Page 85 of A Siren Song for Christmas

Malachi gripped one of the shelves to keep himself upright as the truth smashed into him. He squeezed his eyes shut.

How could I have been such a fool?

He rubbed between his chest and throat, over the pulsing ache.

Then he froze.

Because the pain wanted to be released. And he’d not realised it until this moment. It had wanted—no, needed to comeout, and he’d been so shut off from himself and his feelings that he’d been oblivious to the signs. He’d been oblivious to what this was.

Because he didn’t want to scream or cry out or shout.

He wanted to sing. He wanted to sing a siren song.

For the first time in over ten years, he wanted to sing, and he wanted to sing for Trent.

Taking several deeps breaths, he closed his eyes. He listened to the stillness of the room. He listened to his heart rapidly beating in his chest. He felt the air enter and exit his lungs. And he felt the song vibrating inside him, needing to be sung. It reverberated through him, demanding to be freed.

All his pain, love, hope, and fear swirled through him, building and building until there was no space left inside him.

He opened his mouth.

He sang.

Chapter

Forty-Three

Trent washed the pot, hand moving through the suds. Kelby sat in her terrarium by the window, croaking softly.

Since returning to work, she’d rarely left his side. She usually preferred to sit on his shoulder or in his pocket rather than be in the terrarium, which he’d moved between his bedroom and the bakery. But he’d just fed her, and she was digesting.

He stared at Kelby’s terrarium. Malachi had touched that glass. His fingers and tentacles had placed each of those plants, the soil, and the branches into the terrarium.

Fuck, I miss his touch. Does he miss mine?

Swallowing, Trent focused on washing the pot, listening to the rhythm of Kelby’s croaks. He was pretty sure she would be happy as his familiar. But it felt wrong to ask Malachi’s frog without clearing it with Malachi first.

And since he wasn’t seeing Malachi anymore…

Leo had pointed out that MalachiwantedTrent to have Kelby and would probably want Kelby to be his familiar. He’d even offered to ask Malachi if he was all right with Kelby becoming Trent’s familiar. But Trent had said no.

Why did I say no? Why am I stalling?

Perhaps because he wanted to be excited when he bound his familiar. And right now, he just felt lost and hurt. He missed Malachi too much. So he’d wait until he could find some enthusiasm. Then he would ask Kelby to be his familiar.

Around him his siblings chattered and laughed as they went about their work. It was only a couple of days until Christmas. Everyone was excited, except for him. He lost himself in washing, letting their noise sweep around him.

Trent frowned. His hands paused amongst the suds. Bubbles slid down his wrists and dripped into the water.

He could hear something.

It was not Kelby. Or his siblings. Or the customers in the front of the bakery. Some other sound reached his ears.

But it was so faint. He could barely hear it. In fact, was he actually hearing anything? Or was he imagining the sound?

He tilted his head. He could swear that a sound tingled on the edge of his awareness.

He glanced around. None of the others seemed to hear it. They all continued on with their tasks. Trent closed his eyes, trying to block everything out. He held his breath.