Curses and Ash (The Siren Chronicles Book 2)

by Tiffany Daune

  “Dax.” Halen stepped toward the bars. “Are you seriously going to go with her?” Halen wasn’t playing around now. She couldn’t believe he would so willingly let her go.

  “Because of you, I lost my parents. And now Huron—” His closed his eyes. “I can’t take anymore, Halen.”

  “It’s alright,” Natalie said. “We can fix this.”

  The guard fumbled with his keys, his hands shaking. He dropped the keys twice before getting the key into the lock.

  When the cell door swung open, Natalie folded into Dax’s embrace. “Let’s get out of here.” She shoved him forward, but before leaving, she turned back and winked.

  “Dax!” Halen called after him, but he wouldn’t turn. She clasped the silver bracelet against her aching heart.

  “I’m sorry, darling,” Asair said at her back.

  The guard watched as the two disappeared into the darkness. Asair nudged the keys, so they fell from the lock. When the guard bent to pick them up, Asair shoved the gate, smashing the metal bars against man’s face. He stumbled back, his nose bleeding. Asair rounded the other side, striking his jaw with an uppercut and the guard collapsed in a heap.

  He held out his hand. “Come on.”

  “What did you do?” Not taking his hand, Halen sidestepped the unconscious man.

  “He’ll live.” He started toward the echoing sound of Natalie’s laughter.

  Halen followed close at his back, staying within earshot of Natalie and Dax, but when they passed a second corridor, the patter of running water caught her attention. She touched his shoulder, drawing him back. “We have to get this ash off.”

  He nodded, and they skirted down the corridor.

  Water rushed in from a long fissure, spreading like a waterfall along the wall. She stepped beneath the stream, and as the gray dust slipped from her skin, sparks ignited once more. She held her shirt away from her chest, washing away the ash. Asair scrubbed the ash from his arms and jeans. He tilted his head back in the water, the pale light glowing along his dark skin. She followed the thin scar on his jaw to his neck and when he caught her looking, he smiled.

  “I’m truly sorry about Pepper. If there had been any other way—”

  “You did what you thought was best.” She wrung the water from her shirt.

  “You have ash here.” He brushed his wet finger along the bridge of her nose and beneath her eyes.

  She trembled with his touch, still unfamiliar in this new body. “I keep trying to picture the old you.”

  “You tried to kill the old me.” He shook the water from his dark hair.

  She smiled. “That I did, but you know what, I think this new body suits you. All the scars,” she placed her hand over his heart. “You and Quinn had a lot in common.”

  A rolling rumble shook the ground, stirring her sparks. “What was that?”

  “We better check it out.” Asair ran at once.

  They followed the sound of shouting, reaching Natalie and Dax. Dax was pinned against the wall, Natalie’s elbow at his jugular. He gasped for air.

  “He tried to kiss me.” Natalie spat.

  “We have bigger problems. Did you feel the ground shake?” Halen asked.

  “No.” When Natalie retreated, Dax swung out.

  Halen flung him back with a wave of her hand. His head cracked on the concrete. He reached back, his fingers slick with blood.

  “What the hell, Halen?” His blue eyes flashed.

  “I can’t believe I trusted you.” Halen raised her other hand, ready to strike.

  “We need him.” Asair lowered her hand. “You and your sister will need more than a few bottles of elixir.”

  “You’re right, but I don’t need to be bound to him to use his bone marrow.” Halen thought of the betrayal of Dax’s lips on hers, and she erased each moment one by one. She twisted the bracelet slowly over her wrist bone. “I don’t want to feel anything for him ever again.”

  “Wait!” Dax held out his hand. “If you let me go and Natalie doesn’t accept me as her Guardian, then I die. You won’t have any marrow.”

  Halen met Asair’s look.

  “I’ll do it.” Natalie huffed with an indignant breath. “Give me your bracelet.” She held out her hand. “I can handle him.”

  Halen clasped her arm. Natalie had agreed to help them without question. Not to mention, she had hit her pretty hard back in the cell… If Natalie accepted Dax as her Guardian, then they wouldn’t need her or Asair. As much as she didn’t want a connection with Dax, she didn’t see another option. “You didn’t handle him so well the last time.”

  Natalie stepped back. “Whatever. If you want to stay bonded to this loser, then go right ahead.”

  “You need to wash the ash off,” Asair said. “There’s water down the corridor to the left. You’ll need your powers.”

  Natalie fake lunged at Dax and he startled. “You be good.” And she took off, almost skipping down the tunnel.

  When she was out of sight, Dax approached Halen. “You can’t trust her.”

  “Get away from me!”

  “I’m trying to protect you!”

  “Can you even hear yourself? I don’t want to hear your lies ever again!” With a flick of her hand, his lips sealed shut.

  His eyes widened with disbelief. He grunted as he ran his fingers over his mouth.

  “What have you done?” Asair touched her shoulder. “This is not light weaver magick.”

  She stared at her hands, like they had betrayed her. What was she doing? It was just a thought and then….

  “You have to contain your emotions. Dax won’t save you from your seam. If anything, he wants you to embrace the darkness. You have to fight it.”

  She blinked three times. Dax’s lips parted.

  “You!” Dax lunged, but when she raised her hand, he stepped back.

  “Don’t mess with me.” She waved her finger. “If you want to live, you need me.”

  “Like I’ve always said,” He smiled, the dimple pitting his cheek. “we need each other.”

  As much as his words turned her stomach, Dax was right. If she wanted to rebind the spell, lock Tarius within Etlis, she would have to use magick. She needed Dax more than ever.

  “COME ON. LET’S go say hi to Dad.” Natalie braided her wet hair to the side. Natalie had the same fierce determined stare as their mother.

  Fighting back tears, Halen glanced away.

  “Water stone first, vengeance later.” Asair shot Natalie a warning glance.

  Natalie wedged her index finger and thumb together. “Just a wee bit of revenge, please.” Her perfect bottom lip jutted out in a pout.

  “No,” Asair said. “We’ll be lucky if we can get this stone out with our lives still intact.”

  “He’s right.” Halen nodded. “As much as I love the idea of spinning some magick on daddy dearest, we need to rebind the spell before he finds out the stone is missing, otherwise he might get what he wants.”

  “He’ll kill all of you,” Dax spat his words.

  “And guess what? Your fate is tied to ours. If we die, so do you.” Natalie poked his chest. “You have to protect us.”

  “I’m done looking after the two of you.” He huffed. “I’ll take my chances with Tarius.”

  “You’re a bigger douche than I ever thought possible. I almost want to open the portal just so Tarius can rip your puny head off.” Natalie’s gaze fixed below his waist.

  Halen bit back laughter, snorting. The ground shook again. She stumbled against Asair. “What is that?”

  “I don’t know, but I suggest we hurry. We have work to do.” Asair walked on.

  Natalie’s shoulder butted Dax as she shoved past him. “Keep up or I’ll cast a spell that will make you beg for death.”

  Dax fell silent; perhaps he believed Natalie’s threat to be true.

  Using Quinn’s knowledge, Asair found his way back to the chamber containing the water stone.

  “Where are the guards?” Halen searc
hed the empty alcove.

  “Maybe a tunnel collapsed.” Natalie shrugged. “This place is falling apart.”

  “Let’s just get the stone and get out of here.” Halen opened the door and peered inside. “Huron’s not here. Don’t you think that’s weird?”

  “He’s probably dealing with whatever that shaking was,” Natalie said.

  “Right.” Halen nodded.

  “Good luck getting the stone with all the ash.” Dax shoved her forward and her toes dipped in the gray powder.

  Halen turned to Asair. “You and Natalie watch the entrance and Dax.”

  “I’ll go with you.” Natalie stepped forward.

  Halen held her back before her feet reached the ash. “Keep your magick strong.”

  Asair grabbed her arm. His brow furrowed with concern. “Be careful.”

  “I’ll be fine.” But as soon as she stepped in the soft soot, her sparks fizzled. She glanced back at him, not sure of continuing.

  “You can do this.” He nodded.

  She took another step inside. The blue stone shimmered within the waterfall and a soft hum echoed in her eardrum, drawing her forward. And even though she was defenseless, she answered the call of the water stone.

  “Hurry,” Natalie urged at her back.

  “Take your time,” Asair said.

  She waved behind her, motioning for them to stay quiet. Fear prickled her flesh, but the ankle-deep ash snuffed the sparks that usually rose to protect her. What if Asair was wrong about touching the stone? As she took another step forward, her bracelet spun. She clasped her hand over the metal. The silver spun faster, burning against her palm. She released her grip at once. When she turned back, Dax too was battling his spinning bracelet.

  “What’s happening?” Halen stood still.

  “I don’t know.” Asair braced Dax to keep him from falling.

  The hum increased, and so did the speed of the spinning of the silver band. “Maybe I can’t touch it when I’m connected to Dax?”

  “Give me the bracelet!” Natalie held her hands out, ready to catch it.

  The spinning metal burned against her skin. Even if she wanted to take it off, she couldn’t get a grip on the whirling metal. The water stone vibrated. The chamber rumbled with a low growl. Ash exploded into the air, as if she had stepped on a land mine. Halen ran up to the podium as geysers of soot burst all around her.

  “What do I do?” she shouted, coughing into the crook of her elbow.

  Dax laughed. His mocking tone scratched along her nerves. She should have left his mouth sealed. Again, the water stone vibrated, this time cracking the concrete table in two. The silver bracelet dug into her arm as the edge melted, dissolving into her flesh. The inky patterns of her birthmark now shimmered with a silvery glow, spreading along the dots, up to the swirls at her shoulder.

  Halen screamed as the pain cut through her. Dax fell to his knees, clutching his arm to his chest.

  “Just leave the stone!” Asair yelled.

  “No!” Halen thrust her arm outward and grasped the stone. When the smooth surface met her palm, her body flooded with light. The rays ran along her veins, illuminating the room with a brilliant glow.

  “Drop it!” Natalie shouted.

  Halen caught a glimpse of the young woman in the blue stone. Her pale eyes reached through Halen, tugging her closer. The woman’s lips rounded with words, yet Halen couldn’t hear what she was saying. She tilted her ear against the stone.

  Fallen soldiers, misguided souls consumed her mind. Rivers of tears cut through the lands and the sky rained with blood overflowing the rivers. When the bruised clouds parted, a mighty white stag emerged. The beast’s golden antlers dripped with blood, its eyes onyx as the dark river below. Tarius, the wind whispered and the ground trembled. With a strike of his hoof, spears of white lightning plummeted from the sky, splitting the earth. The woman stumbled, falling to her knees. When she glanced up, the stag stood over her, his hot breath at her throat. Her reflection glimmered in his eyes and Halen’s breath hitched when she saw her own green eyes peering back. We are one, the wind whipped around her.

  At once, the stag shifted to the form of a boy. He stood with a white fur cape draped over his bare shoulders; his singed hair touched the collar. Burnt skin peeled back over his high cheekbones. His black lips curled with a wry smile, penetrating deep within her heart.

  He held out his hand, his fingers charred from playing with fire, and she willingly accepted.

  “We have to go!” Asair’s call pulled her away from the boy.

  When she opened her eyes, Asair was by her side. She placed her hand on his chest to steady herself. His pulse tripped along her glittering arm. She blinked, with dizziness. Shielding the stone, she crumpled into his embrace.

  “I need elixir!” he yelled.

  Natalie tossed the vial, and he caught it midair. “Take this. You were using magick, even in this room of ash.”

  She parted her lips, and he tilted the vial. Her throat burned with the coral and bone. “I wasn’t trying to.”

  “I know.” He grasped the back of her neck, hugging her weary head to his chest.

  “We have to go!” Natalie shouted. “What do we do with him?” She kicked Dax. He slumped against the wall, his body limp, his birthmark sparkling like stars.

  “Oh no…” Halen covered her mouth, fighting the bile rising in her throat. “What have I done? Is Dax alive?”

  “He’s breathing,” Asair said. “We need to get out of here.”

  A piercing cry followed by rapid shouting echoed from the tunnel.

  “Can you walk?” Asair guided her to edge of the platform.

  “I think so.” She took a wobbly step.

  He caught her under the arm. “Lean on me.”

  She pressed next to him, tucking the stone in the crook of her arm, being careful not to burn him with it. They crossed the room, thick with ash.

  “Use a levitation spell,” he said to Natalie. “We can’t leave him behind.”

  Dax’s eyes rapidly shifted beneath closed lids as if trapped in a nightmare.

  “I need to get this ash off my feet, otherwise I’ll be useless,” Asair said.

  “I’ve got this covered.” Natalie nodded. “You two go ahead.”

  Asair hurried, almost dragging Halen, as they made their way back to the stream. When he stopped, he propped her against the rock wall and she folded over with the stone.

  “I’m freaking glowing and my birthmark is silver,” Halen shouted. “The bracelets are gone! Even if I wanted to release Dax, I can’t!”

  “We’ll figure this out. I promise.” His voice was soft as he scooped water over his feet and then hers.

  She clutched the stone to her chest. “You have no idea what I saw in the stone.” Her body trembled, and he rubbed her back. “I’m going to have to face him—Tarius.” Her voice was small. “He won’t stop until he’s reunited with Galadia, and if I’m her and she’s me…”

  “Then we will give him what he wants.”

  “What?” Her voice hitched, not believing his suggestion.

  “When the time is right, he’ll get what he deserves.” His wet fingers laced through hers and a chill danced along her skin. “The Tari will never hurt you again.”

  She bit back her lip.

  “I’m not like Dax.”

  “I know.” She swallowed the tears rising in her throat.

  “You have more supporters than you know. Traitors have surrounded you this whole time. You don’t know how mad I was. I wanted to jump through the orb and take you away from them—I hated Mariela’s trap. You saved me.”

  “I’m glad you think of it like that.”

  “I didn’t give you a choice. Given the information the Tari fed you, I didn’t see another way. I’m sorry, and I’m sorry for taunting you.” His fingers slid farther down her hand, along the silvery speckles. “I didn’t mean it when I said your thoughts were boring. You’re strong, brilliant—fascinating beyond
belief.” He drew her to him, stopping just before the stone touched his skin.

  A scream cut the air. He shoved her against the wall hard, his shoulders rounded as if ready to pounce.

  “Natalie.” She clutched the water stone, so tightly she thought it might crumble in her grip. “Let’s go.” She stepped aside and he nodded.

  Though her ears burned, Halen kept her pace steady as she ran toward Natalie’s battle cry. When she reached her sister, Natalie stood with her arms outstretched and her head tilted toward the ceiling.

  Before her, Huron’s army buckled with their hands clutched over their ears. Dax floated above, as if on an invisible stretcher.

  With a wave of his hand, Asair shoved the army back and they crashed into one another like toy soldiers caught in a rogue wave. When they fell unconscious, Natalie closed her mouth and the cry ceased.

  “We have to get out of here. Rania found the Tari. Krull are everywhere, and Huron is looking for us.” Natalie turned to Asair. “Do you know another way out?”

  He scanned the tunnel. “We have to make it back to the central cavern. The pond is our best option.”

  Natalie shook her head. “Rania came in that way.”

  “I think three blue moon sirens can get past Rania. Are you up for it?” He met Halen’s gaze, his smile touching his eyes.

  “Let’s do this.” Halen nodded.

  Natalie’s lips spread with a mischievous grin. “You are my sister.” She then reached up and waved Dax’s body forward. He shot down the tunnel. “Follow the ass.” She took off running.

  When they reached the junction, leading to the central cavern, they stopped.

  A wolf with the horned head of a Krull clamped in its jaw ran past them. Chasing the wolf were two Krull commanders, their bloodied axes raised for battle. Halen thrust her hand out. The Krull collapsed to their knees. The wolf growled behind them, and when she turned, the wolf dropped the Krull head and instead focused its keen gaze on Halen. As the wolf’s lips snarled back, her arm stung where Wolfe had nicked her before. The image of his blood seeping through his fur muddled her thoughts, and her sparks faltered. Wolfe was just a boy, perhaps this shifter…

  At once, Natalie clapped her hands in a series of quick clicks and the wolf rolled to its side. Its tongue lolled from its jaw, but its chest rose and fell with steady breath. “Shifters are easy to immobilize.” She shrugged. “Most respond to sounds.”