Page 61 of The Lost Siren

“I don’t know if you knew, Queen Wren, but preparations were already underway to leave the mountain.” I turned towards him, nodding. Sabien had told me as much.

“Benedict confided that our home here was no longer safe, and to prepare. He surveyed Lyoness a few days ago, and found it a barren wasteland, but free of any demon allies.”

“Is that so?” I asked. I couldn’t believe it; Benedict reallyhadbelieved me after all, and then tried todosomething about it.

“Yes. I’m sorry I didn’t believe you sooner.”

Benedict’s form materialized beside me, standing tall as he resolutely surveyed the Drakens scurrying around him. I wanted to punch him in the face almost as badly as I wanted to kiss him. The ground under my feet shook, a deep rumbling that sent alarm signals racing throughout my body. An hour had been right about on the mark.

“EVERYONE OUT!” Benedict bellowed, as the Drakens lined up in ordered formations, with the Elders out front leading after I had refused. I wanted to make sure everyone else got out first.

“Stay in the middle of the pack, they don’t know about you yet, and it’svitalwe keep you a secret as long as we can.”

His hand lingered on my lower back, just below my wing joints. It was tempting to make a smart comment, but the look in his eyes was so genuine, sopleading.

“Please,Wren, get to Lyoness anddon’t die.”

It was all I could do to nod dumbly. “And where will you be?”

His wings twitched. “The rear.”

The mountain groaned in protest as rocks and dirt fell around our heads. I placed myself in the middle of a group of Drakens, and then looked around wildly.

“Where is Georg?”

No one answered me as three Drakens weaved spells on the elevator shaft, intending on blowing it open so we could make a quick escape through the sky. They made shallow cuts to their palms and cheeks, blood dripping down their noses. They would be carried by other Drakens if their magick left them too weak to fly.

Part of the mountain exploded, as the magick blew the entire shaft into pieces, opening our eyes to the sky above. The Drakens screamed in delight as their wings tasted the air, but all I felt was fear. Where was Georg?

I screeched in distress and fought my way to the back of the pack.

“What are you doing?” Benedict roared but withdrew when he saw the panic in my eyes. “Georg! Where is Georg?” His eyes narrowed in determination, and I think I fell in love with him all over again. He nudged me towards the fleeing Drakens, and I leapt into the air. Just as the last of us cleared the mountain, it exploded in a shower of fire and shrapnel.

I screamed as Benedict disappeared underneath the mountain.