Page 93 of King Elijah (The Zemiran Chronicles 2)

Elijah stepped off the docks. “Be back here at nightfall.”

Lincoln turned to look at Nola, then back to Elijah. “We’ll have everything ready on our end. The Sybil Curse might not make it, but this is our fault. Everything after this,” Lincoln paused, “falls to us.”

Elijah gave them both a hopeful smile. “See you on deck, Captain.”

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KIERAN HELD THEKroneon in his palm, running his fingers carefully over the smooth surface.

“I only know my father’s stories,” Kieran said to Elijah. “He told me that the merfolk were at war with the Fae once upon a time. That was before they found peace to co-exist without strife and bloodshed. The Newick witches always favored the sea. Wanting to protect the merfolk, they created this device, so they would always know what was coming.” Kieran looked up. “It was a tool to protect our allies of the deep; not a toy for careless freebooters to play with in the middle of the sea.” He scowled at Elijah with accusatory eyes.

“When do you plan to destroy it?” Elijah asked, biting back his tongue.

“Let us worry about that,” he said.

Elijah watched him carefully as he placed the Kroneon in his back pocket.

“How do I know you won’t use that to kill us until then or further abuse the already altered timeline?” Elijah asked.

Kieran smirked. “You don’t,” he said, looking toward the open gates over Elijah’s shoulder. “Time is ticking now.” The sorcerer gritted his teeth as if his patience had grown thin. “The sun will soon set, and if you don’t deliver—”

“I said they’ll be here,” Elijah replied angrily. “What I need from you is your word that your people will hold back their magic until my soldiers are safely through. You’re to assure my soldiers are protected from them and you despite this alliance. Until then, stay away from that ship and Janelle. If anything happens to either of them, I’ll break that oath—consequences be damned!”

“If you go back on your end of the deal, I’ll be sure to bury Aiden next to you. Not only will you die, but that’ll be Janelle’s last memory of you—the man who failed and killed her brother.”

Elijah swallowed down a hard lump in his throat.

“I’ll prepare the hybrids and my coven as I promised. I don’t have many fighters after the havoc that thing wreaked across our land, but I will have Tegan and the remaining hybrids ready at the shore. If I don’t see your army bowing to me by then, ready to take my order, I will stick my dagger into Janelle’s chest and make you watch her bleed out.”

Elijah’s stomach dropped. Janelle’s fate that the Oracle had shown him played out in his mind.

“You must shut off your power when he uses his to kill you,” the words from the Oracle had hit him once again. “Do not fight back.”

But what does it all mean? he wondered

“They’ll be in the city in four hours,” Elijah promised. “Until you see my men, you’re not to go near her room, or you’ll see exactly how I punish my enemies.”

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AFTER KIERAN LEFT, Elijah slipped into the hall, heading back down to where Janelle was being kept.

He placed his hand on the door again and called for her with a pulse of his magic.

“Hey, you,” she said from the other side. “Have you come to rescue me?”

A small smile slipped from his features. The hopeful plea to rescue her was only that, a plea. They both knew there was nothing he could do to help her then, and it drove a nail into his heart.

“You know I can’t,” he said. “The magic used on the door is impenetrable. And even if I could, he’ll kill Aiden if he sees you missing.”

It was quiet on the other end, and Janelle sighed. “I wish I could touch you,” she said. “Not just your magic through the door but really touch you.”

It was strange how quickly they had gone from pure hatred to this. Elijah felt like he wanted to tear off his own skin at the frustration of being away from Janelle. It was a pendulum swing of emotion that left him dizzy.

But it was undeniable, the connection they now shared in heart and soul. Her words made his stomach flutter, and he yearned for her.

Yearned.

King Elijah, the ruler of Zemira, leaning up against a door. He would give his entire heart to a woman who held more power over his emotions than anyone ever had in his entire existence. It was unexpected but also impossible to fight. All he wanted to do was touch her soft skin and trail kisses down her neck. To hold her and never let her go again.

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