“This is ridiculous,” Fergus sighed, only sounding a little inconvenienced.
“We shouldn’t have expected anything less,” Liam grumbled.
“What is happening?” I reached up on tiptoes to see, but Fergus released his hold on me and straightened his shoulders before I could see anything.
“Stay with us.” Audrey wrapped her fingers around my bicep. Fergus gave us a conspiratorial look before he sauntered toward whoever had just entered his party. Low whispers of partygoers started to erupt around us, and among them I recognized words like “siren” and “prince.”
Oh.Interesting.
I leaned around a particularly tall woman to see Fergus spread his arms out in a welcoming gesture.
“To what do I owe the pleasure?” Fergus sounded jolly, friendly, which was the complete opposite energy that everyone else in the room was giving off. Another shift in attendees revealed the newcomers, because everyone was giving them a wide berth.
Standing there, with his hands in his pockets, was the red-haired man I had seen on TV my first day in this realm. Drustan Shaw. The Mad Siren Prince of Lyndoruun. The son of the man who had a personal vendetta against Audrey.
And he was…utterly dashing.
His thick, dark red hair was half pulled back out of his face. He wore a plain cream tunic and dark pants, not nearly as dressed up as everyone else. The only gold jewelry he wore was a few hoops in his pointed ears. Fergus stepped forward to shake his hand, which he returned absentmindedly as the siren prince’s gold eyes scanned the party around him.
“His eyes are…Wow,” I whispered to Audrey. Drustan’s gaze continued to glance around, even checking over his shoulder, as Audrey whispered back.
“The gold irises of a siren. It’s the one feature sirens can’t shapeshift out of.”
Fergus reached over and shook the hand of the blonde woman on the siren prince’s arm.
Something pinched in my chest at the sight of them. I rubbed at it, above my exposed cleavage. A familiar melody filled my mind at the same time Drustan turned to mutter something low to Fergus.
I knew better than to ask if Audrey heard the music again. I knew she didn’t. Part of me wondered if this mental melody was a defense mechanism. If it was my brain trying to protect my mind from the stress of being in the magical realm, interacting with friendly but dangerous creatures.
Or if it was just the result of being in a land where sirens, fae, and nereids exist.
“I was feeling a bit left out, Fergus.” Drustan turned and gave the nereid a condescending smile, adjusting his arm, which his blonde date gripped tighter. She wore a similar outfit to the rest of the women. Cream corset with cream skirts. Her nails werepainted gold to match the several necklaces that hung low over her exposed navel.
“Did he truly expect an invitation?” Liam whispered to us in annoyance.
“I apologize.” Fergus placed a hand over his heart. “Had I known the siren prince’s feelings were so delicate, I would have delivered an invite to you myself.”
I pressed my lips together, loving Fergus a little bit more after that line.
Drustan’s lips tipped up in the corners, not as offended as I’d assume a Mad Siren Prince to be, before he scanned the crowd again. His gaze was about to land where we stood, but someone in the crowd shifted, concealing us while he searched for…something.
I rubbed my chest again.
Drustan said something to Fergus in return, but I didn’t catch what it was because Audrey tightened her grip on my bicep. Then released it. Her voice distracted me from the tune playing in the background of my consciousness.
“This might get weird,” Audrey whispered low, her lips near my hair. “We might need to bail quickly.” She threw a glance toward Liam at her other side, who stood tall with his arms crossed. A fuming expression pinched his face.
I nodded. “Got it.”
Clapping made us turn our heads toward Fergus and Drustan, now released from the beautiful siren woman’s hold on his arm. Fergus looped an arm around Drustan’s shoulders while waving a server over to deliver a drink.
Once the cup was in Drustan’s hands, Fergus smiled at the audience they held, while murmuring something in Drustan’s ear. Drustan didn’t react at all; he kept his eyes on the attendees while taking a small sip of whatever drink Fergus gave him.
“Come, enjoy!” Fergus bellowed, nodding toward the band to continue the music they had paused playing for the spectacle.
I turned around and walked toward the food table. Audrey and Liam followed, both looking over their shoulders toward Fergus, guiding Drustan and his date through the party.
“Hungry?” Audrey asked me with a smile as she focused back on me while I loaded up my plate.
