By Blood and Magic

  By Blood and Magic © 2020 by Jamie A. Waters

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  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, or events, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

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  Cover Art: Deranged Doctor Design

  Editor: Novel Nurse Editing

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  ISBN: 978-1-949524-21-5 (Hardback Edition)

  ISBN: 978-1-949524-19-2 (Paperback Edition)

  ISBN: 978-1-949524-18-5 (eBook Edition)

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  Library of Congress Control Number: 2020903190

  First Edition *March 2020

  Contents

  Special Offer

  The Dragon Portal Series

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Also by Jamie A. Waters

  About the Author

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  The Dragon Portal Series

  By Blood and Magic

  To Kill a Fae

  By Blood and Magic

  Facets of Power

  Shadows and Twilight

  Dance of Wings

  Forest of Secrets

  An explosion rocked the ship.

  Sabine was thrown off the bed and slammed hard against the wooden floor of the cabin. A second later, someone landed on top of her. She groaned and shoved her friend in an entreaty to move.

  “Esme! Can’t breathe!” She gasped, wondering if she’d managed to survive the Wild Hunt only to be smothered by a witch who was still half asleep.

  “Ugh,” Esmelle muttered and shifted enough to allow Sabine to escape. “Consider it payback for stealing the blankets last night.”

  Sabine snickered and tossed her silver braids out of her face. Crawling away, she looked up at the small shelf where she usually kept her knives, but it was empty. They’d likely fallen, probably from whatever had jarred them awake. At least she’d learned her lesson about keeping them near the bed. The first time the seas had been a little rough and she’d gotten knocked out of bed, Sabine had managed to cut her leg. Traveling on board a ship was more perilous than she’d realized.

  Once she spotted the weapons under the desk, she flattened herself against the floor and reached for them. “Aha. Got you.”

  “Don’t think your knives are going to help you much in the middle of the ocean,” Esmelle said with a yawn and climbed back on the bed they’d been sharing.

  Sabine made a noncommittal noise, unable to argue the point. She quickly equipped her daggers by feel alone, their familiar weight a small comfort. She’d feel better if her magic were back to full power, but she’d take what she could get.

  Esmelle brushed her wayward red curls away from her face and blinked the sleep out of her eyes. She leaned toward the small round cabin window and frowned. “What woke us? Do you think we hit something?”

  “Not sure, but I think we need to find out,” Sabine said, pushing up from the floor rather unsteadily. The contents of the desk and bookshelves had all fallen to the floor in a crumpled heap of papers, books, and other trinkets. They’d hit some rough seas since they’d left Akros, but nothing like this. The entire ship was rocking precariously as though even the heavens were determined to capsize them.

  Another explosion jerked the ship and Sabine tripped, landing hard on her backside. She winced and then froze, catching sight of a tiny pink-haired pixie banging her fists against a glass jar. The captive was shrieking silently, her words muffled by the glass. Sabine crawled closer to lift the jar and freed the pixie from her makeshift prison.

  “We’re under attack!” Blossom yelled, fluttering her wings fast enough to scatter glittering pixie dust all over the floor.

  Sabine frowned, searching for any sign of damage to the pixie’s fragile wings. She didn’t see anything, but it would be impossible to see a small tear while Blossom was zipping around. “Calm down, Blossom. Are you hurt?”

  The pixie continued to dart around the cabin and wailed, “We’re all going to die! I don’t want to die without seeing a garden again!”

  Sabine blew out a breath and pushed herself upright. Blossom wouldn’t be making quite so much noise if she were truly hurt. Unfortunately, Sabine couldn’t take the time to console the hysterical pixie. She needed to hurry and get out onto the deck. “Blossom, stay close to me. We need to find out what’s going on, and I don’t want to leave you in here.”

  Blossom immediately stopped with the hysterics, proving Sabine’s theory she was fine. She dove into Sabine’s hair and clung to her silvery braids tightly. Something hit the ship again, and Sabine grabbed the edge of the wall to steady herself before she fell. Blossom might be right about an attack. This was more than rough seas.

  Picking her way carefully over the fallen debris, Sabine headed toward the door with Esmelle following right behind her.

  “Is Blossom okay?”

  “Yes, she’s just a little freaked out,” Sabine said, bracing herself as something hit the ship again. Esmelle fell over and muttered a curse. Sabine reached down to help her friend stand.

  “I’m more than a little freaked out! It’s the end of the world!” Blossom shouted, tugging on Sabine’s braids hard enough to make her wince.

  “Ow, watch it,” Sabine muttered, a little surprised by Blossom’s strength. “My head’s still attached.”

  “Oops. Sorry, Sabine,” Blossom said and immediately relaxed her grip.

  Sabine harrumphed but managed to make her way to the door. She flung it open and stepped out into chaos.

  Lightning streaked across the sky, followed almost immediately by a sharp clap of thunder. Waves crashed upon the deck, the salt spray making the surface slippery and wet. It combined with the rain beating down and plastered Sabine’s clothing to her skin.

  The wind whipped Sabine’s braids away from her face, and Blossom slipped inside her shirt to hide from the elements. Reassured the pixie was as secure as possible, Sabine made her way to the railing of the upper deck. The rain from the storm made it difficult to see more than a short distance in front of her. Down below, the crew was rushing around, trying to keep the ship safeguarded.

  She caught sight of Malek standing on the quarterdeck, issuing commands over the din of the storm. Sabine swallowed, feeling that familiar flutter in her stomach every time she caught sight of the charismatic dragon shapeshifter. He was a powerful and imposing figure, and not even the storm appeared to affect his bearing. If anything, his command of the ship under the current conditions made her admire him more.

  “Get your ass back up in the rigging, Joshen,” Malek shouted, gesturing to the ropes and cables overhead. “Levin and Kristof, arm th
e port-side catapults. Prepare to fire on my orders.”

  Sabine gripped the railing of the deck tightly, trying to figure out what was happening. Blossom was right about an attack. They wouldn’t be arming the weapons if it was just a storm. She watched the crew members lift a dwarven-crafted crystal lance and fit it into the large wooden catapults on the deck.

  “Someone’s attacking the ship?” Esmelle asked, staggering toward the railing.

  Before Sabine could respond, a large demon with skin the color of pitch leaped over the railing and landed beside her. Sabine started and tried to shield the rain from her eyes to better see Bane.

  Her demon protector scanned her over and demanded, “Are you hurt?”

  She shook her head and yelled loud enough to be heard over the commotion, “I’m fine. What’s happening?”

  “It’s the Merfolk,” Bane shouted, gesturing over the side of the ship. “They’re attacking. You should get back inside.”

  Sabine frowned, searching for any sign of the maritime race who lived within the Endless Sea. Another wave crashed over the deck, pitching the ship violently. Sabine gasped and tightened her grip on the railing. Lightning streaked across the sky, its silvery glow resonating with her magic. She took a deep breath, and the sharp, metallic scent of foreign magic filled her nose. Her eyes widened when realization hit her. She’d written it off as bad weather, but this storm was magically wrought.

  Leaning closer toward Bane, she placed her hand against his chest and urged, “I need to speak with Malek. We need to negotiate safe passage, or they’ll capsize us. The weapons will only anger them.”

  Bane frowned, turning his horned head toward the front of the ship where they were arming the giant weapons. Gesturing to the catapults, he said, “We’re beyond talk, little one. Decisive action is necessary, or all is lost.”

  Sabine shook her head. She’d never met one of the Merfolk before, but she recalled her childhood lessons. The Merfolk’s dominion was the sea, and Malek’s ship didn’t have a hope to outrun them. The storm was intended to blind and disorient while the Merfolk attacked from below. Once the ship capsized, the crew would be taken as hostages and either enslaved or executed. They must have somehow offended the sea-dwellers or given them some cause to attack. It was imperative she try to communicate with them. The Merfolk and Fae shared a complicated history, but they’d never been at odds. Negotiating with them might be their only chance to get through this situation unscathed.

  Turning to Esmelle, she gestured to where Malek was standing on the far side of the quarterdeck. He was busy issuing instructions to those on the deck below him and hadn’t noticed her yet. “Esme, I’m going to speak with Malek and warn him.”

  Esmelle waved her off and yelled, “Go! I’ll stay here. If it gets too bad, I’ll head back inside.”

  Sabine nodded and slowly headed toward the stairs near where the captain was standing. Between the wind, rain, and furious waves repeatedly crashing over the ship, it was almost impossible to find any traction. She started to slip several times, but Bane wrapped his arm around her waist to steady her. Unfortunately, the demon wasn’t faring much better in these conditions. Holding tightly to the railing, she carefully made her way to where the ship captain was issuing orders.

  As though sensing her approach, Malek turned toward her and frowned. His drenched shirt was plastered against his skin, emphasizing the corded muscles in his arms. She’d had more than a few occasions to see him without a shirt over the past week, and each time caused her breath to catch. A pity she couldn’t take the time to appreciate the sight.

  “Malek, tell your men to hold off their attack,” she urged, pointing toward the crew who were preparing to launch the crystal lances. The dwarves infused a special type of magic into the crystal tips, which would fracture under the water. It was designed to release the equivalent of poison to any living creatures in the vicinity. It was an effective deterrent against some of the giant underwater creatures who might try to attack the ship. However, an assault against the Merfolk would only renew their efforts to destroy the ship and kill everyone aboard the vessel.

  Malek ordered his men to hold and closed the distance between them. “If you have a solution to our current situation, I’m willing to hear it. But if we don’t do something soon, we’ll all be taking a swim.”

  Bane leaned over the railing and frowned. “Talk if you must, but the Merfolk are changing positions. I’m going get a better vantage point from up in the rigging. I’ll call out their location when I sense a group of them close enough for the lances to make an impact.”

  Malek gave him a curt nod. Sabine looked over the side of the ship, catching sight of a flash of silver beneath the waves. Demons had the ability to sense someone’s life force and manipulate it under certain conditions. Bane must have agreed to act as a spotter to help target the crystal lances.

  Turning back to Malek, she leaned in close so he could hear her over the storm. “We need to convince the Merfolk to negotiate with us. Killing or attacking them outright will only anger them further. We’re the intruders here, and they won’t back down. They’ll summon others of their kind if they believe us to be a credible threat. We can’t defeat all of them, especially not like this.”

  Malek’s frown deepened, fingering the warding medallion around his neck. The jewelry was no simple adornment; it masked his draconic powers and allowed him to appear much like a human. He shook his head and said, “They aren’t responding to any efforts for a dialogue. I have two crew members stationed at both sides of the ship trying to get their attention.”

  Another wave crashed over the side of the ship, drenching her hair and clothing. Blossom shivered against her neck, and the tiny pixie clung tightly to her. Sabine sent a trace of her magic outward to help stabilize and warm Blossom.

  Pushing her wet braids away from her face, Sabine said, “I might be able to help get their attention. The Merfolk aren’t allies with the Fae, but we’re not at odds either. A treaty has stood between our people for generations, ever since the portal was closed.”

  Before Malek could respond, another explosion rocked the ship and Sabine was thrown backward. A scream ripped from her throat as she slid across the deck and slipped over the edge where the railing had broken. Malek dove toward her and wrapped his hand around her wrist before she could fall into the ocean. She hit the side of the ship and winced as pain lanced through her side.

  “I’ve got you,” Malek shouted, pulling her back onto the deck. He wrapped his arms around her, drawing her close. His concerned gaze roamed over her face. “Are you all right?”

  She nodded, her heart hammering in her chest. Her side hurt, but she didn’t think it had caused too much damage. If necessary, Bane could always heal her.

  Turning her head, she yelled, “Blossom? Are you okay?”

  A tiny voice squeaked out an affirmative from beneath her shirt. Sabine’s shoulders slumped in relief. She needed to get Blossom back inside soon before the little pixie was harmed. As dangerous as it was for her and the rest of the ship’s crew, Blossom could easily get swept away by the waves or wind.

  Malek climbed to his feet and helped her stand. While she might normally be graceful on land, the same couldn’t be said about being on the sea. Malek had claimed she’d eventually find her sea legs, but she didn’t believe it, especially not in this weather.

  Bane rushed over and said, “Esmelle’s gone. She went over the side. I couldn’t get to her in time.”

  Sabine blanched and leaned over the railing, panic welling inside her. She couldn’t lose her closest friend—not like this.

  “Esme!” she yelled, searching for any sign of Esmelle’s colorful clothing amid the treacherous waves. The sea thrashed in anger, the salt spraying her and the deck, but all she could see were the same flashes of silver swirling beneath the surface. There had to be dozens of Merfolk surrounding the ship, but they weren’t anywhere near the surface.

  She spun around to face Bane. “
Dammit. We need to get her back. I will not allow them to harm her.”

  Bane’s eyes flashed silver. “On your word, we’ll destroy every last one of them.”

  Malek turned at the sound of someone shouting up from the lower deck, and his jaw clenched. He slammed his fist against the wooden railing. “Fucking bastards. Levin’s gone too, along with another dozen of the crew.”

  Sabine scanned the sea, but she couldn’t see any sign of the missing crew. If the Merfolk were already taking prisoners, they were running out of time. A few more hits like the last one, and the ship would capsize.

  “If you have any suggestions, Sabine, now is the time. Otherwise, I agree with Bane. I’ll destroy every last one of these Merfolk for harming those under my protection.”

  Without waiting for a response, Malek leaned over the railing toward the lower deck and called out more orders to ready the catapults. Sabine swallowed and tried to bury the sick fear threatening to overwhelm her. Esmelle wouldn’t even have been on this ship if it weren’t for her. The thought of losing one of her closest friends was unfathomable.

  Sabine’s hands tightened on the railing as she stared at the angry sea. “They’ll keep Esme and the rest of the hostages alive until they manage to capsize the ship. Those who aren’t enslaved are usually fed to their underwater pets. If they take all of us down below, we’ll lose any negotiating power we might have while still under the sky.”