“They aren’t humans. They just look like them.” Rylander shook his head like I was the mad one.

He continued onward, practically swimming through the abundance of shrubbery. Using his body as a shield, I moved in his wake. “So, what’s the plan? We use the bronze arrows on the human sirens guarding the house, then what?”

“We take out my sister and save my mother.”

“Sounds easy,” I mumbled. “Won’t your mother be heavily guarded? I think we should try a stealthier approach.” I used the nearby stalks to steady myself as I climbed over fallen branches.

“What’d you have in mind?”

“What if we sneak past the guards—you must know a secret entrance or an easier way inside. No one will know we’re here. We can find your mother, then go on the attack. We can get her to safety before going back to kill the Siren Queen.” We ducked under a prickly hanging vine and came to a clearing.

Rylander stopped and pivoted around. “That’s actually a great idea. That way Lorelei can’t use my mother as leverage.” Rylander tapped his bottom lip. “There’s a tree outside my old bedroom I used to climb. We could use that to sneak in. My mother’s room is next to mine, and if she’s in there, you can take her back to the tender and get her to The Freedom while I’ll take out Lorelei.”

“Wait a minute, that’s not what I meant. I’m not leaving you.” I looked back, where the path we’d just taken had vanished into the encroaching arms of ferns and vines. “Plus, I’d end up getting her killed. I have no idea where we or the tender are.” My head dropped. I’d only felt this useless a few times in my life, and all had ended in funerals. “I’m sorry, Rye. I honestly wouldn’t be much help to your mother without you navigating us through this jungle.”

Rylander’s lips peeled upward, and his dimple danced. The light in his crystal irises twinkled as he ogled me.

“Why are you staring at me like that?”

His smile spread. “You called me Rye.”

“So… Ohhh.” My cheeks heated. “Yeah, I guess I did.”

Rylander wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his chest. I clasped my hands under his quiver. My chin tilted upward.

“So, are we friends now?” Rylander smirked.

“No. I told you we’d never be friends.” I lifted high on my toes, stopping my lips an inch from his.