Page 128 of The Sea of Zemira (The Zemiran Chronicles 1)

The whispering came back but much louder that time. As the queen stepped on the new trail, the ground shifted again, creating three different paths.

This is getting ridiculous, Nola thought.

It was as if the forest could hear what she was thinking; the paths began to disappear before them, leaving the two women standing in the middle of nothing but a cluster of trees.

Nola looked up, watching the queen swallow as terror overtook her face. “Well, I think it’s time we run.”

They hurried through the forest. No path. No direction. Only the faint light from the sun shining ahead.

Nola heard heavy footsteps from behind, and as she turned to see how close they were, her foot caught on a root, and she flew forward, plummeting to the ground.

The queen had not realized her niece had fallen and continued sprinting through the forest.

I can feel you there,Nola said in her mind, wondering if whatever it was could hear her. No voices echoed back.

Nola rushed to her feet as a twig cracked behind her. When she turned, she was forced to look up, his height towering over her. It was not a troll. He was an elf—a gallant, Elven man. The siren had met several elves since she had arrived at the Eastland Forest, but none looked quite like him. His pointed ears stuck out through his long, midnight black hair, unlike the other elves, who all grew pearled–white hair. He also lacked the red, gold, and black warrior attire—his all-black clothes pressed snug against his lean figure, with a sword at his hip.

Their eyes held each other captive before his gaze wandered leisurely down her figure. The elf’s mouth drew into a thin line. As Nola parted her lips to speak, he turned abruptly, pulling the sword from his hip, and thrusting it into a paunchy troll about to slam into him.

Though she instinctively took a hasty step back, her incoherent thoughts raced through her mind—she froze.

The Elven man bent forward, staring deep into her eyes. “Don’t be a fool! Run, and never come back here!” he said, trying to grip her arm, but she moved back.

“Thank you,” Nola said before racing towards the edge of the forest. Once she reached the cliffs, finally out of harms’ way, she found the queen resting against the rocks with her arms folded across her chest.

“Queen Cassia,” she said, her breath hitched.

“You’re alive. I thought I had lost you! I panicked when I turned around, and you were not behind me. The forest would not let me back in,” she explained.

“It’s okay. I am alive, at least. Someone rescued me.”

The queen’s silvery–azure eyes widened. “Hm, I see you’ve met Aiden.”

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