Page 195 of Song of Her Siren

“How have you been?” I asked her.

She clasped her hands to her heart, beaming. “I have discovered my fated mates.”

“You have?” This was excellent news, though maybe not for her legion of lovers.

“Two handsome Sidhe dragon riders.” She batted her lashes, her cheeks flushing. “Can you believe it? All these years collecting feathers, when I should’ve been collecting scales.”

I laughed at that. I couldn’t imagine any dragon parting with a scale. “I’m so happy for you.” Grasping her elbow, I looked over her shoulder. “Where are your riders?”

“Waiting outside with their dragons.” She waved toward the swarm of dragons flying just outside the windows. I spotted Radnor, Isa, and Triss among them. “I’ve only come to see that you’re well.”

“I am, thank you.” I motioned toward the buffet of food big enough to feed ten armies. “You sure you don’t want to invite your mates inside and stay for some food and wine?”

There were plenty of other dragon riders here, including the green witch, Declan, who’d saved Nikkos. My mates and I had already thanked him profusely and extended him an invitation to Abyssus.

“No, thank you,” she said, her gaze darting about the room.

“I’m sure my aunt has forgotten about the banishment by now,” I said reassuringly. “If not, I’ll set her straight.”

“I’m not worried about her, Shiri.” Pity reflected in her tapered eyes as she took my hand. “I’ve come to offer you my condolences.”

My world came to a slow halt. Fae passed in a blur. Even my mates’ voices faded into white noise as I gaped at Veronica. “What?”

She squeezed my hand, her voice sounding hollow and distant as my vision tunneled. “For the past week, I’ve seen only one possible outcome for the queen.”

I thought I heard Drae swear as I clutched him for support, my knees turning to jelly.No, no, no!

A bloodcurdling scream rang throughout the hall, and in the next moment, my legs were propelling me toward my aunt’s suite of rooms, my mates flying after me.

A sobbing servant clung to her bedpost, pointing in the direction of the bathing room.

We found Malvolia in my great-grandmother’s claw-foot tub, the same tub she’d used to kill the mage Djall, resting in a pool of crimson water. Her slit wrists dripped blood onto the tile floor, her pallor a deathly gray as her eyes stared vacantly at the opposite wall.

Careful not to slip in the blood, Drae leaned over the tub and closed her eyes.

Two more servants clung to one another while sobbing as onlookers from the celebration crowded into the room, gasping and murmuring.

Me? I was too shocked and horrified to move or utter a word.

This can’t be happening. This can’t be happening.

Drae jutted a finger toward the door with a roar. “Everyone that’s not family, out!” He, Blaze, and Nikkos lifted her out of the tub and wrapped her nude body in a blanket, placing her on the bed.

I numbly followed, sitting by my aunt’s side, still too shocked to speak or even cry.

“She left a note,” Nikkos said, passing it to Blaze.

He unwrapped it, his eyes scanning the words. “That’s all she had to say?” he blurted before handing the note to Drae.

Drae held the note out for me to see. Only two words were scribbled on the page:I’m sorry.

He turned the note to ash in his hand. “That’s all she needed to say.”

I heaved a shuddering breath as the first tears came. Why would she do this to us?

“Shiri?”

I peered up through a sheen of tears to see my sister standing in the doorway, Ash and Helian behind her.

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