We all looked at Sirena. She shrugged. “I’m with Moira. If Caelan can’t hold his territory, he shouldn’t be a Lord.”
“Then let’s go steal some shit,” Moira said. “After I finish eating.”
Moira hit five stores,including the one that had just opened in the place where mine had been for all those years. Caelan hadn’t wasted any time in filling the empty storefront. At first, the knowledge stung, but that chapter of my life was over, even if Caelan and I still had some unresolved issues, mainly his dying land. I’d come to terms with the end of our relationship.
In that store, Moira had taken her time, carefully rearranging almost everything in the front room and taking some of the more expensive jewelry from the case. I didn’t ask where she put anything she’d taken. Moira assured us the pilfered goods would be found within 24 hours. In the other stores, she took one or two hard to miss things and broke a few windows.
I winced at that, but Moira assured me the cost of repairs would be taken care of. The specifics of how remained trapped inside her deviant little brain.
“Tomorrow,” Moira said, stretching her lithe body out on the couch, “Caelan will wake up to chaos.” A slow smile tipped her lips up. “Well deserved.”
Sirena’s wicked chuckle made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. She was more than a woman. The siren was human sexuality in monster form.
“If I had any idea of how much fun you all could be, I would have come around a lot sooner.”
Mom gave the siren a dark look. “And we’re all the better for your lack of attention.”
Sirena winked. “I believe you owe me a little something, Cliona.”
Mom rolled her eyes and fished out one of her magical cigarettes.
“No smoking in the house!” I barked as Mom tossed it over.
“No fun,” Sirena pouted.
I pointed to the back door. “Out.”
The siren waved the joint at us and glided outside.
“The gods help us,” Mom muttered. “That woman is insufferable.”
Moira burst out laughing. “You two have some history. Care to share?”
Mom sighed. “No. I would not. Let’s wait for the siren to finish up and get the hell out of here.”
“Can we trust her?” Sirena had never moved against me or done anything to make me worry about her loyalty. She had no loyalty, and I liked knowing that more than being kept in the dark and wondering if she’d strike me when I was weak.
Mom shrugged. “In this case, I believe so. She was telling the truth about her kind not being accepted.” She sighed. “Sirens are universally hated.”
Moira sat up. “Because of the whole sailors jumping to their death thing?” She rolled her eyes. “Stay away from small islands in the middle of the ocean. Like it’s hard.”
I got up and peered out the window. Sirena was sitting in the middle of the yard. A small orange light flickered close to her mouth. Guilt speared me.
“She helped us tonight. Maybe we can give her a break. Just this once.”
Mom’s lips thinned. “She’s not to be trusted, Evie. Don’t think she’s your friend.”
I snorted. “I rarely think anyone is my friend. But we can wave our white flags. Just for tonight, can’t we?”
Moira rose and linked our arms together. With her other hand, she pulled out the joint Mom gave her and wiggled her eyebrows. “How safe are these wards?” she called out to Mom.
“Unbreakable,” Mom assured her. She held the door open for us. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
I glanced back. “Everything okay?”
She brushed a hand over my hair. “Everything is fine. Back in five, I promise.”
She disappeared in a shower of light. Moira and I walked outside and sat in a semi-circle by Sirena.
