Page 127 of Song of Her Siren

Tears of relief and joy stung my eyes. I turned toward him when he brushed his lips across my temple. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Somehow, I found the strength to trudge back through the cell and kneel beside Wolfy. As I stroked his fur, I noticed most of the awful stench was gone. That meant the demon was gone, too, right?

“It’s okay, boy. Don’t cry.” I turned to Blaze with a plea. “We need to get these chains off him, so he can come back upstairs with us.”

Blaze frowned. “I don’t think that’s a good idea yet.”

“I’d like Gadea to check him for demons,” Cassandra said. “To make sure there’s no evil lurking.”

Wolfy whimpered again, his tail slapping the floor, even though he didn’t have the strength to lift his head.

Tears welled in my eyes. He must’ve been so confused. “I can’t leave him down here all alone.”

“He won’t be alone. He can stay in our cell. We have a warm hearth.”

I peered up at my mother through a sheen of tears as she rested against the cell bars. I didn’t know she’d been standing there.

I wiped my eyes with the backs of my hands. “Really? Thank you.”

She looked away while smoothing the folds of her dress. “I knew you could do it, Shirina.”

Emotion tightened my chest. Was that pride in her voice?

Blaze knelt beside me, draping a protective arm around my shoulder. “Shiri needs to rest before she heals Derrick. She’s used a lot of energy.”

Mother’s eyes flashed with indignation as she glared at Blaze. “Yes, I assumed that.” Her eyes softened as she turned them on me. “I wasn’t trying to pressure you.”

I wasn’t sure I believed her. As fatigue turned my limbs to limp noodles, I cleared my throat. “I’ll attend to Father Derrick this evening after I rest.”

“That would be wonderful.” She flashed a tight smile. “Thank you, darling.”

I don’t know why I flinched when she called medarling. I wasn’t used to her using such endearments.

Blaze took my hand and led me out of the dungeon. Just as we were about to exit, I caught Mephis’s angry glare. His nostrils flared, his chest heaved, and his hands and eyes glowed like hot coals.

“You think you can get rid of me so easily?” He flailed against his chains. “I am a lot more powerful than a dog!”

Blaze laughed out loud. “It wasn’t the dog she expelled. It was the demon in the dog. Your days are numbered, demon.”

I wanted to agree with Blaze, but I couldn’t find my voice as fatigue overpowered me. Blaze swept me into his arms and called to the guards, hauling me upstairs and far away from the dank, depressing dungeon. I welcomed the reprieve, though I knew I’d have to go back and face my nightmares soon.

---