Cursed | Armando Salazar x OC

TWENTY-ONE

I wished we never had to leave the cabin. I could spend an eternity in Armando's arms, and that's while he's cursed. Imagine how it will feel when he's alive.

But at some point, he had to return to the helm to keep an eye on the pirate captain. Apparently, we are hot on Jack Sparrow's tail.

Only, I didn't know how literally he meant that.

Upon stepping onto the deck, I immediately spot the ship sailing on the horizon. It appeared small compared to the average pirate ship and I figured it must be a fishing vessel.

On the deck above me, Lesaro is holding a spyglass to Armando's eye as he spies on the ship. He straightens up and gives a silent signal, and several officers descend below deck to obey whatever order he gave.

"What's going on?" I ask and climb the wooden steps to him.

"It seems the Sparrow is trying to escape with your friend and a girl," he huffs a dry laugh and adds darkly, "He won't get far."

Before I could ask what that meant, three heavy splashes beside the ship alerts me. Rushing to the banister, I'm just in time to see three very cursed, and very much dead sharks flounder in the water. As soon as they've adapted to their environment, they begin swimming in the direction of an island nearby. Only then do I spot the speck sailing for it – a rowboat containing three people.

Fear takes hold of me as I rush back to Armando, "Henry is on that boat! Please, I beg you, don't do this. He's the only family I have."

"The boy will live," he says calmly, "It's Jack Sparrow they're after."

That should have reassured me; however, the fact remains, Henry and Jack are in the same boat.

While Armando watches the sharks swim off from the banister, I realize I had to do something. There is no guarantee that one of those things won't get Henry unless I guarantee it. It's time to dive deeper into my abilities that I've ever done before.

I close my eyes and search for any signs of life beneath the water. Fortunately, there is a school of banded butterfly fish passing by underneath the Mary. Concentrating on one of them, I take control of its eyes and muscles, and force it to swim after the sharks. I've only taken control of fish once or twice before, and it only lasted about a minute before I lost focus. This will have to be quick.

Despite its tiny size, the fish moves rapidly through the water and manages to catch up to the sharks quickly. Through its eyes, I can see the underside of a rowboat floating at the surface in the distance. The sharks aim to attack it, and I summon a wave to throw them off course just in time.

With that, I lose my hold on the fish and I'm back on the Mary. Hopefully, that was enough to buy Henry some time – or at least to warn him of the danger.

Remembering the spyglass in Lesaro's possession, I rush to the Lieutenant and grab it from his pocket. In a flash, I'm at the banister and looking at the rowboat. One of the sharks are biting down on the boat and Henry is hitting it with an oar. I just about let out a shriek when he loses his balance and fall into the shark-infested water.

"Henry!" I call his name and reach my hand toward the crystal water. In my panicked state, I command the sea to save him. A watery arm scoops Henry out of the water and spits him out in the rowboat, safe from the jaws of the sharks.

"How'd she do that?" I hear one of the pirates ask their companion but pay them no mind. Turning to Armando, I've had enough, "Capitán , call them off. Please."

But he doesn't hear me.

Blinded by how close he is to having his revenge on Jack Sparrow, Armando climbs atop the banister and roars above the wind, "VAMO!"