Page 25 of Song of Her Siren

“Call them, Shirina!” I gave a start at my aunt’s screech in my ear, which sounded like a dragon in heat.

Focusing on the firemages, I swallowed back my fear while calling forth my siren. Magic flooded my veins and swelled my chest. “Firemages!” My inner siren took over my voice and made it reverberate like a clap of thunder. “Come to the front of the line if you are demon possessed!”

My knees wobbled in relief when no mages came forward. At least her personal army was safe, but Malvolia had nine thousand other mages who had yet to be tested.

I looked at my aunt’s hard features, disappointed when I saw no relief reflected in her eyes, only that familiar coldness as a horn blew again and they dispersed, displacing the air around me and giving me a break from the sweltering heat. I was relieved when Drae didn’t go with them. Instead, he flew to our platform, winking at me before taking a position opposite Malvolia and behind me.

I reached toward him, pleased when he laced his warm fingers through mine. Magic raced through my veins. His touch always refilled my magical well.

A horn sounded again, and a battalion of about three thousand mages took to the air, exploding from somewhere in the center of the city like a kicked hornet’s nest. This time, Drae shielded me from the spray of sand with his wings, while Malvolia made a temporary curse chamber just for herself.

This battalion was much bigger than the first one, made up of mages who hadn’t made the cut to be in Malvolia’s personal army. Many were youthful, with eager looks in their eyes, though they weren’t as tall and muscular as those in her personal army. I wasn’t surprised, since Malvolia selected her seasonal lovers from her best mages.

Drae rubbed warmth into my hand, infusing me with more magic, and at Malvolia’s signal, I again commanded demons to reveal themselves.

My heart just about fell out of my chest when two firemages rushed toward us.

“On your knees, demons, and hold your fire!” I yelled, my siren voice slicing through the air like a blade.

The other firemages broke formation, forming an angry mob as they circled the demons, flames sprouting from their hands.

Malvolia jumped from the dais, stalking toward the mages. Drae tugged my hand, and we followed.

Black smoke exploded from Malvolia’s fingers. “Out of my way!”

The crowd parted, dousing their fires as we walked through them. I swallowed a knot of panic when the mages closed in around us, pressing on each other to get a closer look.

The demon-possessed Fae struggled, as if they were tied up with invisible bindings, their hands on their legs like they were trying to get them to work. It was no use. My siren magic was too powerful. Red flashed in their eyes, and they hissed like snakes when we approached.

I sucked in a gasp when I noticed these Fae closely resembled my mates. One was like Nikkos, with long, dark hair, pouty lips, and a youthful face. The other mage looked like Blaze, with tousled, shorter hair, concaved cheeks, and a feral smile. It was no coincidence they looked like my mates. The demons had personally selected them to send me a message.

Do you notice their familiarities?I projected to Drae.

Yeah, he answered.I see it.

These demon-possessed Fae could’ve been distant cousins to my mates. I hoped not. It would only make me feel worse for what I was about to do.

“Torture them!” Malvolia screeched. “Make them suffer!”

I cringed when the mages trembled, for I knew the Fae were somewhere inside their bodies, begging to be released.

“Don’t you want me to question them first?” I asked my aunt.

Her upper lip pulled back in a sneer. “Make it quick.”

“Why did the mistress send you?” I asked the demons, knowing full well the demon mistress who had kidnapped my nieces had sent them here.

“To infiltrate your army and turn them all to demons,” they answered in unison, their words coming out like searing arrows of fire as blood dripped from their noses.

“How are you infiltrating the army?” I demanded, my siren echoing through the crowd like a gong.

“Ssssexxx and blood,” they hissed.

We already knew that, but I was hoping for more insight into stopping them.

“How do we stop you from infiltrating our army?” I commanded.

They answered with gurgles as blood poured from their throats and eyes.

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