Page 127 of When the Wicked Sing
Luna began to sob. Deep, racking sobs that made Aurora’s throat tighten.
“She didn’t mean to.” Aurora’s voice was thick; she was barely able to get the words out. “Mariana loved Astra. She wanted to bring her home to you, but the witch—”
“Did what had to be done to avenge Astra’s death. It was the only way. Mariana knew it.”
“No,” Aurora stated firmly, glaring at the witch, who pulled Luna close to her, not sparing Aurora a glance. “You’re twisting the truth. Luna, don’t listen to her.”
The witch gently hushed Luna’s cries, rocking her back and forth, all while smiling smugly at Aurora. “You’re alright, my dear. You’ll be alright. We’ll get through this together. In Sirenia.”
“Sirenia?” Luna whispered, pulling back to look up at the witch.
“Yes,” the witch crooned. “That’s where we’ll start a new life. One where no one can hurt us ever again.” She brushed back Luna’s unruly moonlight hair.
Aurora couldn’t take it anymore. “Stop, just stop.” She shook her head as the witch’s eyes narrowed on her. “Everyone here knows you’re full of shit.”
“That is a very unkind thing to say, Aurora.” The witch let go of Luna after caressing her cheek, then swam back to where Aurora was trapped between the revolting creatures that the witch must’ve summoned with the amulet.
“You know, it was heartbreaking to watch what Cybele did to you all those years as herslave assassin. To watch you slowly wither away intothis, a sliver of your former self, dying with each kill until you were nothing but a husk of who you were. I remember who you were before. The sweet, golden child the queen so desperately wished had been born with the power of the sea. But alas, she couldn’t make you her heir, so she exploited your skills to do her bidding. It was tragic, and I wished for it to be different.”
The witch gripped Aurora’s jaw tight. She gasped in pain as the tips of the witch’s claws dug deep into her face. She could feel something leaking from them, slithering into her bloodstream.
Aurora struggled, trying desperately to break free as the sounds of her sisters screaming for her became muffle.
“I didn’t want it to be this way, but after everything you’ve done, you will die a weak, incapable failure. As it should be.”
The witch let her go, as did the creatures holding her. As she drifted to the floor, the world fading away, she couldn’t help but think that everything the witch said was true.
And it broke her heart.
Chapter 69
“Itpainsmetohear you say that, Mariana. I admit, the ways in which I went about acquiring the amulet were unsavory, but it had to be done. I don’t regret it. And I want you to understand that.” The witch turned away, heading back toward the dark, churning sea just as her two beasts rose from the waves holding—
“Mother!” Mariana shouted and ran toward Cybele as they threw her unconscious body onto the sand. Her crown rolled from her head, landing near the witch’s feet.
Chuckling, the Siren Witch picked up the crown. She held it in her hands, staring at it for a long moment, while Mariana lifted her mother into her arms.
She was so pale. Dark veins sprawled from her chest, up her arms, into her face, causing Mariana to fear the worst. Settling a shaking hand against Cybele’s throat, she felt a pulse. Weak, but there.
“You could be so much more than she ever was,” the witch sighed. Mariana met her gaze, hatred radiating from her toward the one who had betrayed them. “I wish it didn’t have to bethis way, Mari. Please, don’t make this mistake.” She held the crown out toward Mariana, who flinched away, gripping Cybele harder.
“Take the crown, Mari. Take the crown, and let’s change the fate of our sisters forever. Let’s bring them home together.”
Mariana shook her head, her wet hair whipping her neck against the raging wind and rain. “You’ll never understand.Thatis not my crown. And you are not my family. I will never go anywhere with you because all you do is leave chaos and heartbreak behind wherever you go.”
A corner of the witch’s mouth tilted, and she let the crown drop from her fingers into the sand. “Well.” She cleared her throat and straightened her dress before lightly clasping her hands before her. “I wish it didn’t have to come to this, but you’ve given me no choice.”
The amulet hanging at her chest began to glow a frightening shade of red, pulsing black and white. Mariana struggled to breathe as she watched waves on the beach start to thrash violently, as though some creature was surging up from within.
The witch gave her a remorseful stare, one that Mariana almost believed was real. Even the tears in the witch’s eyes seemed genuine as she spoke. “I love you, little one. I have and always will. And because of that, I will give you the honor of a warrior’s death. May your soul find peace with your choice in the end.”
Without another word, the witch and her creatures walked into the water, disappearing beneath the waves.
Mariana stared ahead in complete shock. Something was coming. All the hair on her neck and arms stood on end. Shehad to move quickly. Grunting, Mariana pulled her mother up the beach.
“I’ll protect you,” she whispered before kissing her cold forehead.
The sound of someone gasping startled Mariana. Looking up, she saw a group of mortals glancing between her and the violent sea with wide, frightened eyes.
