Page 15 of Song For His Siren
For the rest of the meal, Calli and Bridget chatted, and he couldn't seem to get his heart to stop racing. What if she didn'tbelieve him? Or what if she did believe him and rejected him? He would of course go back to his kingdom without her, but he knew a little piece of him would die without her. His mate.
"Let me ask you a question, Calli. You've been doing this long enough—what are your thoughts on magic?"
Dru dropped his spoon, and it clattered down loudly in his near-empty bowl. "So sorry, it slipped."
"Magic? What do you mean?" she asked.
"Magic in the truest sense of the word."
Calli shrugged. "I mean, it might sound crazy, but you've been doing this even longer than me, Bridget. I've met a lot of charlatans and amazing performers, but I would be lying if I said I’d never met some people who didn't make me think magic was a real thing. I mean, I'd be willing to bet your fortune reading rings a little truer than your average card reader.”
Dru's heart swelled with pride. There was no getting anything past his clever mate.
"Well, I’ve been wanting to tell you something for some time now, and I think it is about time."
Dru looked at her with a look of warning, but Bridget just patted his hand. As much as he didn't trust anyone with Fae magic, Bridget did seem trustworthy, and he was at a loss. How could he tell someone who knew nothing about magic that he was actually an orc from the monster realm, and she was his mate? She would run for the hills, and rightfully so.
"Okay," Calli said. The apprehension filling her voice had Dru wishing he could sweep her up in his arms and make her feel better, and maybe someday, he could. It would all depend on how this conversation went.
"I sense magic in you Calli," Bridget said plainly.
8
CALLI
"What?"
"I sense a great deal of magic in you," she said again, plain as day.
She should say something. It was her turn to talk, but all she could do was stare at Bridget, her mouth gaping open. Then, she felt Dru's hand take hers. Somehow, this man she had known for a day was centering her.
"Do you mind if I show you?"
Calli shook her head as Bridget stood and moved next to the fire.
"Come join me," she said.
Calli didn't know why she was so nervous, but this moment felt big. There was a sense of standing on the precipice of something life-changing.
"Let me ask ye, is there anyone in yer family who never really seemed like they belonged in this world? People would accuse them of being a witch or just start rumors to steer clear of them altogether?" Bridget asked.
Calli slowly nodded. Her grandmother. She had raised her and her sisters, but there was always something otherworldlyabout her. Calli thought it was just in her mind. All the women in her house were just different, but she never thought too much of it.
"One more question: I've heard ye sing, and ye clearly have a beautiful voice, but I think yer voice might be magical as well. Have ye ever been able to make people do things with yer voice?"
"What do you mean?" Calli asked suspiciously.
"Nothing nefarious, my dear. Just have ye ever been able to sing in such a way that ye get things from people? Don't think of it as manipulation, more like flirting for tips."
"Oh," she said with a chuckle. "Yeah, that I've done. But everyone can do that."
"Everyone who is the descendant of sirens," said Bridget.
"What?"
"I believe ye descend from a line of sirens. Ye grew up on an island, correct?"
"I mean, yeah, I did, but that doesn't make any sense. Sirens? Like from the Odyssey? How can that be?"
