Page 144 of The Sea of Zemira (The Zemiran Chronicles 1)

“King Argon, from what my father has told me, had many treasure troves and kept them hidden here.” He picked up the compass carefully. “The legend told that the monsters who lived on Crotona were here for one purpose; to protect his treasure, especially this.”

The siren’s lips drew into a hard line. “Argon decided to use my kind as slaves, Elijah,” she said. “Trapping them here and giving them no choice but to evolve into monsters. Luring them here under false pretense.” Uneasiness stirred in her belly.

Nola did not know her birth father, but knowing that about him, broke her heart.

Did he even love me? Or my mother?She wondered.

She reached forward and placed her hand on the compass while Elijah held it still. The bronze, rustic metal felt cool against her skin. It looked like any ancient compass she had seen in nautical literature. The only difference was a round hole on its front.

That must be for the key,Nola thought.

Prince Elijah’s blue eyes settled on hers. “If you could see into the future, Nola,” he said, “you could change it. If you could go back in time, you could right your wrongs.”

He pointed at the round gap in the center of the weapon. The siren understood why.

With such an artifact, she could go back in time to meet her birth mother. Or even see the future of Zemira.

“May I?” she asked, holding out her hand. He nodded and placed it in her palm. Nola turned it around and on the back was an engraving. A shark eye symbol.

And there it is, she said in her mind—the siren’s mark.

“Queen Cassia lied to me,” Nola said, looking up. “I don’t know why she wants this so badly, but she too, will be coming for it.”

At that point, Elijah’s expression was hard to read. Nola had the feeling he already knew that about the queen.

Nola turned to the markings on the cave once more. She wanted to help him. But not the way he desired. She could not stop him; that was obvious. Elijah had both pieces to the weapon. The only thing Nola could do was try to change his mind.

The siren’s fingers curled around the compass, keeping it safe and secure. The wisest choice, of course, was to run.

“If you do this, Elijah,” she said, “I’m coming with you.” Nola sucked in a breath and looked down at the compass, running her fingers over the smooth texture. “I know you’ve been searching for the Kroneon since you learned of its power.” She hesitated but handed it back to him. “We can go together, and I’ll let you look into your father’s eyes and tell him what you must, but I won’t let you kill him.”

His mouth twisted into a smile, letting out a short, derisive laugh. “And you’re going to stop me if I try?”

Nola shook her head. “I do not blame you for wanting to save your mother, Elijah. But I don’t believe you will go through with it,” she said. “And if you care at all about anyone but yourself, know that I would lose my family. Everything, and I mean everything, would change. Even you.”

The prince gripped the compass, and a soft laugh left his lips. “You’ve thought about all this more than I have.” Elijah placed his hand into his pocket and pulled the ruby out, placing it inside the keyhole, hearing a click.

They both watched the compass begin to glow.

“Right to go forward in time,” Nola said, remembering what the queen had told her, “and left to go back.”

The prince nodded as if he already knew what to do, then placed two fingers around the ruby and turned it left. The compass beamed, like yellow pixie dust shimmering over its surface, brighter and brighter as the weapon activated. They shielded their eyes from the glow—marveled at its beauty.

The compass vibrated in his hand as he clutched tightly to it.

“Now what?” she asked and waited for his reply. The prince only stared at the two pieces, his eyes drawing in as if he could not look away, even if he tried.

Nola gently placed her hand on his. “Elijah?” she called. “Elijah!”

The prince looked up quickly. “Sorry. Um, now, we join hands, and I think about the time and place where my heart desires to go.”

Fear consumed him. After all those years of searching for the key, he finally had it. However, the young prince was afraid things could go wrong.

Prince Elijah snapped his eyes shut, searching into the past in his mind. The night his father poisoned his mother. Elijah thought about what he felt that day. The pain. The rage.

The compass grew warm, then hot, but they did not let go. Nola saw a light gleam as her hair whipped up into the air when a strong gust zipped through the cave.

Elijah was already looking around in the small, cramped space they were standing in when she opened her eyes. A cold sweat drenched her body as if the energy from the weapon had drained her.

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