Page 76 of The Sea of Zemira (The Zemiran Chronicles 1)

Nola glanced up, averting her eyes from the ship nearing theirs. “If that cannon goes off in this cave, we’ll all die.”

Lincoln gripped the helm and pulled right, veering towards the sea. Shortly after turning the ship, it was followed by the blast from a cannon coming their way.

The captain skillfully steered the ship to a sharp left, the cannonball hitting the side of the ice, instantly cracking the glacier up the wall. Tiny shards of ice fell on the ship.

“Bloody fuck!” Kitten shouted. “We don’t ’ave a choice, Captain!”

“Aye, Kitten. Go!” Lincoln shouted.

Kitten ran to the Sybil Curse’s chase cannon and turned it towards their enemy’s ship, which was only a hundred yards away.

Nola pulled her bow off her shoulder while Boots unsheathed his sword and held it in front of him.

Tipsy was never good when it came to fights, so he sat in the corner, curled in a ball, with a bottle of rum.

“Fire in the ’ole!” Kitten shouted, their ship’s cannon firing off towards the gnomes.

The cannonball hit the side of the small ship near the bow. The wood burst in all directions while several gnomes flew off the ship and scattered along the water. The creatures left standing on board screeched and wailed.

“Fire!” Boots shouted that time as the craft sailed closer. Kitten did not miss. The thirty-two-pound cannonball hit lower, causing the ship to split, and half the crew, maybe twenty or thirty of the little creatures, fell under their deck as the ship collapsed at the center.

Lincoln looked up as the rest of the tiny gnomes leapt high in the air and landed on the Sybil Curse once they were closer.

Ardley came up from below deck, his sword already swinging and ready to defend the ship. He came down with one swift blow but missed as a gnome locked onto his leg, digging its serrated teeth into his ankle. Big Red tried to shake him off, but the gnome held tight, digging deeper into his flesh.

Nola rushed to Ardley, pulling her bow back and releasing an arrow towards the gnome attacking his ankle. Crimson blood sprayed over the deck as the sharp tip cut through the back of its neck. She ran to Big Red, who held his hand to the wound as blood oozed from his ankle.

Mazie shot a couple rounds of her polished revolver. The gnomes dashed about the deck like little crickets. But it was not enough; there were too many.

Lincoln left the helm and pulled out his sword, swinging at the devilish monsters.

“Boots!” Kitten shouted, leaving the cannon, and dashing to him, who laid his back on the deck. The big-chested pirate had four gnomes on top of him, biting down into his flesh.

“Oh no!” she shouted. But before she reached her love, four arrows flew by her, piercing into the hearts of each attacking gnome. Kitten turned around, amazed.

“Thanks, lassie!” she said, practically sobbing with relief.

Nola smiled, despite her heart beating hard against her chest—a mix of satisfaction and horror. She rushed to the dead gnomes and pulled her arrows out, placing them back in the quiver. But as she turned, Lincoln had several gnomes latched onto his back and neck. He had his sword but was having a hard time defending himself with it.

A lump of rage grew in the siren girl’s throat.

Nola turned, her eyes scanning the scene. She saw her friends being attacked. The siren girl had felt helpless before, but that was different. She cared about them. They were her allies. Her friends.

I must do something!She thought.

Nola felt her instincts speak to her; it was not new, but she embraced them that time. She backed up slowly, standing tall at the stern of the ship, and sang quietly to a near whisper, doubting herself that it would even work.

I have to do this! I must save them.Nola pushed away from the doubt in her heart.

She sang a melodic song, drawing in her powers. Nola did everything to focus on her siren call while the harrowing images played out in front of her.

I hope this will do the trick,she said to herself.

One by one, the tiny gnomes dropped to the deck into a sleepless slumber.

A few yards ahead stood the last gnome to fall; she looked straight at it; a sardonic grin pulled at its lips before he charged towards her across the deck. She lifted her elbows and hesitated for only a second before the arrow sprang from the bow. The gnome launched into the air, avoiding the arrow, and slammed its vile, bald head against her chest. She flung back against the rail, then they toppled over and into the frigid water.

Her fingers dug into the gnome’s shoulders, taking it down with her as they both sank. She released the gnome as he opened his mouth, flashing his jagged, sharp teeth. What came next was a savage screech. Bubbles clouded the space between them. She gripped the arrow she still held tightly in her palm before stabbing into its chest. The gnome let out a bubble-filled cry before its corpse sank into the deep-blue water. Nola felt herself begin to panic and tried to swim to the surface. She had to get out of the sea before it was too late.

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