hand with gusto. That was exactly how he felt about the freedom of the open seas and life aboard his ship. “So…incidentally…while we’re liberating King Samuel of his gold sparklies…” He peered inquisitively down at the former Pirate Lord.
Jocard smiled. “I suppose this is what you’re looking for?” He held up a vial of Shadow Gold on a leather strap. “It was around his neck.”
“Well, it might be,” Jack said casually, eyeing the Shadow Gold with a hungry expression.
“I’m not sure you’ve earned it,” Jocard said, “but your pirates certainly have. So here you go.” He tossed the vial to Jack.
“Well, that was delightfully easy,” Jack said as he caught it.
“Easy!” Jean protested, waving his arms around at the wreckage of the throne room and the bumps and bruises on all the pirates.
“Well, it’s all relative, mate,” Jack said with a charming grin.
As his friend turned away, shaking his head in outrage, Jack slipped the vial into his coat pocket with trembling hands. He hadn’t told anyone about the nightmares that had plagued him the night before. But once he drank this vial, he’d have at least a few days of blessed relief from the shadow-sickness, hopefully more. And then he only needed two more vials, and he’d be cured!
Don’t drink the last vial, Jack.…
Jean’s prophetic words rang in his head. What if they were true?
What if he drank the last vial…and someone else died for it?
C HAPTER F IFTEEN
C aptain Teague was most satisfyingly astonished when the Ranger sailed back into Libertalia later that day carrying Jack, his crew, and Gentleman Jocard, the new Pirate Lord of the Atlantic Ocean. The only dark cloud over Jack’s triumph was that when he’d returned to Samuel’s kitchens, Benedict had vanished. Which not only meant that the Huntingtons were probably still out there looking for him, but also that he had no proof that he’d been having his own sword fight while everyone else was upstairs doing battle.
“All right,” Teague said, tilting his bicorne hat back to look up at Jack, who was balancing along the rail of the Ranger while Jocard’s pirates dropped anchor. “I’m a little impressed.”
“They couldn’t have done it without me,” Grandmama smirked, popping up behind Jack and nearly startling him enough to send him toppling into the water. Luckily he windmilled his arms and caught his balance at the last moment.
“Or without me,” Marcella added, wearing a matching pleased-with-herself expression.
Jack sighed. “Don’t encourage them,” he warned Teague.
Jocard came up to shake Jack’s hand as the pirates began climbing off the Ranger . His new gold earrings shone in the sun.
“Carolina has been talking my ear off about this Shadow Lord,” Jocard said, patting the dark-haired girl on the shoulder. “It sounds like a great battle may be coming.”
“That’s what we hear,” Jack said with a shrug.
“Well, my crew will be prepared to fight if necessary,” said Jocard. Carolina beamed. “And now our debt is settled, Jack. I appreciate your help—such as it was—taking down King Samuel, but you have your Shadow Gold, and we are even.”
“Fine by me,” said Jack.
“So you understand,” Jocard said with a smile, “that if I catch you in my waters again, I will have to blow you out of them.”
“What?” Carolina cried.
“Of course!” Jack said, nodding as if this were obvious. He waved to Billy, who was trotting up the Ranger ’s gangplank toward them.
“I am a Lord of the Brethren Court now,” Jocard explained to Carolina. “And as the newest Pirate Lord, I have a reputation to establish. From what I hear, hobnobbing with Jack Sparrow isn’t going to win me any friends.”
Jack laughed. “Unfortunately, that is true.” He tugged on his beard, looking sly. “But I have another proposition for you. Before you get all piratey on me, would you consider one more joint venture? One that would ensure
Jocard smiled. “I suppose this is what you’re looking for?” He held up a vial of Shadow Gold on a leather strap. “It was around his neck.”
“Well, it might be,” Jack said casually, eyeing the Shadow Gold with a hungry expression.
“I’m not sure you’ve earned it,” Jocard said, “but your pirates certainly have. So here you go.” He tossed the vial to Jack.
“Well, that was delightfully easy,” Jack said as he caught it.
“Easy!” Jean protested, waving his arms around at the wreckage of the throne room and the bumps and bruises on all the pirates.
“Well, it’s all relative, mate,” Jack said with a charming grin.
As his friend turned away, shaking his head in outrage, Jack slipped the vial into his coat pocket with trembling hands. He hadn’t told anyone about the nightmares that had plagued him the night before. But once he drank this vial, he’d have at least a few days of blessed relief from the shadow-sickness, hopefully more. And then he only needed two more vials, and he’d be cured!
Don’t drink the last vial, Jack.…
Jean’s prophetic words rang in his head. What if they were true?
What if he drank the last vial…and someone else died for it?
C HAPTER F IFTEEN
C aptain Teague was most satisfyingly astonished when the Ranger sailed back into Libertalia later that day carrying Jack, his crew, and Gentleman Jocard, the new Pirate Lord of the Atlantic Ocean. The only dark cloud over Jack’s triumph was that when he’d returned to Samuel’s kitchens, Benedict had vanished. Which not only meant that the Huntingtons were probably still out there looking for him, but also that he had no proof that he’d been having his own sword fight while everyone else was upstairs doing battle.
“All right,” Teague said, tilting his bicorne hat back to look up at Jack, who was balancing along the rail of the Ranger while Jocard’s pirates dropped anchor. “I’m a little impressed.”
“They couldn’t have done it without me,” Grandmama smirked, popping up behind Jack and nearly startling him enough to send him toppling into the water. Luckily he windmilled his arms and caught his balance at the last moment.
“Or without me,” Marcella added, wearing a matching pleased-with-herself expression.
Jack sighed. “Don’t encourage them,” he warned Teague.
Jocard came up to shake Jack’s hand as the pirates began climbing off the Ranger . His new gold earrings shone in the sun.
“Carolina has been talking my ear off about this Shadow Lord,” Jocard said, patting the dark-haired girl on the shoulder. “It sounds like a great battle may be coming.”
“That’s what we hear,” Jack said with a shrug.
“Well, my crew will be prepared to fight if necessary,” said Jocard. Carolina beamed. “And now our debt is settled, Jack. I appreciate your help—such as it was—taking down King Samuel, but you have your Shadow Gold, and we are even.”
“Fine by me,” said Jack.
“So you understand,” Jocard said with a smile, “that if I catch you in my waters again, I will have to blow you out of them.”
“What?” Carolina cried.
“Of course!” Jack said, nodding as if this were obvious. He waved to Billy, who was trotting up the Ranger ’s gangplank toward them.
“I am a Lord of the Brethren Court now,” Jocard explained to Carolina. “And as the newest Pirate Lord, I have a reputation to establish. From what I hear, hobnobbing with Jack Sparrow isn’t going to win me any friends.”
Jack laughed. “Unfortunately, that is true.” He tugged on his beard, looking sly. “But I have another proposition for you. Before you get all piratey on me, would you consider one more joint venture? One that would ensure
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