Page 12 of Taken By the Alien Siren King

The ship lurched violently, nearly knocking Nedaris off his feet. Confused shouts rang out as Knights rushed to the railings. The water around us began to churn, dark shapes moving beneath the surface.

“You might have your Knights,” I said in the dreadful calm of still waters, “but I still control these seas.”

Then it rose—a massive serpentine head breaking the waves, water cascading from scales the size of dinner plates. The sea dragon’s jaws opened in a roar that shook the very air, revealing rows of slavering fangs longer than a man’s arm.

Nedaris staggered back, his face slack with shock. I used the distraction to break free, driving my elbow into the nearest Knight’s throat before snatching his spear. Two Knights blocked my path, spears leveled at my chest.

I could kill them. Could fight my way through every Knight on this ship. One throw of the spear I gripped would end the threat he posed to my kingdom, to Emme, to everything I held dear.

But the ship lurched as the dragon’s tail crashed down, splintering the railing mere feet away. We were out of time.

I dove for Emme instead, tackling her guard and snapping the man’s neck with a single twist. I cut her bonds with his knife and pulled her to her feet.

“Jump!” I shouted over screams and splintering wood.

We plunged into the churning waters together, the shock of it stealing my breath for a moment before my transformation took hold. I pulled Emme close, creating her air bubble as the ship continued to break apart above us.

We swam until we reached a large piece of floating debris—part of the ship’s hull that had broken free. I helped Emme climb onto it, then hauled myself up beside her, my body screaming in protest at the effort. The transformation back to legs left me gasping, every muscle burning with fatigue.

The summoning had cost me more than I’d expected. Worth it, to see the look on Nedaris’s face when he realized I still had one trick he couldn’t match. Worth it, to get Emme safely away from his clutches.

But the cost... The guard with the newborn daughter. The families in the drycave. My own brother had ordered the execution of innocent families. Planned to attack the Legacy. Aligned himself with fanatics who would drag our kingdom back into darkness.

The weight of it settled on my shoulders like a physical burden. I’d failed him. Failed my people. Failed?—

Emme’s hand on my arm pulled me from my dark thoughts. “Lairos,” she said, her voice tight with alarm. “Look.”

I followed her gaze to where several fins had broken the surface, cutting through the waves with purpose as they surged toward us.

Despite everything, I felt my mouth curve into a grin. “Help has arrived.”

CHAPTER FIVE

LAIROS

Iscrubbed a towel through my hair, watching the swirling maelstrom outside the thick glass windows of Vigas’s quarters. The water churned in a perpetual spiral, a natural defense that had kept Stillwater Hold safe for generations. Any ship that tried to navigate it without proper guidance would be ripped apart and scattered across the ocean floor. Any unauthorized swimmer who attempted it would be crushed against the jagged rocks.

Perfect for a frontier outpost. Even better for hiding from a coup.

A patrol of Khadians returned through the swirling waters, their songs and movements synchronized down to the flicks of their tails. Three of them peeled off with a captured deep-sea shark between them, its massive jaws bound shut, its thrashing growing weaker as they hauled it toward the holding pens. A new tracker, if properly trained.

I tossed the towel aside and ran a hand through my damp hair. Emme had been shown to guest quarters for her own bathing and comfort, but her absence gnawed at me. The pull of her soul song was stronger now, a constant tug in my chestdrawing me toward her. Being separated from her, even by a few walls, felt wrong.

The heavy metal door to Vigas’s quarters creaked open, and the commander himself stepped in with arms crossed over his barrel chest. The old warrior hadn’t changed much in the years since I’d seen him last, still built like a boulder with a temperament to match, his gray-streaked beard the only concession to time’s passage.

I’d spent years training here under Vigas, learning to fight, to lead, to survive. Now I needed those lessons more than ever.

“The human is settled,” he said without preamble, closing the door behind him. “Seems she’s made quite an impression on my crew already. Didn’t even flinch when Kora shifted forms right in front of her.”

I fought back a grin. That sounded like Emme. “She’s... resilient.”

Vigas grunted, moving to the comm unit on his desk. “We’ve intercepted communications. Several of the humans have checked in with their rulers.” He tapped a few buttons, bringing up a map of reported locations. “Three still missing.”

“And the Legacy?” I asked, studying the map.

“Still in orbit and unharmed. For now.”

Relief loosened some of the tension in my shoulders. At least Nedaris hadn’t made his move against the human ship yet. “Send word that Emme is safe with me. I’ll inform her of the updates myself.”

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