Page 138 of The Sea of Zemira (The Zemiran Chronicles 1)

“I felt the ruby that day at the marketplace, just as I feel it now. No map, only the power it holds calls me. And, well, it will ultimately guide me to the weapon.”

Nola pressed her palm to the satchel feeling the precious gem touching her skin. The siren knew it was only a matter before he forced it from her, but until then...

“Lincoln told me a story about the creatures on this island,” the siren girl said. “You may be a fool, but I am not.” She turned on her heel, heading back to the shore. “Have a nice journey up that cliff. I’m not going with you.”

As she walked away, Nola felt his strong hand latch to her shirt, yanking her back. Flinging into his arms, he twirled her until she was facing him, then pushed her to the edge of the cliff, letting her body hang over the pointy rocks. His fingers quickly crawled under her shirt and ripped it from her waist.

The prince pocketed the satchel, his smile faint. “I still need you,” he whispered to her ear as he pulled her towards him.

Nola shook her head, frustrated, but felt his finger under her chin, lifting it up to meet his eyes.

“The creatures on this island are preventing me from getting to the Kroneon,” he explained, then sized her up. “Be more concerned about why I need you. The ruby is only a part of my plan.”

“Oh, I have been asking myself that question over and over again, but I’m certain you will only feed me lies.” Her forehead crinkled as she raised a brow.

Elijah released her and stepped back, giving her space. “No. I have no reason to keep anything from you. I have you now.”

He has nothing, she thought.

The prince reached out, gripping her arm and giving it a tight squeeze. She tried to wiggle from his hold, but he only increased the pressure until she winced.

“I get it,” she said boldly, “You want to go back in time to change what happened to your mum,” she said.

He stopped and looked up. “Then stop fighting me,” he said, his tone brusque. The prince dragged her away from the water, forcing her to walk closer to the woods. Once they reached the forest which led to the cliff, he released her arm, leaning so close she felt his breath on her cheek. “I said stop fighting me. If you keep this up, we won’t find shelter before whatever lurks in these woods finds us!”

“Oh, I plan to fight you every step of the way. Elijah,” Nola said. “And just because I understand why you are doing it does not mean I agree with you.” She watched as his face grew hard. “You cannot change the past. You have no idea what ramifications will occur. It could be catastrophic.”

His nostrils flared. “I don’t care.” The prince caught her arm again. “This way.”

He is unhinged or a damn fool if he believes I will help him, she thought.

Nola planted her feet. “What if we worked together,” she said, trying to talk him down enough to where he would not take her further into the island. “Now that the Fae have no intention of truly helping us, we could use your magic. Let us work together. Let’s fight Matthias in this time.”

Of course, that was a lie. Nola could never trust the prince.

His hand slacked around her elbow, dropping his arm to his side. “My mother would still be dead. The only way to get what I need is to stop him twenty years ago. I need that weapon, and I need the ruby to do it. I need your help to do it.”

The siren’s lips parted, feeling a tug of guilt. Nola understood Elijah’s need to save the ones he loved, but not like that. And surely, she would not help a prince who would no doubt use that weapon in other means.

“Nola,” he said, stepping closer to her. “I do not want to hurt you—”

“Then don’t!” she shouted, choking on her words. “I have been kidnapped twice in the last few days. Chased by a wendigo—”

She watched his brow rise in the darkness.

“—almost killed by a Kraken, and the one queen, whom I had believed to want to help us, turned out to be no better than you.” It was a bold move, but she stepped even closer until she almost touched his face. “Do not grab my arm again unless you want to see a side of me that I didn’t know existed until a few days ago. The side which kills men like you,” she added, “I can walk on my own.”

His smile was faint, but it was evident her temper amused him. “Fine,” he said, stepping back. “But I need you to use that siren call of yours to control the creatures on this land. We have to reach that cave without being torn to pieces.” A small smile reached his lips. “I know who your mother was, Nola. I know what you can do.”

And there it was. The reason the prince needed Nola.

Her stomach jumped. “I am barely able to control this magic of mine, Elijah.”

The prince adjusted the bag on his shoulder and walked in front of her. “You controlled the mind of a Kraken,” he said without turning around.

She struggled to catch up as he picked up the pace. “Why don’t you use your own magic on whatever is here?”

Prince Elijah stopped at the edge of the cliff and turned to her. “Are you always this sassy?”

---