Page 33 of King Elijah (The Zemiran Chronicles 2)

“Spare me the judgment, Nola,” Elijah huffed.

“No, I won’t. I know you, and I know that monster tone is a cover-up for how you’re already judging yourself, but I don’t care. You obviously know this is wrong. I do not for one second believe you don’t feel something for that girl and what you’re doing to her. Or do you need a reminder of who you really are?” She stared at him, lancing him with her stern gaze and making Elijah’s stomach flutter with nerves. Not many things could make him feel small and childlike, but Nola’s disappointment was one of them.

But he was king, and he would not be shamed. “Who am I, then?” he asked in a challenge.

Nola let the tension ebb from her body and leaned back. Her face turned kind and compassionate, and somehow that made Elijah feel more shameful. “You are not the same man you were when I first met you,” she said with a sigh, “and you’re not a kidnapper.”

“She’s a prisoner, Nola,” he spat angrily, “not a victim. Don’t pretend to waltz in here and understand what’s going on. A powerful sorcerer wants me dead, and she is the living, breathing instrument of his violence. My people need to be kept safe from her and the enemy she serves!”

Tension hung in the air between them. Elijah slumped back into the couch, rubbing one hand over his face as a wave of exhaustion hit him.

When he continued, his voice was soft again. “He’s abusing Janelle, Nola. Kieran saved her life so they could brainwash her. It didn’t take much for him to convince her she was doing the right thing by coming here to kill me. If she returns without evidence of my death, he will keep her under lock and key. He’ll use her to breed his hybrid children, and he doesn’t care how much pain he causes her in the process. I won’t let it happen. I’m protecting her by keeping her here, not punishing her. Regardless of how she sees it.” He finished with a snort.

He watched as Nola’s jaw dropped. Obviously, he had left out some of the salient details the first time.

“I know we got off on the wrong foot two years ago, but there is always a reason for everything I do,” Elijah said. “Aiden has left for, we assume, a hero mission to avenge his sister. If I don’t keep her safe, she will be off herself, putting her and our kingdom at risk.”

Nola drummed her slender fingers against the couch’s armrest, staring at the floor.

“Then go with her,” she said.

Elijah shook his head.

“Stop shaking your head at me, Elijah. You know I’m right. The water is too frozen to travel by ship; we barely made it to the docks. It can be safe to travel once this ill weather dies down and it warms up enough to melt some of that ice and snow. But you need to go with her, or she won’t survive the journey by horse. Janelle doesn’t seem like the kind of girl who will take well to her imprisonment and just wait here for the news of his demise by your enemy. Go with her, Elijah.”

That idea had crossed Elijah’s mind. Janelle would kill anyone in the kingdom to get her freedom, especially now that Aiden was gone. But if she were to leave, the safest thing for her, and their best chance of getting Aiden back, was to help her. True, she had traveled alone when she ventured to Zemira, but the weather then was nothing like the storm coming in now. It was too dangerous.

“Let’s have a drink, catch up, and I’ll think about it,” he said.

Elijah extended a beckoning hand to help her to her feet.

“And thank you,” he said as her hand touched the doorknob. He felt his mask of strength and confidence slip just a little, so she could see the real him.

“For what?”

“For reminding me of who I want to be, even though I forget to be that man most of the time,” he said before pulling his mask back up.

Her smile was faint, but she stood on her tippy toes and kissed him gently on the cheek.

“You are him, dear Elijah,” she said. “You just tend to forget.”

_______________

SUPPER WITH THEcrew reminded Elijah of the last time they broke bread. The crew inebriated, Mazie’s wild tongue spouting foul insults at everyone. He didn’t know the others as much, but he felt a sense of sadness for Lincoln that parts of his family were now gone from the ship.

Lincoln shared more details about their visit to the Shadow Land, what happened, and why they chose to leave. As angry as he was for the crew having let that creature into their world, it was a mistake, and Lincoln would be paying for that with his guilt for the rest of his life.

Once the laughter settled, they created their plan. Elijah would take Janelle to rescue her brother, hoping to catch him before reaching Newick. Then in two days, the crew would set sail, floating idly on the other end of the mountain, close to the shoreline. Elijah knew it was risky, but something about the potential course of action was setting him at ease.

Traveling with a thousand soldiers, a dragon, and a pirate ship would only get themselves killed before they reached the city.

“The plan will work, Lincoln,” Elijah said as the help cleared the dining table. “Or at least I think it will, as long as there are no surprises.”

“We just have to be vigilant,” Mazie added. Bay laid on her shoulder, snuggling up to sleep at the crease of her neck. “It’s not as if we haven’t faced worse situations.” Mazie yawned and reached up, scooping Bay into her palm and pressing her close to her chest to keep her warm. “Goodnight, mates. Tomorrow, we’ll make this plan a reality.” She scooped up a midnight snack and winked. “I’ve been dying to kick someone’s ass.”

Lincoln draped his arm over Nola’s shoulder, not caring if everyone watched. He leaned in, kissing her gently on the forehead. Then, gently ran his fingers down one of the silver streaks within her brown and purple hair.

“Time to sleep ourselves,” Lincoln said. ’Bout time we get a good night’s rest. The last few weeks have been daunting.”

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