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She smirked, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “I got bored.”
That was it; it was all I could take. There was no time to waste, not with Bayleon and Bastian missing. Grabbing Lerissa’s neck with one hand, I pushed her up against a tree, knocking the breath from her lungs. She gasped and tried to pull my hand away to no avail.
“I don’t have time for this,” I shouted, squeezing her neck. “Either you tell us the truth now or I’m going to make this extremely painful for you.”
Her voice was raspy as she stammered a reply, her body thrashing against the tree trunk pressed against her back. “I thought you fae were supposed to be honorable. I’ve done nothing to you.”
With one hand still gripping her neck, I stepped closer until I was inches from her face. “You’ve lied to me, and you have one more chance before we take this to the next level. Now tell me what you’re doing here.”
Lerissa sucked in a ragged breath and shook her head, desperation pulling at the edges of her voice. “I told you, taking a stroll.”
My grip tightened and I looked over my shoulder at Aidan. “I think it’s time for the heat.” I jerked her away from the tree.
Lerissa screamed and tried to break free, but it was too late; Aidan had already created a ring of flames around us. As I let her go, she stumbled back and cried out in pain as the fire licked at her skin, peeling away layer after layer of flesh. She stood at the center of the circle, her skin glowing orange from the heat of the flames that surrounded her. I calmly walked around her, my skin never burning as I stepped close to the fire. My healing magic prevented the flames from marking my skin.
“Aidan is a truth seeker,” I said coldly. “All you’ve given me is lies. If you tell the truth, we’ll get rid of the flames.”
Lerissa’s screams echoed through the trees as she frantically looked over at me. “Dammit, just ask me your questions! I want this over, please!”
I crossed my arms over my chest and narrowed my eyes at her. “Why are you here?”
She sighed and lowered her head. “I always come here to get away from the shithole I live in.”
Aidan shifted in his spot and peered at me through the flames. “True, but there’s more she’s not telling us.” Lerissa clenched her jaw and looked away.
“What else?” I asked firmly.
She threw her hands up in frustration. “Fine! I felt magic; sometimes it calls to me, and I want to get closer to it.” Her eyes met mine and her power expanded all around her. “You would, too, if you were stuck living in the mortal world.”
She was a strong woman, and I could only imagine what her power could do to someone who wasn’t royal. Dropping to her knees, Lerissa hung her head to keep the flames from burning her face more.
I turned to Aidan. “Dial it back.”
The flames receded but only a tiny bit. I could still feel the heat on my skin. Lerissa kept her face hidden, her body hunched over with exhaustion.
“There were two men here earlier and now they’re missing,” I explained. “Was it sirens who took them?”
Lerissa lifted her head and laughed, but there was no humor to it. Her dry, burnt skin cracked and peeled away even more. “I don’t know. From what I understand, sirens haven’t lived in this realm for a very long time. All of my family are in the mortal world, living in disgusting, polluted waters. But I’ve already told you that I felt magic calling to me. That would mean there’s another siren here.”
Aidan walked up to the flames and nodded. “Truth.”
If Lerissa didn’t know anything about Bayleon and Bastian, then I was back at square one. I knelt before the siren, her pain evident in her eyes. “What do you know of the Tyvar?” I asked her.
Lerissa sighed. “I’ve never met one personally. I only know of them from the stories my mother told me. Apparently, they have the powers of seduction just like sirens, only slightly different. Their magic is more of a curse. I was brought up not to kill men with my powers.” She glanced over at Aidan and then back to me. “But I’m not going to lie, I’ve had my fair share of fun with the opposite sex.”
Aidan nodded, relaying that was the truth.
“I have another question,” I said, waiting for Lerissa to bring her crystal blue eyes to mine. When she did, I stared right into them. “This siren you’re trying to track down is obviously very powerful if you can feel her magic through realms.”
Lerissa’s jaw tightened and her shoulders slumped, obviously realizing she couldn’t lie. There was only one siren I could think of that could be that powerful. If it was her, then it could be what we needed to venture on to the next step.
“Who do you think she is?” I inquired, my heart racing with anticipation.
Lerissa huffed and slammed a fist into the ground. “I can’t tell you.” Aidan added fuel to the flames, and she grit her teeth, hissing with the pain.
“You’re going to have to, Lerissa,” I warned her. “There are lives at stake here and I’ll do anything to get the answers I need. I don’t want to hurt you and it definitely doesn’t bring me joy to see you suffering. All I want is the truth. If you help me, I’ll help you.”
Tears streamed down Lerissa’s cheeks, the liquid sizzling on her heated skin as she looked up at me. “Do you promise?” she said, meeting my gaze. “I’ve heard promises are sacred to the fae. So, if you promise to help me, I promise to tell you everything I know.”
