LYLA WAS AN EXPERT AT BEING SNEAKY. Years of being her father's eyes and ears had taught her how best to break into places and sneak through spaces that others would never dream of going. As such, she could be found scaling the walls of the fort, finding an open window and climbing inside. She dropped down in the fort and looked around, heading for the cells at the end of the corridor.
Peering into each one, she whispered the name that Henry had given her, more often than not being told to 'sod off' for daring to disrupt the prisoners' sleep. Eventually, she came to a cell containing the woman that must be Carina.
"Oi, you," she whispered, catching the girl's attention. "Are you Carina Smyth?"
"I am," replied the girl. "Who are you?"
"There isn't much time to explain, but I'm Lyla Sparrow," Lyla replied, already working at picking the lock of the cell. "And I'm a friend of Henry's. I'm here to get you out."
"Get me out?" Carina asked. "Why?"
"According to Henry, you hold the key to freeing my uncle from his curse," Lyla said, eyeing the book in the girl's hands. "And I'm guessing it has something to do with that."
"Yes, it does," she said, as Lyla finally broke open the cell. "Where's Henry?"
"Talking to my dad," Lyla responded. "Right about now, he's probably being threatened, but no matter. He'll be alright if he's not too stupid to remember what I told him. Anyway, come on, we have to get you out of here."
"What about you?" asked Carina.
"Henry says you're in here for witchcraft, hm?" Lyla asked. Carina nodded. "So, what better way to befuddle these ridiculously stupid guards than by convincing them that their prisoner has changed form?"
"What?" Carina asked. "But I'm not a witch."
"But they believe that," Lyla pointed out, ushering Carina down the hallway. "And besides, it's not my first hanging, believe it or not."
"Doesn't mean you should add another to your list," Carina said.
"What's one more?" Lyla shrugged. "Not a big deal, as long as Henry pulls through. Now, meet him outside the fort and make sure you find Joshamee Gibbs, alright? Gibbs, remember that name?" Carina nodded. "Good, alright, you're all set. As long as you and Henry find Mr Gibbs, everything should be fine. If you find him and everything's not alright, just mention my name and tell him that if he doesn't help then I'll hang tomorrow and he'll come around."
Carina nodded. "This is a lot of information to process."
"Well, process it on your way down," Lyla said.
"Down?"
"Yes, down," she responded dryly. "Time to climb, My Lady. It's not very far, so if you fall you should survive, just don't make an effort to do so because I really am not a medic so I wouldn't be able to judge accurately whether a fall of that distance would kill you. And I'm rambling, so just leave before someone comes along and starts a search for the missing witch."
She sent Carina on her way, praying that she wasn't too stupid and could follow through with the plan. There was plenty of room for error, but come the morning when Lyla had a noose around her neck, that error margin would grow significantly smaller. She trusted Henry to find Gibbs and she trusted Gibbs to have a plan.
Rushing back to Carina's cell, Lyla slammed the door and locked it behind her, sealing herself inside. As she stepped back, the markings on the wall caught her eye and she turned to get a good look.
"My, my," she whispered. "Carina Smyth, you have been busy."
The walls were covered in marks that resembled the stars. Lyla had spent years watching them, lying on the deck of the Pearl as a child as her mother pointed out the constellations. Amara Sparrow was truly ahead of her time and believed that the stars were maps that only certain few could read, and she did her best to teach Lyla that very trait.
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A TOUCH OF DESTINY | Henry Turner
Fanfiction"it was destined." - in which henry turner meets his old friend [pirates of the caribbean: salazar's revenge] [henry turner x oc] [book two in the storm and sea duology]
