Page 99 of Liar Witch

It’s only a small vial, but a few drops is all that’s needed to melt the metal. Their collars seem to be the only restraints on them which are adorned with crystals, so I’m assuming that they’ll be able to shift once they’re gone.

They don’t.

The first one stays in its salamander form, its fiery mane flaring with light and heat as it stretches its neck from side to side before turning its attention to me. One giant, fiery head approaches me and sniffs, nostrils bathing me in smoke.

I don’t move. It would be so easy for it to open its jaws and snap them around me. The lizard has teeth. Way too many teeth.

For the longest time we stand there, frozen. My heartbeat a steady thrum between us as we face off.

When the salamander finally backs away, I breathe again.

Only to turn and do the next one.

“Stay out of my way,” I warn once the final collar has fallen off.

I turn on my heel, only to be stopped by a hand on my arm.

“Move it or lose it,” I growl.

“We can help you.” The voice which answers me is rusty from disuse.

I share a glance with Opal, not trusting this sudden generosity.

“Why?” I demand, finally looking up at the man.

The four of them have shifted back; their lizard forms replaced by rich sun-kissed skin and dark, fathomless eyes that match their dark hair. They’re so similar that they’re almost certainly all brothers or cousins or something.

Like all shifters, they’ve lost their clothes with the shift; but I don’t pay much attention to their bodies beyond what’s necessary to make sure they’re uninjured. The old Nilsa would have looked, but it seems finding my harem has me uninterested in anyone else.

At my question, the four of them share a look, communicating silently in a way that’s starting to piss me off. I don’t like feeling out of the loop, and these men are definitely keeping secrets.

Not that I can blame them for that.

“They took over our home and kept us prisoner in our own tunnels for centuries,” the one on my left growls. “They mocked us and used us. Now, we’ll scorch them from this place and then let the sea flood it to remove their stench.”

The earth beneath us starts to warm, cracks forming in the black dirt until one of the others puts his hand on the first’s shoulder.

I frown down at Shen. I can sympathise, but they’re not my problem. Right now, I need to get Cassie and the other sirens out of here and kill the rest of the assholes who work in this hole on our way out.

“Fine. I need a tunnel from the cells to the sea to let the sirens escape. I assume all this—” I wave a hand at the underground cavern “—is your doing.”

Flooding Ignira with water will make it easier for the sirens to carry their wounded away. I only have to ensure that I can get myself out of here before it’s too late.

Another silent argument. I tap my foot as they bristle, but a glare from the one at the front has them all falling in line faster than before.

“We will do this. But once these sirens are gone, this volcano will erupt. Only lava will truly erase the stench of these pests from our island.”

“I don’t give two shits about what you do once we’ve gone,” I growl. “Just let me get the sirens out of here first.”

More silent communication, then the smallest shifts back into his salamander form with a hiss.

“Galen will make the tunnel,” the first begins. “The rest of us will see to it that your friends are freed quickly.”

Galen must be the smaller of the four, and I quickly file that information away. “I’m Nilsa,” I offer, now that I’ve determined they’re not going to make my mission any harder,

“Rossiter,” the largest at the front replies curtly. “These are my other brothers, Monroe and Vespar.” He waves at the two remaining men, who give me nods in return. “Our youngest brother, Galen.”

The salamander gives me a long stare, then heads straight for a wall.