The Silver Siren (Iron Butterfly, #3)(68)

“It won’t matter. There won’t be any more Sirens soon. Come, we must catch up with the others. Either bring the girl back or release her.”

“If she is harming our mission, I need to cut her off, but I can’t reach her,” he said through clenched teeth. “I had her. I found her. She was among a large group of people, and I used her to attack them, but now? She’s too far, I just get muddied pictures.”

My heart began to thud loudly in my chest. My head pounded and spots marred my vision. The distance was too far, and the Denai and I were both struggling with the sight. If I found it this hard to see, he was finding it just as hard to control from this distance. But it gave me answers. They hadn’t meant for Siobhan to escape. It sounded like they were moving, preparing to attack. Their pawn had just wandered off.

“Cirrus, come. It’s time,” the other rider reached out and touched the man’s shoulder. Part of his hood slid down and I was greeted by the long bleach blond hair of Adept Cirrus. A soft wail escaped with the revelation. It was a deep, deep betrayal. But how deep exactly? Was the whole Adept Council involved?

Cirrus growled. “As soon as I can reach her again, I’ll destroy her.”

I backpedaled, pulling my conscious back to me as fast as I could. But not before I heard Cirrus reply. “Jay, remember not to use my name in public. It’s Albatross.”

I snapped back into my body and I was cold, freezing. I groaned inwardly and I felt my neck pop. My head still pounding, I felt like I had been hit numerous times. Something wet dripped from my nose. I reached up and pulled my hand away. Blood smeared across the back of my hand.

Syrani came over and handed me a small handkerchief. “You were scanning too long. Your conscious is not used the toll it takes on the mind and body. You were able to see longer than I could.” Her voice dropped off and her eyes flickered to the ground and back up to me. I knew she wondered what I saw.

“I saw enough,” I answered.

I used the small white cloth to wipe at my nose and I studied her expression. I could tell from the uncomfortable look on her face that she had recognized him as well. After all, Syrani was Adept Cirrus’s niece.

“I didn’t know, I’m still in shock. I’m still…I don’t know. But you have to trust me, I didn’t know.”

“It’s okay, we’ve both been betrayed by family.”

“What do we do?” Syrani whispered. Her posture dropped and she looked over to my father who was organizing the men, getting everyone on horses, and moving out.

He was furious. I could tell by the way he carried his shoulders. “What did you see exactly?” I asked.

“An army larger than I’ve ever seen, and they are heading this way,” she shivered. “What did you see?”

“I heard Cirrus discussing their plans. It sounds like they are heading to Sinnendor. They intend to wipe out all of the Sirens.”

“Sirens?” she questioned. “And you could hear them? I can only see them through vibrations. I can’t actually hear anything, but I recognized my uncle’s horse.”

I shook my head and waved my hands. “Long story, but in short, if Siobhan wakes up, she’s dead,” I finished just as Bearen overheard my last sentence.

“She tried to kill Fenri. She’s one of them now,” Bearen said.

“No,” I corrected. “She’s one of us and she’s being manipulated. If we can keep her from coming to long enough, we might be able to save her. But Syrani’s correct. We have to leave. They’re coming.”

“Whoever it is,” Bearen’s voice rose in frustration, “we can handle them.”

I shook my head and watched as Syrani paled at the thought of fighting her own kin. “No, it’s an army. Larger than any of us could imagine, and we are right in their path.”

“Daughter! Speak clearly now, for your constant dancing around the answers is starting to give my brain blisters. I can’t keep up.” Bearen warned.

“It’s the Septori with an army of Denai, and they are heading toward Sinnendor. So choose now father, whose side you are on, because we are standing in the middle of the battlefield. You said you wanted to go after the Septori, a chance to bring peace.”

Bearen looked at me stunned, his mouth dropped open as he processed what I asked of him. Before he could say anything I continued, “But whatever side you choose, I’m taking my cousin back to Sinnendor. There might be my only chance at saving her.”

“Their Elite attacked our village!” He pointed his finger into the night back toward Sinnendor.

“And you’ve been murdering their messengers for years. I think you two are even now. But I promised myself that I would stop the Septori from hurting anyone anymore ever again. They are going to try and wipe out our kind, using Denai as pawns to do it. And they are using my blood to do it. They must be stopped at all costs. Even if it means siding with our enemy.”

Odin had come alongside us during this exchange and had listened quietly as Bearen and I discussed our plans. He finally reached up to scratch his head and raised his hands up playfully. “Uh…you know, Bearen, what they say about enemies.”

Bearen’s beaded eyes snapped to glare at Odin, “What… the enemy of my enemy is my friend?”

“No,” he scoffed. “When my enemies fight, I raid their coffers.”