Page 33 of Shattered Galaxies (Tears of the Siren #6)

Dean

I couldn’t look away from Lorcan.

That wasn’t unusual, but this morning felt different. If I looked away for even a moment, it felt like she would vanish. Like she’d get pulled into the void above, lost to the cosmos and devoured by the dark ones. My jaw tightened as I fought the urge to wrap her in my arms and lock her away.

I wouldn’t distract her. Not now, when she was focused on adjusting her armor.

Never had I imagined seeing Lorcan like this.

Yet, unsurprisingly, she looked stunning.

The intricate metalwork molded to her perfectly, the glowing blue accents alive under her touch.

Celestial patterns sparkled as she turned, the early light of morning slipping through our tent.

When she reached for her violin, I crossed the space, helping her adjust the black leather holder so it rested against her left side.

“This is surreal,” she murmured, the quiet only interrupted by the soft sounds of soldiers moving outside. The air carried a calm but eerie tension.

Adjusting the strap, I spoke honestly. “I never thought we’d be part of something like this. Until now, our world has been the pride, and the conflicts there are nothing like this.”

Lorcan nodded, her brow furrowing. “I feel like I dragged all of you into this.”

Turning her in my arms, I cupped her jaw. “We were always going to stand with you, Lorcan. I don’t regret a second of it.”

Her eyes softened as she pressed a brief kiss to my lips. Pulling back, she admitted, “I’m glad you didn’t bring any pride members to this. I know they’re strong, but this is…different.”

“Exactly,” I agreed, loving her protectiveness over them. Our pride had strong, capable fighters—some with military backgrounds—but none had faced anything like this. And if something happened to us, those strong leaders would remain to guide the pride forward.

I’d explained as much in the meeting.

I wished Lorcan had joined us there, though I understood her reasoning for wanting to stay and catch up with Cormac. Whether she realized it or not, many already looked to Lorcan for leadership. Although that wasn’t my only reason.

My fears about her stalker had come true, and the only silver lining was Desmond slaughtering Senator Malcroy.

“A lot of these realms have military academies. I almost wonder why we don’t have something like that in the Earth realm, at least for shifters. I’d love to say this will be the last conflict, but if we survive this, there are sure to be more.”

“ When we survive this,” I corrected. “You should bring that idea up at the next pride meeting.”

“Always trying to make me queen,” she teased.

Lorcan was already my queen, and she absolutely knew that.

“Are we ready to head out? Everyone’s gathering at the front gate,” Adriel called from the entrance.

I grabbed my axe, Lorcan and I joining him outside.

I planned to shift in battle, but none of us refused when the Dreki realm had offered spelled armor and weapons.

Gear that would remain intact even after shifting into our other forms.

Better equipment meant a better chance to protect Lorcan.

The armor bore a celestial pattern over the heart, and Lorcan’s face lit up when she saw it, which made me proud to wear it. We may not have had our own sigil or banner, but wearing something that reminded me of Lorcan over my heart felt right.

“Where are the others?” I asked Adriel as we moved through the camp. Soldiers whispered as Lorcan passed, though she kept her gaze forward, lost in thought.

“Waiting for us at the gate,” Adriel said.

Despite the tension we all felt, it was clear to me that Lorcan had stepped fully into her role. Power radiated off her, and I couldn't help but infuse our bond with pride, catching the small smile that tugged at her lips in response.

“There she is.” Rhett grinned as Lorcan strode to his arms. Adriel and Cash joined them while I stood with Desmond, Zander, and Draven. We hadn’t been ordered to move out yet, giving me a moment to ask something weighing on me.

“Both of you were in the cosmos war, right?” I asked Zander and Draven.

“Yes, unfortunately,” Draven answered.

“Partly,” Zander said. “Though I’d say this is on a much larger scale.”

I tried to absorb what that meant. “We’ve never seen battle like this. What should I expect?”

“Slaughter. Bloodshed,” Draven said plainly. “Although I don’t assume those will bother you. The best advice I can give is to keep your focus ahead, and assume everyone will be able to defend themselves because you can’t protect everyone.”

“Chaos as well. It will be far more chaotic and confusing than any portrayal you’ve seen,” Zander expressed.

“Luckily, our focus is Lorcan and getting her where she needs to be,” Desmond pointed out. The group of us, plus Cormac and his bonded, were tasked with escorting Lorcan up the cliffside.

Lorcan suspected that’s where the dark ones would appear.

We could have camped there, but she was cautious about exposing ourselves before the gods arrived; out there they could bypass our forces and attack us directly.

If Nour’s vision was accurate, we’d need to move quietly once the gods were engaged to get into position.

“Lorcan is the priority,” Draven confirmed. Despite the tension, our bonds hummed with unity. We had one goal—get Lorcan to her confrontation point.

The air shifted as Nova and her bonded passed us, drawing Lorcan forward. I moved quickly to her side, my hand at her back as the others followed. Crossing through the gate, an odd wave of magic rippled over my frame. I was so focused on clearing the wards that I didn’t notice Lorcan had stopped.

Everyone stood frozen, staring skyward in awe and fear. The atmosphere crackled with charged energy. When I followed their gazes, I understood why.

Behind us, sunlight still poured down, but ahead, the sky was pitch-black. Every star had vanished. A ripple tore through the universe itself, and raw power surged toward the awaiting forces. My instincts roared to shift on the spot, and Lorcan’s anxiety spiked as her hand shot to mine.

As if knowing, her counterpart let out a wave of magic. Nova’s magic wrapped around every individual present, extending into a purple dome that sheltered the camp and expanded out at least two miles ahead of us.

The magic was nearly transparent, but it immediately relieved the pressure from the dark ones’ pull, causing Lorcan to take a deep breath of relief. It would also serve to protect anyone from the effects of Lorcan’s magic while allowing the battle to take place uninterrupted.

“That was cool,” Cormac said, making me smirk. It had been fucking cool, and considering how Lorcan was staring at Nova in awe, I knew she agreed.

Before my mate could say anything, an ear-splitting crackling noise rang through the air. I let out a grunt of annoyance as everyone tensed, prepared for the worst. When my bond with Lorcan filled with pain and trepidation, I immediately tightened my hold on her.

“They’re here.”

With Lorcan’s declaration, a shockwave blasted through the realm, nearly throwing all of us back as a tornado of wind whipped down the valley.

I stood strong, keeping Lorcan on her feet as we watched the skies open up—as if a curtain was parting—to reveal a galaxy of nebulous cosmos.

As if we were fucking seeing light years away all at once.

A heavy shocked silence filled the air around us as the magic ward took the brunt of the vacuum that began to pull on us.

They were here, and this was the open door for them.

Before we were able to grasp what had just happened, a different string of power—much closer—shifted my focus.

A rumble left my chest because right at that exact moment, gods began to arrive in a wave, their sizable ten-foot statures standing in contrast to the hundreds of foot soldiers behind them.

Loyal to the bastards who were trying to stand in defiance of Lorcan.

My strength didn’t lie in defeating cosmic beings, but I could rip out the throat of any of these fuckers. My anger grew as the final individual phased in completely, standing front and center. Whispers behind me warned that it was Ra, and I had to assume they meant the Egyptian god.

“Shit,” Lorcan murmured as my brothers joined us, the line of us standing between the god and Lorcan.

Even I could admit that Ra made an imposing figure, and the way he appeared to glow with sunlight had me wincing.

His skin was painted red, crackled with lines of molten gold, and he was covered in gold armor—matching the sword that was strapped behind his back.

Ra’s attention was pinpointed on Nova, and I was suddenly thankful that Lorcan stood slightly behind her. It would make it that much easier to get the fuck out of here. I didn’t want Lorcan anywhere near this battle when it started in earnest.

“Daughter of Magic! You stand ready to face forces that will annihilate you, cosmic beings that will devour you. I’ll give you one chance.”

Lorcan turned toward me slowly, looking at our group and giving a small nod to the side. Our route to the cliffside was in that direction. We began moving as the verbal sparring between Nova and Ra continued, keeping his focus on her.

“Stand with us,” he continued, “and accept the gift these creatures offer—to start anew. Beings as powerful as you and the siren shouldn’t be left to die with the rest.”

Lorcan paused and let out a frustrated sound, her whisper low and harsh. “What a motherfucker. Does that mean he’s been working with the dark ones as well? I shouldn’t even be surprised at this point.”

“Seems these bastards are everywhere,” Cash agreed, gently prodding her forward.

I could feel the magic in the air growing denser, and while Lorcan’s coated us protectively, the combination it all still slowed us down.

Out of my peripheral, I noticed that Ra and Nova had moved closer to one another.

“Why, Ra? Why trade what you have for the possibility of less ? You could fight by our side. You could keep what you have. You rule over an entire sector of the God realm; you have hundreds of loyal followers. So why?”

“Good fucking question,” Rhett agreed. I didn’t understand it myself, but I wasn’t a power-hungry god.

Ra’s anger exploded across the battlefield. “Because what we have now is not enough!”

Nova seemed bent on pushing the conversation forward, giving us ample time to get out of the way. The path ahead would shoot straight across the valley, running parallel to the impending battle.

“So it’s not enough that you’re the ruling god of an entire sector, that humans remember and admire you through mythology and ancient religion? What more could you want?”

“I— we, ” Ra corrected himself. I shook my head, almost annoyed with how fucking obvious his intentions were.

“…used to be worshiped and seen as the answer to all. But now we are only remembered in stories. The gods of modern day don’t even reside in our damn realm!

So no, Nova, it is not enough. We want what we have always wanted.

Power. It is the way of gods. Surely you of all people know that. ”

Lorcan stumbled, my hand catching her waist as their voices grew, Nova responding with equal intensity. “Power means nothing if you exert it over those who are weaker than you. Before, you were worshipped as a leader. Now, no matter what you do, you’ll be remembered as a traitor to everyone .”

I may not have known Lorcan’s friend very well, but her words garnered respect from me as a leader.

“If you won’t aid us, won’t embrace your true potential—then we’ll ring in this new era…” Ra let out a roar of anger. “With your death!”

Immediately, the impact of what I assumed was the two of them colliding sent a shockwave through the realm. The ground shook beneath us, and I swept Lorcan up, the group of us pausing to take in the scene.

“Holy fuck.”

Nova held Ra’s sword between two fingers. The shockwaves had been from the force of her stopping him.

“We need to go. Now,” Zander said harshly—before the entire realm broke into chaos.