Page 93 of When the Wicked Sing
Mari stood and bumped Aurora’s hip as she took up the spot next to her. Happiness shone in her eyes that were like bright pools of water glinting against the setting sun. “Ready for tomorrow?”
Aurora gripped her bowl tight, punching back the images of broken glass, broken bones—
“Are you?” she asked, her voice thick and strained. She cleared her throat, and glanced sidelong at her sister, who had no idea what their homeland looked like. No idea about the pain and suffering their people had experienced.
“I’m ready to finally have Astra back. To know she’s safe with us.” Mari shrugged. “And … maybe there’s a part of myself that’s looking forward to stepping foot on the land everyone always talked about. Finally seeing it for myself.”
The wistful look in her sister’s expression made Aurora’s heart squeeze painfully tight.
“Mari,” she started, but closed her eyes. She had to tell her the truth. Setting down the bowl on the table, she ignored theway Dax’s cautious gaze shot up to hers and regarded her sister carefully. Taking her hand, she said gently, “Sirenia is … It’s going to look very different from the way history described it. Because of the Banishment.”
Mari stood up, giving her a nod that saidduh. “Of course it is, the king ordered it to be destroyed. I know it’s not going to be …pretty,but still—”
“I just—” Aurora sighed and met her eyes. “I just want you to be prepared for what you’re about to see.” Because truthfully, Aurora wasn’t. The day she’d chosen to visit Sirenia after the Banishment, ignoring their mother’s orders never to return, was a day that changed her life forever.
She hadn’t been expecting the apocalyptic intensity of witnessing all that had been done to their people. Sisters lying dead in pools of bloody water everywhere. The ash burned her lungs, making it impossible to breathe. The glass, the columns, the walls—everything was destroyed. The water was tainted, foul, choking her when she tried to swim upstream. Eventually, she’d had to turn back and swim away from it all.
It took her months to stop waking up screaming for help. Years to finally stop seeing it in her nightmares.
There was a part of her that felt guilty for all of it. She wasn’t in Sirenia when it happened. She was on a job for the queen, far from it all. When word spread, she had no idea what to do. It was a miracle she even heard the message her mother kept sending through the sea over and over, begging for any lost sisters to join them in Salus. But Aurora arrived alone. The only siren who’d heard the message and lived longenough to get to safety.
Mari placed a warm hand on Aurora’s shoulder, yanking her back from her thoughts.
“Rora, I can handle it.” She gave her sister’s shoulder a squeeze. “I’m going to get some rest now, okay?”
Aurora nodded numbly and watched her step toward the stairs. Glancing between her and Kosta, Mari said, “You two play nice.”
Rolling her eyes, Aurora tried to hide her smirk as her sister descended the steps and disappeared from view.
Her gaze slid to Kosta’s and narrowed as his glare locked onto hers. She blew him a kiss, earning a scowl, before turning her face toward the darkened horizon.
Gritting her teeth, she gripped the railing tight. She had to prepare herself for all that was to come. Not just seeing their broken homeland but for what came next.
Inhaling deep, she closed her eyes. The wind blowing through her hair had a certain … taste to it.
Lifting her face, she studied it.
It was slightly bitter, tainted, almost impossible to notice amidst the salty air unless one was paying close attention. Something so familiar and yet foreign that she studied it long into the night as the stars soared overhead.
By dawn, she realized what it was. A foreboding message that soured her stomach and laid an icy hand on her heart.
You know what’s coming, the wind seemed to whisper to her.
Death. And they were sailing directly toward it.
Chapter 50
Marianastaredaheadatthe looming foggy land of Sirenia on the horizon and thought about what would come after. After she brought Astra home. After the amulet was safe. After her sisters were safe.
King Stavros had pleaded with her to bring his son back with the amulet; he assured her that he only wanted peace between their people. But how could she take the chance? Bringing back Helios would be a disaster. Though she didn’t completely trust the Siren Witch, Mariana knew she would never hurt her. If she killed Helios, then Mariana would essentially have aided in the witch’s death. The witch had been there for her all her life. Could she turn her back on her after everything?
Mariana pulled her hand up to fiddle with the tiny black shell dangling from her bracelet, the same charm the Siren Witch had given her right before she left Salus. It had been a birthday gift. The witch was hardly affectionate, but when she wanted to, she had ways of showing she cared about her family.
No, Mariana couldn’t help the king.
When she returned to Salus with the amulet, she and her sisters would discuss their options with the council. Together, they would come up with a plan to restore Sirenia without risking the witch’s life. And Mariana would have a very long and hard conversation with her and Cybele. They had kept too many secrets, and it was time to release them.
Mariana swallowed and dropped her hand again, praying that once she had the amulet in her hands, she could reverse the binding spell her mother had placed on her, and she would be free to swim again.
