Page 4 of King Elijah (The Zemiran Chronicles 2)

Two

Credale

NOLA TIGHTENED THEornate shawl around her body as a brisk chill swept across the ship.

“Do you—” Lincoln started jovially, his teeth clattering from the cold.

Before he finished the question, Kitten held up her palm. “It’s not as if we’re goin’ to say, ‘Nay,’ Captain,” Kitten said. “Aye!” A smile broadened her lips as she looked back at Boots. “Absolutely, aye.”

“Aye,” Boots echoed warmly.

The two held hands and kept their eyes locked. Mazie leaned into Nola and nudged her with a shoulder.

“I’m not going to cry,” Mazie said. Her pixie, Bay, perched on her shoulder and fluttered her wings in empathy. “I don’t cry at weddings.”

Nola turned to Mazie as her usually stoic friend leaned back against the chair. Mazie donned a bright red dress for the ceremony that complemented her dark skin and flowed softly down her ankles. It wasn’t her usual all-black and skin-tight attire. Nola found the outfit stunning on her, except for the scowl painted across Mazie’s lips and a barely noticeable tear falling down her cheek.

“Oh, Mazie, stop pretending like you’re void of feeling.”

“I am,” she said distastefully. Nola did her level best not to smirk.

Their attention turned back to the front, where the ceremony was concluding.

“I now pronounce you Pirate and Pirate,” Lincoln said. “Woman, kiss your first mate.”

The crew leapt to their feet, shouting congratulations, throwing up their hats and raising their glasses.

Boots pulled Kitten in, wrapping his arm around her waist, then dipped her back, kissing her passionately upon the lips.

Lincoln didn’t see a second of it, though. His eyes were on Nola, like they always were, and a soft glow of affection surrounded him. She looked up at her captain, their eyes meeting, and he mouthed the words, “I love you,” so only she would see.

The sea splashed hard against the ship, causing it to rock, and the crew planted their feet on the deck to keep their chairs from falling over.

Seagulls migrated overhead and the sound of the city bells chimed. They only had a few hours before they needed to move the ship away from the dock to allow the city supply vessels to come through.

The town of Credale was one of the smaller cities in Zemira, south of the capital, Terth. They were at least two hours by ship from the palace, and though the crew had discussed docking near the castle for a few nights, there was a winter storm passing through and they didn’t want to get trapped in it.

Nola clambered to her feet and when she turned around, Kitten stood there, a vision in her enchanting black wedding dress, a radiant smile across her face.

“Thank you,” Kitten said softly, her eyes glistening. “Ye really ’ave been one of a kind.”

Kitten hadn’t stopped thanking her since they left the Shadow Land; at least, that was the name they had called it. It was the last and final world they had ventured to with the Kroneon. The world that, if it were not for quick thinking on both Nola and Mazie’s part, would have consumed them all.

“Leavin’ the pirate life is nothin’ I ever thought I’d do,” Kitten said. “But ’tis for the best.” Nola looked down as Kitten placed her hand affectionately on her belly. “She’s already kickin’.”

“You think it’s a girl?” Nola asked her.

Kitten nodded. “I can already sense ’er fearless heart.”

Boots staggered over and pulled Nola in for a warm hug, squeezing her so tight the air left her lungs for a moment.

“Take care of the crew,” Boots said, setting her back down. The look on his face was one they had all seen in each other’s eyes since narrowly escaping the Shadow Land two weeks ago—genuine fear.

“We’re safe, Boots,” Nola reminded him. “We aren’t going back. Ever.”

Boots nodded and turned to his new bride. Kitten smiled and held out her hand for him to take.

“I’m hungry as a whale, Boots. Let’s eat!” she said.

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