Chapter 2
I gaped at Shaddan, adrenaline flooding my veins.
Run. I had to run. Or maybe I should scream.
The cold metal around my neck was somehow worse than being stuck behind glass walls.
I just knew it. The chatter of the guests behind me faded into nothing.
All I heard were the quiet, foreign words spilling from Shaddan’s lips.
Translucent chain links of shimmering gold crawled through the air towards him, originating from the choker, one by one.
Whatever this magic was, it paralyzed my body like the toxins in a jellyfish’s sting.
Another reminder all the surface-dwellers, even Druinns, were filthy, lying creatures that could not be trusted.
Someone threw themselves between us in a flurry of black hair and clothing. It happened so fast that Shaddan’s grip on my wrist broke, and his chanting stuttered to a halt, interrupted by a curse.
The chain solidified and went taut.
Nameless Asshole’s eyes were wide, brows furrowed. Concern flickered through his gaze as he stared down at me, and at the radiant chain that stretched from the choker around my neck and disappeared into his chest.
Images and sensations flickered through my mind, hazy scraps of moments I’d never experienced, that mostly certainly didn’t belong in my head. A building crashing to the ground in a whirlwind of searing ash and sparks. Screaming and swearing into the blackness of night. And then…
Everything faded into the ocean. Sparkling and blue.
I could practically taste the salt, feel the cool breeze.
An overwhelming sense of urgency hung in the air.
Beneath a restless veil of malice, a blurry figure was searching the open ocean.
Hunting for something rare and beautiful, but not to treat it as treasure.
Above, a black flag snapped in the wind.
My mind cleared, my legs weakened. I gasped and nearly crumpled, but Nameless Asshole’s firm hands steadied me by the elbows, and the sweltering air seeped into my skin to ground me in the present.
What just happened? Were those…memories?
A thread of invisible energy locked around me and gently urged me closer to him. I tightened my hold on his arms and fought against it. He was a Human, and an awful one. I shouldn’t want to be closer to him.
Light rippled down Nameless Asshole’s arm from the point where the magical chain sank into his chest. It ignited like a sunburst, leaving a gossamer shackle around his wrist that glowed golden, just like the chain connecting it to the necklace.
After a moment, the shackle and the chain between us faded, and with them, the impulse to be nearer to him.
Nameless Asshole blinked away the confusion misting his dark eyes and lifted me into his arms like some soggy bride. He whirled us toward the luxuriously carpeted stairs leading to the second floor. “If you'll excuse us—”
“I don’t know who you are, but you’re smarter than I took you for.” Shaddan’s clenched fists trembled. “If you think a setback like this will stop me from claiming the revenge my people deserve, you’re mistaken, Human.”
The man cast a glance back at him, completely unfazed by the dangerous edge to Shaddan’s voice.
“I’ll have you know I paid for her services, so you can wait your turn.
Not going to cause more trouble, are you?
Wars begin with one wrong word or a stray frown, especially when things are as…
tenuous as they are between Arvensis and Terrakor. ”
Shaddan narrowed his eyes at the surrounding crowd, especially the guards who approached him again.
This time one held a pouch stuffed full of coins.
The Druinn general muttered another curse, but didn't move to stop us as the stranger carried me up the stairs, into the corridor lined with doors to guest rooms on either side.
The metal around my throat pulsed, and I flinched. I was such an idiot to think anyone would actually help me. I thrashed around in the Human’s arms, swearing at him until he finally set me on my feet.
“Can you calm down? I used the code phrase and everything.” He shoved his hands into his pockets, but kept himself positioned between me and the stairs.
I took a few steps backwards, hand on the tight metal around my neck. Another pull closer to him resounded through my body, but I stomped that urge to death and snarled, “No, this is bullshit. What did you do to me?”
“All I did was interrupt whatever enchantment he was trying to put on you, sweetheart. My employer can probably tell us what exactly that necklace is—”
Employer. He’s hired help.
I jabbed my finger at him, ignoring another ripple of an impulse to step closer. “You’re a mercenary, aren’t you? Who do you work for?”
“A mercenary?” he said incredulously. “People have always told me I’m too dashing to not be a noble or something.”
I couldn’t have rolled my eyes any harder, even if I almost had to agree.
His warm, golden skin was flawless, features defined, like some well-bred pretty boy one might find at a high-end lounge like Nightwhisper.
He was young, maybe a year or two older than me.
If he'd just wiped off that infuriating smirk, I might have admitted he was attractive.
Assuming I was in a generous mood. Which I definitely wasn't.
“You pushed me into a fountain!”
“In my defense, I was trying to get you out of there fast. You chose to fight me.” He ran his fingers through his hair and gave my soaked clothes a quick once-over. It made him snicker. “Consider it an unfortunate miscalculation.”
I pretended to twitter along with him and drew my sopping wet hair over one shoulder.
I wrung out the water, and before it could fall to the ground, manipulated the stream to fly right into his face.
He wasn’t prepared to dodge like he had at the fountain, but I didn’t bother to revel in his cry of annoyance and surprise at the little splash.
Blood pounded in my ears as I whirled and sprinted for the door at the far end of the hall, silently cursing the heels and restrictive dress they made me wear.
His boots thudded on the carpet behind me as I fumbled with the doorknob.
I flung myself inside and against the door to shut it.
No sooner had I reached for the lock than a much stronger body than mine hurtled into the door shoulder-first, knocking me to the ground.
I scrambled backwards until I reached the exorbitant four-poster bed and hurried to take shelter on the blankets while he slammed the door closed behind him.
I seized a fluffy pillow like I would use it to defend myself and discreetly wrapped my fingers around the handle of the knife hidden beneath it.
Another instrument to use for my escape, courtesy of Jereq.
“Stay away from me. I don’t know how you got hold of the code phrase, but I want nothing to do with you. ”
“Yeah, well, my employer won’t be thrilled if I come back empty-handed. Even more so if I let the information you have fall into the Druinns’ hands. Did you actually send the same message to them too? You didn’t think that through, huh? Come on.” He approached the bed, offering me a gloved hand.
Obviously I was desperate, you bastard!
The moment he came close enough, I growled and threw the pillow at his face, diving for his stomach with the tip of my blade.
Nameless Asshole seized the pillow and used it to block my stab.
White feathers fluttered from the gash as he flung the pillow away, snatching my wrist in a tight leather grip.
My arm trembled in our struggle, but he remained solid.
His eyes flashed, and he shoved me back onto the bed, ripping the knife from my hand. “Your message asked for help, and here I am.”
“I didn’t ask for you!”
“I didn’t ask for you, either.” He studied my face, then down my body, making me squirm.
My blue skin and navy hair earned me plenty of stares when I was on display, but something was off in his gaze.
Like he was observing something he despised, wrapped in a glittering bow just for him.
“Never seen a Siren before. No tail…No fins…You almost look like a Human. I’ll admit, I didn’t expect you to be so… blue.”
“Are you disappointed I have legs because it means I can run from you?”
Smoked spices lingered on his breath as he blew a stray feather out of his hair. “Look, Blue—”
Blue? No way in Mourner Hell he’s giving me a nickname that stupid.
“Stop being a vicious brat and put some dry clothes on so we can get out of here before the Druinn shows up again. No doubt he left to figure out some more covert way of stealing you.”
Nameless Asshole whirled away, tucking my knife into his belt as he sized up the walnut wardrobe pushed against the wall.
He found the clothing I had stashed inside it and tossed them at me before sliding the wardrobe across the floor with a scrape.
Once it obstructed the door, he casually leaned back against it to further block me in.
“Get changed. And don’t worry, I’m not interested in looking at your perfectly average tits.” He rolled his eyes and touched a small gold loop in his earlobe. “I’ve got her.” His coal-black gaze didn’t focus on me. Instead, it homed in on a point somewhere on the far wall.
Against my better judgment, I wriggled out of my sopping dress.
The lace-detailed corset top I pulled on was as close to Siren fashion as I could get on the surface, cropped at my ribs and snug against my skin.
Meanwhile, the flowing skirt Ipheri had given me had a long slit cut into the gauzy fabric to reveal one of my legs up to my thigh—definitely not hydrodynamic.
I traded my heels for a pair of short boots, watching him all the while.
At least now I could run faster if I had the opportunity to escape him.
Since he was still occupied with talking to someone, I hurried to the vanity beside the window and gathered my bedraggled hair into a high ponytail.