Page 8 of Shattered Galaxies (Tears of the Siren #6)

“Is this…” Lorcan’s voice was filled with awe as she reached forward. Standing straight from where I’d crouched down, my eyes widened. Placed within the stone chamber of the table was a meticulously crafted instrument—more specifically, a violin.

“A violin,” one of the other men stated obviously. Lorcan shook her head, picking it up with the utmost reverence.

“This isn’t just a violin—it was Beryl’s violin. Why would she leave it here?” she asked, her brow furrowing. “It’s so beautiful; I can’t believe I’m holding a Stradivarius. ”

“Stradivarius?” Cash questioned.

Zander spoke up. “They were crafted by the Stradivari family in the late seventeenth century in Italy. There are only six hundred available in the world…and that is absolutely one of them.”

“I’ve never actually seen one in person,” Lorcan admitted, the awe on her face only countered by the guilt I could feel through our bond. Guilt I knew had to do with the state of her own violin—its state of complete disrepair.

“Let’s take this with us,” I suggested. She nodded and carefully handed it over, her eyes never leaving the instrument as I gave it to Desmond, who I knew would ensure its safe transport back to our hotel.

“Sorry.” She straightened herself slightly. “I just didn’t expect to find her violin here, let alone one like that… but I’m refocusing, I promise.”

“We aren’t in a rush,” I reminded her.

As if offering her space to consider her next move, Zander moved toward the mural and ran his fingers over it, finding an indent in the space.

Upon touching it, the mural lit up, and out from the surface of the stone came a crystal, vibrating with magic. The faintest music played in our ears as the cavern became a wind tunnel. Lorcan didn’t hesitate to grab it—her fingers closing around the crystal as the room shook with energy.

I should have expected the space to react to her touching the crystal, I just didn’t realize how much.

Our souls were ripped up to the stars; I couldn’t describe it any other way.

It wasn’t intentional, it was forced, and I realized this was probably much like the star calls my princess dealt with all the fucking time.

I felt my corporeal form snap into place as the universe around me spun.

All around, galactic creations of stars and the building blocks of the universe decorated the space around us.

Colors beyond description—painfully bright and vibrant—and magic that seared our very soul danced across my skin.

And Lorcan…Lorcan was a celestial goddess.

I’d seen her in her star form before, but never like this. I barely even registered that Zander was up here with us.

My princess was suspended in space, her body arched.

Fragments of stars pulsated across her skin as music began to play, a haunting melody that filled our ears.

It brought pain; it was so beautiful that it was agonizing.

I watched as the notes, the very essence of the music, seemed to brand themselves into her being.

It was magnificent, and I knew we weren’t alone up here.

I could feel that this moment had brought the attention of something that controlled the fabric of the universe.

The Cosmos god.

It shouldn’t have been possible. But as a glowing light of silver and gold grew in front of us and a voice echoed out, everything in me told me this was real.

“Siren of prophecy,” the voice spoke, calm and even, layered with an echo that vibrated through me. “You’ve returned to me. You’ve found your way despite the dark ones blocking your every attempt.”

“I…” Lorcan paused, looking around her. “I don’t understand what just happened. I wasn’t trying to find you—not exactly.”

“The composition you seek is of my own creation. My gift to sirens. A protection to ensure that if they needed, they could defend themselves and others.”

“You have a soft spot for sirens,” Lorcan observed, making Zander tense.

“I do,” the voice admitted. “From my first creation—my proudest achievement. The one who is with you now.”

I could feel surprise through my connection to Zander, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of misplaced envy. I was glad that the Cosmos god spoke so highly of Zander, but to be called his proudest achievement? That was hard to fathom.

Lorcan spoke softly. “The composition…it isn’t done.”

“No, it’s not. There are two other pieces you must find. It was separated because the power it contains can sever reality itself. But you must find them, collect them, and fix what is broken.”

“Do you know where they are?” Lorcan asked.

“One rests in a realm of nature, tangled with vines of darkness and saturated with blood. The other lies at the center of our realms, in a space of fire and truth. I can feel their power radiating from there, awaiting your direction?—”

Gone.

In a moment, the light vanished, and we were sucked forward into darkness.

The air vacuumed around us as I covered my ears, tugging Lorcan against me.

The painful screeching of metal on metal nearly caused my body to break as I tried to fight through it.

As I moved my gaze, I saw it. I saw what Lorcan had been talking about.

Vortexes void of stars—of any life. Angry, malicious creatures sucking the life, the magic, from everything they touched or passed.

I’d never experienced true evil until that moment. Until their focus was solely on my princess.

The dark ones.