Page 148 of Rise of the Siren Queen
Not for justice.
Not even for revenge.
So I warned her.
Begged her, almost. Quietly. In my mind, in my soul. Not out loud. No one could hear the way I ached for her tostop.
“Don’t let that bastard take any more from you, love. Don’t let this be the price.”
And she heard me—not just with her ears, but with the thread that bound our souls—she paused. She pulled herself back from theabyss.
She didn’t break. Shechoseto pull back from the edge. But not before making sure her mark seared into the bones of the guilty. First, she unraveled Ithra’s mind, layer by fragile layer, until nothing but a hollow echo remained behind those wide, terrified eyes. Then, with her father’s trident in hand, she drove it straight through Draven’s chest. Clean. Final. Absolute.
And at that moment, I saw her. Truly saw her.
Not a girl.
Not a queen.
Not even the woman I fell for.
But a predator basking in the final, exquisite breath of her prey. A siren born of rage and sorrow, carved from sea-foam and ice, dark and divine. The dangerous, alluring creature whispered in legends and feared by men. I felt pride swell in my chest. She had avenged her parents, delivered retribution in a way only she could.
And,fuck me,I loved nothing more.
She had avenged them.
Her parents.
Her bloodline. Her kingdom.
She had done what no one else could.
For a heartbeat, I let myself believe this was over.
But the ocean doesn’t grant peace so easily.
I turned my head—just for a second—watching the court in my periphery when it happened. Shards of ice ripped through the water. Fast. Precise. Cruel. They buried into her skin like knives. Her body jerked. Her mouth opened in a silent gasp. Crimson bloomed like petals in the water, and I smelled it instantly—iron and agony. And then—her eyes. Those bright, stubborn emeralds locked on mine… then flicked over my shoulder.
No.
I didn’t think. Didn’t breathe. I justmoved.Spun. And saw Thalor. That smug, rotting bastard. Grinning.
A growl tore from my chest. It was low, guttural—something not entirely human. My rage snapped the leash I didn’t even know I’d been holding. And before I could even register what I’d done, a golden whip of lightning crackled from my palm, slicing through the water like judgment itself.
One clean strike.
His head hit the floor before his body realized it was dead.
The traitors have fallen. And all I felt was fury.
But she—
My head whipped back. She was falling too.
Her eyes—fading. Her skin—going pale. My pulse roared in my ears, louder than any painful cry I’d ever screamed. She collapsed just as I reached her, cradling her delicate form in my arms.
I caught her just before she hit the ground, cradling her fragile form against my chest. Her blood swirled between us. Her breath faltered against my skin. I held her tighter than I thought possible, like I could force the life back into her with the strength of my arms alone.
