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Story: The Siren

When Lucienne was ten yards away from Violet, she felt the familiar energy pulsing around her. She turned toward the pull andsaw Ashburn walking intently toward her and Violet. He must want to stop the girl, too.

A fellow near her cried, “Look! Ashburn the blessed!” Then more fingers pointed at him, followed by more cries of “The blessed!” Like sharks in a feeding frenzy, the crowd swarmed toward Ashburn, hands stretching out to touch him in order to get a piece of the gods’ blessings.

Kian and his men moved, blocking the mob from reaching Lucienne and Ashburn, but wave after wave bore down on the flesh wall of the warriors with a unified purpose: touch Ashburn and be blessed.

The human wave broke through the warriors’ defense line.

“Get into the house!” Lucienne shouted at Ashburn several feet away. As she moved toward the Fury’s house, she found Clement and Peder cowering behind her.

“Follow me,” she told them.

Peder and Clement stumbled after Lucienne toward their house. Ashburn fought to get to his parents and drew near. He and Lucienne shielded Peder and Clement as best they could. Peder, Clement, and Lucienne reached the house, where Lucienne pushed the door, only to find it locked. Peder tried it, and the blood rushed from his face. “It’s bolted from the inside.”

Lucienne glanced at a side window. Prince Felix wiggled a finger at her, smirking. Lucienne tried to kick the door open, but the crowd was on them, surrounding Ashburn, a few feet away from her.

Lucienne looked around. Her warriors, who were unsuccessful in warding off the descending bodies, were more than ten feet away. Even if she opened the door, the mob would follow the Furys in, and Ashburn would have no place to run.

“Go! Go!” Lucienne shoved Ashburn’s parents to the side of the house, out of the mob’s way. She now faced the thickest line of the crowd and became the only obstacle on their path toward Ashburn. They crushed against her, ramming her away. Lucienne staggered,struggling not to be stamped by the mob. Ashburn called her name amid the noises, hands reaching for her, but the crowd separated them further, and the vultures instantly fell on him.

“They’re going to tear him apart!” Violet screamed. “I said blessing, not tearing!”

All because of your big mouth!Lucienne thought furiously. She pushed a big man out of the way. Taking advantage of the momentum and the space she gained, Lucienne used him and another man as a hoist to leap up. In a second, she landed on the fellow’s shoulders, ignoring his fierce protest. Lucienne pulled out her Armatix pistol and shot into the air. Another shot hit the side window of the Fury house where the prince stood watching in fascination. The prince jumped back with a yelp.

The sounds of the shots and the shattering glass got the mob’s attention.

Seizing that second when the crowd froze in motion, Lucienne shouted, “Back off! Or I’ll blow your brains out!” and trudged on top of their heads toward Ashburn, her whip slashing the hands that tried to grab her or throw her.

Amid the curses, Lucienne reached Ashburn’s side, whipping anyone still grabbing at Ashburn. “I’ll turn your blessing into a nightmare if you don’t leave him alone!”

Cursing furiously, the mob started to scatter, stomping on each other in the process. Ashburn shoved off two middle-aged women. Though his clothes were torn, Ashburn didn’t seem injured. Lucienne also noticed the absence of the black electricity at his fingertips.He’s kind and disciplined.But Lucienne believed he’d definitely fry the mob if his parents were in danger.

After Lucienne cleared the path for Ashburn, she spotted King Henry huddled with his guards on the clearing where the crowd was thin. She snapped her whip at the king. “Order your people to leave the Fury house. Anger the gods and they will take away the light again.”

“Leave the Fury house. All of you!” the king yelled. “Leave! Now!”

The guards shouted, “The king has spoken. All who stay will be put in the dungeon!”

The frenzy had departed the crowd, and they moved away from the Fury house, carrying their wounded with them.

Kian’s men helped the trembling Peder and Clement up. Peder’s hand was bleeding; Clement had some bruises on her cheeks.

Ashburn ran to his parents’ side, shaking in fury. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t protect you well.”

Peder and Clement looked only relieved to see their son unharmed.

Kian looked Lucienne over. She gestured that she was all right. He then turned to Ashburn. “My medics are on the way. They’ll tend to your parents.”

As Ashburn looked for Violet, she ran toward him.

“Are you all right?” he asked her.

Violet nodded. “I tried to come to you, but I couldn’t get to you in time. Everyone went mad. Did those barbarians hurt you?”

Ashburn shook his head and said darkly. “They injured my father’s hand. My mother has some bruises, too.” Then he darted his eyes toward Lucienne. “You’re hurt.” There was unmistakable concern in his voice.

“I’m fine,” Lucienne said. “But thank you.”

“You’re not fine. There’s blood on your pants,” Ashburn said. “You need to get checked, too.”