“Her ridiculously handsome siren lover, with a far bigger cock than either of you.”
I just knew that idiot had a shit-eating grin under his disguise.
He reached for the leather satchel slung across his chest. Cedric lunged forward, unsheathing his blade in an instant, standing protectively between Morvyn and Elowyn.
Maybe he did love her, because my brother was never one for rash movements. And this showing his hand was exactly that.
Morvyn cocked his head again, then continued. From the satchel, he withdrew a crimson silk bag.
“What is it?” I asked.
Morvyn’s pale eyes flickered between us. “It fell off her head after the skirmish. Can you be trusted with her secret?”
Yes. Undoubtedly. But I remained silent, because the glint in my brother’s eyes and the sword clutched in his hand told me his answer was the same as mine.
“I’ll take that as a yes. Frombothof you,” Morvyn remarked as he extended the bag, which Cedric snatched up. “Good luck with that, Tiny Toes. He’s far more handsome than you.”
Infuriating prick.
I rolled my eyes, then turned to Cedric as he held up the bag.
“What is it?” I asked Morvyn again, but he was gone. Vanished like a phantom.
“Where did he go?” Cedric questioned, looking around the room. “And why did he call you Tiny Toes?”
“He’s one of the siren king’s men … sirens? And he’s annoying as Infernum,” I answered.
Cedric looked up at me, searching for answers, but I had none. I didn’t know what Morvyn brought either, or why.
Cedric reached into the bag and pulled out a crown, a large blue gems at its center. I looked at it, then at Elowyn, still unmoving in slumber.
“Why would he want her to have this?” Cedric asked. He stepped to Elowyn’s side.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“There has to be a reason they would want her to have it. It must do something.” Cedric hesitated, his hands hovering over her head. The weight of the crown seemed to pull at him, compelling him.
“Don’t!” I yelled.
But Cedric placed the crown atop Elowyn’s head.
She jolted upright, her eyes wide and filled with storm-blue light, flaring in bolts of fury. A humming sound filled the room, buzzing fromher, then she let out a scream that seemed to echo not from her mouth, but from her soul.
Her gaze darted between Cedric and me. The light intensified as she cried out, “Gloriana! Gloriana! Gloriana!” Her voice multiplied, joining with hundreds of others in an eerie chorus of female voices. “GLORIANA IS KING!” she proclaimed, the words ringing with force.
The urge to recoil in fear or disgust surged within me, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away. Her red curls were ablaze, swirling around her, and then from the crown down, every other lock was drenched in ocean blue. Her skin took on a sky blue tone too.
Elowyn extended her hands as the blue tint washed down the rest of her body like water pouring over her, down her limbs. Before my eyes, webbing connected her fingers. Her feet elongated, transforming into sleek, fin-like appendages that shimmered with blue scales, resembling the creatures that sank my ship, held us prisoner, murdered my men, and even took my wife.
Before me, Elowyn changed into the very beings I despised, that had taken everything from me. She changed into a siren.
“You shall pay for this!” the voices shouted in unison, the words roaring like a storm gathering strength.
A ewer beside her shattered, its contents suspended midair, swirling angrily. “You will pay! The queen will pay! The king will pay!” Her voice, joined by the chorus of others, echoed through the chamber. “You all will pay for this in blood.”
I knew it was the truth.
A prophecy.
