Page 190 of Song of Her Siren

Your claws can dig into this slime, Helian grumbled.

Just keep moving, Ash answered tersely.

But then Helian stopped, his jaw dropping as the fireflies fluttered to the other end of the tunnel, illuminating a cavern with hundreds of Indus worms squirming on top of one another like maggots on a week-old carcass.

Holy Elements. I clutched my roiling stomach, fearing I was going to be sick.

Helian turned to me, shadows darkening his eyes.You’re the only one who can destroy them.

I swallowed back my fear. He was right. But was my magic strong enough to defeat thousands of monster wormsandclose the portal?

Helian took my face in his hands, our lips only a breath away while he pressed his forehead to mine.You can do this, Tari. He looked up at Ash.We have faith in you. Just tell us what to do.

He was right, and as scared as I was, I didn’t have time to doubt my magic when Thebes was under attack. My family needed me to close that portal.

I clung to Ash’s neck, gathering the nerve to face the horrors of what lay ahead.

Take me to the monsters, I answered, desperately searching their eyes.Then stay with me.

Ash’s low growl rattled my bones while he squeezed me tight.Always.

Swallowing back the bile that burned my throat, I let magic swell my fingers. “Let’s do this.”

By the time we reached the top of the cavern, the swell of worms was so thick, I couldn’t see past their slimy bodies.

Ash set me down, and I rolled up my sleeves, my mates holding on to my shoulders as I summoned my magic. Closing my eyes, I thought of my children, the way Ember sucked her thumb and Aurora’s mischievous smile. I thought of my unborn child with Helian’s eyes and silvery hair. I thought of Shiri’s dedication to my children, and Drae, Blaze, and Nikkos taking care of my daughters as if they were their own. I thought of Isa, Triss, and Radnor. I thought of my parents, especially Marius, the father I never got to know. I thought of my rabbits and Wolfy, of Bea, Beau, and Enso. I thought of Cassandra, Gadea, and even Arabella and Malvolia. So many Fae who depended on this moment, on me delivering them from the evil that plagued our world.

I couldn’t fail them.

Exhaling a slow breath, I reached deep within my well of magic, imagining turning every last worm to dust. I balled up the magic and threw it with a roar, falling against my mates when the air whooshed from my lungs.

Thousands of terrified screams rent the air as magic crackled through the cavern, driving away the darkness with a light so white, it burned my eyes.

Helian and I clung to Ash when a boom shook the cavern, and a gust of wind threatened to blow us back. Ash held us steady with a roar as wind and dust hit us with the force of a gale.

Then the light faded, and the fireflies sprang to life again, revealing an empty, dark cavern where the worms had been slithering moments ago. The wind had blown away the dust from the worms, most of it coating us. I wiped my mouth and eyes while trying not to vomit.

Ash carried me across the cavern and into a smaller room that I recognized when I saw the familiar pool of mists.

Helian heaved a sigh, his shoulders falling as he looked over his shoulder at me.Is this it, Tari?

I nodded while praying I had enough strength to destroy the portal after using so much magic on the worms.

Ash set me down in front of the mists, which appeared innocuous, just a pool with steam, much like the ones the gray witches used to see into the future, though I knew better.

I leaned against my mates, grasping their arms.I need your strength again.

Ash rubbed my arm with clawed fingers.We’re here for you, Tari.

Helian traced the side of my face with calloused knuckles, brushing the sweetest of kisses across my lips.You can do this, darling.

Their faith in me, and the love from Helian’s kiss, infused my veins with magic. Icoulddo this. Ihadto do this.

I swallowed back bile, recalling the spell Cassandra had taught me. I summoned my magic again, letting the white light flow from my hands to the portal.“Clausa porta infernio,”I called.

The portal shuddered with so much force, it nearly knocked us over.

Helian pulled me back. “Let’s not stand so close.”

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