Now, as the main road we marched on widened, Ilia’s estate came into view.
Caelena stepped forward on Audrey’s other side, at the same time Liam stepped back, scanning and taking one last note of everyone here. Sergei stepped forward to walk on Caelena’s opposite side.
The four of us led the charge, followed by Liam and the women. Sergei’s soldiers marched on the outer perimeter of our army.
If I died, Audrey would be here to mourn me, at least. But a certain detained siren also came to mind. Would Drustan actually mourn me? Or would he feel relief with my loss? Would this animalistic urge inside of him dim with my death? Or would that just tip the Mad Siren Prince over the edge?
To distract myself from possibly dying today, I started whistling.
It was my favorite tune, the tune that had been stuck in my head for months. Haunting me in my sleep. The one I had been working on producing on my laptop, on the drums at the Sun Bean. The tune that always danced in the air whenever I stepped foot in this realm.
To my surprise, after a few moments of me whistling, Caelena joined in.
I grinned at her but was surprised when she started whistling the next verse.
“How do you—?” I tried not to sound too offended that she knew my song. The song I had been desperate to write down and properly compose. I thought I had dreamt of it.
“I was going to ask you the same question,” Caelena raised a brow as she replied. “Though, I have my suspicions for why you know the former Siren Queen’s famous lullaby.”
My lips parted.
“I hear this song every time I come to Hyvenmere,” I explained “Sometimes it’s faint, sometimes it’s louder?—”
“Does it get louder the closer you are to your mate?” Caelena asked with a raised eyebrow. Audrey stared at me after Caelena’s question, her face numb with what we were about to do. I opened my mouth, ready to reply, then shut it. Realizing I had no idea how to respond.
Because the closer we marched to the Shaw estate, the clearer the tune played in my mind. Caelena hummed, clearly accepting the answer my silence provided her.
Sergei started to hum after that, and then, in a low baritone, he started to sing words in an ancient siren language.
It was reverent and haunting. A song designed to bring comfort while fully aware of the gruesome reality we faced. I couldn’t understand the words, but as Caelena and other siren women behind us joined Sergei with their powerful voices, I was overwhelmed by the strength brewing in our rebellion.
Audrey and I hummed along, not needing to know the lyrics. Just honored to be part of the act of defiance.
We approached the gates to the Shaw estate, where a dozen siren soldiers stood outside of it, weapons out and defense positions taken. Eventually, the song ended on a haunting note, and Caelena lifted a hand to get everyone to halt.
Hundreds of women faced a dozen soldiers.
There was one who stepped forward, lowering his sword just a touch, as his eyes studied our group. Recognition flared.
“Is Carmen with you?” the soldier asked.
My face fell, watching his eyes continuously scan our mob over and over again. His body was braced for battle, but his mind was elsewhere.
Caelena and Audrey stayed silent.
“What about my son?” he asked, cautiously stepping forward once more. “Is he with her? Are they safe?”
Caelena stared at him hard, and I wondered how exactly she was sifting through his mind. Weighing the pros and cons of being honest with him, while also understanding that as long as Ilia lives, secrets must be kept.
“We are here to speak to the king,” Caelena answered instead.
The soldier’s brows furrowed as he focused in on Sergei, “…Are you a traitor?” he asked.
Sergei didn’t need a moment to think about his response.
“I am loyal to the people of Lyndoruun. Ilia is not.”
Another soldier guarding the gate, standing near the back of the defense, cursed and raised his sword higher.
