Page 134 of Song of Her Siren

“I will prepare the wyverns,” Esther continued, “and we will meet you in Thebes in about four days’s time.”

Elements. Ten thousand wyverns converging on Thebes. “You take great risk.”

“We’re aware of the risks,” she said grimly. “The wyverns are ready to die for you, Goddess.”

My stomach churned. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” For I’d feel personally responsible for each one lost. I still hadn’t gotten over losing Beau.

I let Finn help me stand while the girls coaxed the bunnies into their sack.

“Thank you for taking care of my bunnies in my absence,” I said to Kaida, for I had a feeling she’d been responsible for them.

She smiled and bowed. “It was my honor to take care of them, Goddess.”

I thanked Aurora when she hauled the sack up to me, grunting as if she carried a full-grown wyvern. “As much as I want to stay,” I said while slipping the sack around my neck, cradling the bunnies in my arms, “I’m afraid we must get back to Cyrene.”

Esther nodded. “And we must prepare.”

I cast my gaze across the crowd of satyrs while holding my sack with the bunnies against my chest. “You have no idea how thankful I am for all of you.”

They bowed, neighing.

The dragons landed, and we climbed onto Isa’s back, giving the satyrs and wyverns one last wave before we appeared on Cyrene’s beach. I squinted into the setting sun as Finn helped the children and me from Isa before turning away from us and walking into the frothy water. I stroked Demon’s soft ears while wondering if I should change his name, as “Demon” was no longer an endearing term.

“Where is Papa Finn going?” Aurora asked me.

I rubbed her back, my heart aching for Finn. “He needs a moment alone, darling.”

Finn waded until he was ankle-deep in the water and fell to his knees with a keening howl. Tossing back his head, he howled and howled, a shard of my heart breaking off with each wolf’s cry. I let the girls pull away, and they ran to him, resting their hands on his back while they let out human-sounding howls.

I don’t know how long they mourned the lost shifters, and I didn’t dare interrupt as grief pulsed from him in waves.

“I promise to fight these demons with every ounce of magic I have,” I whispered in the wind while wiping tears from my eyes. “Until my last dying breath.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Helian

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