Page 58 of Liar Witch

“Yet, you and Cassandra are softer. Your hearts lie away from Marisang, despite being raised the same as the Seven. Sometimes I feel I have failed you both…”

“Never, Empress.”

“You despise me at times.”

She will see anything less than a truth as an insult, and I cannot lie to her when this is the most candid conversation that she and I have ever had.

“Yes, Empress.”

“I will not support Nilsa’s claim to you. I must choose Adella. You understand this.”

I grind my teeth. “Because Nilsa is an outsider.”

“Because our empire is crumbling, and a mating between you and Adella represents a bond between our family and one of our few major rivals. It will bring us safety and security and peace.”

“If Nilsa loses—” if she dies— “I will never love Adella. You will be bonding me to her against my will.”

Her eyes turn steely as she nods. “So be it. If the price of my peoples’ safety is my son’s love, I will pay it like I have paid everything else.”

“Nilsa could save us.”

My mother’s smile is sad. “No, Niklaus. No one can save us now. All we can do is postpone the inevitable.”

She swims back to the doors, flinging them open.

“Come, the surface awaits.”

Chapter Fifteen

Nilsa

Alexandra steps off theDeadwoodfirst and gestures for me to follow. There’s quite a crowd around the docks. All bronze armoured warriors with stern faces and distrustful glowers.

“You’re the first outsiders to dock here in over a decade,” Alexandra announces, not wasting any time in cutting through the crowd. “Come. The presentation feast awaits.”

I nod, adjusting the athame at my belt and taking a quick glance back at my males still on the deck. None of them are with me, and maybe that’s why I feel so on edge as my fingers trace the familiar gems in the handle.

Cas tried to convince me to leave it behind, but I’m not about to let it leave my sight now that I understand how powerful it is. It’s nothing compared to the huge trident that Alexandra’s carrying, but I’m not about to wander unarmed into a city of sirens.

As it is, I feel underdressed.

The dress I’m wearing is really more of a leotard. The black, halter-neck one-piece is completely visible through the diaphanous silver lace which covers it before flaring out into a glimmering skirt with a slit in the front. The colours and soft fabrics are a stark contrast to the gold and bronze armour that the sirens seem to prefer. But witches don’t wear armour. It would weigh us down when we fly.

I stand out like a crow in a flock of golden eagles.

Good. They should know I’m not like them. I don’t plan to play by their rules.

If worse comes to worst, I’ll steal Klaus from under their noses and get us out of here. Mate challenge or not.

He’s mine.

We slowly make our way through the wooden city. Each building is decorated in gold swirling patterns which look nothing like waves, yet still manage to remind me of the ocean.

The siren princess stops so suddenly that I almost crash into her.

“Cassandra.”

I’ve heard that name before, and I crane my neck, trying to see around the Amazonian princess before me.