Page 42 of Song of Her Siren

He scooted his chair closer to me. “I’ve sworn off drink.”

She leaned so far toward him, she was in danger of falling into his lap. “Why?”

Helian grimaced. “Because it makes me act a fool.”

Malvolia clucked her tongue and snickered as if he was a wayward child. “Drink gives us courage to do what we long to do while sober.” She turned her sneer on me. “Do you partake in wine, niece, or do you worry it will sicken your spawn?”

Spawn?Bitch! I rested a protective hand on my abdomen. “I’d rather mychilddidn’t partake.”

“Tell me, niece.” Black ink leached from her fingertips, staining the white tablecloth. “Why do you carry King Regent of Caldaria’s child, and yet you don’t wear a crown?”

My hand instinctively flew to my gut, and I regretted spilling my secret in front of the servants.

Don’t let her upset you, Tari, Ash projected into my head while giving me a warning look.She wants you to lose your temper.

No, I corrected.She wants to be turned to ash.

Listen to him, Tari, Helian warned.

I was too focused on my wicked aunt to pay heed to my mates’ warnings.

Knowing I might need to fight the sorceress queen, I summoned my magic, letting it drip into my hands like sludge coming out of a water pump. “I don’t need a crown to know my mate loves me.”

She leaned back in her chair, never taking her gaze off me while tapping her fingers on the table. “But you will need a husband and a title, else your bastard babe could be stripped of his birthright.”

White-hot rage shot through my veins, and my magic began to bubble and boil in my fingertips. I bared my teeth. “My child isnota bastard.”

She shook her head, clucking her tongue. “You lack foresight like your mother.”

Don’t lose your temper, Ash warned through thought.

Too late, I projected back. Tears of rage blurred my vision as I slowly stood, resting my knuckles on the table. “I’d rather lack foresight than be a washed-up, old whore.”

Malvolia jumped to her feet, snakes of black magic slithering out of her fingers. “You dare!”

My fingers swelled with magic. This was it. I would blast the bitch before she struck me, and my family would be rid of this menace for good.

“Hold your magic!” Shiri’s voice rang through the room with the power of a dragon’s roar, and my magic instantly went dry. She pointed to me and then Malvolia. “Sit!”

My legs buckled, and I fell onto the chair, inwardly cursing my sister as Malvolia flopped into her chair, too.

Shiri stood and kicked back her chair, her eyes flaring with anger. “Every day, demons are trying to breach these walls. There is a demon mistress, no doubt assembling an army to attack us.” She paused, giving me a look that could melt iron. “Not to mention, she’s already stolen the children once, and she can do it again.”

I internalized my ire when Malvolia flashed a triumphant grin.

“Peloponese and Ventus are ghost cities, thanks to a corpse king, his demon wyvern, and demonic spiders,” Shiri continued, pounding the table so hard, I flinched. “Mark my words—Thebes will fall next, as long as we’re bickering amongst ourselves.” She jutted a finger toward Malvolia. “Aunt, like it or not, Tari is your niece, and Helian is her fated mate. Your flirtations will only drive this family further apart.”

Malvolia threw eye daggers at my sister.

“Tari and I will dine in our rooms. Tomorrow, we’ll uncover the book in the rubble of the temple you made me raze.” There was no doubting the censure in Shiri’s voice as she glared down at our aunt. Then she arched back, holding up her hands as if she was a necromancer resurrecting the dead. “I release you all from your spell, but you willnotharm each other.”

I gasped aloud, hardly realizing I’d been holding my breath. Ash jumped to his feet and scooped the girls into his arms while Helian helped me up from the chair.

Shiri took Drae’s hand and waved us forward, her siren voice still ringing with each word. “Let’s go.”

Casandra and Gadea stood, too, following us. I was very aware of Malvolia’s heated gaze staring holes through my back as we left the dining chamber and hurried through the throne room. That had been far too close. If Shiri hadn’t intervened, Malvolia and I could’ve killed each other. The realization was enough to make my stomach pitch, especially since I suspected this wouldn’t be our last confrontation.

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