Page 113 of Song of Her Siren

Chapter Eighteen

Malvolia

24 years earlier

Wondering how she endedup on the floor of her bedchamber, Malvolia stared down at her fingers as smoke slowly curled out of them. One moment, she thought she was under attack, and the next, her eyes stung like they were on fire and a gong reverberated in her skull.

“Your sister plans to kill you and steal your throne.”

She peered up at the hooded figure, tempted to look away when the flares coming from his eyes hurt her head. “No,” she rasped. “Flora would never do that.”

“She will.” The voice pulsed all around her, shaking her bones and filling her soul with dread. “She fears you will conceive children from your many lovers, and those children will take the throne from her daughters.”

“No. I won’t let that happen.” Her voice faltered as she struggled to argue with the stranger. Not her Flora. She loved her twin above anything, and Flora loved her.

Everything she’d done had been for Flora, risking her life to kill Djall and take back the throne, supporting her sister when she refused to marry King Fachnan because she’d found her fated mates, and now that Flora was finally pregnant with twins of her own, Malvolia had already declared the unborn babies her heirs.

“You must drive Flora out of Thebes,” the stranger commanded.

Tears pricked the backs of Malvolia’s burning eyes, her soul shattering. “But I love her.”

“It has been prophesized that one of her children will become a powerful white witch and will kill you when she grows older,” the stranger said, his dark voice like a vine of poisonous barbs wrapping around her heart.

She clutched her throat, her heartbeat a thundering drum in her ears. “Flora’s children would never.”

“They will, and their mother will encourage their treachery.”

No. No. No!How could Flora, after everything Malvolia had done for her? “Should I kill them?” Had Malvolia’s love and trust been misplaced all these years, bestowed upon her unworthy, heartless twin?

“Don’t kill Flora. You must kill her mates,” the stranger hissed. “They have poisoned her mind and turned her against you. Then you drive Flora away, leaving her with no one to defend her.”

That couldn’t be right. Malvolia thought back to the time they called The Dark Tide, when she and Flora had hidden in the sewers because their grandmother’s mage had turned against the family, slaughtering the royal line. If Flora hadn’t changed their faces, disguising Malvolia and her as servants, they would’ve been killed by the evil mage too. Flora had defended Malvolia, and in turn, Malvolia had saved Flora. Since then, Malvolia and Flora’s bond has been unbreakable. And now this stranger was telling her Flora’s love for Malvolia was all a lie?

“B-but she’s my sister.”

“She’s your enemy.”

“My enemy,” Malvolia repeated as those flares in the stranger’s eyes pulsed and brightened.

* * *

Malvolia

MALVOLIA SHOT UP WITHa gasp, sweat dripping down her brow and pooling between her breasts. She looked at her fingers, which no longer leached a poisonous fog, while she recalled her vivid dream. A stranger had been telling her lies about Flora, and for some reason, she’d believed him.

Heavenly Elements!

She threw off her blankets and sprang from the bed, wringing her fingers together while pacing the floor. That had been no dream. No, it was a recalled memory of the time Thorin had spun her mind and turned her against her beloved twin. Bile projected into her throat as she recalled more from that night, how he’d finally convinced her to hunt her sister while slaughtering any Fae who got in her way. Dear Goddess. She’d killed so many innocents.

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