Hunting Souls: Taking Flight (2)

Souls-7

Surely there was a solution to this predicament we had found ourselves in. I couldn't let her leave again, it would tear us apart...

"Scoundrel can you raise the sails? I feel a draft coming on."

"Aye Captain. Yellowtail! Corkscrew! Raise the sails."

As the men labored, Patch and Jewel were cleaning the deck. Usually I wouldn't fret that much but if Skye were to report about her living conditions... We needed the Nightlock to be spotless.

Alanna was up on the railings just watching the work from below. Thoughts of when I first met her came rushing back. She had been fearless and strong in her own way when I took her. Now she had changed since the discovering her true lifestyle. Did she ever miss Australia? Or Mason? Surely she didn't have feelings for him still.

"Souls," Jewel started to say but I cut her off when I heard a small boom.

"Corkscrew, go check up top and see if you see anything on the water. Hurry," I threw the spyglass to him while he scrambled up the ropes.

A sense of urgency over took me as I glanced to where I had heard the unmistakable sound of a cannon.

"I'm not seeing anything Captain!"

"Blast it," I muttered and peered over the edge. Nothing was in the water so it had to be on top...

"Look harder Corkscrew!" I shouted and motioned to Jewel and Patch.

"What's wrong Souls?"

"I heard a cannon. Now suppose we can't see the ship. That would make it,"

"Invisible," Patch answered and looked out at the water.

"How? The power to hide an entire ship would be too much."

"Not if you had the power of a Ring."

"You think Blackheart has one?"

"If it's his ship."

"But he's not a founder. News would have traveled."

"Alanna could make this ship invisible."

Patch looked over at the water, "no she can barely control it. If there's a ship, the water would be parting."

"It could be farther away," Jewel suggested.

"Souls!" Cork yelled and I looked to see Alanna looking dazed as she fell.

"Shit!" I ran up to the deck and threw my arms out to catch her.

She landed in my arms before I laid her down gently. Her Ring was burning bright and it made me wonder if it was causing her narcolepsy.

"Captain, ten o'clock starboard!"

I ran to the front and sure enough, saw Sampson and his ship sailing towards us.

"Souls," Jewel started with a sense of urgency.

"The coward finally decided to meet me," I muttered half amused.

"You shouldn't underestimate him Captain," Scoundrel whispered.

"Aye, we've experienced his wrath." Yellowtail added.

"I'm not worried. We have never backed down from a challenge, nor am I about to. Let him come and see how far he gets."

"Take Alanna and Skye below deck," Patch ordered as the rest of us waited for Blackheart to approach.

When his ship was about ten feet away, they dropped anchor, Sampson shouted in a booming voice. "Caleb Souls! We have finally met. I was wondering when this day would come."

"You found the courage to confront me Blackheart?"

He glared with his steely grey eyes, "Watch it Souls. You're not the only one with power."

Surely he was bluffing, what power could he possibly have?

"Shall we discuss this in a civilized manner or will it result in a battle?"

Blackheart threw a plank over the two boats and walked across holding his hands up. "We shall handle this as diplomats. But I should warn you, I have my eye set on your prize possession."

My heart sank as I tried to remain calm, as long as he assumed my prize was the Ring we would be fine... If he found out it was Alanna, then there's no telling what would happen.

Gritting my teeth I clenched my fists slightly and vowed in my mind that I would not let that SOB touch her, even if it meant the death of me.