Page 79 of Kingdom Of Veil And Vow

My eyes snap to him as magic coils in my chest, my instincts pushing a growl to the base of my throat. “Of course, I am going with you! I’m the only one who can cross through the Spell!”

“It’s too dangerous,” he says, the words gentle despite the dominance in them. His irises alight with a thin band of gold, but I stand my ground, hands planting on my hips as I challenge him.

“Don’t be stupid, Your Majesty,” I snarl, my upper lip lifting. “I am going on that—”

“You will not. You will stay here until I can confirm that my men are accounted for and the beach is safe.”

My chest heaves, and pressure builds behind my eyes. This is a mistake. “Do not do this,” I whisper, biting back tears as I stare at my cousin.

His hand comes to rest on my shoulder, staying there even when I attempt to shake him off. “Siyala, I can’t do what I need to if I am worried about you.”

“I can take care of myself!”

“Can you?” he asks, and though there is a bite to his words, only concern crosses his face. “Truly? Because in the time since you’ve been home, all you’ve shown me is that you’re willing to be reckless if it means you get what you want. You’ll deny your magic, but you won’t let anyone in to help you.” Jahlee comes to stand at my side, her gaze heavy on my face. I ignore her, Kai’s words like a blow to my ribs. “You’re a liability right now, and as your king, I can’t allow that to be a distraction.” He leans in closer, his fingers gently squeezing. “But as your family, I won’t allow you to get hurt. Even if I have to save you from yourself.” Letting me go, he turns towards his sister. “Do not leave this ship.”

Then his back is to us as he makes his way to the boat. I lunge after him, determined to get on that boat no matter what, when I’m pulled back with hands on my arms, Inessa and Jahlee’s pleading protests in my ears.

“I can’t believe you’re allowing this,” I shout at Jahlee, my head snapping in her direction. “He’ll get himself killed out there!”

“He won’t. Because if he does, I’ll figure out a way to resurrect him just so I can kill him again for scaring me like that in the first place. But, most importantly, Kai is the strongest among us. And he is the king.” Her eyes burn brightly as they stare into mine, coaxing my magic as if she has some of her own. “You don’t have to like it, but you will respect his choice.”

I grit my teeth together, the anger flooding through my veins one I haven’t felt since I learned that Kai had lied to me about Rhea being taken. The two females continue to hold me back until the boat is out of view and heading down towards the water. Spinning on my heel, I look at them both, furious at the way tears leak from the corners of my eyes.

“It has to be this way, Siyala. Just give him some time.”

I force my gaze away from Jahlee to search the deck for another boat, spotting one near the rear of the ship. Once Kai is far enough across the water that he can’t impede me, I’ll make my own damn way to shore.

“What if there are still sirens waiting?” Inessa asks, a slight tremble in her voice as we watch my cousin and the shifters with him row towards the docks.

“Each of them have stoppers in their ears. As long as they don’t get pulled into the water, they will be fine.” But even Jahlee doesn’t sound too sure about that.

“We could help them,” I say, earning a glare from her.

“Siyala—”

“Surely, you don’t agree with being told to just stay here?”

“Of course not,” she groans, dragging a hand down her face. “But if that’s what Kai wants, then that’s what we will do.”

“I didn’t realize you were so easily controlled,” I counter, earning a sound of annoyance from her.

“I know what you’re doing, Little Cousin, and it’s not going to work. You’re not going to bait me into defying him.”

I keep my eyes trained on the water, Kai’s boat nearly at the docks now. Inessa’s heart rate increases as she watches them, nervously shifting on her feet.

“Almost there,” Jahlee murmurs, just as something rises from the water behind them. The color is shocking against the ocean’s deep blue, a splash of bright pink that gleams beneath the sun’s rays. Unable to do anything to help, we watch as Kai and the others keep rowing, oblivious to the threat looming just behind them. Another siren pops up, this time ahead of them, her hair an unmistakable shade of orange. Kai and the other males react, rowing faster as the sirens dip their heads beneath the surface again.

“Shit. Shit,” Jahlee says, her fingers curling around the railing as she leans forward. Everyone in the boat stands, the remaining distance between them and the wooden walkway hard to gauge from here. Pink and orange pop back up on either side of their boat, and my heart catapults into my throat as Inessa gasps. “Jump to the dock, you idiots!”

As if they’ve heard her, one by one, the males jump, leaving Kai last on the boat. Except, he doesn’t jump.

“Why isn’t the king moving?” Inessa asks.

“Come on, Kai.” Jahlee’s words scrape up her throat, her fear matching my own. As frustrated as I am with my cousin, I don’t want him to die.

The orange-haired siren rises higher out of the water, leaning on the edge of the boat. Gods above, is he somehow trapped under her song? Did the stoppers fail that close to the sirens? The males behind Kai react, one shifting with a bright flash of green light into a bear. But Kai throws his hand out, and then he finally jumps, and the sirens disappear again in the water.

Jahlee releases a haggard laugh. “What was that?”