Page 80 of The Sea of Zemira (The Zemiran Chronicles 1)

“Let’s fight then,” Mazie said, her smile growing wider. She raised her sword up and swung towards Nola, but the siren turned, meeting her weapon with hers. Adrenaline coursed through her veins.

Nola swung the sword forward with accuracy and precision, almost stabbing Mazie through the chest. Still, the female buccaneer quickly blocked the hit, matching her skill—her lips pulling into a scowl.

They danced around and exhausted each other. Mazie jumped forward, kicking her leg out, landing her heel into the back of Nola’s knees. Nola flung forward and smacked her face against the deck.

“Ow,” Nola cried, holding her right hand to her forehead to check for a wound.

Mazie rolled her eyes. “You might swing that sword like a warrior, but you fight like a child.” She reached her hand out to help Nola to her feet, then tossed her sword on the ground. “Have you warmed up yet?”

The siren girl frowned before shifting her shoulder back with her arm bent at the elbow, then swung up, smacking Mazie hard on the nose. The pirate cupped her hands over her nostrils, feeling the burn.

Nola backed up her left foot, her vision speeding up to see Mazie’s next move. As the pirate’s fist came forward, Nola’s hand came up and gripped her fist, blocking the hit. The pirate resisted her hold, both feeling their muscles clench.

They dropped their hands, taking a step back from each other.

“Nice block,” Mazie said, “But still only an amateur.”

Nola scowled at Mazie’s remark. “How’s your nose?” she mocked back.

Mazie was never one to lose; she hated it. Losing to a naïve villager who had never fought a day in her life infuriated her. She pulled her fist back, bent her knee, then slammed her fist hard against Nola’s gut.

The siren girl coughed, not believing Mazie had walloped her so hard. She let out a groan, wincing at the fierce blow to her stomach.

“Seriously, Mazie?”

“You are as good as dead if you continue to fight this way, Nola,” she said. “You want to lead an army to a war with the king of Zemira?”

Nola flinched, watching Mazie slide Nola’s sword her way with her foot.

“You’ll have to kill someone at some point, Nola. You’ll have to fight for your damn life!”

The siren looked up, straightened her back, and pulled her shirt up to check on her belly.

“You didn’t have to punch me that hard to make your point,” Nola hissed, looking down at the bright red mark right above her birthmark.

She heard a faint gasp come from Mazie’s lips. When Nola looked up, the female pirate was eyeing her birthmark. It looked like a shark eye shell.

It took Nola a moment to realize what was happening. Her parents had said a birthmark was the marking of a siren, and Mazie was staring right at it, dumbfounded.

“Please—” Nola started, panic dancing around in her stomach.

Mazie threw her hands up. “Stop,” she said, cutting her off. “Is that your little secret?” She stepped back. “Oh, you lyin’ bitch!”

Nola stepped forward. “Please, Mazie, I’m not going to hurt any of you.”

Mazie breathed out a quiet chuckle. “You think we’re afraid of you, little siren?”

Nola shrugged and shook her head. “No, actually. I don’t,” she said. “But I lied to you. I lied because I’m scared.”

Mazie pulled her eyebrows together and looked towards Lincoln’s quarters. The black-eyed pirate let out a sigh, “—we all have secrets, Nola, but the captain is fallin’ for you. So, you better tell him what you are, or I will.”

Raven then leaned down to pick up her sword and swiped it up, placing it into her scabbard.

“We’re done here.”

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