Page 151 of Rise of the Siren Queen
“I’ll take Ronan,” Kieran’s voice broke through my thoughts. “The man’s a wreck after watching Elora almost die. He could use a break.”
A deep pang of guilt settled heavy in my chest. If I had been faster, if I had donesomethingdifferent, if I had come earlier, I could have prevented Elora’s injuries. I could have stopped Iryen’s grandmother’s death.
“How is she?”
Kieran sighed, running a hand through his hair.
“Conscious, but barely healed. Her highness pulled her from death’s grip using healing magic, but between the poisoning, torture, and the stabbing, it’s going to take time. She’ll need several healing sessions before she’s fully recovered.”
I clenched my fists, the weight of his words sinking in. I couldn’t imagine the pain Elora must have endured, and the thought of it made my jaw tighten. In the few iterations we had, I became fond of the hot-headed siren.
“I hope she’ll be okay,” I mumbled, more to myself than to him. The only solace I could cling to was that she was strong, and that with time, and maybe a little help, she’d fully heal.
As Kieran left, another thought, a more unpleasant one, struck me, and I turned to Sienna.
“And her grandmother?” The words soured on my tongue. “How do you handle funeral arrangements?”
Sienna’s eyes darkened, hollow with exhaustion.
“The Regent Queen’s body should remain in an ice casket until her highness recovers,” she mumbled. With the lingering effects of the poison evident, pale face and sluggish movements. She was running on sheer willpower, and it showed. “The first step is informing the council and—”
“Go rest,” I interrupted, my tone firmer than intended. “We can handle this tomorrow after you heal.”
Her eyes flickered with surprise before softening.
“Alright,” she relented. “I’ll be at the last door down the corridor if you need me.”
I nodded, a dismissive gesture that made her linger a moment longer before she turned and left. I watched her retreating figure, her tail unsteady but determined, before my attention shifted back to Iryen, lying motionless on the bed. The gashes nearly healed now, reduced to faint reddish lines, a testament to the healers’ skill.
“She’s healed, Your Highness.” The twins’ synchronized voices broke the awkward silence. Relief washed over me like a tide, but it didn’t loosen the iron grip wrapped around my ribs.
“Thank you,” I murmured, meeting their onyx eyes with a nodthat barely scratched the surface of what I felt. Gratitude, sure—but beneath it, desperation, fear, and a prayer I didn’t dare voice. “Please attend to Lady Sienna in her chambers before you retire.”
They nodded, silent as the shadows they stepped into, and disappeared without a word. Just how I preferred it. And then it was just us.
Finally.
I lowered myself onto the edge of the bed beside her, careful not to disturb her, but unable to stop staring. My gaze clung to her face as if it were the only thing tethering me to reality.
The healers had done their work. Flawless, really. No blood, no visible wounds. But I still saw what almost happened. I couldfeelit like a phantom hand still choking the life out of my lungs. Now I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t rest.
I couldn’t even exhale properly without feeling like the walls would cave in.
She was alive, yes. But I’d come far too close to losing her. Close enough to taste what that loss would feel like. And gods, Ihatedit. Hated how fragile everything suddenly felt.
My jaw clenched. I didn’t like this weakness. This sharp, cloying fear gnawed at my insides. But if this was the price for having her still breathing beside me, I’d take it a thousand times over.
Still, I didn’t close my eyes. I wouldn’t. Not tonight.
***
Morning arrived far too soon, dragging with it all the unresolved arrangements I had pushed aside the night before. The faint glow of sunlight filtered into the room, casting delicate patterns over the gilded walls. Iryen stirred faintly in her sleep, her breathing steady, a slight comfort against the chaos awaiting outside.
A soft knock broke the silence, and the door creaked open to reveal Sienna. Her complexion improved. The pallor of the previous night had given way to a healthier glow. Hereyes shone with clarity, the exhaustion replaced by determination. Even her movements now carried a renewed grace and confidence.
“You look better,” I said, my voice low but sincere.
She offered a faint smile, inclining her head. “The healers worked wonders. Thank you for insisting I rest.”
