Dirty Lying Sirens

Chapter Twenty Six

Caspian

Madeline was with her sisters now, and I had tasks to focus on. Or so I kept telling myself while trying to update the list of weakened places in the sirens' barrier. It wasn't close to failing, not unless the sirens themselves stopped singing to it. And yet, the fewer and fewer sirens the city had, the more strained the existing ones were to take shifts in the towers. An exhausting thing, from what I could tell.

Would Madeline be able to learn and help? Would she be willing? I didn't know. I didn't know what my fierce yet vulnerable siren would be comfortable with. She would do well with a purpose to contribute to, she had been vocal about that much during our time on the ship. 

Tapping my pen on the desk in the shared office space next to Dimitris's private office, I glanced out the window.

"You're going to wear a hole in your desk hammering it with your pen like that."

My eyes slid back into the office space I shared with five other senate assistants. The room was plenty large, with space between desks and even private seating. But with just one small sofa and table between me and Claix Ateio it didn't feel like enough.

"Your dedication to the state of my furniture is commendable, Calix," I drawled. "Consider applying that same dedication to your own work."

Julian, another occupant of the shared space, snorted as he walked in with a stack of papers in his arms. Calix glared at the other man, who ignored him and sat down to his own work.

And while I wasn't about to admit Calix was right about anything, I did put down my pen and lock away my work. I wasn't getting a damn thing done today, that's for sure. I still had the taste of Maddie on my lips from last night, and I couldn't get her off of my mind.

I barely scooted my chair back to stand and leave when I spotted a familiar face through the doorway.

"Nephele?" I murmured, taking a brisk pace to meet her. My cousins, related on Dimitris's side and not the side I shared with Nikkos, had returned from their own errand. Nephele was a scrawny girl who had gotten into her fair share of fights and broke her arm climbing trees on a near-annual basis but had grown into a statuesque woman. Her hooked nose matched her brother's, her large eyes set under thick brows made for a strong face but one she wore well. Horace, her twin, looked much the same. But some imbalance of power happened in the womb because while Nephele took all the spunk and confidence between them, Horace took all the softness and creativity.

"Nephele!" I called after her as I entered the atrium. The late afternoon light shone down, adding a glow to the space. She turned, her short black hair swaying around her ears in thick curls against the warm umber of her skin. Her lips spread to a wide smile as she opened her arms to me.

"Caspian! Gods, it's good to be home."

We embraced, and I pulled away as Horace was walking into the atrium from outside. "Horace, it's good to see you."

He smiled softly. "Thank you. It will be nice to sleep in my own bed tonight."

Nephele gave a low laugh. "You mean you can't wait to get back in the studio and away from my naggin."

"I didn't say that," Horace argued, but his eyes shifted away from his twin.

"You were gone longer than expected. Was there a problem?" I asked. Just as Nikkos and I were trying to implement our proposed plan to Dimitris for a solution to the problem, Nephele and Horace were out trying out their own.

They shared an uneasy look. Horace cleared his throat. "We haven't spoken to Dimitris yet, but . . ."

"It didn't go well," Nephele finished for her brother. "The coven we came across in our research seems to be in shambles. A shadow of their former power, they cannot do it."