Page 124 of The Sea of Zemira (The Zemiran Chronicles 1)

Beatrice ran after her, breaking through the crowd, crushing the rows of seats in her path. The onlookers scurried away quickly as the giant followed Mazie, who had then disappeared behind the trees.

Once the pirate reached the clearing where she wanted the giant to follow her, she heard the stomping sound of the beast moving closer to her, but she blocked it out to focus.

Think, Mazie, think.

Turning on her heel, she latched on to the first branch, gripping her nails into the bark, and climbed up until she was taller than Beatrice.

Though Mazie felt fearless most of her life, her arrogance had put her into a situation where she could die.

The kind eyes of the queen may have fooled others, but not Mazie. It was apparent right away Cassia never expected her to win, and she would prove her wrong.

Beatrice reached her hands up in the air. For a moment, Mazie thought she was safe until the giant bounced off the ground to grab her. Raven’s shoulders went rigid.

I am not going to die today, Mazie thought.

The black-eyed pirate pushed her heels off the tree and jumped towards the giant’s head, landing between Beatrice’s eyes, and gripping to a shaggy strand of hair. She slid down, swung her feet out, and lunged towards the back of the giant’s neck. The pirate gripped to its skin and held tight. The giant reached back to grab her just as Mazie took her sword and shoved it into her neck.

Beatrice screeched so loud, Mazie felt a buzzing sound pound in her ears.

The pirate gripped the hilt of the sword again and yanked it out, releasing her hold on the giant’s hair, letting herself drop the ground.

The sting at her ankle from the landing would have been much worse if it were not for the adrenaline running through her body. She was wise to believe the giant would not fight to the death. But, as the giant paused to regain some strength, Mazie’s arm came back up with the sword wielded above her head, the giant’s brows knitted together.

Mazie smirked.

“Let’s finish this, you ugly hag!” Mazie mustered one last insult before swinging herself up the tree again and jumped forward, driving her sword to the heart of the beast.

Mazie’s eyes shot wide open, and a satisfied grin shone on her lips as the weapon sliced through the monster’s chest. She watched the giant fall to her knees and over on her side. Beatrice’s eyes glazed over, and her entire body went limp. Mazie, who at that moment, jumped on her and clutched her sword. With a firm grip, she pushed down on the hilt, piercing through the beast’s chest. The pirate then reached in, moving her hand through the giant’s rib cage as blood-soaked her hand and arm. When she felt the giant’s beating heart, she smiled with relief.

It was over.

Bloody hell, I actually did it! She thought, satisfaction running through her veins. I won.

Then Mazie clutched to the heart, squeezing it between her fingers, and yanked it out of Beatrice’s chest. The rancid smell of the giant’s blood made her queasy.

Mazie held up a coconut-sized heart in her hand, high above her head, and jumped off the giant. Once on the ground, she turned on her heel proudly to head back to Queen Cassia.

As she walked out of the tree line holding the bloody organ, the awes and gasps from the crowd immediately satisfied Raven.

Oh, thank goodness,Nola thought, relieved that Mazie had survived. She watched as her pirate mate puffed out her chest and walked back to the queen, and the corner of her mouth quirked up.

“Your Highness...”

Mazie dropped to one knee, letting the heart roll off her palm. It landed at Cassia’s feet, blood splashing on her dress.

Raven looked up with a lopsided grin on her lips.

“I’d like my pixie now, please.”

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