2. Rules
“ Y ou’re sure this is it?” James asked, but I couldn’t concentrate on his words. My eyes shifted back to the water, fixated on the bubbles rising from the sea as it consumed Edward’s body into its depths. Doubt lingered in my mind. I wasn’t certain that the poison had truly done its job. I still felt its effects on me, and I’d had years of exposure. But Edward was a large man, and poison was fickle. I hadn’t been able to bring myself to check and see if his black heart still beat because my own heart was conflicted. But maybe it had nothing to do with my heart.
All the years I’d been Teach’s property had broken something within me. Was I damaged goods? Was my mind so far gone that I could no longer trust myself?
At least I could count on the sea to claim victory over his death if I’d fallen short.
“Kat?” he asked, pulling me from the downward spiral of my thoughts.
“Er… yes. Yes, I’m sure of it. That’s the Heart of the Divine.” I wrenched my eyes from the sea, determined to put Edward Teach behind me.
“It looks so,” his brow creased as he rolled the perfect ruby in his calloused fingers, “unassuming. I mean, it’s beautiful. I can tell that it’s no ordinary gemstone. But I was expecting something more.”
“Can’t you feel it?”
“Feel it? It’s cold and solid in my hand.”
“No, not the tangible. The energy.” I paused as he looked at me speculatively. “You do feel it, right?”
How could he not feel the power radiating from the stone? It hummed a haunting call. A sinister whisper that drew me in. This wasn’t simply dangerous. It was catastrophic.
“No, I feel nothing. What do you feel?”
“It vibrates with the power it contains. I promise you. This is what you’ve been searching for.”
His face lit with a boyish grin that I’d never seen before. He gripped my shoulders, and the excitement in his forget-me-not blue eyes was infectious. I returned the smile, and he crushed me to his chest.
“There’s no time to waste. Neverland has been waiting too long. Now that we have the ruby, how do we use it?”
My heart stuttered, beating erratically in my chest. I told James that the secrets of the ruby would reveal themselves the moment I held it in my hand. I assured him of this. But aside from detecting the vortex of energy that swirled around the stone, the way to harness it remained a mystery to me.
“Well, we should probably get a few things in order before we go. We need to be prepared.” I stalled, gnawing on my lower lip as my mind raced. Admitting to him I didn’t have the answers I’d promised felt like an utter failure. James had proclaimed his love for me, but a dark part of me whispered that his affections might change if I didn’t prove useful.
He nodded absently, toying over my words, his eyes distant and calculating as he stroked his short, sun-bleached beard. “Do you want to see where I found it?”
“Huh, what?”
“Come with me. I should show you what else I found on the ship.” I grabbed his large hand and tried my best to pull him to his feet. He didn’t move in the slightest, but it was enough to refocus his attention on me. “Come on. You’ve waited years for Neverland. She can wait a few more minutes. We have our whole lives ahead of us.”
This pulled another smile from his lips, and my breath caught in my throat. Paralyzed by the sight of him. He hadn’t smiled nearly enough. It was something I would never grow tired of seeing. My future—wrapped in a happy and dangerously handsome package.
“You’re right. Show me what new mysteries you’ve uncovered.”
I gripped a polished silver candelabra tightly, hoping James wouldn’t notice my hand shaking as I led him into the bowels of the ship. My mind was reeling, trying to determine how I could make the ruby work for him. But the harder I concentrated, the further away the answers seemed to be.
I pushed the nagging thoughts from my mind and focused on the task at hand. We followed the same path I’d taken earlier while searching for food. A gnawing in my stomach and the promise of an evening reveling in our newfound freedom had been more than enough incentive to scour the ship. But now that seemed like a lifetime ago.
We approached the familiar door, another piece of the puzzle waiting just behind it. Years of neglect had rusted the hinges, making it nearly impossible for my slight frame to open. I pushed my shoulder against the solid wood and with a groan, it gave way.
Candlelight illuminated the grim scene as the musty scent hit me. It was a peculiar smell—one of decay that lingered in the air, even though the men who sat around the center table had been long since dead. It was an echo of the stench that must have once filled this room.
The three of them were little more than parched skin pulled tight over their skeletal remains. A moment frozen in time. As though they’d been in casual conversation when their souls were ripped from their bodies.
“Did you find yourself in Davy Jones’ locker?” James breathed, his cunning eyes taking in the small room. It was starkly appointed, the only furniture being the table and chairs. There weren’t portholes this far below deck, and the dark wood paneling gave the feel of a cave.
More curious than the dead pirates were the rubies that covered the table they sat around. Each one was a perfect replica of the Heart of the Divine that James now clutched in his hand. Their identical cores swirled with a specter of false magic. The convincing decoys were nothing more than pretty paperweights used to disguise the true ruby.
“Do these stones speak to you, too?”
“No. These are all fakes. If you cannot feel the vibration of power in the true ruby, then you would never be able to tell one from the other.”
“Manann, you tricky bastard.” James walked around the table, fingering the maps and books that lay strewn amongst the gemstones. “This looks like the captain’s log,” he said, fingering the frail, discolored pages of a leather-bound book.
Journal of the voyage, by Divine permission, in the good ship, Jolly Roger, entered by acting Captain Starkey, as our prior captain hath succumbed to the beasts that lurk in the deep. This may well be my last entry as we have depleted the food stores. There are but three of us left out of the crew of two hundred. These are dismal odds, and we are no closer to finding the Heart of the Divine than we were the day we set sail from the safe harbors of Patreyus.
We were once proud fae of the first realm, but now we toil in this otherworldly place that teeters on the ley lines. All the while, piles of rubies mock us. If only the Captain hadn’t been such a cynical prick and had confided the true nature of the stone to at least one of us, maybe we wouldn’t be starving with our salvation hiding right before our very eyes. The quest is all but lost. Signing off for what may be the last time, may the Divine have mercy on our souls.
James read the passage aloud, shedding light on the mystery of this ship and those who inhabited it. Now, there was no question; the Jolly Roger , as they’d called it, was not of this realm. I stared at the skeletal remains in awe, feeling very small in their presence, wondering what they had seen throughout their lives.
“You truly are a magnificent thing, Katherine,” James started, breaking the spell and bringing me back to reality. “These fae, even with all of their magic, couldn’t determine which stone would save them. And you, a mere mortal, were able to see it instantly. You truly are my diamond in the rough… or should I say, ruby?”
I blushed fiercely under his praise, but it wilted quickly. I wanted nothing more than to please him. My inability to tap into the power of the ruby nagged at me. What would he think of me when I confessed the truth of my inadequacies? My anxiety unfurled in my chest and tightened around my fundamentally defective heart.
“Thank you,” I whispered as he looked at me expectantly.
“It’s such a shame that we’ll have to leave the ship behind, but it would be an impossible feat,” he continued, idly tossing our ruby and catching it in his fist. Casually holding a world of power in his hands. “If only we had a few more men to put her out to sea. She’d make a mighty fierce presence in Neverland.” The words no sooner left his lips than those sinister whispers became a roar in my head.
I pressed my fingers into my temples. The noise filled my ears with chaos for a moment, and then—deafening silence. I peered up at James to see if he’d heard it too, but he seemed oblivious, fixated on the ruby as if staring at it would unlock its secrets.
I jumped when a clacking filled the space, and this time, James heard it, too. Both of us tensed at the sound. My eyes caught on the corpse nearest me and watched in abject horror as his dangling jawbone became animated. It rose from where it had fallen on the dead man’s chest and clicked back into place. James pulled his cutlass, grabbed my arm, and tucked me behind him. I peered out from behind him, unable to look away. The click and pop of bones realigning was a sickening sound. The sunken, discolored skin of the corpses rejuvenated, their bodies returning to the vigor of life before our eyes.
The corpse across the table pulled in a deep, wheezing breath, exhaling a plume of dust before his eyelids popped open. I had to remind myself to breathe as intelligent, amber eyes regarded me from across the room.
“You can put that down now, boy. You have nothing to fear from us,” the fae said, his voice a rich, sophisticated baritone. With his grey-streaked hair neatly pulled back, he exuded an air of refinement that was only enhanced by his well-tailored clothes. He looked more like a gentleman than a pirate.
“I think that’s quite unlikely,” James replied.
The man chuckled to himself, rubbing the bridge of his nose. The other two corpses pulled in the same wheezing breath, and suddenly, James and I were outnumbered. “Looks like not much has changed, boys. Pirates are still a suspicious lot,” he said to the others.
“I’d like to think of it as good prudence,” James responded.
“Aye, that’s just semantics.”
“Possibly. But might I point out that it was you who was dead only moments ago while I’ve been very much alive and would like to continue being so.”
The fae nodded his head at James before pushing back from his chair.
“The name’s Montgomery Starkey, or simply Starkey. I am but a humble school usher turned pirate. But of course, all the good fae are, aren’t they?” He raised an eyebrow at James, who still held his cutlass poised for battle. “This is Cecco, and Mason—Alf Mason. We are at your service, Captain.” Starkey bowed gracefully, holding the pose while he waited for James to acknowledge him.
The other two glared at us across his bowed back. They were a little less refined. The fae closest to me—the one he called Cecco—leisurely pulled a rusted knife from his belt and began picking at his teeth. His earlobes had been stretched and filled with gold pieces of eight that reflected in the candlelight. While Mason peered out from under his tricorn hat at us, his gaunt face cast in shadows.
“Captain?” James questioned. Both of us still trying to decipher what was going on here.
The fae all chuckled as if they were in on some kind of joke.
“Did you not summon us from our eternal sleep? Did you not call upon the Heart of the Divine to fulfill your need?”
“I… I’m not sure.”
Starkey shook his head. “And to think we toiled our lives away looking for the ruby, and it finds itself in the hands of a man who doesn’t even realize what he possesses.”
“We know full well what it is,” I snapped, jumping to James’ defense before I thought better of it.
“A fiery little lassie you’ve got,” Cecco said, his graveled voice raising the hairs on the back of my neck.
“The lassie is none of your concern,” James growled, setting his sinister glare on the fae. “But you’re right in one respect, Mr. Starkey. I control the ruby, which makes me the Captain by Divine right.” James straightened his shoulders, shedding his earlier hesitation, and stepped easily into the role of authority. The tone of his voice demanded allegiance.
“There are a few ground rules to discuss,” Starkey said.
“Ground rules? I have the ruby; I make the rules.”
“If only it were that simple. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying ‘with great power comes great responsibility’? We were brought back to serve your needs, but we’ve been tasked with bringing you a message directly from the Divine.”
James eyed him skeptically. But they’d been in the other world only moments before, so I guess anything was possible.
An all-encompassing light enveloped the fae for a moment and then subsided, leaving tracks in my vision where the light had been. When I focused on the reanimated pirate, his eyes glowed, his irises now a swirling, milky white.
“Hello, James,” an ethereal, androgynous voice replaced Starkey’s deep baritone. My eyes darted to James. He was clearly shaken as the fae… thing... addressed him directly. “If you are to wield the ruby, you must heed these warnings.
“One. The ruby cannot be used to alter the course of destiny or bring harm to the innocent.
“Two. The ruby operates on the principle of balance. An equal consequence elsewhere in your life will offset any benefits gained from its power threefold.
“Three. The ruby is not bound to any being, mortal or immortal, and may choose to depart from its wielder if you’re deemed unworthy or its purpose has been fulfilled.
“Do you understand and accept the weight of this obligation?”
“I…uh, yes, ma’am. I mean, sir… Your Holiness,” James said, fumbling with his words.
Starkey’s eyes shifted back to a dark brown. “Please, Captain,” Starkey said, this time in his own voice. “We are here to serve. Do you have our bearings?”
James stared at him for a long moment before shaking his head. “Thank you, Mr. Starkey… for the message. Next time, how about a bit of warning if you’re planning to invoke the Divine?” Starkey stared with his arms crossed behind his back, patiently waiting for orders. “Right. Now that we’ve got that straight, tell me, are there more of you? Might be hard-pressed to navigate this ship out of here with only the four of us.”
“The crew will have been long since swept away through the portal. We are the last three to remain on the ship.”
“Portal?” James asked.
Starkey gazed questioningly at his companions, who stood stoic, silently appraising the situation. “Last we knew, the Jolly Roger sat in the belly of a mountain. Did you not wonder how she came to be there?”
James remained silent for a moment, pondering the question before he answered. “We’ve only just arrived. The ruby was our first priority. You graced us with your presence just as we were formulating a plan. But tell me more.”
“A slip in time. A wormhole. A void between realms if you would. It took us centuries to find. Who knew the gods would hide such a valuable treasure in such an insignificant realm? But I digress. With that ruby, the portal can bring us anywhere in the cosmos.”
“But how does the stone work, exactly?” James asked.
“You only have to focus on your intentions. Set your mind to your wants and desires and speak the words to life.”
A well of excitement built in my chest, cutting through the knot of anxiety. This stranger had saved me from revealing my failures to James. It all made sense now. When James had wished for a crew, the ruby had manifested it into reality.
“That’s it?” James sounded incredulous as he scratched at his beard, obviously not convinced that Starkey had all the answers. “The most complex magic in the universe, and all I have to do is think about what I want?”
“There is beauty in simplicity, is there not?” Starkey said.
“Or destruction,” he countered. “The Heart of the Divine in the wrong hands would be a nightmare.”
Starkey eyed James thoroughly. “That remains to be seen, Captain.”
James growled at the veiled appraisal of his character before ending the conversation with a clipped order. “I suggest you get topside and make yourself useful. I want her ready to sail. We have our heading.”
The fae filtered past us without another word.
“James,” I said, holding him back from following our newfound crew. “Are you sure we can trust them?” I whispered.
“They owe their very existence to me, and with this,” he grasped the ruby tight in his fist, “I could take that all away. I think that is enough to keep them loyal,” he reassured me. “Come on. Our destiny awaits.” He placed a solid kiss on my temple and pulled me toward the main deck.