“No, or at least I didn’t think so at the time. At the time, he took my rebuff well, and we became good friends. We remained friends until he took the throne. Then, after nearly fifty years of ruling the realms, he ordered me to attend him. We hadn’t seen each other in some time, but I had visited him five years before.
“When I arrived in Dragonia, I barely recognized the man staring back at me from the throne. His eyes had turned completely red, and spittle flew from his mouth as he berated me for denying him years ago. I wasn’t there ten minutes before he ordered me locked away.
“I was convinced I’d never walk free of that place, but when I told him I was pregnant, he gave me my freedom… and our child. I am forever grateful for our daughter, no matter the circumstances of how I conceived her, but I will foreverhatehim.”
CHAPTERTWENTY
Now Lexi understoodwhy Cela pretended to be the one in charge when they first arrived. She was sure Yamala still helped wreck those ships, but she doubted the woman still took pleasure in the abuse the sirens inflicted upon those they took captive.
She didn’t ask why Yamala stood by and watched the others abuse these men. What happened here was the way of the sirens, and even if Yamala didn’t partake, she wouldn’t change her people.
“I’m sorry you had to endure that,” Lexi whispered.
Yamala said nothing as her mouth flattened into a thin line.
“You can’t stay here,” Cole said. “He’s going to come for yousoon. He’s insane, but he must realize you hate him. That hatred makes you an enemy.”
“He thinks very little of any of us,” Cela replied. “Including me. I’m his daughter, but to him, I’m nothing. We’re not a threat to him.”
“Youweren’ta threat to him before he learned of Lexi. He’s going to considereveryonea threat to him now. He’ll come for you, and it will be soon.”
“I know,” Yamala replied. “We’re preparing for that.”
“Then why are you still here?” Lexi asked.
“We were waiting for you. We knew you would come. If you’re going to take him down, then you need fighters. And where to start recruiting but at the bottom? Or at least whathewould consider the bottom. So, we stayed… for now.”
“Where are you going to go?” Lexi asked.
“We have a place.”
“Then I would suggest going there. Soon,” Cole said.
Yamala glanced over Cole’s shoulder as one of the sirens returned to settle on an upper perch.
“We have discussed it and will agree to fight with you,” Yamala said. “In return, we would like to be left alone in our realm… if the Lord doesn’t destroy it. We also will not be shunned again. We’re not asking to be a part of Dragonia and everything that goes with it, but we won’t be humiliated or considered lesser anymore.”
“Is that all you want?” Lexi asked.
“We won’t change our way of life. Do you agree to that?”
Lexi felt all their gazes on her, including the curious, frightened one of the captives behind Yamala. Cole would stand by whatever decision she made here, but could she agree to let this kind of murder and abuse continue?
If it meant destroying the Lord, a man who killed more in a day than the sirens did in a year, then yes, she could do so. How could she turn away their help when the sirens might help them defeat such a monster?
It made her nauseous to look at the captive, but he deserved better than her pretending he didn’t exist. That was somehow crueler to her.
The man deserved better thanthisfate, but she couldn’t save everyone. She just couldn’t… even if it broke her heart and stole little pieces of her soul every time she sacrificed someone.
The best she could do was try to save as many mortals and immortals as possible. Still, she couldn’t be a coward who wouldn’t look the man in the eye as she sacrificed him.
Lifting her head, she met the captive’s pleading gaze. Tears burned her throat, but she didn’t shed them.
“I agree,” she said in a voice far stronger than she expected.
A tiny piece of her withered and died as the man’s head bowed and his shoulders shook on a soundless sob. Lexi wished she could yank her words out of the air and tear them to pieces, but she didn’t say anything.
Maybe they could win this war without the sirens, but at what cost?
