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Something shifts in the corner of my eye, and I turn my head, my hand closing around the hilt of the sword beside me. A dark object floats in the water, far enough away that I cannot make out what it is. It lingers, unmoving, but I can feel something watching us, as though eyes are boring through my very soul.
“It’s a Siren,” Fort says.
I look over, surprised to see him sitting up. “A Siren?”
He nods. “Deadly in the water but can’t get to us up here.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I can see her.”
“Her?”
Once again, he nods. “Not clearly enough to make out her features but enough to know what she is.”
As he speaks, she disappears beneath the surface of the water. “Your senses will never cease to impress me.”
“Being injected with giant blood has its benefits,” he replies dryly.
“Why is she watching us?”
“They’ve been spotted as far north as the coasts of Dead Man’s Land. Likely, she was swimming by and caught sight of you when she surfaced. They have no alliances with Tenebris. In fact, they despise us.”
“Them,” I correct. “But why?”
“Because, according to legends, before they used giants, the Nemoregnos tried to use Siren blood to enhance their longevity.”
“That’s horrific.”
“It was,” he agrees.
Turning back to the water, I scan the surface for her. “A Siren.” I cannot hide the awe from my voice.
“Do not be enchanted, Carleah, or they will take advantage of it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Legend says they can use your enchantment to their advantage, poisoning your mind with their call. Wander too close, and you’ll never surface.” He gets to his feet. “Of course, those are merely legends.”
“If I’ve learned anything, it’s that all legends contain truths woven in.”
“A safe way to live your life.” Reaching down, he pulls me to my feet. “It’s not day yet, but we should keep moving. We have a lot of ground to cover, and I would love to put some distance between us and that thing.”
Chapter 13
Carleah
Sharp, jagged, obsidian rocks jut out of the ground before us. They stick straight up in the air, their surfaces so clear I can see Shadow’s reflection as he soars toward them. The tops disappear up into the clouds, and my hands tighten their hold on Shadow’s mane.
Behind me, Fort has gone still. My only proof that he hasn’t fallen off the heat from his body pressed against mine.
This is it.
The point of no return.
Once we cross these rocks, we may never return. I take one look over my shoulder at what I can see of Soreno. Then, I turn back around, ready to face whatever awaits us head-on.
Shadow begins to climb higher, and Fort’s arms tighten around my waist. Heart thundering, we ascend into the clouds. The air up here feels different—charged—as though it could collapse and smother us at any moment.
