Secrets of the Sea

Chapter 10

People tried running away … blood flowing between and over the cobbled stone streets, like a flooded river … fire crackled, laughing as it consumed buildings … Terri’s body … a red slice severed her throat ….

These images flickered through my head. A nightmare while I was awake. I tried to understand what Brian proposed I do.

“You want me…to spy…on monsters?” I said faintly.

“Yes. You’d be perfect.”

“They killed all of my friends,” I whispered.

“They’ve killed hundreds of families and friends. You can help bring an end to the ongoing massacre of innocent people,” Samuel Burr said.

I looked up. “I don’t understand.”

Captain Morgan leaned forward. “As you know, pirates have started raiding the coast of Amaria for the past three or so years. They started out slowly at first. A pirate raid here and there isn’t unusual. But then more and more raids with more pirates have been reported; the King sent out spies to find out what was going on. And what he found out was this: the Pirate King has started to band pirate ships together to raid our coasts, and they mean to take over Amaria after taking control over all the ports. After they take the ports, they’re going to push farther and farther inland until King Charles the Second has no option but to let the Pirate King take the throne, or have his people starve to death. And we tried stopping them, but they don’t seem to be dying. No matter how many we kill, more take their place.”

“So then what are we doing about it?” I asked.

“We’re going to fight against them, of course,” Brian snorted.

“But how?” Nat’aniel asked.

Samuel took over. “If ye let the Captain finish talking, ye would find out.”

“Thank you, Mr. Burr,” Captain Morgan said drily. “King Charles has begun to create an a naval army to fight against the pirates-”

“But I thought we already had one?” I interrupted.

“We do, but they are busy escorting merchant ships to safely to other countries.”

“But aren’t the pirates raiding Amaria more important than trading?”

“It depends on what is being traded. You see, the king is trading more efficient weapons to countries like Fini and Dissira so that when they time comes, those countries will help us fight the big battle against the Pirate King and their ships will be properly out-fitted.”

I was silent for a while. It sort of made sense…

“Then why do we need spies?”

Brian gave me an exasperated look. “So we know what they are doing. There are several things we have yet to find out. Things like: how many sailors do they have? How do they keep getting more sailors? What are their weaknesses?” he said.

“Ohhhhhh,” I said. “What about having to rendezvous with other people? Are they also spies?”

“If you just let me continue,” the captain said through gritted teeth, “you might just find out.”

I bit my lip.

“We are currently on our way to Dissira to find out where we are to rendezvous with another team that will explain to us what the pirates are doing to become so strong and maintain so many men. Then we will take action from there.”

“Okay. But I still don’t know what I can do,” I said. At this point, I didn’t care what everyone else thought of me or my intelligence. I just couldn’t figure out what this had to do with me.