I hear a sinister laugh and turn to look at Mei. She’s standing perfectly still. Her body naked but for those dancing runes that decorated her body.
Why is she naked? And where did the blood that’s run down her chest come from?
She’s scared, I can see it on her, but she’s trying her best to hide it. Her head turns ever so slightly as she listens to a world that we can’t hear.
“Leaf, I order you to keep her safe,” Ronit says.
“We’ll take care of this,” Canto says before turning to me. “Stay here.”
Leaf struggles, hissing and spitting, but he can’t disobey a direct order. A pang of unease hits me, but it barrels after Ronit, who walks off with Lirin in one direction, while Canto and Reed go around the lake in the other.
“Release me,” the sibilant voice of Leaf growls.
I can’t, though. It’s Ronit’s command, I’m not strong enough to break it. All I ever wanted was music. I’ve come so far away from my dreams. But seeing Mei standing there covered in those silvery scars and fresh blood, her body trembling the way it is, I think perhaps my life hasn’t been so bad.
Perhaps I was luckier than some.
“Rowanee.”
“What’s that?” I ask under my breath.
“It’s me. I’m the witch of Rowanee,” Mei whispers. “It’s where he ripped my eyes out of my head and ate them. It’s where I escaped.”
I jerk hard, whipping around to stare at her. “He ate your eyes?”
She doesn’t answer me, just continues swiveling her head, listening for any signs he’s coming.
I feel sick and outraged and, for some reason, absolutely fiercely protective of this omega who is supposed to be my enemy. If anyone gets to hurt her, it should be us. Not this deformed, dark creature.
The scent of decay climbs in the air, and all my senses go on alert. It’s here, and my shiver are too far away. I inhale and try to force myself to remain calm, looking at her instead. She is lost in whatever she is hearing, and Leaf isn’t aware yet.
Dragon noses are not the best out of water.
He’s a hand span away from me, but if I move, I know this creature will be on us.
“Leaf?”
He doesn’t answer me, instead huffing angrily as he circles her. A bead of sweat crawls down my temple. Canto suddenly feels me, and I know he’s coming back, but they are too far away.
I see it out of the corner of my eye and throw a dagger in its direction. It veers off, hissing. Leaf snarls and chases it, but it’s so fast, unbelievably quick. I’m not sure how we are ever going to even get close enough to hurt it.
“Mei, run.”
“No. Running won’t help. It will just make it all worse.”
He lands lightly, barely making a noise, and when Leaf comes at him again, he dodges his sharp teeth easily, and then it’s just Mei and him and me, like an afterthought standing beside her.
No.
I won’t stand by.
When he rushes her, I jump between them, shoving him back. His talons bite deep into my hands, and I cry out, but I don’t letgo. I just keep shoving him back, trying to buy time, to keep him busy and off her until the others get here.
My hands scream, and I realise I might never play an instrument again. Hell, if I’m unlucky, he might cut off part of my hand.
“Sing, little Siren, sing,” the creature whispers, and I’m struck suddenly by how chalky his face is, pieces of skin sit half connected. His hair is oily with the wrappings of dead things in it. His lips are thin and black, as is the interior of his mouth. Those pointed teeth are sharp, and they scare me more than anything, but it’s the matte black eyes staring at me with such an alien gaze that really sends my mind cartwheeling over and over. In them, I can see a million versions of my death, a hundred thousand ways for me to die screaming.
He wants it.
