Page 91 of Siren’s Secret

“That’s not playing fair,” he muttered

“Well, that’s my offer. Take it or leave it.”

Marc groaned and Wave could easily imagine him rubbing his eyes. “Fine. But you are coming back to shielding practice.”

“Fine.”

“Don’t sound so sour.” Marc chuckled.

“I’m not,” Wave protested.

“Right.” He cleared his throat, hesitated, then spoke again. “Tanner’s birthday is coming up in two weeks.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. There’s going to be a big party.”

“Oh, nice. I’ll have to get a present for him. What would he like?”

“You.”

“Huh?”

Marc chuckled. “That came out wrong. He would like you to attend. He knows about our… estranged situation and the trial, and I told him it’s not likely, but he didn’t let up. Would you come to his eighteenth birthday party? It’s kind of a big deal among mages.”

“With you?”

“Um, yeah.”

“As your fake girlfriend?”

Marc muttered something Wave couldn’t make out before clearing his throat. “As anything you want, Wayla. But I have to warn you, they know you are the stormbringer heir now.”

“Ah… so the act is out,” Wave mused, trying to cover that her pulse was speeding up and heart squeezing. He was saying all the right words but how could she trust them after the last time? She didn’t want to get her hopes up, only for them to be smashed to pieces again. She had her mate and Claimed. She didn’t want or need him. Did she?

“Wayla, are you coming?” Marc asked, sounding exasperated.

Wave pulled herself together and replied, “What? Yes, of course, I like Tanner.” She wasn’t lying. The youngest Ulriche was delightful company. And if his birthday gave her an excuse to spend time with Marc—well, no one needed to know.

“Lucky bastard,” Marc murmured. “Okay, thank you. If you are sure, I’ll let him know that you’ll be there. You’ll make his day.”

“Okay.” She yawned, suddenly tired.

March chuckled. “You need to sleep.”

“Mmh,” Wave mumbled. Another yawn hit her.

“Go to sleep, sparkle. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Night,” Wave replied before hanging up. She fell asleep with a small smile on her lips.

Glass shattered and Wave lurched up. She rolled down from her bed by pure instinct and looked for a way out. She needed to—fuck, she couldn’t run and leave her friends behind.

“Ginny, lock things down,” she screamed. That was their best resort. Wave didn’t wait for a reply as she crept over to the window, a wall of water swirling in front of her. When she looked, there was nothing.

Slowly, she scanned the dark street and then looked at her room, now filled with broken glass. She was about to walk over to the door and answer Chrissy’s and Ginny’s frantic demands on what was going on when she spotted the brick.

A simple brick should not have been able to break the window, and this one was still glowing faintly. A spell. Someone had chucked a fucking spelled brick through her window. Great. Wave frowned and took a step back.