Page 131 of Song of Her Siren

“Do you think you have the strength to conceal a few more places?” he asked aloud while helping me from my seat.

“Yes,” I said, sitting on the bed beside Nikkos. I frowned at the burns covering his body and his wings, which reminded me of ragged sails. His breathing was steady, but he looked horrible. “But what about Nikkos?” I whispered as I placed a hand across the injured firemage’s forehead. Shiri wouldn’t be happy if I left him in this state.

“He’s asleep,” Finn said, squeezing my shoulder, “and not in danger of dying. But our friends and family are in danger of being eaten by demonic spiders.”

“May we go to Abyssus first?” Aurora pleaded while tugging on my gown.

I winced at her loud tone, though Nikkos didn’t stir.

Ember vehemently nodded. “We need to protect Miss Euphemia.”

“And the shifter stronghold,” Finn added.

I chewed on my lip while feeling Nikkos’s steady pulse. “Of course.”

They were right. Nikkos did need a healer, but he was safe for now. Our friends and family weren’t. I would hate for anything to happen to them.

I smiled down at Aurora. “Do you remember how to get there?”

She nodded.

“What about Helian?” I asked Finn.

“He’s flying with Radnor.” Expelling a breath, he dragged his hands through his hair. “And I don’t want to wait for him. I have an uneasy feeling.”

My heart leapt into my throat as I stood and held out a hand to him. “Then let’s go. Just give me a moment.” I worried Helian would return and wonder what happened to us.Helian, I called to him through thought, though I didn’t get a response. I wasn’t surprised. That tether that connected us telepathically felt as if it had stretched too thin. He and Radnor had flown too far away.

Isa, I called to my dragon through thought, as I sensed her nearby.

My shoulders sagged in relief when her deep rumble echoed in my skull.How do you feel, Goddess?

Rested. We’re going to conceal the shifter stronghold and Abyssus. Will you come with us?I realized it was a big ask, but I’d need her to fly me above Abyssus, and I could also use her strength, if she let me.

Of course. You know I’m here for you, but Triss must come with us, and I’m not dragging my child into a war.

Don’t worry.I smiled down at my girls.The safety of the children will always come first.Hopefully, it wouldn’t come to that, though my gut twisted and turned with worry that we would be too late to help our friends.

* * *

Tari

AURORA WAS CONFIDENTthat she could teleport all of us to Abyssus. After the girls, Finn, and I climbed onto Isa’s back, Isa clung to her hatchling. In the next moment, we were in the courtyard at Abyssus. I heaved a relieved sigh when I saw the castle grounds were unchanged. We startled the guards, but luckily, they didn’t attack. After explaining the threat, the silver-winged mage called Romulus led us above the castle.

The magic came easier and flowed faster when I rubbed Isa’s scales. Either the tea was wearing off, or Isa’s strength was more powerful than I realized. We floated back down through a sea of mist that shielded the castle grounds, ending up in the courtyard that appeared to be nothing but a sea of trees from the sky. I warned the guards to be on the lookout for the demon spiders, just in case the spell didn’t work, though I hoped it did for my family’s sake. Abyssus was important to Shiri and the girls, so it was important to me too.

I hated denying Aurora and Ember when they begged to go to their nursery, but Finn was anxious to go to the shifter stronghold, so we bade the guards goodbye and landed in the center of a muddy courtyard of what I could only describe as skeletal buildings, remnants of walls without flooring or roofs. I squeezed Isa’s scales, my breath catching when I saw a stone staircase heading to nowhere, the walls having disappeared from the structure.

Finn tossed back his head with a howl that shattered my heart.

Triss whimpered and the girls cried.

I smell evil.Isa let out a hiss.We need to go.

I clung to Aurora, whispering in her ear. “Take us back to Cyrene.”

She nodded while letting out a blubbery sob. I blinked, and we were on Cyrene’s beach, the waves lapping at Isa’s paws. A boat was dragging nets through the current, the confused fishermen gaping at us with wide eyes.

I turned to Finn, who had gone completely still, the stricken look in his eyes a blade through my heart.

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