Island of Bones (The Djinn Kingdom Book 2)

by LJ Andrews

  A soul will cleanse, one’s eye shall see. Another untouched, but thrice death be set free.

  She read the words twice. It didn’t make sense. The pirates watched her, Nova felt their wondering eyes pore into her as she paced in front of the opening.

  “What’s it say, missy?” Taylor asked, helping Kale rest on a disturbing mound of bones.

  Atlas joined them, his eyes darting around and making sure the other pirates kept a good distance. Nova recited the strange words in a low whisper. Atlas’s brow furrowed as he pondered the words and Taylor scratched his beard over and over.

  “I don’t even know how to figure it out,” Nova admitted after reading the wooden plank again.

  “What be takin’ so long?” Kane shouted, causing a rumble of grunts from the other crewmen. Kane cocked his pistol as if preparing to murder the next person who spoke.

  Nova rolled her eyes. “It’s a riddle. But if you’re so impatient, be my guest and step into the dark cave.”

  Kane’s face turned a reddish purple beneath the flickering lantern light. His eyes seemed to bug out slightly as he stared at her.

  “Master Kane,” Atlas said, holding up the wooden plank. “Don’t do anything you’ll regret. Look at these words. Can you read them? She is the only one who can make sense of it. We won’t survive without her.”

  Kane had the look of death in his eyes, and it appeared as if he was debating if it would be worth it to try and survive the island without Nova. In the end, he relented and fell back with the crowd, giving the four of them space to re-read the riddle.

  “A soul will cleanse?” Atlas said. “That doesn’t sound good.”

  “I be more worried about the death part,” Taylor said.

  “Maybe we should just try our luck and go into the cave,” Nova suggested, though even as she said the words she knew that would be foolish.

  They took turns passing the board for several long moments as if each time they read the riddle brought them closer to solving the ancient words.

  After a tense silence, Kale slowly stood from the bones and stared at the mouth of the tunnel. “It’s the bottles,” he said stoically.

  “What?” Nova said, following his eyes to the gaping hole.

  “There are six bottles,” Kale held up one finger at a time as he recited the passage. “A soul will cleanse, that must be one bottle. One’s eyes will see, that’s another. One will be untouched, and the remaining three can only be—ˮ

  “Deadly,” Nova said. “How are we supposed to figure out which ones are fatal? The other three don’t sound great either.”

  “It be the island defenses,” Taylor said. “Only the worthy will reach the spyglass.”

  “Master Kane,” Atlas called. “We’ve figured it out.”

  Kane crunched over the bones as he moved in their direction. “Well?”

  “We must drink the bottles, but three of them are poison.”

  Kane studied the hanging bottles. “Well, we make one person drink them all.”

  Nova scoffed. “And then what happens when they die after drinking one poison and can’t finish the rest?”

  Kane sneered at her in the dark, his yellow eyes glowing with hate. “Fine then. Ye’ll be one to be drinkin’.”

  “Nothing’s guarding the entrance. Just walk through the tunnel,” Taylor said.

  Kane rubbed his chin, then looked at the crowd of pirates. “Ye be fortunate that I wants to see ye pick the poison bottle wench. Lucky Louis,” Kane shouted. A pirate with a red bandana tied tight against his high forehead snapped his head up over the crowd.

  Kane pushed his way through the pirate crew and whispered something to Louis. The pirate glanced at the tunnel entrance hesitantly. But after another word from Kane, he nodded and squared his shoulders to the cave.

  “He’s not going in there,” Nova said.

  “It would seem so, missy,” Taylor nodded without taking his eyes off Louis. “If he makes it we can skip this poison bottle nonsense. If he don’t…well then we know.”

  “This isn’t going to end well,” Kale mumbled as Louis held his pistol out and stepped into the blanket of darkness.

  All was quiet as the crew waited on edge for any sign Louis had made it through unscathed. Only the whipping flames as an island breeze filtered through the jungle could be heard. Nova wrung her fingers together, hearing her knuckles pop under the pressure.

  “Nothing’s happening,” she said hopefully.

  As she said the words, from the tunnel echoed a bloodcurdling scream that could chill even the most vicious of pirates. Louis’s screams stopped Nova’s heart and instinctively she joined with the rest of the pirates and backed away from the tunnel. There was a snapping sound, and the breaking of bones, and then all at once Louis’s screams stopped.

  Nova placed a hand on her chest, trying to slow her heavy breathing. “What…what happened,” she stammered.

  Kane threw his pistol to the ground in frustration. “Get over here, wench. Brig master, Atlas, and…you three,” he said pointing to three skinny pirates near the front.

  “No, you two. Don’t go down there,” she begged as Kale staggered to his feet.

  “Nova, Kane’s going to shoot me anyway,” Kale said. “Even if Atlas is his favorite, he would kill him if he refused.”

  “Some favorite,” Atlas scoffed. “We’ll be fine. Let’s just get this over with.”

  They lined up to the bottles. Nova felt as if her heart might pound through her chest. Kale was at one end of the bottles, and she stood at the other near Atlas, with the three pirates in between.

  “All right, brig master, ye go first,” Kane demanded, not concealing the huge smile on his face.

  Nova bit her lip, wanting nothing more than Kale to find his way back to his father. He didn’t deserve this life. It wasn’t fair. Her chest tightened as he unstopped the bottle. It was a round, blue bottle with a thin neck. Kale’s face was flat, but she saw him take a deep breath before placing the opening against his lips. Nova held her breath when he lowered the bottle.

  He stood still, until he coughed violently.

  “No,” she cried, rushing to his side. Kane grabbed her arm and pulled her back, causing her to fall to the ground.

  Nova watched in horror as Kale writhed on the carpet of bones, coughing and sputtering. His neck tensed so every vein, every muscle was visible.

  After a minute of painful coughing, he stopped. His eyes were closed and Nova felt the sting of tears burn her eyes.

  Kane chuckled. “One down, gents, and a worthless one at that.”

  Nova felt the fury of anger fill her chest, the darkness spreading through her limbs like a powerful rampage. She reached for her dagger, set on destroying Kane for destroying Kale. But, then Kale moved. Slowly, he raised himself from the ground. He brushed off his pants and stood straight. Glancing around, he seemed surprised to be breathing.

  Nova’s eyes widened. His face wasn’t bruised and battered anymore. He stood straight and tall. He didn’t limp on his leg. All the beatings he’d endured on the Vengeance were somehow erased. Kale appeared brighter and stronger than Nova had seen since she’d first met him on Regen’s docks so long before.

  “I’ll take it I got the soul cleansing bottle,” he teased, winking at Kane who looked ready to stab someone. Nova released a long, ragged breath, smiling at Kale.

  “Keep it goin’,” Kane shouted at the next pirate.

  Slowly, the thin pirate lifted his shaking hand toward the long green bottle above him. The liquid inside splashed against the glass as his trembling hand lifted it to his lips. The pirate lowered it so quickly he surely only tasted a drop, but it was enough. Before the bottle was down at his side, he fell back, sending a spray of bone shards into the air. His face was lifeless, his eyes gray. He was dead.

  Nova closed her eyes feeling guilty for the relief flooding through her that one poison bottle was gone. The next pirate glugged the drink from the short brown bottle with the same eff
ect. Two pirates lay dead on the ground. One poison bottle left.

  Nova met the eye of the pirate next to her as he plucked a small purple bottle not larger than his palm from its rope. Slowly, he dripped the contents into his mouth. His eyes clenched tightly, but nothing happened. He stayed standing. Finally, the pirate opened his eyes and smiled, revealing only two black teeth.

  “I’m alive,” he shouted. The pirate crew behind cheered.

  Nova looked at Atlas, feeling her heart sink. One of them had the poison bottle. His lips pulled into a half smile, but she saw the fear in his eyes. She tugged on the rope of the yellow glass above her. When she pulled the cork from the top she was filled with a fragrance of bitter cherries. It reminded her when her mother would make sweet fillings and jellies every summer on Mollem. Without thought, she lifted the bottle and drank the liquid. It was thick and left a subtle tingle on her tongue as it slid down her throat. She could feel it land in her stomach, leaving her feeling slightly sick as if it were a full feast she ate all on her own.

  She was alive—nothing had happened. Her body trembled as she met Atlas’s face. His shoulders slumped and he cleared his throat loudly.

  “I always liked ye helmsman,” Kane laughed wickedly. “I can make the wench take it for ye if ye’d rather.”

  Nova nodded at the idea. “Let me, Atlas,” she said.

  Atlas took her hand and rubbed his thumb over the top. “No. This is mine to do. You changed me, Nova. Remember that.”

  “Atlas,” she said, her voice trembling. But he turned away. Without hesitation, Atlas put the clear bottle against his lips. The brown liquid looked like dirty water. It hit his lips and he fell to his knees.

  Chapter 17

  Hunt for the Spyglass

  Nova darted over to Atlas, lowering him to the ground. Kale left his position, jumping over the two dead pirates and helped her lay him gently on the bed of bones. Atlas cried out in pain, clutching his eyes and gasping for air. Nova let the tears fall as she watched him suffer. The poison was the most brutal of the other two fatal bottles. She hadn’t wanted this. Atlas had made mistakes, but she didn’t want him to die.

  “Kale,” she cried as Atlas writhed painfully. “Why is it taking so long? We… need to do something.”

  Kale’s face contorted in discomfort as he watched Atlas suffer. All at once a rush of wind filtered through the tunnel. It wasn’t a dark abyss any longer. The short tunnel was bright as if the sun itself was inside, lighting their way to the deeper center of the island. Nova and Kale turned away from Atlas for a moment until he went limp in Nova’s arms.

  She bit back the pain when suddenly Atlas’s eyes opened wide and stared at the dark sky.

  “Atlas,” Nova breathed.

  Slowly, he turned his head and studied her. “You’re beautiful,” he said. “I see so much power, it’s amazing.” As if in a trance, he reached his hand out toward her face.

  “How are you alive?” she said, her voice cracking as she gave him a watery smile.

  “I…I don’t know, there were supposed to be three poisons.”

  “Well, maybe you’re tougher than you look,” Kale teased, helping him sit up. Atlas turned and glanced at Kale. He jumped back as if he’d seen a ghost.

  “Captain Tucker,” he said. “I’m sorry. You risked so much for me. Please sir, I know I’ve shamed you.”

  Atlas hung his head. Kale looked at him in surprise.

  “Captain Tucker,” Nova whispered. “Isn’t that your father?”

  Slowly Kale nodded. “Atlas, it’s me, Kale. I’m not a captain.”

  Atlas kept his face covered, occasionally saying the words ‘I’m sorry’ into his palms. Finally, Kale pulled at his arms, forcing him to take his hands from his face. “Atlas, stop. It’s me.”

  “Sir, I threw your sacrifice away,” Atlas said, his face red, and his eyes closed.

  “What sacrifice?” Kale said, growing agitated.

  “What’s wrong with him?”

  “When you bought me on Dieb. You trusted me, and I threw it away,” Atlas said, looking at the ground.

  “Atlas, its Kale. What are you talking about?” Nova said.

  Slowly, Atlas raised his eyes to Kale. They widened and he quickly scrambled to his feet. “You…you weren’t you,” he stammered. “You were…someone…someone else not one moment ago! And you,” he pointed to Nova. “I saw you…you looked different, like a…perfect…I don’t know. What’s happening to me?”

  “It’s always been me. You called me by my father’s title,” Kale said suspiciously.

  Atlas took a deep breath. “How strange,” he said quickly before turning toward the brightened tunnel. The pirates had already begun pouring through. “I can see the way. I can see the spyglass in my mind. I can’t explain it, but it’s there in my mind’s eye. I see white stone, a gate. That’s where we’ll find the spyglass. One’s eyes will see, remember?” he said, quoting the riddle. “But if I didn’t drink the poison, how are only two dead?”

  Nova thought. Kale was cleansed, Atlas could see. One pirate was untouched. “I should’ve gotten the poison,” she admitted.

  “Come on now, ye can sit around jabbin’ another time. The tunnel’s dimmin’,” Taylor’s rough voice shook them into action. He was right, the brightness was slowly darkening and each one knew they didn’t want to get caught in the tunnel blind.

  On the other side, it was as if they’d jumped to a different island. The lush jungle had thinned to mossy swamp trees. Little flickers of light bugs occasionally brightened the dismal marsh. The trees were wrapped in robes of hanging moss, and cries of creatures echoed through the water and thick trees.

  The sky was a brilliant, dark blue without a cloud. Nova marveled at the bright stars lighting the way further into the island.

  “Atlas, do you know where we should go now? What does it look like around the spyglass?” she asked.

  “It’s one a stone table, like an altar. The ground is dry, and it’s surrounded by doors. I would suspect it is in a building somewhere.”

  “Get a move on,” Kane shouted.

  Nova clutched her dagger tightly, Kale took out his pistol, and Atlas held his cutlass. Taylor followed closely behind them, keeping an eye on the back.

  The swamp lands filled with water the further they went. Nova eyed the small trickles of water suspiciously, but it only met their ankles, so it was of little consequence.

  “How do you suppose I survived the poison?” she asked the men.

  Taylor answered first. “Maybe it’d been sittin’ too long, missy. Just count yer blessings ye be alive.”

  Atlas glanced at her. “This island is a mystery, but I’m telling you, Nova. I saw you with that power you’ve been fighting. I don’t know for sure, but it was as if I could see what you could become once you embrace it.” His lips turned into a half smile, causing Nova’s face to fill with embarrassed heat.

  “She’s doing fine how she is,” Kale mumbled behind them.

  Atlas nodded but didn’t meet Kale’s eye. Nova studied him for a moment as they trudged to the water, now up to their shins. Atlas had been so certain Kale was his father. But it was the apologies and the mention of Dieb. She wondered what Atlas was holding inside; there was more to him than she knew.

  The pirates reluctantly trudged into the murky lake until it was well up to their chests. Nova stuck in the mud below against her boots like a suction. Snarls grumbled through the water from unseen creatures.

  “We’ll be swimmin’ if it gets much deeper,” Taylor complained. “I hate swimmin’.”

  “Something is up there,” Atlas said. He strained his neck to see above the bobbing heads of the pirates.

  The water pulled harder against them. “Is there a current in here?” Nova asked, hoping the others felt it too.

  It grew stronger. The pirates ahead of them shouted protests, while some lost their footing and were swallowed up below the surface.

  “I’m losin me grip,” Taylor
grunted.

  Nova fought to lock her feet into the ground so she could face Taylor. The water gathered around her neck, splashing her in the face and trying to pull her under. As she turned against the growing current the old man’s feet flipped over his head before being sucked below the brown water.

  “Taylor!” She screamed.

  Without thought, Kale dove beneath a white-capped swell and disappeared. Atlas stopped treading water and locked his arm around a low hanging branch, anxiously watching for Kale and Taylor to resurface. Nova dug her boots into the sludgy mud beneath, but as the water gained in strength, her feet slipped more. Soon, the stagnant marsh was a raging river, devouring pirates as they tried to reach something to grip.

  “Atlas, I’m slipping,” Nova shouted above the rushing water.

  “Nova, come here and grab on,” he said, holding out his hand.

  She took a step against the current, but as she lifted her foot a second time, it was as if an invisible leg kicked her feet from under her. She heard her throat release a scream before water muffled her ears and she was swept away along the muddy, murky bottom of the swamp.

  Nova kicked hard, trying to find her way to the surface, but plants and mud mixed together proved to make it impossible to see under water. She bumped against something hard. Quickly, she gripped her hands around it to hold her steady so she could try to surface. Her hands traveled up the object until she felt open lips, unmoving eyes, and billowing hair. She recoiled, realizing she was holding tight to a corpse. As soon as she released the dead man, the marshy river ripped her further away.

  Her eyes strained against the darkness. Her chest burned from lack of air. When she’d resigned to hopelessness, her eyes became clearer and there before her were two underwater tunnels. The current was leading her forward, and she had to make a choice which direction she would let it take her. One seemed brighter as if it opened to the outside. Her heart soared and she swam toward it.

  You are wrong, a voice said in her mind.

  Lurlina? she thought back. No response.