Page 15 of The Sea of Zemira (The Zemiran Chronicles 1)

“No, I’m not planning to kill you,” he said, his lips forming a wicked grin. “Though—I am slightly tempted to steal you away.”

He winked at her as if he found humor in his not-so-subtle threat.

“I’m just curious about you, Nola.” He paused and leaned in slightly towards her, lowering his voice. “And quite intrigued, I may add,” he continued, “...A siren—with human parents?”

She shifted uncomfortably. “I’m no threat to your people, Prince Elijah. Being human is all I know.”

As he studied her, his unlocked gaze made her want to look away, but she could not. It was as if she was being drawn in by a fishhook, not able to break free from his hold.

“Yet, I can assure you, you will always crave more,” he said.

Nola gave him a shy nod. “Oh, yeah, of course. I always wonder what it would be like to be out there, in the sea, but then I’m reminded that Zemira had once been a different place—”

“Before it died?” he asked.

“Yes, Prince Elijah. And I want to be able to fight for it,” the olive-skinned girl vented. “How can I do that from out there?”

He halted abruptly, standing by another merchant’s booth. The fresh squid lining the table sent an unpleasant odor looming in the air.

“Are you like them?” he said, pointing north. “Are you part of the resistance?”

“No—” she answered quickly, “—I mean, not like them. But I do believe there should be justice. How can I stand idlyby while your father steals more than seventy percent of everyone’s profit, while he literally sits on a throne made of gold?”

She wanted to mention how she knew magic was the most beautiful thing Zemira had ever had before the king banished it. But that alone would get a noose around her neck.

“We are suffering enough.” She paused, carefully contemplating her next words. “It’s inexcusable.”

A small chuckle left his lips, and she was not sure if she had taken it too far with her bluntness.

“So, this isn’t about the land?” he asked.

“That’s not what I said, and quite far from what I meant,” Nola appealed.

She looked away from him into the other vendor’s tents, trying to think of the right words to help him understand.

Nola turned back to meet the prince’s eyes. “Prince Elijah, if your father continues to run this kingdom like we mean nothing to him, then the future generations will be doomed. They will grow to that same destructive nature, ultimately killing every person on this land. We are prisoners to your father’s law, only because it is the only way to survive. He takes almost everything from us. He gives us just enough to stay alive—but not enough to live,” she explained.

The prince’s brooding eyes stared back at hers. Nola was not sure if he understood the seriousness of what his father had done to Zemira.

Even if he understands, does he care?She thought. Or at least care enough to help make changes to how his father runs things?

Suddenly, a few young women walked by. They were luxuriously dressed. Their tall and svelte bodies were wrapped in exclusive silks, and their necks decorated with jewels only a limited number of people in the city could afford. One of the ladies smiled seductively at the prince to catch his attention, leaning forward with her low-cut dress, but his eyes would not leave Nola’s.

I am only a siren commoner,she thought. Why is he looking at me that way?

Prince Elijah interrupted her thoughts. “You’re different,” he said with a disingenuous grin, “—I like different.” He stared at her with unyielding attentiveness. He courteously waved his hand to the merchants surrounding them. “Perhaps you’d like to join me in the palace sometime—you and I could discuss how we can better serve the people.”

Nola felt her cheeks warm. The prince seemed different than what her father said about him, and as much as she wanted to trust him, she did not. The royal family always had a motive for everything they did. Taking an interest in a female siren’s opinions—a poor one, for that matter—was so far off. She knew she had to keep her head down from there forward as her father had warned.

Nola bowed her head slightly.“Perhaps,” she repeated his words. “Nice to meet you, Prince Elijah.”

He delicately took her fingers in his and kissed the top of her hand. It sent a cold shiver up her neck, but she smiled politely and curtsied.

Nola stood still as the prince rounded the corner and walked back through the palace gates, followed by his guards.

She placed a hand on her hip. “Perhaps not,” she uttered to herself while rolling her eyes. She whipped around to head back to her parents, who she knew were most likely pacing the tent. Right then, she slammed into a tall man’s muscular chest, coming to a jarring halt. She looked up. Her heart raced faster than it had with the prince.

“And what does a prince want from a commoner, such as yourself?” the man asked in a slight accent. His deep voice laced with disapproval. The scent of musk coming from the man distracted her for a moment. She blinked, realizing the man was gripping tightly to her wrist and pressing his chest up against hers.

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