Marina stood near the wall in the large room. Orion had escorted the group into the room after determining that no one else would be arriving. Nali had shaken her head when Orion had quietly asked if she had been in contact with the King and Queen of the Elementals.

“No. Either they have shrouded their Isle or something else has happened. I was unable to locate it,” Nali explained.

“I told you Ruger had floated his kingdom away,” Ashure said, wiggling his fingers.

Marina giggled and leaned close to Mike. “I like him. He is funny,” she murmured.

“He’s a pirate,” Mike retorted with a shake of his head. “Talk about stereotyping! He could be straight out of the movies. The only difference is, he is a lot cleaner.”

Marina bit her lip when the Pirate King turned and winked at her. She squeezed Mike’s hand when he shot Ashure a warning look. Mike turned to gaze down at her with a wry grin.

“Another new experience for me,” he confessed.

“What is that?” she asked, tilting her head to look up at him.

“Jealousy,” he murmured.

Marina drew in a swift breath when he bent and captured her lips in a possessive kiss. She turned into him and threaded her fingers through his hair while returning his kiss.

“Looks like you missed another one, Ashure,” Nali commented.

Ashure grinned. “It is the history of my life. I find an enchanting woman, and she is already taken—except for you, my beautiful Empress,” he retorted with a wicked smile.

“Oh, Goddess help me,” Nali groaned, turning to look at Orion and Drago. “Please—tell me where I can find a woman who would put up with this thief.”

Koorgan laughed. “Is there such a woman?” he asked.

Ashure gave the group a pained look and walked over to the bar. He picked up several bottles and examined them before he chose one and walked back to the table with it. Pulling off the glass stopper, he poured himself a glass before sitting down.

“I believe we were asked to attend a meeting here for something more serious,” he prompted with a lift of his glass toward Orion. “I would hate to come all this way just to lose my fire beasts and an excellent case of brandy.”

Orion nodded in response, turned, and signaled Marina and Mike to step forward. Each ruler settled down around the table. Drago leaned over, grabbed the bottle of liquor in front of Ashure, and poured two glasses. He then pushed them toward Marina and Mike.

“Marina, please explain to the others what you have shared with me,” Orion encouraged, waving for them to sit down.

Mike pulled out a chair for Marina. She gave him a grateful smile before sitting down and nervously wrapping her hands around the glass of amber liquid. She took a deep breath and released it before slowly studying the face of each person at the table.

“My name is Marina Fae. I am a witch from the Isle of Magic, and I have come to beg for your help,” she began.

Over the next half hour, she shared everything that had happened to her people and herself. Mike reached over and gripped her hand as she impatiently wiped a tear that coursed down her cheek as she told them about what happened to Geoff and the sacrifice her grandmother had made for them to be there.

“Please help us. King Drago, you know what it feels like to lose those you care about. She is slowly killing my people the way she killed yours,” Marina forced out in a trembling voice.

A muscle ticked in Drago’s jaw. His expression was hard and his eyes cold. Marina wasn’t sure if she should have mentioned the loss of Drago’s people, but she wanted him to understand the hopelessness she was feeling.

Drago turned to look at Orion. “I’m going to kill that bitch,” he announced.

“Drago… remember what I told you before,” Nali cautioned.

Drago slammed his fist into the table. The wood snapped under the force. A long crack appeared and the glasses and bottle of liquor began to slide toward the center when the table started to cave in. Marina splayed her hands over the wood and spoke to it. Her magic flowed through her, healing the fractured wood. Each of the rulers had risen when the table began to collapse. Mike laid his hand on her back. A surge of magical power flowed through her, stronger with his light touch even though her magic was not impeded on this kingdom.

“I love the power of magic,” Ashure replied with a sigh.

Marina blinked and glanced around those standing by the table. “My powers are mostly with wood,” she said.

Orion scowled at Drago. “The next time there is a meeting, we are having it on the Isle of the Dragons. Between Koorgan putting giant footprints in my courtyard and you almost breaking a thousand year old table, I’m about ready to ban you both from my home,” he snapped.

“What about Ashure?” Koorgan said with a raised eyebrow.

“What have I done?” Ashure demanded, glaring at Koorgan.

“The silver dagger on the tray,” Koorgan chuckled.

Ashure grimaced and pulled the silver dagger, which he had picked up off of a tray sitting on the meeting room bar, from his pocket. He balanced it on his finger for a moment before twirling it and placing it on the table. A crooked grin curved his lips at Orion’s exasperated expression.

“I wouldn’t have kept it,” Ashure retorted.

“Boys! I swear none of you have grown up since I first met you as children,” Nali said with a shake of her head before she turned to look at Marina. “I will help you free your people. The black evil inside the Sea Witch has been spreading out to seek other hosts. We must stop it before it is successful.”

“You keep saying there is something inside Magna. The only thing I saw was her black heart,” Drago snarled. “I say I kill her and cut her heart out of her chest.”

“Dragons have always been bloodthirsty beasts,” Ashure commented.

Drago turned, his eyes dancing with flames, and gave Ashure a menacing grin. “How about I show you firsthand how bloodthirsty I can be?” he offered.

Ashure’s gaze hardened, and his mouth tightened. Marina’s eyes widened when she saw the flare of magic surrounding Ashure. His aura, which had been faint but light and colorful, suddenly turned to a thick and menacing black, unlike anything she had ever seen before—even Magna. The coldness threatened to choke her. When the swirling color turned toward her, as if aware that she could see it, she saw faces and greedy hands reaching for her. Frightened, she released a startled cry and swiftly rose from her chair, reaching for Mike as she jerked away.

“Marina, what is it?” Nali asked in concern.

Marina’s terrified gaze locked with Ashure’s. The Pirate King’s expression changed. He took a deep breath. There was a look of warning for Marina to keep what she saw to herself. Her head unconsciously rose and fell in a short, jerky nod. She held onto Mike, her body trembling, even as the tortured faces locked in Ashure’s aura faded.

“I… Nothing…,” she whispered, tearing her gaze away from Ashure. “Please… I need a moment alone.”

“Marina,” Mike said, watching her turn and hurry out of the room.

Marina shook her head. She needed a few minutes alone to compose herself. There were stories told as she was growing up that the Kings and Queens of the Isles were not what they appeared to be. She had learned today that the stories were true, but some of them were vastly understated.

* * *

The sound of the door quietly closing behind Marina echoed loudly in the suddenly silent room. Mike turned and gave each person in the room a cold, hard look of warning. Stepping up to the table, he braced his hands on it and spoke in a slow, measured cadence.

“I don’t give a fuck what you are,” he started, capturing each person’s gaze again. “I don’t give a damn if you have issues with each other. What I do care about is what is happening to Marina and her people. My job is to serve and protect. I will do that. It is not to go in with the intention of revenge. It is to go in with the intention of freeing those imprisoned by this Sea Witch. I don’t know if the spell she created will affect you the way it does Magna and the others with magic. If it does, you can expect to feel weak. Now, are you going to work with us or not?”

“I have said I will. The spell will affect each of us. I will have to keep my ogres away, but the Cyclops and Minotaurs who are members of my crew should be safe,” Nali said.

“You get me. There are no other dragons who can fight, but I will fight—and try not to kill her if I can,” Drago responded.

“I will fight as well. I should have taken care of her long ago,” Orion said.

Koorgan nodded. “I should have come to Queen Magika when she first asked,” he replied with a sigh of regret. “I will stand with you.”

Mike’s gaze moved to Ashure. The man’s troubled expression cleared, and he nodded. Mike didn’t miss the way Ashure’s gaze kept going to the door that Marina had escaped through.

“A pirate never turns down a good fight,” he replied in a light tone that belied the steely look in his eyes. “Of course we will fight.”

Mike nodded and gave everyone a grim smile. “Does anyone have a map of the Isle, specifically the palace?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I do,” Marina quietly said, stepping back into the room.

Mike turned and saw that her expression was determined even if her eyes were slightly red. She lifted her chin and returned his gaze. She had retrieved Mr. Bow from their room. Lifting his arm, he held out his hand to her.

“Are you alright?” he murmured under his breath.

Marina nodded as she grasped his hand and squeezed his fingers. He noticed that she kept her gaze focused on Ashure.

“Thank you for helping my people,” Marina finally said.

“Now, this is what we will do…,” Orion began.