The Black Pirates

Six

"Again!" I growled, but envisioned the warmth of fire in my hands, only getting a small spark before the warmth went away.

"This is useless!" Seonghwa sighed as he held his head, fingertips against his brow.

"I'm sorry-"

"Let's see if you have a locking spell then." He said and pulled me to the lowest deck where his magic lab was. As I sat on the stool, he opened a cabinet and I watched him mix things.

"What broke your locking spell?" I asked and he glanced at me.

"An emotional response." He said and grabbed his mixing bowl, putting a bunch of herbs together.

"Can I ask what it was?" I asked and he sighed.

"Hongjoong found me at a ball my father was throwing in attempt to marry me off, unaware that I preferred men. Hongjoong promised me a life beyond gilded walls and decorated halls, a life without strangulation of politics, marriage, and repressing myself. We were leaving the castle the new moon night, sneaking out through the old tunnels that were forgotten by everyone but myself." He said and grabbed a green liquid from his cabinet, pouring it into the bowl as he continued.

"We had just reached the docks when guards surrounded us and blocked us from leaving. Hongjoong was willing to fight, use his magic that, at the time, he barely controlled. When one of the guards tried to attack Hongjoong, something in me shattered like glass. The next thing I knew, there was a poisonous mist choking the guards, but protecting us. We got to The Destiny then I explained to Hongjoong that I feared I had created the mist, killed the guards, but he said he didn't care as long as we were safe." He said and I nodded.

"So, the fear of losing your captain woke your magic?" I asked and he nodded, pouring the mixture into a bottle and coming to me.

"Drink this, it'll tell us if you've got a spell on you." He said and I drank some, wincing at the taste.

"I never said it would taste good." He smirked, but I drank the rest then handed him the empty vial. We waited a few moments then he grabbed my chin and lifted my face, sighing as he saw me.

"A locking spell, an ancient and powerful one at that." He said and I frowned.

"Your eyes changed to a sharp blue color, that told me all I needed to know." He said and I sighed.

"So what do we do?" I asked, but he shook his head.

"I need to research the spell put on you, anything I can find about ancient spells that turn your eyes blue when searched for. For now, there's nothing you can do. Go above deck, see if you're assistance is needed." He ordered and I nodded, leaving his room. As I walked above deck, I slowed as I heard laughter coming from Yeosang's room then I looked at the door, my eyebrow lifting slightly.

"Ah! Yes, there!" I have never left a hallway so fast in my life. At least Yeosang wasn't lonely. As I got above deck, I counted three other heads and noticed a lack of the tallest Black Pirate as well.

"How goes your training?" San asked when I reached him by the main sail mast.

"I've got an ancient locking spell cast on me, Seonghwa says." I said and he winced.

"Those are hard to break!" He said and I nodded.

"You know about Mingi and Yeosang?" I asked and he snorted.

"Who doesn't on The Destiny? Those two are all over each other whenever they get a chance! I'm surprised it took you this long to figure it out!" He said and I smiled some.

"Just because I was leaving Seonghwa and happened to hear them." I said and he smirked.

"Sorry for the abuse of your ears!" I rolled my eyes then lightly bumped him.

"You're not half bad for a pirate."

"You're not half bad for a half-Faery." He shot back and I laughed softly, looking up as snowflakes began to fall.

"We're getting close." He whispered and stood straight.

"How close?" I asked, but tensed as I heard a roar in the sky.

"Close!" San said then I saw everyone running around.

"SIGNAL THE ODDINARY!" I heard Jongho yell and shot up into the crow's nest, since it was my job to signal the larger ship. As I waved the torch, Felix waved their torch from their crow's nest then I ducked as a scaled belly flew through the crowds and nearly hit the top of the mast.

"THAT'S THE DRAGON?!" I screamed as I saw the size of it's belly alone.

"You want to play with a dragon?! You get a dragon!" Hongjoong laughed as I got next to him then heard another ear piercing roar as the dragon circled back.

"Wooyoung, do something!" San yelled as Yeosang, Mingi, and Seonghwa came up to the top deck.

"Why me?!" I asked, but Jongho rolled his eyes.

"Your mother sent you here-"

"I'VE NEVER EVEN SEEN A DRAGON!" I screamed then we covered our ears as the dragon roared again.

"Go to the crow's nest, touch his belly." My mother's voice whispered in my ear and I looked at the clouds, gathering my courage.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Jongho yelled as I grabbed the rope, climbing up to the crow's nest again. As I got to the top, I kept my eyes open as the air got silent and we waited for the dragon to reappear.

"THERE!" I heard and turned, my eyes widening as I saw the clouds rapidly moving as the dragon flew through them. I took a deep breath then waited, waited, waited.

"Now, My Little Jewel!" I threw my hand up and felt my fingers touch the cold scales of the dragon, who roared again. As the dragon flew up into the clouds again, the ships still sailing for the Ice Caves, we waited for the dragon to reappear. Then the clouds parted and I felt my eyes widen as I came face to ice-cold-stare face with the white dragon, his wings flapping and keeping him just above the ship. Oh, that's a big ass dragon!