Hunting Souls: The Ring of Shadows

Souls-6

**Alanna's POV**

I had been right all along! Boy was I good. Caleb was a pirate, and he owned that ship! Would Mason even believe me? Probably not, but I have proof now to show that I'm not crazy. Not to mention the ring is something valuable that Caleb wants.

"Souls!" a female voice yelled once we got up to the ship.

"Jewel pipe down will ya! I found the treasure."

A woman with short blond hair dropped over the side of the ship. She wore leggings and a brown dress that clung to her thin body.

"I told you not too,"

"Jewel, Alanna. Alanna, Jewel. She found the Ring."

Her gold eyes sparkled with interest as she said, "Are you sure Souls?"

"See for yourself," he handed her the Ring and I watched her inspect it.

"Alanna, where did you find this?" The hardened look from her eyes disappearing.

"When we were exploring in that cavern over there. I saw it in the water and picked it up."

"You mean you just picked it up?" she asked me trying to verify my story.

"Yes... Was there a ritual or something?"

Caleb laughed and said, "No my dear, it's just, the Ring of Shadows isn't usually visible to the human eye."

I let that digest and asked, "Am I not human?"

Jewel looked at me closely. I felt as if she could see through me and into my soul.

"No you are... but you're eye color is nothing I've ever seen... it's extraordinary."

"Yea, it's natural," I said and added, "So is your name actually Jewel?"

"Nah, it's my "pirate name" if you want to call it that. It's really Bobbie."

"So Caleb isn't your name either," I guessed turning towards Caleb.

"Oh it is, but the rest of my crew has different names. Let's introduce you to them."

Caleb picked me up effortlessly, which startled me and climbed onto the ship. Jewel followed up behind him calling, "Patch, Yellowtail, Corkscrew, Scoundrel! We found it!"

Four men all jumped down and ran over to Jewel waiting in anticipation to see the Ring.

Caleb whispered in my ear, "They'll notice you in four... three... two... one..."

"Souls! You got a girl?" one of the men asked in astonishment.

"Not just any girl, Corkscrew, Alanna. She found the Ring."

They looked at me in disbelief.

"Mi' lady," a man said bowing and kissed my hand.

I stifled a laugh and said, "hello."

"Guys this is Alanna. Alanna these are Patch, Yellowtail, Scoundrel, and Corkscrew."

In my head I ingrained each of their faces to remember them. Patch was easy, he had a legit patch over his left eye. Corkscrew wore a necklace of corks no doubt from liquor bottles around his neck. Scoundrel, well he had a grey scraggly beard so he definitely stood out. Yellowtail was the only one left. I guess I could remember him since he looked pretty normal except for his name.

"So you found the Ring of Shadows," Patch claimed eyeing me with his only good eye.

"Yes, what does the Ring do?"

They all looked at Caleb as if he would be the one to tell me. He stepped closer to me and I felt my skin start to tingle.

"Power beyond anything you've ever imagined Alanna."

"You know this for a fact?"

The men chuckled and Jewel said, "No but Pirates search for things based on instinct and tales. We're positive it is though since you were healed by it."

I had forgotten about that and remained quiet.

Scoundrel looked at me as if determining something and scampered away.

"What's his deal today?" Yellowtail asked.

"Don't know," Caleb said, "Lanna I need to take you back."

We dropped down onto the sand. The walk back was quiet and somewhat peaceful. So many thoughts were running through my mind. There were Pirates on the island! I was rescued by the captain. He wanted what I found in the cave. Could this day get any better? I loathed adventure. The thrill of it ran in my veins. No one else would understand my motives, but Caleb might.

"Caleb," I asked thinking of how to word this.

"Yes Alanna," he replied looking at me.

Once again I felt his ember colored eyes burn into me. Was I the only one who was affected like this?

"Um... I was wondering if there was a way to let me go with you. Adventure runs through me and well, I want to know what it's like sailing around the world."

Joy and what seemed like surprise flashed in his eyes, as he shot me a wicked grin. "Well mi' lady what are you going to tell your friends? Parents?"

"Easy get your crew to kidnap us."

Caleb smirked, "never took you as the daring type. So we get kidnapped, aren't your parents going to come looking for you?"

I looked down and replied in a thick voice, "They're dead."

Arms enveloped me and I inhaled his scent as he rubbed my back gently. "I'm sorry," he murmured and kissed the top of my head.

I wanted so badly to raise my head up so he could kiss me but I doubt he would. Did Pirates feel things like that? Other than him trying to charm me off my feet, which had worked perfectly I wasn't too sure if there was an ulterior motive or not. And yet here I was thinking and wanting to leave my friends with a Pirate I just met! Maybe I wasn't human after all.

Caleb dropped me off and went to inform his crew. I laid down near the entrance so I could watch the sky. Morning was apparently approaching and I hoped we could fulfill this plan before leaving. Was it wrong of me to do this? What if Caleb's intention was to kill me. I mean, I did owe him now for saving me. But that couldn't be right.

Maybe my friends could be captured as well... Forget it, they don't want adventure.

Caleb returned and sat beside me to whisper, "mission accomplished. Now we wait."

I stretched and laid out to get some sleep for a little bit. Caleb laid beside me, not touching but close enough to where I felt his body heat against me.

Hours later commotion broke out. I heard Caleb's crew yelling and sat up along with everyone else.

"What's going on?" Raegan asked hesitantly.

"Get them!" Jewel yelled and we were all grabbed immediately.

"Who are you?" What the hell do you want?" Mason spat.

"We're looking for a Ring, and we know one of you have it."

"We don't have anything!" Jose yelled.

"Oh but you do," Corkscrew said eyeing me.

I was pulled over to Jewel who examined me and pulled the Ring away from my finger.

"Aha! You thief! I knew it. You're coming along with me as punishment."

"No!" Mason and Caleb both yelled.

"Hmm we'll take you too," Jewel said pointing at Caleb. "We need another strong man on deck. Tie them up."

Ropes were pulled tightly around me and Caleb. I winced and saw Raegan begin to cry. How could I do this to them...

We were hauled onto the boat and set off while Raegan, Jose, and Mason watched helplessly.