Page 7 of Siren’s Secret

“I haven’t seen him like that since…”

“…since the day he got the news about Marisol,” Hellion finished.

Losing his little sister had almost ruined Sinister. Marc remembered those years, even if they hadn’t been that close back then. It had been Rosaliz who had pulled him back from the brink.

“Yeah,” he said and rubbed at his eyes. “I need time to think.”

Hellion nodded mutely.

“Sparring in fifteen?”

“Yeah,” Hellion said. “Tell Simeon to brace the wards. I need to blast something,” he added before walking out and leaving Marc alone with his thoughts.

Chapter 4 – Wave

Salis led Wave out of the room and down a corridor. It was good that he seemed to know where they were going because Wave had no idea.

“Are you all right, Way?” Salis pulled her into a side hug and Wave nodded. She was just dandy. “I didn’t see that one coming,” Salis continued. “I mean, I had some wild theories, but this…” He trailed off and Wave grimaced.

“Yeah,” she muttered quietly.

“At least lots of things make more sense now, officially.” Salis tried to tease her and Wave forced a small smile onto her lips.

“I’m sorry to be such a downer, sugar,” she said, trying to shake free from the numbness that pressed down on her.

“Don’t be. Are you hungry?”

“I could eat,” Wave hedged. She really should get… home? Would Ginny, Di, and Chrissy even want to share a room with her anymore after this?

“Great. Come on, there’s a place I know close by.”

“Are we walking?” Wave asked, looking down at her prison-issued shoes. Nothing with magical properties was allowed in the prison, so Chrissy’s lovely sneakers had been changed to these torture devices. To be fair, the shoes were the right size, but after the luxury of Chrissy-spelled shoes, they really felt like torture.

“We can take the bus.”

“I don’t have my wallet, or phone, or—”

“Right. You’d rather go home?”

Wave shook her head. She needed a moment to gather herself and figure out what she was going to do. “Can I borrow—”

Salis snorted. “Heavens, creampop, it’s my treat.”

“Creampop? What the fuck is a creampop?” Wave asked with a genuine smile.

“Hell if I know. I’m running low on food-related nicknames. Would you prefer gravy boat?”

“What kind of gravy?”

Salis laughed and pulled her outside. The sun was shining and Wave stared at the light layer of frost on the ground. It made the whole world sparkle.

“Wow,” she sighed. Maybe her plan of moving to some arctic pole had even more merit.

“I bet it’s going to snow soon,” Salis said.

“I don’t have a jacket.”

“Not that soon.” Salis laughed. “Like in a week or so.”