Dirty Lying Sirens

Chapter Forty Two

Caspian

Maddie stirred in my arms, and I loosened my grip around her to allow whatever movement she needed. Sweat dotted her forehead, even as her eyes shut tighter before cracking open with a gasp.

"Shh, it's me," I murmured into her hair, kissing the top of her head. "You're safe."

She sighed, her warm breath fanning against my chest. "What an ordeal that was."

I held her for a while, letting her heart rate settle down until she wanted to talk about it. All she had done for a while now was talk. Answer questions, go silent, eat when fed, napped when told. My little siren was exhausted.

"I keep feeling like I'm in that room," she whispered finally. "With no light, and a slanted floor, and water. I didn't know if I was going to die in there."

Holding her a little tighter, I pulled her closer. "It didn't happen. It won't happen again, I promise."

"But what if Helena and Eris get off with no punishments?" she asked. "What if they come back for me later?"

Shifting on the mattress, I pulled our faces even with each other. Brushing a thumb over her cheek, her tired eyes flicked between mine for understanding.

"I can't erase what was." Though gods know I wish I could. "All I can do is ensure what will be. I want to be with you, Maddie. I want to hold you every night, and listen to you sing. I want you to thrive, and go have your workouts, and to feel safe. To feel at home. What can I do to make that happen for you?"

She smiled, a soft blush crossing the bridge of her nose. "Caspian, I don't know if I love you but I'm well on my way. Please, just stay with me. I've lived in a lot of places, and I don't know that a building will ever feel like home to me, but you do. You feel like home."

I could have melted at that. Hell, maybe I did melt at that a little. Pulling her even tighter, I managed a whisper. "I'll say it first then. Madeline, I do love you. When I thought I'd lost you I was a mess. When I saw Calix's hands on you, I thought I might kill him. I wanted to."

"You didn't," she said.

Shaking my head. "The Ateos will pay for what they did to you."

She flinched. "I guess . . . I'm one of them now. Aren't I?"

"Not if you don't want to be. Not by the rights of a siren. You don't have to claim any heritage you don't want to and no one in Atlantis would make you."

"But, the basilli-"

"The basilli will be held to the same laws as the rest of us." That I could promise her.

She seemed to relax at that. With a yawn, she curled up a little tighter in the blankets.

"You're tired, go back to sleep."

"Mmm. Will you be here when I wake up?" she asked.

"I'll try. I have an errand to run, but Nikkos is staying here for the time being. I would never leave you alone."

She nodded, satisfied, and it was only a few heartbeats before her breath evened back out in a deep sleep.

On light feet, I stepped out of Madeline's room and closed the door. Turning into the main living space, I found Nikkos sprawled out on the cushions, looking exhausted in front of his laptop.

"Nikkos," I murmured as I sat to join him.

He stirred, having dozed off. "I'm up."

"Shh, don't wake her up she finally got back to sleep."