Page 89 of The Seer

“What rules have they ignored?” Taryn demanded. Challenging the man who held the key to her metaphysical cage wasn’t smart, but Damian wasn’t present to defend himself. She’d be damned if she let anyone malign him.

“It doesn’t matter, Taryn,” Ardghal said soothingly. “It never did. Elizabeth’s family members have always sought a reason to crucify those who weren’t human. You’ve the look of her brother about you, Forsyth. He always wore that pinched expression, as if his shoes were too bloody tight.”

Taryn grinned. Call her warped, but if she were forced to be stuck in a mental prison, she was glad to have Fintan and Ardghal to defend her.

“You hybrids are all alike,” Micha sneered. “You believe your power gives you the right to do whatever you want.”

“Ah, so we’re finally getting to the heart of the matter,” Ardghal said silkily. “Does your hatred of Sirens stem from Fintan’s father straying from your mother’s side? No? Not the forbidden affair between a spy and his target?”

The inquiry-turned-taunt was so smooth, Fintan jerked, but he remained silent as Ardghal joined their group.

The Siren prince narrowed his eyes. “I can only assume it goes farther back, and the Forsyths taught you to hate from birth. Their fury was mighty when they learned what I was and that I’d married Elizabeth.”

“Your children were an abomination!” Micha shouted, warming to his cause. He pointed to Fintan. “They still are.”

“You shut your whore mouth!” Taryn shouted, enraged by his prejudice. “Fintan is all that is good and beautiful in this world. His music was legendary, but your stupid Authority ended his career to make him a slave to their desires. Like a fucking trained monkey, telling them the future so they could manipulate the magical community.”

“Whore mouth? That’s a new one from ya, to be sure.”Laughter lurked in Fintan’s question.

“I’m tired and not all that creative at the moment. It was the best I could do.”

He chuckled, and the warmth of his amusement washed over her. It was bizarre how a person could spend just a few weeks in another’s company, learning their likes and dislikes, discovering the secrets of their body, memorizing certain aspects of their personality, only to miss all of it desperately when it was gone. That’s how she felt about Fintan and his humor. How, when they’d first met and for the short time they’d been lovers, she’d absorbed everything about him, celebrating each new facet of him.

But it had been fleeting, and she’d spent a lifetime trying to forget how he’d made her feel. Forever comparing him to others and being disappointed when they’d come up wanting. Perhaps that’s why she’d agreed to a date with Micha. Her brain had recognized the physical likeness, even though their coloring and personalities were vastly different.

Thank the Goddess a date with him had never come to pass.

The truth slapped her in the face. “You never wanted to date because you liked me, did you? It was to gain an advantage over Fintan,” she accused Micha.

“As if I could be attracted to anyone who’d given themself to a filthy hybrid!”

“You’d better hope this binding of yours holds, buddy. If I ever get free, I’m going to rip you a new asshole,” she snarled. “You’re going to wish you’d never heard of?—”

Ardghall stepped up beside her. “Calm yourself, love. Conserve your energy for what’s to come.”

“Is it to pop his head off? Because I’m totally down with that.”

A wicked grin flashed on his face, and Taryn could easily understand Elizabeth’s attraction to this princely man.

“You’re not a monster, Ari,” she said softly. “You never were. If Elizabeth was confused at the end, it wasn’t because of you.”

His eyes shone with adoration as he gazed down at her. “Thank you, Taryn.”

* * *

Damian stoodon the lip of the grotto pool with Taryn in his arms. He hoped like hell that between her elemental abilities and new creature’s skills, she could pull herself out of her mental prison. As much as he believed the Siren prince had the right of it concerning the Authority, he needed more time before dismantling the entire organization and rebuilding it with incorruptible leaders. Basically, he required a foolproof plan with gods, goddesses, Fates, and his fellow Sentinels on board. If he couldn’t gain collective support, he and Ardghal might create a war among the magical community.

As Damian eased Taryn down into the water, he gave Sabrina a nod.

“All right, Beastie, lend her buoyancy as you did for Fintan and Ardghal.”

She swirled a finger in the water beside Taryn. “This will work, Papa. Don’t worry.”

Ronan O’Connor’s snort echoed from the opposite side of the grotto. “Sure, and we’re about to electrocute a pool-full of people with the power of two Aethers and a Guardian. How is it ya expect us to be calm, wee beastie?”

She lifted her chin and shot her Guardian a look reminiscent of Isolde, so confident of her gifts. Damian’s heart swelled with pride for his fearless daughter. But it also hurt from the aching memory of a young boy’s love for his beautiful, doomed mother. More and more these days, he thought of her and how he’d failed her by leaving her in the Netherworld. He should’ve found a way to free her by now, and as soon as he dealt with the corrupt council members at the Authority, he intended to.

Perhaps Ardghal could help him defeat the Darkness if it hadn’t already died off.

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