Page 185 of Song of Her Siren

No! No! NO!

I fell to my knees, black magic leaching from my fingers, as I picked Aurora’s necklace off the ground. All I could think about was burning down the world to get to her.

How dare they! Howdarethey! I shook off my mates when they reached for me. I didn’t need comfort. I needed revenge! In that moment, I understood why my aunt had gone mad, because I wanted nothing more than to turn Helian and Ash to dust.

A cry rang out, and Tari was sitting in front of me, Aurora in her lap.

“Aurora!” I lurched forward, snatching Aurora from my sister and draping the tau stone necklace over her head. Then I cried into my niece’s hair while turning my back on the rest of my family. This had been such a bad idea. We were very lucky Aurora and Tari were alive.

“I’m sorry.” Aurora clung to my neck with a sob, her voice muffled against my bosom. “I didn’t want my mommy to die.”

Rocking her in my arms, I kissed her forehead. “I know, sweetheart.”

She blinked at me, tears running over her eyes. “Are you mad?”

“No.” I swiped moisture from her cheeks. “Just, please never do that again.” I forced out the words through a throat constricted with emotion. “I don’t think I could go on if I lost you.”

Ember tugged on my skirts, and I knelt on the ground, taking both girls into my arms, kissing their cheeks while holding them against my chest. I loved these girls so much, as if they were my own children. How dare Helian and Ash assume I didn’t have a say when it came to their safety!

I smiled at Teddy while he awkwardly stood there, his wings drooping behind him. He’d been through so much in the past few days, losing his parents and then almost losing a newfound friend.

“What’s wrong with Tari?” Finn blurted.

I swiped tears from my eyes while watching my sister’s mates wave their hands in front of her face. It was then I noticed her vacant expression, like a morning mist had rolled in from the ocean and coated her eyes.

I shared a worried look with Blaze.

Is she going to be okay?he projected to me through thought.

I shook my head.I don’t know.

“Tari?” Finn pleaded. “Can you hear me?”

Her jaw went slack, and she unfolded her arms, a muddy doll falling from her lap.

“Bethamy!” Ember lurched forward, scooping up the doll and holding it to her chest.

I couldn’t keep track of all of Ember’s Bethamy dolls, since they all had the same name, but I wondered if that was the doll Ember had lost in the flood. I never thought she’d see it again.

Helian knelt beside Tari, shaking her shoulders. “Tari, my love, please answer us.”

Ash paced in front of her like a caged animal, his eyes shifting into glowing slits. “Her eyes are too fogged.”

Finn sat back on his heels, wiping tears from his eyes. “What if she’s lost her memories again?”

Helian gritted his teeth. “Then we get them back.”

Ash threw up his hands. “How?”

Helian dragged a hand down his face. “Kill Megaera.”

“She’s already dead,” Tari said, her voice a dull monotone.

“Tari?” Finn scooted closer to her, taking her hand in his. “Are you okay, darling?”

Was it my imagination, or were my sister’s eyes starting to clear?

Tari blinked at Finn, recognition dawning in her eyes. “Megaera was eaten by an Indus worm.”

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