“So, didI imagine the one that emerged from the water the othernight?”
He began toclimb over the edge, facing me as I waited. “It’s not the boat thatpossesses the power.”
I grabbed thethick rope and followed. “What is it, then?”
He waited untilwe reached the bottom and helped me into the small boat. Then heheaved a sigh. “The sea.”
I remainedsilent as we rowed ashore, letting his reply sink in. They’dsomehow harnessed the power of the sea to shield their ship andmanipulate its magic. My mind raced over all the reasons why. Orhow. I’d had my own experiences with the sea, but I couldn’timagine controlling its force in any way.
Our little boatjostled as it hit the pebbly sand of the shore and we both climbedout. Before I could grab the tie rope to pull it in, the boatshoved off and disappeared below the surface of the water.
“Jesus,”I whispered, standing there in awe.
“No timefor praying, sweetness. Let’s go.”
He stomped offto the forest and I scrambled after him. I had every intention offoraging for ingredients, just like I promised, but I really wantedto scour the island for any potential places to hide or someway toleave behind a note at the slim chance my crew found the island. Aswe walked across the forest’s floor, I noticed something strangethat hadn’t clicked in before.
“Benjamin,” I piped up, “where are all theanimals?”
“Thereare none,” he replied sadly. “Aside from a few birds, but theydon’t live here, they belong to the skies. That’s why we eat somuch God damn fish now.”
I chewed at mybottom lip. “What do you mean? What did you eat before?”
He didn’trespond.
“So,there’s nothing? Not even bugs?” I continued to press.
I trudgedbehind the pirate and saw his wide shoulders heave with a sigh.“No.”
“What’sreally going on here?” I asked. “What is this place? Why are youguys hiding your ship? Why are we anchored here?”
Suddenly, hecame to an abrupt halt and spun around angrily. “Why are you askingso many questions, woman?”
I poked him inthe chest. “Why wouldn’t I? It’s all so bizarre! And I think I havea right to know, don’t I?”
He blew out anirritable breath through his nose and pursed his lips under thedark facial hair that lined them. “You wouldn’t believe me if Itold you.”
I crossed myarms. “Try me. You’d be surprised what I’d believe.”
Benjaminlooked annoyed, but I could tell there was a part of him, deepdown, that longed to talk about it. “I don’t know for certain, butI think there are noanimals here because this island… doesn’t actuallyexist.”
I shookmy head. “That just gives me more questions to ask.” But mycompanion remained silent as he stared at me. Probably regrettingthe words he just spoke. “I’m not foraging a single thing until you give me someanswers, Benjamin. And I doubt your brother would like it if wecame back empty-handedafter I promised him a delicious meal.”
I saw thedefeat on his face and he planted himself down on a fallen log. Iwatched as is bowed under the pressure of his massive body. “Bettersit down,” he told me and pat the space next to him. “It’s a longstory.” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as Isidled up next to the man. “So much has happened, I don’t even knowwhere to begin.”
“Start atthe beginning. What brought you here to this island?” Iasked.
Heshrugged. “I don’t know, I guess it all started many years ago. Weraided a small island down near Jamaica and acquired this strangemap that apparently led to an endless treasure. Whatever a man thought to desire.The natives there worshipped it. Like it was a key to the heavens or something.” Hewrung his anxious hands through his hair. “How were we supposed toknow it was cursed?”
“What?What was cursed?” I asked, hungry for answers.
He slapped hisknees in exasperation. “Everything. The island, the map, the gem westole once we followed the map.”
He’d lost me.“Wait. What? Back up.”
“The mapwe stole,” he began, “This old Jamaican witch warned us it wascursed. Beware the heart, shetold us. But my brother didn’t understand. Nor did he care. Neitherof us did. We spent weeks following the map, sailing around incircles. Until we found a small cluster of islands hidden by aninvisible cloak.”
“Like theone hiding your ship?”
“Yes,much the same,” he confirmed. “The group of islandswas protected by strangecreatures, ones I believed to only exist instories. Once we found the treasure, we took what we could carrybut my brother wasn’t satisfied. The legend said the reward wasendless. What fools we were.”
“So, whathappened?” I prompted him to keep going, completely enthralled atthe story.
“Abrahamwent mad, yelling and demanding that the Isles give him his reward. Then, thiscreature, made entirely of water, appeared.”
I swallowedhard as a chill crept down my spine. A siren of the sea. They’dfound the mythological home of the sirens.
“What didit do?” I dared ask. I knew how tricky the sirens were, and Isuddenly remembered the debt I owed one.
“Therewere others in the distance. But she was different. Her chestglowed with the light of a green jewel, it was blinding,mesmerizing. She told us to leave. But Abraham refused, demandinghis endless reward. But the creature wasn’t moved by my brother.Finally, he snapped. Went mad. I tried to stop him, but he was toofast. He jumped on the water creature and stuffed his hand insideher chest, ripping the glowing gem from her form and she collapsedinto a puddle. I was frozen. My brother became something else thatday, something mad.”
I was tightwith anxiousness from listening to the tale, but I couldn’t ignorethe relief that seemed to flood over Benjamin. As if he’d beendying to talk to someone about what had happened. I took advantageof the opportunity to gain a sliver of his trust. To relate in anyway I could.
“Yeah, Iget it,” I said with an understanding nod. “My sister is insane,too. She’s murdered a lot of people. So many, I don’t even know thenumber. Now she’s trying to find our mother and kill her,too.”
He regarded mecuriously. “Was she always like that?”
“As faras I know, yes,” I replied. “We
