Page 64 of Rise of the Melody
“Okay,” I said in understanding.
“As for your friend, he’ll most likely be able to pinpoint the hex soon and recall what was said to him and by whom. And then they can get it sorted out. Hopefully he’ll be fine. But whoever it was, depending how severe the hex was, will face punishment from the local head druid, in our case Bryant. If a life-threatening hex is ever made, they’re sent to the Synod.”
I nodded through a shiver, lost in thought while Aunt Lorna turned to put the rest of the cold items away.
“Are you going to meet with your friends today?” she asked.
I thought about the delivery man as I folded the empty reusable bags. A gross feeling slithered through me. “No. Not today. I’m still feeling kind of tired. I’m going to read or something.”
“Okay, Let.”
I turned and went straight back up to my room. All the talk of hexing made me think of the horrible thing I’d done. What would Bryant MacCray do to me if he found out about the delivery guy? Put me on house arrest? Worse? Let the Synod kill me like every other siren?
I really was a monster. That delivery man’s eyes were unnaturally vacant.Icould do that to people. Ididthat to them. And while I may have felt a sense of power in the moment, the aftermath was a sickly sensation of fear that made me want to hole myself in my room for life. What was I capable of? I didn’t want this power.
I yearned for my mom in that moment, like a deep wailing inside my soul. Someone to talk to about this. Someone who would understand. I’d spent a lot of time in New York City feeling lonely, despite being surrounded by millions of people. Feeling strangely different, though not knowing why. And at that moment I understood why Aunt Lorna had chosen to keep it all quiet for so long. Ignorance really was bliss.
Now I would return the favor to Aunt Lorna by not telling her about Zar for as long as possible.
I heard my aunt laugh downstairs, and then fast footfalls on the stairs. I jumped out of bed—I’d recognize the sound of those paws anywhere!
“Coosh!” I said as he barged into my room. But he was all business when he looked at me. “What is it?” He turned his head toward the door, and I followed.
I followed him down the stairs and to the door.
Oh, no.
Out on the porch, he stared toward the forest and I looked too, but I couldn’t see anything. It didn’t matter, though, because I knew. Zar was in there and wanted me to come to him. A dizzy spell hit me.
I shook my head. “I don’t want to see him.”
CooShee, the absolute Judas-Brutus-Benedict Arnold, took my wrist between his sharp teeth and gently pulled me. My heart raced as I glanced toward the kitchen window, but Aunt Lorna wasn’t in sight. I needed to get Zar away from her.
“Okay, okay,” I said, shaking his mouth off my arm. “Show me where he is.”
I stomped after the creature, my whole body buzzing in a sickening way, until I was hidden in the thick forest, face-to-face with totally terrifying sexiness. He stood with his hands lazily in his trouser pockets. He wore a short-sleeved Henley shirt that showed off strong forearms and was open at the top of his chest. My eyes went straight to a deep scar there, just the tip of it. I wondered how he got that. I crossed my arms tightly.
“What do you want?” I blurted, hoping I wouldn’t pass out.
He cocked his head, and his eyes held a loathing. “Did you enjoy entrancing that human?”
If possible, my stomach dropped even further when I realized my secret was out. Zar had seen. He’d been here. What a freaking stalker!
“N-no.” My voice came out raspy at first. “He passed out…his heart,” I rambled, but his pursed lips shut me up.
“You take me for a fool.”
“I don’t,” I whispered. He looked scary. Not at all foolish.
“I heard the music coming from your house, so I moved far enough out of hearing range while still watching.I know what ya did.”
All of the shame and loathing I’d felt about it bubbled up and my eyes burned, my throat choking back tears. I hated that I was going to cry in front of him.
“I didn’t mean to. I thought I was alone.”
“Aw.” He cocked his head again. “Is the wee bonny siren going to cry?”
And just like that, my tears dried up, replaced by anger.
