Read Siren's Song for Free Online Page B

captains?”
    What?
    Myles snorts and peers away.
    â€œThey did not survive,” Kenan says quickly, not looking at any of us. His gaze flickers down, and instantly the Luminescent’s eyes flash red. I’ve been around Rasha long enough to know that in that one movement of Kenan’s gaze dropping, the Luminescent saw what she needed.
    None of us are the captains.
    Kenan’s son is.
    â€œWe will inform the Inters.”
    â€œThe Inters?” Myles sits up. “Now that’sss interesting.”
    â€œWho are they?” Kenan demands.
    Myles hardly even looks at him, just turns to stare strangely at the gates. I follow his eyes to the large lantern-lit crystal sides topped with the two enormous carved statues. Does he see what’s off about them? I scan the whole section briefly and frown again because I still can’t place my finger on it. I go back to listening for what in hulls Inters are.
    â€œQuestioners. Seekersss. The Cashlin version of an interrogator, I believe.”
    The female Luminescents move to the door and, after saying something to the male guard, stride out. He follows to shut it behind them before turning to face Kenan’s large body that is suddenly lunging for him with a bellow. The guard holds out a slender wrist and slaps Kenan on the side of the neck, and the giant man slumps to the floor.
    The Cashlin then flips around and slips toward the bed Lady Isobel’s on. She barely has time to sit up before he touches her. Lady Isobel’s smile stays frozen in place as her body goes limp on the bed.
    What the—?
    The guard turns and presses the same wrist onto Myles’s neck, causing him to drop from his half-risen state.
    His movements are graceful. Delicate and quick. Like a dancer.
    An evil dancer.
    I lurch backward just as he comes for me too, jumping away toward the far glass wall.
    He slides a foot toward me and lifts his hand. “Oh, come now, it won’t be that bad.”
    â€œWhat’d you do to them?”
    â€œJust keeping all of you from being any more disruptive.”
    He dances closer.
    Too close. I kick him in the family jewels, yank down a weak bolt of lightning over the glass in warning, and flip toward the wall by the door. “Is that how you people keep the peace? Drugging? Killing?”
    His hand pauses in midair.
    â€œDo you like to use it on Rasha as well?” I say, my breath coming fast.
    â€œWe would never . . .” His face goes blank before it crinkles into a frown. “How well did you know the princess?”
    â€œDidn’t you hear your queen? Her daughter and I are friends.” I eye his hand and notice the tiny, almost imperceptible glass circle on his wrist. Keeping my distance, I tip my head toward it. “What are you doing to us?”
    â€œThis?” He hardly glances at the wristlet. “It knocks you out.”
    â€œI gathered that.” But I’d much prefer to stay conscious, thank you. “How long will its effect last on them?” I jut my head toward the three he’s attacked.
    â€œLong enough. But that doesn’t matter. What are you planning to do about the princess?”
    â€œRescue her. Which is more than I can say for her own mother.” I keep my stare on that wristlet catching the candlelight and refracting it on the wall. “So how about you don’t use that on me and we discuss what Rasha would rather you and I be doing to save her.”
    He shrugs. “The Luminescents in the hall will know if I’ve not used it. Besides, it’ll be better this way. Less painful.”
    I choke. “What will be less painful?”
    He doesn’t answer, just lashes forward as I clench my hand into a fist and call down the nighttime sky. A crack of lightning goes off somewhere nearby and I start toward the window, but next thing I know I’m sliding to the floor in front of it as the awareness hits that the skin on my neck feels