Algernon Black

(Chapter 119) Before it's too Late

Beal watched out one of the port windows as hundreds of twinkling lights reflected off the dark sea. The many ships that had made the journey to God's Key had all began departing today and into tonight, leading the charge with their brilliantly colored lanterns. "Woah, you guys have to come to see this." Beal said, to the rest of the crew.

"I'll show you the better view,"  Marve said, as he pulled down a collapsible ladder from a hatch in the roof she had never noticed before. He unfastened the latch to the ship's deck and the rusted metal cried out. The pirate climbed up to the ship deck and everyone soon followed.

Beal ran to the ship's edge as soon as he came aboard, and Cal followed, both gasping into the air and pointing out how the barnacles that had been building up on the bottoms of the ships filled with the magic that traveled through the city and now wafted behind them in the bioluminescent changing colors of magic, staining the sea in color. Beal's face lit up from the lights as he imagined they were floating on sunlight. It was a parade of its own, and Selice stopped to enjoy it too. While the others admired, Loy took stock of the ship's condition. It had stayed in good shape, unused for years now, but cleaned regularly by rain or storm. After he was done inspecting, the prince sneaked up behind Selice, slyly placing his hand on her lower back when she was too distracted to notice. Selice jumped when she felt the swift touch and pouted up at Loy's lopsided grin before slapping his hand away.

Marve laughed at the scene, finding the two even more endearing since the slight change in their dynamic.

Loy finished pestering Selice and headed to the pirate's side. "I thought I told you not to wake me up last night," Marve scolded.

"It wasn't me making all the noise," Loy replied, motioning to Selice, who was kept intentionally out of earshot. The pirate chuckled to himself, patting Loy on the shoulder.

"Now," Loy said, helping himself to the captain's wheel on the bow of the ship. "Does this old thing still run?"

"You better by talking about the boat," Marve warned, ascending the stairs to take his rightful place as the ship's captain.

Loy happily bequeathed his position to scale the tied-up sails as the others noticed their activity.

"Where are we going?" Beal asked, a cold night breeze brushing back his hair.

"Emora!" Loy shouted down, letting free the fastened sails for the first time in years.

"Emora?" Beal questioned, looking at Cal for answers. "Why?"

Cal shrugged his shoulders, not admitting to the fact he didn't even know what that place existed.

Selice turned to Marve who was shaking his head but grinning. "You're going to take us there?" She asked, unsure of why the pirate kept putting up with Loy's demands.

"Unfortunately that idiot has this uncanny ability," Marve said, staring at Loy standing high above them all where he looked to be exactly where he belonged, "To pull us all into his absurdities."

Selice studied Loy with the faintest traces of a smile on her face. "At least it's fun." She said. Marve repeated the same smile as he could not help but agree.