Page 31 of The Sirin Sisterhood (The Sons of Echidna #2)

Klein

Klein took a moment to familiarize himself with the room.

Despite feeling a little like a prisoner, he adored the cabin’s rustic charm.

Warm wood and a dim candle glow, hand-quilted blankets on a simple bed—if he could bring himself to ever leave his family, this was the home he would build for himself.

Lai had been dragged to the village hospital, and Lucy was up at the long-hall. The peace and quiet were utter bliss.

He knelt by the empty hearth, filled it with kindling from a nearby basket, and used his lighter to start a small fire.

It quickly came to life, crackling and dancing with shadows.

Once the flame was strong enough, Klein added a handful of pine logs, still sticky with fragrant resin.

They reminded him of the Yule celebrations of his early childhood, before his mother had passed.

The chill of the night and the aroma of pine needles were happy memories.

A cup of tea and a good book were all he needed to complete the fantasy. A knock on the door shattered that hope.

Sabira let herself in before he could answer, carrying a tray with a steaming pot of tea. Klein was unnerved by the perfect timing, and the red-headed woman had a strange gleam in her eyes. It wasn’t to be a friendly visit.

“Please, make yourself comfortable. I just wanted to ask about your father’s fall.

”She smiled, setting the cups on the heavy wooden table and filling them from the pot.

Klein watched her closely, ensuring her fingers didn’t move over the teapot.

He’d learned how to spot a few poisoner’s tricks, thanks to living with Lai.

“I understand it might be a painful conversation, but you seem to have accepted Lucy.”Sabira slid a cup towards him as she took a seat.

Satisfied that tea was just that, he picked up the cup. His father’s fall? Less than graceful, but not quite the tale of glory that Lai had spun.

So that was why she was there. This was an interrogation. He could safely assume the others were entertaining late-night visitors of their own at that exact moment.

Whatever he chose to tell her, he would have to do so carefully. Their stories needed to match.

“They kept their arguments private.”Klein took a sip of his tea. “Lucy came to us to help and had a hard time settling in. Father isn’t exactly easy to get along with.”

“So you knew Lucy before his fall? How much do you trust this woman?”

Klein took a moment to think, remembering the good and the bad. “She can be trusted, although she is ambitious and will step over others to get where she needs to. In a world like ours, that isn’t a deal breaker.”

“And you trust her to lead you all?”

“She is young but capable.”

The conversation was exhausting; Klein wasn’t used to choosing his words so carefully. He stared at his cup, watching the leaves swirl, praying the interrogation would end soon.

“How exactly did she de-throne Aris? That must have been a hell of a battle.”

Sabira leaned forward, applying invisible pressure to him. Her presence in his space was overwhelming, making it hard to think.

“My father is not as young as he used to be and easily fooled by a pretty face.”

“How does the rest of your family feel about the new leader?”

“My family is not the type to talk about their feelings. I’m sorry, but is this an interrogation?”He finally snapped, moving his chair back, regretting the outburst as the woman’s smile faded.

“Not at all, just a friendly chat. I like to know everything before I make a decision. You have to understand, families like ours need to be alert.”Sabira’s smile returned, almost genuine. Klein didn’t disagree.

“It wouldn’t be in our best interests to help you if she will be overthrown within a year. Do you have something you want to share? Should I be interrogating you?”She stood up, circling him, dragging one slender finger from one of his shoulders and across his back to the other.

Chills ran down his spine, and he barely resisted shuddering. “I hope not. I thought we were your guests, not prisoners.”

“Yes, you’ll only be chained if you do something stupid. Or if you ask me very nicely,”She purred into his ear.

Klein felt beads of sweat on his brow. It wasn’t just the situation or the fire crackling in the hearth. Sabira’s body radiated heat, her touch burning where it lingered.

And oh, how it lingered.

He needed to distract himself from her influence, to clear his head somehow.

Reaching into his pocket, Klein pulled out a half-empty pack of cigarettes, carefully selecting one that wasn’t stuffed full of weed and placing it between his lips, looking around for his lighter.

Before he could do the usual dance of checking each pocket, the cigarette tip flared, igniting the tobacco before settling into an amber glow.

He nodded his thanks, not acknowledging the display of magic beyond that.

“So, how did you know my father?”He needed to redirect her focus, or he would break under her pressure.

Not that he had anything to hide, not really.

They had made their request sincerely. The details about Lucy were fudged a little, but he suspected the sisters knew that.

The minor lie was really only because the truth would humiliate the family.

Snapping a collar around Aris’s neck wasn’t a victory in battle.

Being voted into leadership was not a glorious triumph.

“We had a transaction,”Sabira replied.

“What kind of transaction?”Klein nursed the smoke, rolling it gently between slender fingers between drags.

“Nothing of importance now.”She shrugged, pushing his teacup back to him.

“He was just as hesitant to disclose any details,”Klein admitted, emptying the cup in one go.

“With good reason.”She sat on the edge of the table and took the empty cup, peering into it.

Klein found it a little strange, but the realization hit him as her expression changed while she studied the leaves at the bottom of the cup.

She was scrying. He was hesitant to believe his leftover drink had anything exciting to say, even as a deep frown twisted her beautiful face.

“Yes. Am I free to retire now?”He asked, not wanting to know what she was seeing.

She didn’t answer; she simply nodded and packed up the tray, silently leaving the room.

Klein followed her with his eye, uneasiness building with each step. He was beginning to suspect that they weren’t as welcoming as they wanted to appear.