Troubled Waters || Book One

~15~

Back at the Devil's Brew...

"A birthmark?" Teague's brow furrowed. "Your goin' to rely on a birthmark?"

"It sounds ridiculous, I know." Sera explained as she fastened her belt. "But my father always said, 'Look to Orion, follow Rigel.' I'm not sure what Rigel is, but I think-"

"It's a star." Teague interrupted. "The brightest in the constellation. It's considered to be one of Orion's feet, the left one if I'm not mistaken." He pursed his lips and sat his bottle aside. "Where's my boy?"

"Gathering his crew." She replied, tucking the hem of her black blouse into her trousers. Teague grunted and leaned against the wall. "If you see 'im on your way to the Pearl, tell 'im to come up here an' give 'is old man a few partin' words 'fore he leaves. I've somethin' to tell 'im."

Sera's face fell. "You mean you're not coming with us?"

"Oh no." He stretched his legs. "I've helped ye all I can. The rest is up to you an' Jackie. Besides," he lowered his eyes, "My woman's ill an' I plan to set out tomorrow to be with 'er."

"Oh." Sera cast her gaze downward. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize, love. It's all a part o' life." He rose to his feet and put his hands on her shoulders. "Make your father proud, y'hear?"

"I will."

He grinned and gently pushed her toward the door. "'Atta girl. Now, go on. Ye've got a score to settle."

xxxxx

Aboard the Devil's Folly....

"Juno has not returned, Captain."

Draco slowly brought a jeweled chalice brimming with blood to his lips, closing his eyes as the warm liquid slid down his throat. He briefly imagined that the blood belonged to the little siren and not the merchant they had found floating amongst flotsam, his skin bristling with goose pimples. Maverick shifted uneasily. "Shall I look for her?"

"Tell me Maverick," Draco began, seemingly ignoring the shade's question, his eyes snapping open as he sat the chalice aside. "Have you felt a sudden... change in the winds?"

The ghost tilted his head. "What do you mean, Captain?"

"Our little siren has found it. She has found the way to the Isle of Nereus."

"I would track her, sir, but as I said, Juno has not...."

Maverick's voice trailed off as he watched Draco wave his sinewy hand in a circle over the chalice, prompting the remaining blood to rise in a swift vortex surrounding by wisps of black mist. He muttered an unusual incantation in a gruff voice as he continued to coax the swirling blood and mist higher and higher out of the chalice, until another fowl like Juno stood before them, screeching and flapping its wings.

"Go." He ordered. "Find our little siren...."

xxxxx

Meanwhile, Aboard the Black Pearl...

"Sounds crazy enough to work!" Gibbs remarked after hearing Jack explain Sera's sudden revelation to the crew, or rather, those who had his trust. Only a handful of men had been called below deck for the little offhand meeting and they were all crammed in a tiny nook that was hardly big enough for two men, let alone seven.

"Lemme get this straight," Mange began, narrowing his eyes. "We're sailin' based on a bunch o' freckles on Sera's back that may or may not look like Onion?"

"It's Orion, you fool!" Wolfie hissed. "Did you not hear a word o' what Cap'n Jack just said? We're not just sailin' based on freckles, we're also sailin' on a vague sayin' Miss Drake's father used to tell 'er. Wot was it, again? 'Follow Onion-er, Orion an' take up-"