Page 79 of When the Wicked Sing
“Happy,” she said before she could stop herself. But it was true. The king—though he appeared just as young as he was when the painting must’ve first been commissioned—had grief forever lining his eyes. The haunting pain in his face was unmistakable.
Astra was right. He was heartbroken. “And your hair is much longer,” she blurted, her cheeks growing warm.
Stavros smiled tightly before nodding. “You’re right, I was happy back then. And I am due for a haircut.” He chuckled.
Mariana held back a smile as it dawned on her that“back then”was when he had ordered the death of her people. She shouldn’t be smiling or laughing with him. He deserved none of it.
She sat up straight and glared at him. “Yes, ‘back then’ was a very different time, wasn’t it?”
King Stavros only stared at her, and when the sadness in his eyes became too much to bear, she stood up and crossed her arms.
“Do you know how much pain you’ve caused my family? How many of my sisters you slaughtered during the Banishment?” Her voice wavered at the end, and she gritted her teeth.
Stavros opened and closed his mouth, as if struggling to find words. Then he stood and walked over to a glass display case housing several siren artifacts and gazed at them in silence.
Mariana was tempted to ask what he was staring at when he finally spoke, his words laced with pain. “The day you lost Sirenia was the day I lost my son. Back then, I believed it to bejust. But that is no excuse. I regret what I did, Mariana, and I am sorry.”
Her eyes went wide as he spoke her name like a prayer. “Well, apologies don’t mean anything when my people are still dying. Every day, more of us fall victim to the Scourge just to keep our population steady. The cruelty you’ve inflicted upon us for acenturyis cause for more than just anapology.” She spat the last word like it was acid on her tongue.
“You’re right,” he whispered and turned to face her. “That’s why I want to help you and Astra restore Sirenia.”
Mariana stared at him in shock. She’d read what her sister said about the king wanting to help them, but she never imagined she would hear it from him.
“How?” she asked harshly, attempting to keep hope from her voice. “By us handing over the amulet? Bringing your son back and dooming us all once again?”
Stavros shook his head. “Helios would not bring war upon you, I assure you.”
“What makes you so certain?”
The king paused, staring at her with such intensity, she had to fight to keep from looking away.
“Astra told me she would be writing you a letter. Was that what I saw you burn in the fire?”
Mariana gave a curt nod.
“What did she say?”
“She said that I should trust you. That you think Cybele isn’t to blame for Helios’s murder, that it was the Siren Witch.”
“And do you believe her?”
“I believe that Cybele took the blame for killing Helios. Trusting you? Not so much.”
His lips twitched. He began walking slowly through the library, his black boots echoing through the vast room. Mariana followed on hesitant feet.
“Her name at the time was Zafiria, and I believe my son was secretly courting her. Their relationship was inappropriate, and I’m sure they both knew it. I believe they quarreled, and Zafiria killed Helios.”
“I would’ve suspected he could easily survive an attack by a siren scholar.”
“Helios could hold his own in a fight, but he loved fine liquor. She poisoned his cup. His heart gave out. And Cybele found him.” The king stopped in front of the draped windows, a crack of light shining on his face. “My son was a great male, but he was vengeful. Had been since he was young. I can remember the time he discovered his favorite toy warhorse had gone missing, only to find it was another child that had taken it. The boy’s mother claimed it was by mistake. Helios pretended it was fine, grateful to have the toy back.
“However, I knew my little rebel had something up his sleeve. And just a few days later, a different child was crying that all of his toys were broken. Come to find out, Helios discovered it was not the first child who had taken the warhorse but another, and he punished him the way he saw fit.”
Mariana didn’t know what to make of the story, though it reaffirmed that Helios was trouble.
Mariana had a difficult time believing the witch had poisoned Helios. Why would she? Were they truly in a relationship?Maybe the situation was flipped, and Helios was going to hurt her, so she defended herself. Either way, Mariana didn’t believe for a moment that her mentor killed Helios intentionally, if at all.
“My point,” the king continued, “is that my son is brilliant.Wasbrilliant,” he corrected, then cleared his throat before turning around to face her. “He will know who truly killed him and seek vengeance on only the one responsible. As is right.”
