Page 129 of The Sea of Zemira (The Zemiran Chronicles 1)

As dusk drew near, Lincoln became unnerved. Sitting not-so-patiently at the edge of the dining bench, he looked up at his surroundings. He carefully watched Lyla, one of the fairy women from the city, serve supper for the Fae and elves.

Waiting was all he could do at that moment.

It had been a couple of hours after his flight with Anaru, and he and the crew had finally joined the Fae for supper. They had been getting used to their new weapons and learning how the two vastly different races could work together. They were all ready for battle, except for Nola.

According to Lyla, the queen had taken Nola on a walk through the Whispering Woodlands. She refused to tell him why. Of course, that made him mad to no end, triggering an uneasy feeling deep in the pit of his stomach.

The dining table was on the shore, right outside the people’s homes in an open field under the stars. Lights lined the trees, brightening up the woods. The moon above was their brightest source of light.

Ardley leaned forward, and in a whisper, he asked, “What have they said?”

Lincoln looked over his shoulder, watching the fairy people going about their business. “They claim to know nothin’! As if we are fools.”

Mazie played with her knife. “They are the only fools into thinkin’ we would not go lookin’ for her,” she said.

Hill reached out and stopped the knife from moving. “Are ye goin’ to use that?” he asked.

The black-eyed pirate shrugged. “I’m nah opposed to killin’ a fairy if that’s what yer askin’,” she answered, mimicking Tipsy’s thick accent.

Kitten, perched on Boots’s lap, wrapped her arms around his shoulders, leaning her head against his.

“It’d be a shame to start a war wit’ the very people we need to fight the king,” she said. “But somethin’ tells me—”

“They be full of shit,” Boots finished, a chuckle escaping his lips. “I’m not the intuitive type, hearties, but somethin’ isn’t right about Queen Cassia.”

Despite the Fae’s warning not to smoke on their land, Big Red sucked in a heavy puff from his pipe to calm his nerves. The smoke wafted in the air around his face.

The captain rolled his eyes when Lyla’s bright lavender fairy wings fluttered past him before she joined them at the table. “I’m sorry, Lincoln,” she said. “I still have no word as to when the queen and princess will return from their journey to the Woodlands.” She held up a little wooden bowl and poured a pinkish, hot liquid into each of the crew’s mugs.

She is a terrible liar,Lincoln thought.

Lyla swallowed before adding, “I’m sure Princess Nola is well.” The fairy topped off Hill’s mug and looked up. “Please, enjoy your tea.” A slight stutter in her words, “it w-will help you all relax—”

“Enough!” Lincoln shouted, slamming his hand on the table. Tea spilled from most of the mugs as adrenaline coursed through his body.

He hastily jumped to his feet, dragging his hand across the table, knocking everything to the ground. Mazie threw her legs over the bench and stepped back, her hand ready at her pistol to back the captain if needed. Raven had not seen him that upset since he lost Sybil. Not even when he provoked Nola that night the siren spy visited. His face reddened, his eyes burning with anger.

Lincoln sucked in a heavy breath before he said, “I do not trust your queen any more than I trust my brother. They have been gone for over an hour since I returned with Anaru. She would have let me know before takin’ off into a troll-infested forest with a woman she does not trust.” His jaw tightened. “...and, I am to believe she’s safe?”

Lyla’s face scrunched up as she saw their dinnerware scattered around the grass. “How dare you—”

Mazie shoved her nose in the fairy’s face; her sword pointed at her long, thin neck. Lyla’s periwinkle-toned eyes dimmed in panic. However, the crew felt no empathy for the fear they had caused her. The fairy’s jaw quivered, unsure as to what Mazie or the others would do to her.

“You heard the captain, you pathetic winged creature! Tell us where Nola is, or I will turn each and every one of you into dust.” Mazie smiled at the thought.

Lyla jumped back and held up her hands. “Very well,” she said, her voice stammering with each word she spoke. “The queen has taken her to our tree.” A nervous smile reached the fairy’s lips. “You are too late. You’ll not reach her in time.”

Lincoln’s hands went into fists right before he lunged forward and shoved Lyla against a tree.

“Too late for what?” he asked, his fingers coming up to her throat.

The entire crew jumped to their feet as the queen’s Elven protectors rushed to Lyla’s aid. The fairies and elves had power, but not enough to defeat a handful of pirates with guns—bullets were faster than magic. All they could do was watch.

When Lincoln pressed his palm harder against Lyla’s throat, she attempted to free herself. The captain tightened his grip, trapping her in place. She waved her hand at the protectors for them to stand down. One squeeze was all it would take to crush her bones and kill her.

The pirates held their weapons up, creating a barrier around their captain as the protectors held their own, awaiting Lyla’s order.

“If you try to use your powers or fly away, I am goin’ to cut off your wings,” Lincoln said.

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