fell onto her throne. “And do you believe them?”

“They haven’t lied yet.”

“Interesting.” Clutching the armrests, Malvolia leaned forward with a snarl. “I dare that demon bitch to capture me. I will turn her to ash.” Then she gave me a curious look. “Do you know the spell she used to teleport them?”

I shook my head. “I don’t, but I suspect it wasn’t easy and probably drained much of her magic.”

Malvolia nodded while chewing her lip. “I will direct my best seers to find out.”

“We’re wasting time,” Tari blurted. “I need to heal our father.”

Malvolia stared at Tari like a dragon preparing to pounce before she slouched in her chair, plastering on a bored expression. A ruse, no doubt. “I’ve given your parents Felicity’s old living quarters,” the queen drawled, her eyes drifting toward Helian once more while he wilted under her gaze. “My guards can escort you, unless you remember the way.”

“We remember,” Drae said, tugging on my hand.

“Very well.” Black ink leached into the whites of Malvolia’s eyes. “After you heal your father, we will plan this demon mistress’s demise.”

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