Page 77 of Hymn of Breath and Bone

Marella stood hand-in-hand with her siren mate as she led the group forward with the unflinching confidence of a general.

She had been the first we had asked to join our mad plan in Nordhavn, and the first to agree. Astraios and Sereia had stayed behind to rally support and bring them south to the cliffs.

It was this part of the plan we had altered the night before, sending the sea dragons out to relay our plea for help on the isles and pull the ship faster than it could sail with the winds alone.

It was a miracle they had arrived in time. Or perhaps it was divine providence. I didn’t care as I took in the assembling peoples and listened to the gasps and murmurings of the selkies who were slowly realizing they had been lied to.

“Ask them,” Marina challenged—begged—looking at her father with pleading in her eyes. “Before you execute us, ask them. If none confirm my story, then I welcome your blade.”

“I have no intention of taking my sword to you, Marina,” her father said, aghast. “To suggest such a thing—”

“That will be the outcome if you slaughter my mate,” she cried, clasping my hand in hers as we stepped as one toward him. “I shall not live in a world where he no longer breathes.”

The king’s sword lowered a fraction as he gaped at his daughter.

“The sea and sky, Undine and Zephrus, smile upon the selkies and sirens as a united people. Their daughter, Melusine, was born of both sea and sky. Both selkie and siren. Their love united the isles, and the love of anotherpair of mates tore them apart,” Marina said, looking up at my face with so much tender devotion that I could practically feel it humming along our mating bond. “And it is our love, mine and Caspian’s, that shall unite them again.”

Vitulus raised his spear, pointing it not at us, but at the Stormcrow.

“She does not lie,” Vitulus said, face just as steady and stoic as it had been as he watched the Stormcrow break my wings. I would never forgive him, for what he did to me or Marina, but if he helped us now, I could learn to live beside him. “I saw it myself, when you sent me to retrieve the Princess. And I heard his lies in the dungeons when he plotted to betray you as soon as the Siren King was dead. I cannot watch you make a fool’s bargain by trusting this male a moment longer, My King.”

The crowd murmured again, likely not in surprise at the Stormcrow’s betrayal, but at Vitulus’ harsh words to their king.

Better late than never, I supposed.

The Stormcrow looked down at the spear tip, still several feet from his heart, then up at Vitulus, and sighed. “Alas. I had such hopes that you were as thick-headed as you seemed, Captain.”

Ilya drew his sword so quickly that there was only time to react as he knocked Vitulus’ spear aside and slashed the blade across Vitulus’ chest. The captain staggered back, blood blooming across his dark skin.

The other guards surged forward, but they were too far to stop Ilya as he turned and aimed a killing blow at their king.

Instinct drove me as I surged forward, only one thought in my mind:A life for a life. A debt for a debt.

I dove, drawing Astraios’ dagger from my boot as I knocked the king aside and the Stormcrow’s blade plunged into my side.

The pain barely registered at first as the Stormcrow’s sword cleaved my flesh. I rolled out of the way and pressed my hand to the gaping wound, staggering to my feet lest Ilya strike a killing blow.

I heard Marina scream and felt her panic cloying down the bond as the shock of the injury released me. Searing agony threatened to tear me apart.

“He’s mine, Urchin!” I shouted as I felt, more than saw, her draw upon her magic. I threw up a wall of wind, determined to keep her as far away from the Stormcrow as possible. He could just as easily turn his blade on her, and I refused to risk her this close to victory. “Save the captain.”

Because Vitulus was there, bleeding out on the sand, as chaos broke out around us. I heard her curse at me as she obeyed. She likely could have dismantled my wall, but it would have taken time we didn’t have.

The relief I felt as she turned was short-lived.

“Foolish as ever, fledgling,” Ilya jeered. “You would give your life for your enemy’s? For the male who has hunted you and tried to kill you?”

My vision narrowed to only him, the pain making it difficult to focus on the crowd or the guards or even my mate. I knew Zephyr and Astraios had her. Would get her out if necessary. But this battle—this final fight—was mine alone.

“I would give my life for my mate’s father,” I spat back, tasting blood and knowing it was not a good sign. “So that she will not feel the pain of that loss as I have.”

“Cas!”

Someone was shouting, and I glanced up in time to catch the sword Astraios had thrown me, dropping his dagger and exchanging it for the longer blade.

Ilya snorted. “A pain that you inflicted on yourself. How long did you mourn, fledgling, after stabbing your own father in the heart?”

“I mourned for my mother,” I snapped, feeling his accusation hit its mark. My father had been dead to me for years before I killed him, but Marina’s could be redeemed. I would give her that if I could.