Page 35 of Forever My Siren Luna
Cherum huffed and dramatically rolled his eyes when Jack said ‘we’, which made Jack smile more.
“My father,” I told him, causing that smile to drop from his face.
“Oh,” he squeezed my shoulder. I can practically taste the awkwardness around us. This isn’t a meeting I am very much looking forward to, and he probably knows it. “Do you want me to be there with you?”
I shrugged. “Do you want to be? You will be meeting the Siren King and the one that rules over the oceans we live and pillage on.”
Jack turned up his nose. “Do you think the man will punish me for such an offense?”
“If he tries, I think me and Val can protect you,” I grinned.
“Ah, that’s right. I have his own daughter as a member of my crew. He can’t punish me without punishing you.”
“Yeah, and he has punished me enough for two lifetimes,” I huffed. He didn’t mean to, but his blood contract with Lachlan led to a lot of misunderstandings and hurt feelings on my part.
“That’s right, lass. Let's face the man together. I’ll be your shield, and you can be mine.”
“I think I’m enough of a shield for her,” Cherum commented, picking up Jack’s hand by the sleeve and dropping it from my shoulders. He then pulled me back against him, tucking me into his side. “This isn’t some pissing contest or a battle of wills like on the docks yesterday between you and our Alpha. This will be Ela’s first time meeting her father. Not a game. If you can’t be serious, I suggest you wait out here.”
“Cherum,” resting my hand on his arm, urging him to be less defensive. “He didn’t mean any harm. We were just joking.”
“Ela,” Cherum looked at me with his familiar brotherly expression. “Just moments ago you were stressing about this. If you go in there looking for a fight, that is what you will find.”
“What if I do want a fight?” I stubbornly asked, even though I just told Val we weren't looking for a fight.
“You don’t,” Cherum’s tone was firm, “He may have made a bad choice, but I know you better than that. You don’t want a fight. You want answers. If you go in there guns blazing, it could cause more miscommunication.”
He’s right. I let my emotions get the better of me several times in my past, but that never ended pleasantly.
“You’re right,” I sighed. “I’m sorry, Jack. It may not be a good idea after all for you to-”
“I’ll behave, Ela,” Jack interjected anxiously. “I agree with your red-headed friend. I’ll keep calm and only be there to support you.”
I smiled warmly, thankful for his offer. “Thanks, Jack.”
“Anytime, Ela.”
Cherum watched us with an irritated expression, but I know with time that will get better. He will see that Jack may be a pirate, but he is trustworthy and dependable, and just a slight drunk in the evenings. Jack has helped me so much over the past several months, and I would love for Jack and Cherum to get along. We all have the same enemy, and it is not each other.
Cherum sniffed the air a few times, giving Jack a questioning stare. I started to do the same, just smelling the usual rum scent of Jack, but before I can let Val get a lung full of what has Cherum intrigued, we are interrupted.
Just then, the door to the great hall opened, and there stood Nilo with a solemn expression. Cherum must have mind linked him or Lachlan to let them know we were here.
This is my first time seeing him since I left, and as he looked at me, I can tell he is wary of how I will react. He knows now, about my first life. It seems everyone does. He is Lachlan’s Beta, and his best friend. I wonder if he knows even more than Cherum and the others. The apologetic expression on his face, like he feels so guilty it hurts him, causes me to take pity on the man.
I smiled warmly. “Hello again, Beta Nilo.”
His lips quiver a bit, but then he bites them, swallowing a lump in his throat. “Luna,” he nodded his head respectfully. “Welcome home.”
His voice as he says ‘welcome home’ is so full of hope that I hide the conflicting thoughts the sentiment brings. Is this still my home? I’m not sure. I don’t even know how welcome I should feel.
“Thank you,” I bowed my head back, not voicing my inner conflict at his choice of words. “Is everyone here?” I asked, trying to look around his frame to see if I could get a glimpse of the man I had never met, but searched endlessly for in my first life, up until my Uncle captured me. I couldn’t see anything around Nilo’s broad shoulders blocking my view.
“Yes, Luna. Come in.” He moved to the side, and there, sitting at a long table arranged in the middle of the room, is Lachlan, Cedric, Meldec and several others that I sense are sirens, as I have never seen them before. Right beside Lachlan is a man with long hair, almost the same shade as mine, with a crown sitting on top of his head.
The man’s eyes were on me, the corners crinkling softly and his lips pressed together, making me grimace at the tension I saw in him. His chest is bare, and slightly luminescent as his powerful magic shines on the surface of his skin.
Lachlan gets up, coming towards us, and when he stops in front of me, that's when I tear my eyes away from the man to look up at him.