Page 30 of Siren Problems
“Ohgreat.That’s your issue? That people mightnoticeyou saving lives with your secret sea powers?”
He glares. “I wasn’t trying to saveyouthis time.”
That hits harder than it should.
I look away. “That’s not the point.”
He runs a hand through his hair, shakes his head. “You already know. I’m cursed.”
“Yeah, and so are half the plants in my backyard. That doesn’t mean anything withoutcontext.”
He tenses.
“Justtalk to me,Calder. Stop feeding me fragments. Stoppushingme away when you’re the one who keeps showing up.”
Lightning flashes behind him, casting shadows that make him lookless human.
He finally says, “My voice used to be magic.”
I blink.
“What?”
He swallows. “It’s... binding magic. Siren-born. I didn’t just sing. Icalled.Commands. Lures. Shields. Love.”
I stare.
“You’re telling me your voice coulddothings?”
He nods once.
“And it’s... cursed now?”
His jaw clenches. “If I use it wrong—if I feel too much—it triggers.”
“What happens?”
“I don’t know,” he snaps. “Because I’ve never let it go that far.”
I take a shaky breath, heart thudding.
“And the kiss?” I ask. “The other night. That was... what? A warm-up act to your magical unraveling?”
He flinches.
“Luna—”
“No,” I cut in. “You don’t get to throw sparks and then walk away. You kissed me like I was air and fire all at once, and then you vanished like I’m dangerous.”
“Youare,” he says, hoarse. “Because I want you. And that’s the most dangerous thing I can do.”
Rain lashes my face, but I don’t move. Ican’t.
“You think wanting me is going to break you?”
“I think it mightbreak you,” he says, barely above a whisper.
My breath catches.
