Page 99 of Siren’s Secret

“Just breathe with me, mate. Can you do that for me?”

She barely nodded, even when all her muscles were locked in tight. Slowly, Irishen reached out and took her hand, guiding it over his heart.

“Feel that?”

The familiar beat calmed her own frantically beating heart and Wave’s fingers flexed over his chest, trying to get closer, find his skin.

“You’re doing well, mate. Do you know where you are?”

Again, she gave a tiny nod.

“I’m here. Jarred is on his way.”

A nod.

“Marc is behind you. He’s not trying to hold you. He will let go if you want him to.”

She felt Marc’s finger lift from her waist and quickly shook her head.

“Okay, sparkle,” Marc murmured. “I won’t let go. I’m here.”

“Safe,” Irishen said softly. “You are safe.”

Again, Marc’s fingers flexed, tightening their hold so imperceptibly that she would have missed it if she hadn’t been hyper aware of everything.

“They will have to go through me to get to you, sparkle.” His whisper was faint, and she wasn’t sure if she was meant to hear it, but she did, and it drained some of the tension from her body. She found herself leaning against his chest. They were still sitting on the bed. Irishen kneeled next to it.

“Now, can you talk us through what happened, mate?” Every time Irishen said mate, it tugged at the bond, reminding her of the connection.

She took her time, letting her body sink against Marc’s strong chest, while clinging to Irishen’s heartbeat. Her breathing slowed and deepened until she could swallow easily. After clearing her throat a couple of times, she managed to get the words out.

“I had fallen asleep after talking to Marc on the phone,” she started, expecting some reaction from Irishen about that, but all she got was an encouraging nod. “I woke up to a crash and instinctively rolled down from my bed, but all I could see was a brick lying on the floor. I think it was spelled. It shouldn’t have gotten through Ginny’s protections otherwise.”

“We’ll check,” Marc murmured.

“So I shouted for Ginny to lock things down when someone grabbed me from behind. The glove was wet, and it smelled foul. Like sulfur and rot.” She shuddered and her breathing picked up again.

Irishen clasped her hands a little tighter, and Marc rubbed her waist gently. They waited patiently until she had her breathing under control again and could continue.

“I fought back, but I panicked and a storm broke out. I don’t… I don’t remember after that. I must have fallen unconscious.”

“When I got to you, there was a thunderstorm in your room,” Marc told her. “It—you didn’t attack Jarred.”

“She wouldn’t. He’s her Claimed. The bond would recognize him anywhere,” Irishen said. When Wave looked at him quizzically, he smiled gently. “We talked. I believe I’m quite an expert on shifter bonds right about now. And he in elemental mate bonds.”

“Mage ties don’t work like that,” Marc muttered, sounding a bit sour.

Irishen threw a sharp glance at him that Wave chose to ignore.

“That’s all I know,” she said.

Irishen nodded. “Okay. I don’t remember anyone saying anything about a brick, but your room was a mess after the storm and we moved the girls over to my place with Salis.”

“Grant, Xuan, or Yash could go over to check,” Marc added.

Wave braced before asking her question and both men noticed. “Are you sure it was lalwe root?”

“Yes.” Irishen didn’t soften the blow, but their bond poured soothing ice into her. “Ilijas said all the symptoms matched. It was a large enough dose that it would have killed weaker beings.”