“Thorn! You said you’d stop doing that.” She wrapped her legs around my waist and adjusted her hold on my neck as I continued to use ice to keep us afloat.
“I said I’d stopifyou’d make a contract with me,” I reminded her with a chuckle. “Which is still available, by the way.”
She huffed, untangling from me and pushing away. “I’m not making a contract with you.”
“I’ll make it utterly beneficial to you.” I solidified the water in the direction she was swimming to, and she turned around and splashed me in the face with the water.
“There’s always a twist with a fae contract.” She swam back to me and kicked my feet so I’d lose my magical hold and dunk under for a few seconds.
I came back up and saw her swimming back toward the edge. Slicking my wet hair back out of my face, I shook my head with a grin. “Always so sneaky.”
I moved my hands, propelling through the water as I noticed a head bob out of the water in front of Wren, and my heart stopped.
A siren.
Sirens weren’t known for their hospitality.
My wings ripped through my back and pushed me back up into the air as I flew toward Wren and plucked her out of the water from under her arms, flying her back to the edge on solid ground.
Once her feet were planted, she spun around with a scowl. “Thorn! That was rude!”
“Rude? A siren popped out of nowhere in the water! Don’t you know what sirens are capable of doing underwater?”
“Of course I do,” she bit out. “But that was different. She was just checking on me because she thought you were hurting me!”
I hesitated, breathing heavily as I glanced back at the siren swimming through the water toward us.
She looked a lot like Wren, actually. She was about the same size as her, with hair just as long, only hers was blonde. Blue eyes pierced me as she glanced between Wren and me, and she stayed in the water, floating. “Are you sure you’re okay with him? He plucked you out of the water like you were food.”
My mouth fell open as Wren giggled and walked back toward the siren like she was her friend.
“I’m sure. Thorn’s just protective,” she told her.
“I can understand why. Sirens don’t have the kindest reputation,” she murmured with a frown.
“I’m sure it’s not that.”
“Actually, yes, it was.” I walked toward them, eying her. “Sirens eat the meat of every other being other than their own kind… Usually.”
Her face scrunched up before she shook her head. “I’m vegetarian. I only eat plants. It doesn’t go over well with the other sirens.”
“I’d say so.”
“Well, I’m Wren, and it was nice to meet you.” Wren held her hand out toward her, and I tensed, halfway expecting her to pull her in.
The siren shook her hand with a soft smile. “It was nice to meet you too, Wren. My name’s Callie.” She sank back down into the water, and her blue tail slapped the water as she swam away.
Wren turned toward me with a frown. Her hair was soaked, and her dress clung to her. “Be nice.”
I frowned. “I’m nice. Just protective…”
“Speaking of protective,” she growled, and her fuzzy ears popped from her skull at the same time her tail sprouted.
I bit my lip to stop the smile. She was so adorable in her semi-shifted form.
“Don’t even think about it.” Her tail flicked, something it only did when she was actually angry. “Have you been making contracts behind my back?”
My smile dropped, and I shifted on my feet. “Uh…”
