Page 14 of The Siren & the Sea

King Xander' eyes were wide with surprise, but it was Yiorgos who broke the silence.

"She must be executed, your highnesses, according to siren law. None of this matters. If she does not accept Anatolius as her Chosen in return, it makes her no more than an outsider."

Demitrios sighed at Yiorgos. "Oh Yiorgos, be silent and get out. Your theatrics are not needed here. Our law is in place to protect our people, but Maura has lived peacefully among us for weeks. Our son would not have shown mercy to someone who meant our people harm. If she is his Chosen, whether she accepts her place here or not, she is one of our own."

The other siren hesitated, his mouth hanging open in shock.

"Out, Yiorgos! Now!"

Anatolius took the opportunity to step closer to Maura, who now watched the scene unfold with less anger marring her features, but no fewer tears.

"Maura, would you still like to return home? It can be arranged the moment you are ready. We are sorry our harsh customs have made a prisoner of you here," King Xander said calmly.

Maura looked from the king to Anatolius, her lips parted slightly as if she couldn't decide what to say. Anatolius gave her a gentle nod, and she took a deep breath before she spoke.

"I'd like a word with prince Anatolius alone, if you please." A dangerous flicker of hope took root in Anatolius' soul. Was it possible she might want to stay, even after he kept the truth from her? All he had done was to keep her safe and give her her freedom, but it had still been deceitful.

His fathers nodded, and Anatolius offered Maura his arm. She took it, swiping her tears away with her free hand. Anatolius led her out of the throne room and into one of the small sitting rooms nearby that allowed the kings a private respite during official functions.

They barely made it in the door before Maura spoke. "Ana, you're my Còmhanam. It's what the Tuanadair call their mates, and we learned about them in school, but they were so rare. All the signs are there, but it didn't occur to me what was happening with everything else that has happened. The fact that you can hear me when I'm shifted, the feeling of safety and familiarity I have when I'm with you, the uh…anatomical effects we encountered last night…you're my mate." Maura looked at him with awe and hope and Anatolius felt like he might simply drown in his feelings for her.

"Say something," she said softly, her brows tipping up with worry.

"Maura, my brave, bold, perfect Chosen. I…cannot tell you the relief I feel knowing that you can sense what we share. I feel it too, and I never want to be parted from you. My friend, my love, my mate," he finished softly, pulling her into his arms. She returned his embrace, and the feeling of her body cradled in his arms was transcendent.

"Where will we live?" she asked.

"Wherever you want to go, I will follow. We can always come back to Vathós to visit."

"I love you," she whispered into his neck.

"My love for you, Maura, is as vast and enduring as the sea itself. My soul is yours until the very oceans run dry."

Epilogue

Maura bent to openthe oven door and a rush of steam billowed out around her. She inhaled the smell of fresh-baked pastry—croissants to be precise—that now filled the small kitchen of her seaside cottage.

She had gotten the recipe from the sweetest couple that had passed through the nearby town of Easton. Maura had never seen a dryad before, but Ilex and their partner Dahlia were lovely. They had been in Ichorna for the turn of the millennium celebration, and had picked up the recipe for their favorite buttery pastries before they left.

They had also brought news of the rather horrifying and dramatic end to the celebrations. They didn't have too many details, but Maura wondered how her homeland was faring with the unrest.

Maura set the tray of croissants on the countertop and admired her work. This batch was rolled into a sort of crescentshape, but there was a version that was filled with chocolate that she was eager to try sometime.

The door creaked as it opened behind her, and she looked up to find her glorious siren mate stepping into the cottage. He always managed to make the space look comically small. They had plans to rebuild the cottage to be larger, but they weren't in any particular rush.

Maura and Anatolius had spent the last few months splitting their time between Vathós and her cottage, and Maura found that she was…happy. Content.

Anatolius came up behind Maura, wrapping his arms around her waist. "These smell incredible, love. What are they?"

Maura picked up a croissant and tore it open, admiring its flaky layers. "A croissant! They're Ichornian!" She handed Anatolius half, and he moaned in satisfaction as he tasted it.

"Amazing, we should have these all the time," he said with a grin. "As amazing as they are, I was thinking…" he trailed off, giving her waist a gentle squeeze with his massive hands.

"You were thinking…?"

"Would you like to go for a swim with me?" He winked at her, and she laughed. He thought he was suave, but he was so transparent.

"Yes, I'll go for a swim with you, you insatiable menace."

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