Page 137

“Sorry,” I mutter as I reach for her again.

Angie steps out of a blue-gold portal beside us with Jacob and her older daughters. It doesn’t take long for her and Sirena to go at each other over the spell.

“The old one struck at me with her spell,” Sirena says.

“Call me old one more damn time,” Angie snaps.

I’m not getting in the middle of that. Angie scares me more than Pontus does. Samara throws her hands up at all of them. “I told you we fight.”

Sirena’s father isn’t convinced. He keeps looking back at the open water. He’s going to take his children and leave. If they go now, they won’t come back.

I step forward with Aya at my side. “If you agree to stay, I’ll escort the rest of your pod across the waters myself.” I pull her in closer. “As Stormscale.”

It’s my first real decision as alpha, and I didn’t ask anyone before I made it. Valek is going to hate this. My dragon puffs up like he thought of it himself.

Pontus turns from me to Samara. “If my people stay and harm comes to any of them on this land, we will not come to the old one.” He glances at King Amir. “Nor to the king. We will come to you, fair Blackwood. You will answer for us.”

“Then come to me,” Samara tells him.

Sirena faces her. “We will stay.”

Whatever she tells Samara about her ancestors has the king clearing his throat. Cael dives under and comes back up with a stack of spellbooks that are somehow bone-dry. When Pontus says they will wait for us, I call out to him over the water. “We leave tomorrow.”

Aya bounces on her toes beside me. “Soon we get to hang out all the time, Sirena!”

Sirena smiles without showing a single sharp tooth. “Soon, sister.”

My dragon purrs when my mate’s wild-berry scent sweetens. After the Mer sink out of sight and Angie’s portal shuts, Aya grabs the front of my shirt and drags my mouth down to hers.

Back at Ash Clan, my parents are out on their porch when Aya and I walk up. Next door, Valek sits on the steps of his cabin with Kenya.

I don’t waste time. “The Mer are staying. I promised to escort the rest of their pod across the waters. We leave tomorrow.”

My mother straightens in her seat. Valek’s scent sours.

I turn to my father. “Stormscale is leading the way.”

His brows draw together. “Then you will lead them well, son.”

“Not me.” I point at him. “You.”

He sighs. “Son, I gave up the name.”

“The Mer never did.” I climb the porch steps until we’re face-to-face. “They followed your father across those waters long before the war. They still tell stories about Stormscale lightning. They’ll follow yours.”

My mother reaches for my father’s hand. She knew this was coming.

Valek shoots to his feet. His orange eyes burn, and smoke drifts out of his nose. He opens his mouth and shuts it again. He handed this clan to a Stormscale with his own fire. Now that I’m his alpha, he can’t argue with me anymore.

He stomps into his cabin and slams the door. Kenya gets up and follows him inside.

My father doesn’t move, but his eyes shine. When he speaks, his voice cracks. “Thank you, son. It would be an honor.”

I’m not done with him yet. “That’s not the end of the surprises, Father.”

Aya turns to me. “Go on, go. I’ll hang back.” She bites her lip. “But I’d like to check on my dad…”

I pull her close. “Wait for me. I promise I won’t be long.” She nods, and I give her a tender kiss.