The Legacy of the Uncharted

~ Chapter 17 ~The Fury of Captain Blackwell part 2

- Lucy : Eli, I think we're being watched."

Eli glanced subtly in the direction Lucy indicated. The men, burly and with the look of hardened sailors, were definitely paying too much attention to the newcomers. He knew they had to tread carefully.

- Eli : I see them. Stay close and don't engage. Let's get what we need and get out of here."

Belle, sensing the tension, kept her eyes on the goods being sold while subtly keeping an eye on their surroundings. She noticed a vendor selling maps, some of which looked ancient and potentially useful.

- Belle : Eli, over there. Those maps might have something we could use."

Eli nodded and approached the vendor, a wiry old man with a keen eye and a suspicious smile. He spread out the maps, and Eli pretended to be interested in a few while Belle and Lucy kept watch.

- Vendor : These maps are rare, sailor. They show routes and hidden places only a few know about. Worth every coin you've got."

Eli leaned in, lowering his voice.

- Eli : I'm looking for information more than maps. Heard of any interesting folks coming through lately? Or maybe some strange occurrences?"

The vendor's eyes flicked to the side, a telltale sign that he knew more than he was letting on.

- Vendor : Might be. But information like that doesn't come cheap."

Eli slipped a few coins into the man's hand, watching as he palmed them and looked around to make sure no one was listening.

- Vendor : There's been talk of a crew causing a stir. Bounty hunters have been coming through, looking for a ship called the *Mariner's Whisper*. Word is, they're worth a lot of money—dead or alive."

Eli kept his expression neutral, but inside, his mind raced. The bounty had spread to the Shaded Isles faster than they'd expected.

- Eli : Anything else we should know?"

The vendor hesitated, then leaned closer.

- Vendor : If you're smart, you'll get off this island fast. There's a big group of pirates and mercenaries gathering—led by none other than Captain Thorne Blackwell. They're looking for blood, and they won't stop until they find it."

Eli nodded, pretending to consider the maps while inwardly cursing their luck. They needed to warn Alexandria and the others before it was too late.

- Eli : Thanks for the tip. We'll be on our way."

As they turned to leave, Lucy caught sight of the group of men who had been watching them earlier. They were no longer just watching—they were following, closing in on their position.

- Lucy : Eli, they're moving in. We need to go, now."

Eli didn't need to be told twice. He gestured for Belle and Lucy to follow him, weaving through the crowded marketplace and heading back toward the docks.

- Eli : Stick together. If they make a move, we'll have to fight our way out."

The trio quickened their pace, but the men behind them were persistent, and soon they were closing in. Eli knew they couldn't lead them back to the ship—not with Keoni and the others there. They needed to shake their pursuers first.