Page 70 of When the Wicked Sing (The Leruna Sea #1)

Aurora swam cautiously through the palace, her eyes wary of every sister she passed. Could one of them have poisoned Astra? Could one of them have done something to Cybele?

With the amulet now in Halia’s clutches, Aurora had no idea if Mariana’s plan to get it back would work. Regardless of what happened next, Aurora would defend their mother.

Cora, their healer, came into view, having just come out of Cybele’s chamber.

“Aurora?” Cora called out, coral-pink brows drawn together. “Where have you been? Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. Is my mother getting better?”

Cora’s bright gaze dipped. “No changes. I’m sorry.”

It’s not your fault , Aurora almost said, but she bit her tongue before she could. If someone truly had done something to both Astra and Cybele, the last thing Aurora wanted to do was give away that she knew. She needed to find out who was doing this and why they were after the amulet .

“Don’t apologize, you’ve done everything you can for her.” Aurora was about to continue when a cursed siren passed by, bumping her shoulder hard.

Sneering, Aurora eyed the cursed siren. “Watch it,” she snapped.

They hissed at her, licking their crusty lips before moving along.

“What was that?” Cora asked, frowning as she watched the ghostly siren swim away with her bony, colorless tail.

“I don’t know.” Turning, she stared past Cora at the group of cursed sirens down the hall, who were eyeing her like she was a sack of mortal flesh they wanted to chew on. “But stay on alert. And let me know if you notice anything strange going on.”

“Stranger than how the cursed are behaving?” She scoffed, shaking her head. “It’s like they’re waiting for something.”

Aurora’s eyes darted to her. The healer’s words clanged through her head. “I have to go. Remember what I said.”

Cora nodded. “I will.”

Approaching the door leading into her mother’s chamber, Aurora nodded to the two guards at the front.

The cursed sirens didn’t nod back; they stared at her without emotion.

Unfeeling darkness swirled within their pitch-black gazes.

Usually, they would at least acknowledge her with some form of respect. Their sudden indifference unnerved her.

Ignoring them, she pushed the door open and swam into the room, spotting Malea tending to the pale queen.

When Malea looked up, her eyes widened a fraction.

“Hey, thank you for keeping an eye on my mother for me while I’ve been gone,” Aurora said quickly, approaching them .

“You’re welcome,” Malea replied hesitantly, seeming tense and unlike herself.

Aurora’s brows pulled tight. “Are you—”

Malea shook her head slightly, her gaze burning holes into the cursed guards by the open doorway, who were not looking at them but down the hallway, as though waiting for something.

Aurora’s stomach soured.

Keeping her gaze steady on Malea, she began slowly reaching down for the daggers at her hips.

Malea shouted, “Behind you!”

Aurora turned just in time to see a club coming down at her head.