The siren said, “No. You survived. I’ve never sung to one so young and wasn’t sure how it’d affect you. But it was the only way I knew to save you and Rhiann. The odds were overwhelming.”
Iyaca then asked, “So your song put everybody to sleep.”
Maranna said, “Yes, it was a lullaby.”
Iyaca said, “Before I lost consciousness, I saw other winged beasts. Did your song put them to sleep, too?”
Maranna said, “No. Before I sang, I gave them ear plugs. The fuzzy little critters fill the ear canal, harmlessly remove ear wax, and block out all sound. Earlier I sang to a group of copper dragons and convinced them to help carry the Gnomes. The dragons feasted on the copper in the wagon when they were finished.”
The siren’s pheromones overwhelmed Iyaca. The youth breathed heavily, extended his left hand and touched her soft chest, allowed his hand to linger, sighed, and barely managed, “You are so… wonderful… soft… I can’t stop…”
Maranna smiled, removed his hand, and said, “Yes, you can.”
Iyaca most horribly wanted to touch her again. The siren held his hand away from her and said, “maybe in a few years, little one.”
Iyaca sighed again and said, “Where are we, and who are you?”
She replied, “I am Maranna. I’ve travelled with Rhiann and Mayard Klarje. We are in Cragmore. It’s my home and a work in progress. We are far to the east from Thynna.”
Iyaca asked, “Is Rhiann OK?”
She said, “I… think he is only asleep. He’s older than you, and you survived. So I think he has a pretty good chance. The lullaby affects males differently.”
Iyaca ‘s mind filled with questions but he had difficulty formulating them. He managed, “Are the others here?”
Maranna answered, “No. Only you and Rhiann.”
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