Siren's Song by Mary Weber

Author:Mary Weber
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Published: 2015-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 22

WITH THE SPEECHES DONE AND THE CHEERING fading, the room quiets a moment before coming alive again with a different sort of energy. It’s like an eclectic mix of fear and anticipation smoldering through the atmosphere and pouring off the guests in waves so thick I can almost crash into them.

Servants move around the balcony serving hot ale and soft fruits as voices rise and high-heeled shoes clip clip clip their way to where King Sedric and I are stepping off the platform, their owners jutting pointy chins and fascinated gazes at us.

“Your Highness, when will the Dark Army arrive?”

“What is Draewulf coming for? And how will we know it’s him if he can shape-shift?”

“Better yet, how do we know Draewulf’s not already here? And if he’s not, then, Nym, how about sending a storm north to deal with him?”

“What if the peasants refuse to support the war efforts?”

Sedric holds up his hands for quiet even as I’m edging backward to avoid their pressing hands and words. Litches, I can’t breathe in this dress. I look to slip away, but rather than allow me, Sedric passes off the first three questions to me—as if I could answer better.

Why? I eye him and can almost sense the answer in my head. Because these are my people.

How well does he realize that? Whether he understands the history of Elementals, I don’t know. He merely nods to indicate I should reply.

Fine. “As King Sedric said in his speech, we believe the Dark Army will arrive in nine days,” I tell the first man wearing a poofed-up hat shaped like an oliphant. “It’s why we’re swiftly putting together as many tactical units as possible—to stay their hand until we can route an army to the coast.”

I turn to the second questioner—a woman dressed more decently to the situation in a black mourning gown with glitter around her eyes. “We have Luminescents with us who, together, with effort, can see inside a person if Draewulf has taken them host. And we know he’s still in either Cashlin or Tulla because that’s where I last saw him, very much alive and in his shape-shifter wolf form.”

“And what about attacking first with your storm abilities?”

I shake my head and shirk away from the gangly man’s uncomfortable leer. “We’d risk destroying all of Cashlin and Tulla as well—or what’s left of them. Plus, we’ve no guarantee my powers stretched that far would destroy Draewulf.”

“But your powers can destroy him, right? When it’s time?” The man presses closer, his face and damp breath invading my space.

I’m tempted to show him my powers to get him out of my face. I reach a hand toward his cravat and let the air between us crackle. He steps back with a muttered curse.

“She can absolutely destroy the beast.” King Sedric jumps in with full confidence.

I give a caustic chuckle and drop my hand. And

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