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DREAD WAS CREEPING UP ON MALAYSHA the closer and closer to Isla de Muerta they got. A sound-deafening fog had rolled in, adding to the anxious atmosphere. Mal watched carefully as a shape emerged from the fog — the wreckage of a shipped dashed on the reefs. It was only one of many. This place was a graveyard for ships.
For her own comfort, Mal stuck to her father's side. He let her help at the wheel just to give her something to do even though she wasn't the most practiced captain.
"I'm not giving you the compass," Jack said while moving the wheel just the slightest bit so that she wouldn't crash them into some rocks.
"You said I could be navigator," she complained. "Navigators need compasses."
"And is the Pearl what you really want most out of life?" he asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow.
"I want to see Barbossa dead," she said in a hard tone.
"And I don't want you anywhere near him," Jack told her. But when Mal held out her hand, he forked over the compass.
Mal smiled, as she so rarely got to touch it. When she opened it, the needle spun wildly for a moment before angling off to the left.
Not toward the cave where Barbossa was lurking inside.
It was pointing at Will.
Mal's face heated up and she slammed the lid of the compass closed before her father could see. But Jack wasn't an idiot. He could see the way she glanced at the boy.
"Please, tell me that compass isn't pointing to the welp," he groaned.
"Uh, it's not pointing to the welp," she said with a sheepish smile.
"You wretched liar!" he snapped while snatching the compass back. Then he sighed. "Sunfish, he is in lo—"
"I know, Father," she grumbled, focusing on the wheel. "Let's not talk about it."
"Alright, we'll talk about how you're not coming off this ship when we arrive."
Malaysha whirled around and glared at him. "No, I'm not. I have as much right to see this through as you do. He has to die."
"I agree, and I can't do that if I'm worried about you."
"Then don't worry about me."
Jack just gave her a hard look, both knowing that wasn't possible. "You know what happened to your mother."
"And he'll meet the same fate," she said harshly. "I'm far too old for you to boss around anymore."
Then Malaysha let go of the wheel and stormed off. Jack had to rush and grab it before the ship was taken off course, meaning he couldn't chase after Mal until they reached their destination.
