Page 28 of The Forsaken

Gasping, Andromena snatched her hand away and pressed it to her heart.

The Siren lifted her head; a heavy column of blonde-white hair slipped over her shoulder. She opened her eyes slowly, her empty stare growing more focused until she returned fully from whatever far-off place, she’d transported herself from.

A place in Andromena’s future.

Maybe she was the silly ninny Edgar mocked her as. Or perhaps during her reading, the young girl had revealed enough accuracies about Andromena’s personality. But the Siren made her a believer.

“It can’t stop ’ere. It can’t. Let me finish.”

Feeling weak as she had never been before, she did the unexpected. Andromena looked to the door to call for Edgar.

“Please, Miss Smith!”

What nightmare had haunted the young girl, making her beg Andromena to stay and find any glimpse of light in the bleak future? Desperate for that same comfort, Andromena reached out and took the Siren’s hand in return.

With a bowed head and quiet breath, the Siren went back to checking.

The girl studied, looked at both hands, angled left, then right, and raised them closer to her face. She raised them both closer to her face.

The entire time, Andromena willed her palms’ lines to show the same happy future all her fellow McQuoids found.

“There is death in here…”

The door blew open. The only thing stopping the panel from hitting the viscount was the foot of his leather riding boot.

Edgar leveled his gun on the Siren. “The young lady is finished here.” Except for the harsh edge in his voice, the statement could have been about the weather.

He directed his next words to Andromena. “Let’s go, darling.”

Andromena knew he only defended and protected her for Lord Culross. Still, she had felt alone for so long that, for a single moment, the sense of loneliness was gone. Warmth suffused her cold bones.

The Siren spoke, reminding Andromena that she and Edgar weren’t alone. “Let the lady decide for herself, my lord.”

He saw something in Andromena’s eyes—a mystery even to her. The viscount advanced closer. “Well, darling?”

“I’m fine, Edgar.” Andromena gave him a careful smile. “I’d like to finish. Please.”

He swept his gaze over the divination parlor, and then returned all his focus to Andromena.

“Two minutes, darling.”

Her heart certainly did not flutter. That steady thumpthumpthump-thumpthumpthump was merely the beat of indignation. She glared at his broad back as he left. How freely he called her ‘darling’! With the casual way he dropped endearments, it was no wonder ladies sighed when he walked past. They were the true ninnies.

“Don’t fret yourself, Miss Smith.”

Andromena startled.

Worried? What was she worried about—?

With her next breath, the Siren reminded her.

“Your palm sends off heat and energy, but interruptions like the one from yer bossy friend can’t change yer palm lines, won’t alter a reading.”

Andromena’s heart fell heavily. “I was less worried about that than…”

Together they looked at Andromena’s palm.

“What I shared before?”