Page 55 of Siren's Treasure

Raggon’s fingers scrambled over the slick scales to hold on. “Take me to my mermaid!”

Tobias reared back, a sound like thunder emanating from his chest, slightly muffled through the muzzle. His enormous wings beat once, twice, creating a windstorm that flattened the jungle vegetation. Circe’s tentacles shot through the fallen debris—unadvisedly so. She screeched as the first got caught under a landing tree. Had her scream sounded oddly… rehearsed? Raggon glanced back, half-expecting to see her signaling to someone in the trees. But there was only Circe, her face contorted with rage. Another tentacle scraped uselessly through the air, missing them by mere inches since they were already climbing into the sky with heart-wrenching speed. They were beyond her reach now, racing toward Thessa.

Raggon’s fingers slipped against the rough scales, finding no grip. In desperation, he grappled for the trailing end of the muzzle rope, using it like a horse’s rein—in the sky. High in the sky! Heart racing, he scrabbled for purchase with bare feet, finally wedging between two of the bony plates that protruded from the dragon’s spine.

The world tilted sickeningly as they rose above the jungle’s reach. The island spread below them, a lush oasis set in waters glittering like fire from the sinking sun, while the dangling chain snaked through the air around him with each violent movement. On the western shore, Raggon spotted a solitary figure wading into the surf—Thessa, that scarlet robe of hers billowing around her as the golden waves lapped at her knees like flames.

In the distance, dark shapes moved beneath the molten surface—sinuous tentacles reaching toward the shore. Scylla lurked in the depths, waiting… for what?

What was he missing?

Tobias banked hard, wings slicing through the air as they dove toward the beach. Halfway there, the dragon’s form shimmered, then—

Pop—they vanished, only to reappear seconds later near the shore. How? The sea steel should’ve prevented his brother from shifting… had the rest of the collar finally fallen away?

His eyes veered to the long sinewy neck, almost unwillingly. Typhon’s Kiss was gone. Raggon’s heart stuttered to a stop. That could only mean one thing—the dark iron had fully absorbed into his brother, no remnant left to trap the sea steel in place. The dragon form held his brother forever in its grip!

The sorrow cut him through, but he couldn’t dwell on it. Thessa now stood thigh-deep in a sea of flame, the horizon shimmering behind her.

Tobias landed with a spray of sand and foam, wings folding as Raggon slid from his back. Without waiting another instant,Raggon plunged into the surf, each step sending up splashes of gilded water. The salt stung the cuts and injuries sustained from this day, but what was that to the joy of seeing her, touching her, pulling her from the arms of danger?

Her chin rose as he approached, Undine’s Blade glowing in her hand. The gold sky reflected in her dark eyes, which blinked with confusion. He grabbed her free hand, massaging her fingers gently, trying to bring her back to him.

“Why are we here?” she asked in a voice that sounded far too distant.

“Circe sent you here to—to follow Undine’s steps.” His voice broke with urgency. “Thessa, listen to me. Believe me, please! Dissolving into seafoam means you’ll turn into a sylph—you’re going to survive this! You just have to know how to use these powers! I can teach you.” In a way, he could. Though the blood of human consorts had tempered her gifts, they had a chance! His heart thundered against his ribs. “Undine turned into a goddess of the air, a beautiful, powerful being that served her people all her days. All royalty has her blood—you’re going to be like me, but more!” Pure unadulterated power, actually.

Her gaze drew to the collar on his own neck. The enchanted sea steel felt heavy against his skin. “I need to free you!” she said. Was she not listening? Once she faced her transformation, she could defeat all these witches and more, but not if she couldn’t handle these powers!

“Hold very still,” she whispered, raising the blade. The edge mirrored the sinking sun as she touched the sharpened point to his collar. The metal fell away into the golden waves with a quiet splash.

Liberating him had been so simple! Could he do the same for her?

Sighing, she buried into his arms. Relief filled him at holding her again—her softness, the scent of her hair mingling withthe salty air—she had always belonged in the sanctuary of his embrace. “I can cut your brother free too,” she breathed into his neck, her lips warm against his skin.

“Clam? You’re driving me crazy.” How did he get her to take him seriously? He clutched at his country’s coin hanging from her neck, pointing to the ornate relief that caught the light. The coin’s polished surface gleamed with the regal profile of a woman whose delicate features were framed by flowing hair. The queen’s serene expression and proud bearing was the emblem of their people’s bravery. “This is Undine, our queen! You’re going to be fine—different, but a Sylph—way more powerful, but… we’ve just got to get you away…”

A resonant rumble drew their attention as Tobias splashed into the waves with them, his long tail carving elegant furrows through the glittering surf.

“Tobias.” She broke away from Raggon, reaching toward the dragon—the hope in her eyes breaking his heart. The dragon hesitated, then skipped backward, powerful legs propelling him just beyond her reach. He launched into the air again, hovering tantalizingly close before retreating farther.

The sight twisted into his gut—his brother’s playful dance, even in this monstrous form, and Thessa’s tears glinting like rubies in the sunlight as she splashed after him. “Where’s his collar?”

“Gone…” he answered. “There’s nothing we can do.”

“Of course, there is! There has to be!”

Her desperation made his breath catch. His mermaid thought she only had until sunset to free his brother before she melted into nothing. And tragically, she believed Raggon’s life would be spared at this final sacrifice she was prepared to make—just as Scylla had wanted her to do, after falling in love with him.

Was this Scylla’s plan all along? The woman knew Thessa would turn into a Sylph if she didn’t turn the blade on theenemy of her people—only then would his mermaid have the dizzying command over air and seas, an ancient magic that had been diluted for thousands of years through his bloodline, a force whose true potential Raggon couldn’t even begin to comprehend!

But why would Scylla want Thessa to have such mastery of the elements?

His attention veered back to the tentacles writhing further out, cutting ribbons of gold and crimson through their wake. Scylla waited for them out there. A coldness seeped into his belly as Thessa moved deeper into the water.

Oh, depths! He knew what the Sea Witch wanted—and it wasn’t the blade, was it?

Raggon tugged Thessa back, catching her around the waist, forcing her to meet his gaze. “You promised Scylla your powers. She’s coming after you!”

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