When darkness calls, she cannot answer...
Isolated and alone, Halen Windspeare is in over her head. Sacrificing her soul to save the realms, she must now protect the water stone. But the siren hunters won't relent until she is finally annihilated. H...
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Even with the doors bolted and the alarm set, Halen's sparks remained ready to strike. She felt electric as if someone could combust with her touch. She held her blue-tinged palms to the light. What had she done? What if the Elosian were right—what if the earth was safer with her soul locked eternally in a Hunter's arrow? Dax couldn't touch her magick then.
Her arm burned, and when she shoved back her sleeve, the silver spiral of her birthmark elongated, forming thin, pointed lines. She gasped, tracing the new mark. Had Peter's death changed her fate?
The sound of footsteps on the stairs drew her attention to the hall. She inhaled sharply, drawing up against the wall when a girl entered. Halen raised her hands to strike.
"Hey, it's just me." Nelia stood at the entrance of the kitchen, saltwater dripping from her body and pooling on the concrete. Halen's gaze rested on the silver interlocking loops of Nelia's necklace, the chain Quinn had given her as a parting gift. She wondered if Nelia would blame her for Quinn, for taking away all she had loved. Did revenge bring Nelia to her doorstep?
Halen widened her stance. "What are you doing here?"
Nelia stepped toward her.
Halen thrust her palms against the air, sending Nelia flying against the kitchen cabinets.
"I'm not here to hurt you!" She squirmed in the grip of Halen's magick.
Still, Halen kept her hands pressed against the air, lifting Nelia higher, so just the tips of her toes touched the floor. "How did you get in?"
"You left the door open."
She glanced toward the patio door. Had she forgotten to lock it when she left? No, she had been extra careful and had double-checked each lock when she got home. The alarm was definitely on now.
"How did you get in?" Halen asked again.
"Okay. I may have used a little magick, but I thought Lorn had come here first. He's an Elosian hunting sirens for Rania. I wanted to make sure you weren't hurt. I was prepared to fight for you." Her eyes pleaded for forgiveness.
Halen's magick spun with her confusion.
"Halen, listen to me. You don't have long. They're coming for you. When I heard a siren had been spotted in Rockaway, I didn't think you'd be stupid enough to come here. But then I saw the lights on... I was worried."
Her words stung. Nelia had no right to criticize her. "Where else would I go? This is my home." "Inland—as far away from the ocean as possible. Do you still have the water stone?"
Halen tightened the force holding Nelia as she spotted a diamond encrusted dagger secured at her hip. Blood flecked the tip.
Nelia followed her gaze. "I followed Lorn, but I had to take a detour because I was followed. I dragged the shifter you killed out to the ocean. You can't leave tracks behind. Not with a full-on hunt for sirens. There's an extra reward for anyone that can catch you, Natalie, or Asair. You need to get the water stone away from here and hide where they can never find you."
