Siren's Song by Mary Weber Page A

over a precipice and turn him into a lesser Draewulf. The other will most likely cost his life but will help the Hidden Lands survive. Help him if you can. But should he decide wrong, destroy him. And, Nym!”
    I barely turn.
    â€œIf you can . . .” Her voice cracks, and for a second I hear my own mother’s tone coming through. It’s as if all her crazy, hardened veneer has just peeled off and exposed who she truly is—with the heart of a mother’s love—behind it. “Help Rasha. She will need you and . . . you will need her if Draewulf truly takes me.”
    What in hulls? I swallow. She’s finally mentioning that now? And then I don’t care because I’m running for the door. With a final glance at the snake-swans, I push out of the room just as the queen’s call of “Hold it lightly, Nym!” is cut off by another bomb and the sound ricochets through the palace.

CHAPTER 11
    T HE PALACE STAYS STANDING AS I PLOW DOWN the hallways and past frantically moving Cashlins who’ve emerged from hulls knows where toward the room where I left Eogan. I’ve almost reached it when the young male guard, Kenan, Kel, and Eogan appear.
    I stall for a half second as they head toward me.
    â€œYou’re—”
    â€œWhatever they did to me worked.” Eogan steps forward, still weak looking but coherent.
    I frown at the bags beneath his eyes.
    â€œWe have to get out of here. Kenan said you went for Queen Laiha.”
    â€œShe’s staying, but she’s released us to take our airships and go.”
    â€œThey’re this way,” the guard says. “Follow me.”
    â€œAnd the crews?” Kenan demands.
    â€œAlready aboard and waiting. The queen had me send two Luminescents to escort your Lord Myles and Lady Isobel as well.” The guard’s already turned down a corridor. “They’ll be on the ship in the West Courtyard. We need to reach it before Draewulf’s bombs do.”
    We’re jogging to keep up with him now, and Kenan’s got his arm under Eogan’s shoulder. “Your queen will die here, and then her daughter as well,” Eogan says quietly to him. “She must have seen this.”
    â€œI agree. But she has made her choice. Whether it is for the best or not. However, as far as Princess Rasha—”
    Kenan shakes his head as if the guard’s crazy. “But at the cost of how many lives? And because of some stubborn—”
    â€œShe asked us to rescue Rasha,” I say.
    The Cashlin guard’s body slows until almost frozen mid-movement, and Eogan’s eyes find mine.
    â€œShe believes we’re going to need her. But beyond that, it’s no use,” I say. “The queen won’t come, and we have to go.” I tug Eogan’s arm and push Kenan and the guard forward. “Eogan’s still going to die unless we get him to the Valley. And if his body fails, Draewulf has enough of his blood that his power and land will transfer to the monster fully.”
    I keep my hand on Eogan’s arm and peer up as another rumble shakes the crystal ceiling. “Now do you trust me or not?”
    Another explosion.
    Another shaking and shivering and shattering somewhere in the palace.
    A long inhale of breath, as if from out of nowhere, and half the palace guards run past us.
    â€œKenan, we’re leaving,” Eogan growls. His throat clenches as he swallows and clasps my hand and pulls us forward into a run.
    â€œHow many bombs can each of Draewulf’s ships hold?” I yell.
    â€œUp to two.”
    Kenan tips his head. “Except back in Bron he loaded a number of the airships’ cargo bays with bombs. So he has far more at his disposal.”
    â€œHe’ll likely have brought one of those ships then from Tulla. I assume this is his way of shaking us free before he drops wraiths on the city.” Eogan looks at the Cashlin guard. “How many ships total did