Page 32 of When the Wicked Sing
“I know what you’re doing,” he growled.
“You know nothing,” she said, trying to sound strong, but the shake in her voice gave her away.
Pulling her closer, he put a firm hand on her lower back, and she shivered despite her body growing warm. Her free hand landed on his chest, pushing him back slightly with her nails digging into his gray skin.
Her breath came out in short pants, fear slithering through her insides. But it wasn’t him she feared, it was what she’d do if he came any closer.
His brows lowered. “You want me to open up, reveal all my secrets.”
Her voice shook despite herself. “Wouldn’t you do everything you could if your sister was in danger?”
His grip loosened. “Without a doubt.”
“Then tell me she’s alive. Tell me why you came after me. Did Astra send you? No one else would’ve known about my presence at Egan Village. So I know she told you something.”
Dax closed his eyes briefly, his face tightening as if in pain. When he opened them, his resolve was clear.
He dropped his hands and waded slowly toward the edge of the river. “Your sister’s alive. But don’t think for a second that I’m your ally.”
Mariana watched in stunned silence as he moved toward the edge of the river, put on his clothes, and disappeared into the darkened forest.
Chapter 16
Nightfell,smotheringtheworld in darkness, but Mariana stayed in the river, her body suspended in the cool water like a leaf caught in a current. The gentle lapping of the waves against her skin did little to soothe her nerves. Every instinct told her something was wrong, and she had to return home, but an invisible weight kept her anchored.
The way Dax had evaded her after she asked about her sister made her anxious.
Mariana’s thoughts spiraled, her mind a whirlwind of doubts and fears. Astra was the only one who knew about Mariana’s visits to Celeste, the only one who knew how close she was to the mortals of Egan Village. But Astra was fiercely loyal, always putting her sisters’ safety above her own. Would she really tell Stavros about Mariana, risking her life?
She should leave. Going any further with Dax meant more uncertainty. More trouble.
Lifting her right wrist, Mariana brushed her fingers over the charms that dangled there, each a memory from her days as a youngling. She found the one the Siren Witch had given herlong ago: a dark-spotted, spiraled shell with a large opening at the bottom. The shell was no larger than the pad of her thumb, yet it pulsed with a latent power that thrummed beneath her fingertips.
She had to speak with her mother. Cybele would know what to do. She could formulate a plan with the council if she could return to Salus. Perhaps Cybele would be more open to the idea of Mariana and Aurora traveling to Aurelia to rescue Astra, considering she’d have been able to escape her fae abductor. Or … perhaps Cybele would lock her up forever.
Mariana hesitated, holding that tiny charm with the power to call for help and staring at it as though it could tell her what to do.
Taking a steady breath, she knew it was time. She had to go back home. If Astra truly needed help, Mariana couldn’t do it all on her own. And if it were a trap … then at least she’d thwart the king’s plans. Now was her only shot at escaping while Dax was stomping around in the forest.
Dipping below the surface, she began to sing. The melodic tune drifted downstream, carrying her message with it. The notes were a plea, a call for aid that only those attuned to the sea’s magic could hear. Her song echoed through the water, a haunting melody that resonated with the ancient spirits that dwelled within, carrying her message.
She rose to the surface and waited, her heart pounding. The seconds stretched into what felt like an eternity, the silence pressing in on her. Then, swirling lights appeared before her near the shore. The witch had heard her message.
“Mari?” she heard Dax shout behind her. She glanced over her shoulder just as he came into view between the trees, his silhouette framed by the moonlight. His expression tight with confusion.
Mariana hesitated for the slightest moment. His boots neared the edge of the river, and their eyes met.
Dax’s hand twitched at his side, like he was fighting the urge to reach for her. “Don’t,” he said, the single word heavy with something she couldn’t name. His jaw clenched, and though his voice was soft, his gaze was hard, unyielding.
Her throat tightened. “I have to.”
Thrusting herself forward, she dove into the portal before he could say any more, the water closing over her head like a shroud. Breathing hard, she watched the portal spin into nothing behind her, disappearing when she entered Salus.
Strong hands gripped her shoulders, pulling her from the depths.
“Mariana.” Her mother’s typically cold voice sounded relieved to see her. Queen Cybele appeared before her, regal and imposing. “What happened? Where have you been?”
Wearing her typical midnight-black cape, the witch came into view behind her, the beady red eyes of the scorpion fish brooch staring into her soul.
