Page 54 of Song of Her Siren

Despite the rattling in my bones, I jumped to my feet. “No! It can’t be true!” Surely, she was mistaken. She had to be.

A tear slipped down her cheek. “Death to all unmarried or unmated Fae who are caught with lovers in their beds.”

“Holy Elements!” I clutched my throat as Drae and I exchanged horrified looks.

Veronica swiped at her tears, wiping her hands on her gown. “She says it’s to stop the spread of demon infestations.”

“And what do you think?” I asked, then held my breath, awaiting her answer.

She cut me a sharp glare, her mouth unmoving as her words projected into my head.That she’s a psychotic bitch who killed my best friend because I didn’t warn her about Mortimus.

She was right. Malvolia was evil. Pure evil. If she could so easily kill Daminica, she wouldn’t hesitate to kill Tari. My insides quaked with fear for my sister’s safety, as I realized just how close she’d come to being killed by Malvolia tonight.

I pushed out the words through a voice thick with sorrow. “Veronica, I’m so sorry.”

Lady Veronica thanked Drae when he swiped a napkin from the bar and handed it to her.

“Daminica was a talented green witch who had always been loyal to her queen.” She dabbed her eyes and then blew her nose with an unladylike honk. “I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye. The mists didn’t warn me that I’d lose her.”

“I’m so sorry,” I heard myself repeating, though it sounded as if someone else was speaking for me. How could Malvolia have killed such a kind, gentle witch?

That bitch’s demise can’t come soon enough.Veronica’s mouth didn’t move as she projected the thought into my head. Then she exited our suite in an angry swish of skirts.

Drae led me to the sofa before my legs gave out. As a sob escaped me, he tenderly rocked me and kissed my forehead.

Dear Elements, Malvolia had succumbed to madness. No wonder my mother had mistrusted me my whole life. She’d assumed I would succumb to the insanity too. I would’ve probably loathed me as well. I was honestly surprised she or Father Derrick hadn’t abandoned me in the heart of the Periculian Forest.

* * *

Shiri

WRINGING MY HANDS TOGETHER, I paced the sitting chamber, refusing when Drae offered me a drink. My aunt had gone too far. Killing demon-possessed mages was one thing, but killing a green witch for having sex was another. Not only had Daminica been a kind witch, but we needed healers for the coming war. With one less healer, that put more work on Tari and the other green witches.

I thought about all the people Malvolia had killed during the Crimson Tide, and I realized now the extent of my aunt’s madness. She had to be stopped, but how? Despite my powerful magic, I couldn’t deny I was terrified of her, for she could still turn me to ash. She was far too ruthless and cunning. Why had I thought that I could change her? That I could make her see reason? Probably most unsettling of all was that my mother had thought I’d turn out to be a monster like my aunt. I couldn’t imagine sinking to such depravity, killing innocent witches out of spite. Now I wondered how much of Malvolia’s madness during the Crimson Tide had been caused by Thorin’s spell and how much had been her own doing.

Wolfy barked, and I gave a start at a loud bang coming from the terrace. I spun, my siren at the ready, but it was only Helian jumping off Radnor. How had I not heard the dragons approaching? I went outside and took Ember from him, adjusting her on my hip. Radnor flapped his wings hard, putting distance between us and him, and then Isa took his place, hovering over the balcony like a sea bird catching a pocket of air.

Ash slipped off her paw with the dexterity of a cat jumping from a tree, landing on the terrace with a fanged grin. Using her wind, Tari floated down from Isa with Aurora in her arms, shafts of moonlight reflecting off her iridescent gown like she was the goddess Maiadra descending from the veil.

“Hi!” Tari said as she gently touched down on the terrace as if she weighed no more than a feather. Her hair was wet, dripping all down her back. Had she gone swimming?

Wolfy barked excitedly, running big, clumsy circles around our feet.

“Where’ve you been?” I asked, my voice sounding clipped and cold, even to my own ears.

She gave me a curious look before brushing past me. “Swimming at the prettiest little pond. It was so invigorating.”

I took note of Ash’s and Helian’s red cheeks and the glazed expression in their eyes and wondered if they’d done more than swim.

As I followed Tari on numb legs, Ember felt like a deadweight in my arms. My niece squirmed out of my embrace and immediately went to the buffet with Helian, Ash, and Aurora, piling a plate with tarts and other food while Wolfy dodged their heels, begging for scraps. The hound still smelled like death warmed over, and I realized there wasn’t enough soap in Delfi to expunge the stench of old dog from the room.

I returned to the sofa, sitting down while my extremities went numb. I still couldn’t believe she’d killed Daminica.

“Shiri, what’s wrong?” My sister sat beside me, her brow creased with concern.

I felt as if someone else was speaking through my mouth as I said the words. “Malvolia killed Daminica.” My throat tightened, and I looked away. Saying it aloud made it much more real, and I still didn’t want to believe it.

“Who?”

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