Magic

Chapter 10: The Battle

"They were powder monkeys, Captain," Eugene answered, stepping forward to him. "Lady Caine has them at that position because she doesn't want them to get a higher rank until they were properly trained with weapons." He pointed at himself with a large grin. "That's why she had me train them."

Anna couldn't help but be impressed with Eugene's lies. She could see why he was a very skilled conman and she had no doubt that their hoax would be a success.

"At least she's aware of the lack of skill these two amateurs have," Golden Eye commented. "Let's hope that being on me crew will make them real pirates." He turns to Peepers with a beckoning hand. "Take it, Peepers!"

"Ye and Jake will mop the top deck before ye mop under deck," Peepers informed.

"I thought we mopped that already?" Anna asked, peering around the deck. She heard Kristoff sighing. "We cleaned that deck like three hours ago."

Myra finished wiping her rifle and peered over at Anna. "Aye, ye did mop it, but yer forgetting that rum got spilled on it. Ye two need to mop it again."

"That can wait till later. Now, what else do ye want us to clean—"

As Golden Eye took another chug, rum poured down his chin and onto his jacket. After he finished his drink, he tossed the bottle over the railing and it went into the sea. "I'm the Captain and I said that ye and Jake will clean the top deck first."

When a loud, drunken laugh was heard, the entire crew peered over to the right where a tall pirate stood with a smug expression and boasted, "At least, I'm not the swab anymore."

"Enjoy it while ye can, Lennie," Golden Eye slurred. "Because when Rider and his dumb lackeys leave, ye won't be a cabin boy anymore and ye'll get yer job back."

After Lennie groaned and shook his head, Rolly stepped forward with his hand raised. "So, I'm not the cabin boy?"

"Nah, we just have two cabin boys for now," Golden Eye answered. He took his attention away from the two pirates and peered at Eugene. "Rider, how much closer are we getting to Pazatrille?"

Anna and Kristoff shot a glance at each other and peered right back at Eugene. This was finally the time when Anna and Kristoff would hear how much closer they were to their destination. The sooner they get off this ship, the better.

"As long as we don't run into any delays," Eugene began, "we should be arriving there in almost a week."

Eugene's news left Anna with mixed feelings. At least it wouldn't be much longer that they would be on board, but still, they would have to be with Golden Eye and his crew until then. Anna could tell that Maximus and Sven were feeling the same way by their facial expressions.

"Are ye sure that we'll be there in a week, Rider?" Kristoff asked. "Is there any chance that we could be there by tomorrow? Maybe even tonight?"

Golden Eye scoffed and shook his head at Kristoff. "Weren't ye a sailor before ye became a thief, pretty boy? Don't ye know how to navigate the ocean?"

"I was just being hopeful, Captain." Kristoff frowned, crossing his arms.

Golden Eye turned away from him and headed toward a different part of the ship. "I can't believe Davy Jones has cursed me with two lousy amateurs on here."

Anna was about ready to stomp over to him. "Well, I can't believe—"

"Okay," Eugene laughed, standing in front of Kristoff and Anna. "Let's not lose our heads here, guys. Hey, you know what I think would be a good idea, Captain? If I could just show Jake and Adrie the map in your office?"