Page 142 of Song of Her Siren

DESPITE THE GAPINGtear in his wing, Radnor flew off to find Isa and the children. I made Finn go wash off in the ocean while I placed Tari and her sleeping rabbits beneath the tree that was as wide as a dragon. I still couldn’t believe she’d grown a tree in a matter of seconds. Tari leaned against the trunk with a groan, hand on her gut while she shut her eyes.

The other dragon riders slowly returned, warily eyeing us while Declan attended to Tari.

“She’s with child,” I said to him.

He grimaced. “That explains the fatigue. I will brew her an herbal tea for nausea.”

“So long as it doesn’t slow her magic,” I said.

He gave me a funny look. “Not that I’m aware of.”

I remembered then that the Retinea tea was a satyr specialty that wasn’t used by other Fae. After he made the tea, I sat Tari up and bade her drink while the other riders hauled away what was left of Ivar, Vidar, and Tyrus.

Finn returned to us, still in his shifter form and smelling like salt water instead of blood and dirt. He knelt beside us, taking Tari’s hand in his. “She okay?”

“She will be.” I checked him over for any injuries. “How about you?”

He glanced away, but not before I caught his haunted expression. “Still high on anger, but I’ve been waiting for this moment.” He gave me a long look, his eyes swirling with several different emotions. “Thank you for killing Ivar.”

Shame heated my cheeks, not just because I had stolen my brothers’ chance at vengeance, but because I never thought I’d have to stab a fellow dragon rider in the back. I was ashamed for the way he’d died, though he’d left me with no choice. “I’m sorry. I know you and Ash wanted to do it.”

He shook his head, his eyes misting while he grasped my shoulder with the same claws that had shredded two grown Fae in a matter of seconds. “You’re part of our pack now. The vengeance belongs to all of us.”

A group of about two dozen dragon riders cautiously approached us while eyeing Finn.

Finn growled, curling his hands into claws while defensively standing in front of Tari.

Declan stood, dusting dirt off his trousers. “You probably recognize these riders,” he said to me.

I nodded, for they’d been with me at the Tribus Point, also distracted by the skirmish with Malvolia’s mages while the rest of the aerial army was killing innocent shifters.

Declan motioned to the group. “They all had shifter family in Lupine too.” He turned back to me, giving me a polite bow. “Excuse me while I attend to the princess.”

“Of course,” I said, grabbing his arm. “And thank you.”

“It’s my honor,” he said, bowing again before returning to Tari’s side.

One of the riders stepped forward. He had dark hair and eyes, and if my memory served me, he had Ravini blood. I remembered he had two useless, featherless wings that hung down his back like dead arms. Other dragon riders had teased him until he busted a few skulls.

“I don’t know if you remember me, Prince Helian,” he said while clutching a leather cap in his hands.

“Leif, right?” I asked.

He nodded. “My stepfather was a shifter. He was killed, along with my mother and my siblings.”

I shared a look with Finn. “I’m sorry,” I said to Leif.

Leif visibly swallowed while squeezing his cap. “We’ve been waiting a long time for this day.” He glanced from me to Finn. “We wanted to thank both of you.”

Finn cleared his throat. “Do you acknowledge my brother as king?”

“We do,” he said, motioning toward the cluster of dragon riders behind him, “and we’re willing to fight anyone who doesn’t.”

“Good.” The tension that tied a noose around my neck eased a fraction as my gaze drifted to another cluster of riders who stared at us, a mixture of curiosity and fear reflecting in their eyes. “Thank you.”

“Can you identify the other officers who lead the attack against Lupine?” Finn asked.

Leif nodded. “Ivar and his two cousins and their friend Harald, who was already beheaded by Fachnan.”

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