The Guardians of Island X (7 page)

“Wait.” Jem turned around in a circle. “Which way were we headed?”

Scarlet paused, suddenly unsure. Giant ferns leaned
in from all sides. Vines hung like ship’s ropes overhead, and tall, towering trees shot up to the sky, blocking the sun. They were in the depths of the jungle, and Scarlet couldn’t tell which way the thief had gone, much less which way would take them back to camp. She remembered the stories Scary Mary used to tell her of people who’d stepped into the jungle, lured by the voices of the dead. The stories always ended the same—the people instantly lost their way and eventually their minds as they wandered aimlessly in the jungle for the rest of their lives. Scarlet had found them terrifying, every one.

“Did you…bring your map?” she asked, cringing as she said it.

Jem shook his head. “It’s back at camp.”

Scurvy
, Scarlet thought. “I say we go that way.” She pointed right.

“Uh…I don’t know, Captain. I think we were headed that way.” Jem pointed left.

She hated when he did that.

They looked around for a moment, then stuck out their fists and shook them three times before shooting.

Jem’s paper lost to Scarlet’s scissors.

“Blast. Best two out of three?” he said.

She shook her head, triumphant. “Come on. I have a good feeling about this way.”

But after a half hour of twisting around trees and ducking under vines, Scarlet’s good feeling had completely disappeared. Still, she pressed on with Jem at her heels, dodging giant ferns, climbing over rocks, and skirting bushes erupting with sweet-smelling flowers.

Suddenly the tree canopy opened up, the jungle curtains parted, and the pair found themselves in a clearing. Scarlet was about to cheer when she realized that this wasn’t, in fact, the clearing they called home. This one was smaller and didn’t have the tranquil feeling that made the other so special. A skinny stream cut through the middle of it, and big azure-blue butterflies flitted around.

“Where are we?” she asked.

Jem looked around. “I have no idea.”

Scarlet stepped toward the blue butterflies, but they scattered the moment her shadow fell over them. “Well, I guess I’ll clean this in the stream while we’re here.” She waved her bloody toe at Jem, who grimaced. They sat down in the shade of a giant shrub covered in purple, trumpet-shaped flowers. Scarlet swished her toe in the stream and scowled as the water stung the open wound. The butterflies settled farther downstream.

Scarlet closed her eyes, enjoying the cool shade. “Maybe it’s a sign,” she mused. “Maybe the island is sending us where it thinks we need to be.”
There
, she thought.
That put a positive spin on being utterly lost.

“Maybe it is a sign,” Jem agreed. “A sign that we both need a map.”

Scarlet opened her eyes, ready with a hot retort, but saw that he was smirking. He knew she was too proud to look at a map of Island X. She kicked up her foot and splashed him.

For a second Jem looked stunned. Then he laughed and splashed her back. “Admit it, Captain,” he teased, “you need a map!”

Scarlet soaked him thoroughly. “Map
shmap
! I don’t need that old thing!”

“Don’t knock my map! It’s—”

“Shhh.” Scarlet suddenly froze and cocked her head. She motioned for Jem to stop splashing. “Did you hear that?”

He shook his head, shedding water droplets that sparkled in the sun. “What?”

She could have sworn she’d heard voices. Spirits, animals, humans—she wasn’t sure. She listened again.

“He said what?”

Scarlet and Jem exchanged a wide-eyed look, then peeked around the giant shrub just in time to see three disheveled-looking pirates enter the clearing. Captain Wallace was in front, followed by Iron “Pete” Morgan and Lucas Lawrence, who were jostling for the spot immediately behind him.

“He said a bird dropped the ruby,” Lucas said as he elbowed Pete in the ribs. “One of those red aras, ’parently.”

Scarlet put her finger to her lips and pointed at the shrub. Making as little noise as possible, she flattened herself on the grass and slithered under its branches, then shimmied her way inside it. Jem followed. Soon both were huddled inside the shrub, peering out at the scene between droopy purple flowers.

“That,” said Pete, “is complete bilge, boy. Little Harry’s been into the grog again. You haven’t been around long enough to know whose stories to trust.” He shoulder-checked Lucas out of the way. “Isn’t that right, Captain?”

The captain turned suddenly, and his crewmen stopped shoving each other. “A ruby, you say?” His upper lip twitched hungrily.

“Uh-huh,” Lucas said. “Harry said it nearly fell on his head. Said he followed the bird for a while but lost it. That’s why he broke away from the crew when we were hiking back this morning.”

Scarlet and Jem looked at each other, wide-eyed. A pirate had actually witnessed an ara drop a ruby! Silently, Scarlet cursed her favorite birds. Why couldn’t they keep a handle on their gems?

“Bilge,” Pete scoffed. “Harry stepped off the trail to get into the grog. This is his excuse for not sharing.”

“I believe him,” Lucas insisted.

The nerve Lucas had, challenging Captain Wallace’s right-hand man! Scarlet wondered why Pete hadn’t strung him upside down from the main mast by now. Maybe, she reasoned, he was planning to use Lucas as smelly wild pig bait. That would certainly make her life easier.

Now the pirates were standing right beside the shrub. Captain Wallace reached out and absently plucked a purple bloom. He went to tuck it behind his ear, then slipped it in his pocket instead. “Maybe we should set up camp here,” he said. “It’s not as dark as the spot you chose, Pete. And I’ll bet there aren’t as many spiders.”

“Then tell me, gullible child,” Pete said, ignoring his captain, “have you ever seen a ruby fall from the sky?”

“No.” Lucas crossed his big arms.

“And does Mad Little Harry actually have the treasure to prove it?”

“Well…no. He said he dropped it running after the bird.”

Pete laughed. “Of course he did. See, Captain—”

“He what?” Captain Wallace shrieked. “He lost a ruby in the jungle? Why, that lout. That pitiful excuse for a pirate. Make him swab the deck for a year, Pete. No! Better yet, have him keelhauled!”

“Keelhauled?” Pete repeated. He hesitated a moment, as if debating whether the punishment really fit the crime.

“Too soft, are you? Fine then. Lucas, have Harry keelhauled,” the captain commanded.

“Done, Cap’n.” Lucas grinned, showing all his yellow teeth. The sight of them made Scarlet cringe. She resolved to brush her own teeth at least once a week.

“Good. Now let’s talk rubies.” Captain Wallace licked his lips. “They’re my favorite jewels, you know.”

“Mine too, Cap’n,” Lucas said.

Inside the shrub, Scarlet and Jem rolled their eyes at each other. Outside, Pete balled his hands into fists and pierced Lucas with a broadsword glare.

“Can I see the map, Cap’n?” Lucas asked. Captain Wallace pulled a scroll out of his coat. It was the map that Uncle Finn himself had drawn years ago.

Jem growled softly. “Thief,” he whispered.

“We’re right about here.” Lucas jabbed at a spot on the map. “Not far from the treasure, which must be where the Lost Souls are camped. When we ambush ’em, we’ll come from this side”—he pointed again—“away from the trail they’ll expect us to take.” He turned away from Pete, who had to crane his neck to see the map.

“Excellent,” Captain Wallace said. His lip twitched again. “We’ll attack them when they least expect it with our strongest men out front to slay those disgusting pigs.”

Scarlet looked at Jem. She didn’t like where this was going. Nor did she like how close the pirates were to their very noses. In fact, Pete looked like he was about to lean right on the shrub. And if he did…

Jem jabbed Scarlet in the ribs to get her attention, then tilted his head to the left. Following his cue, Scarlet looked and saw two more men march into the clearing.

More pirates! Scarlet wondered where they were all camped. Then she squinted at them between the leaves. These pirates looked strangely well dressed. And they walked with more of a clip than a swagger. And they—

Scarlet dug her fingernails into Jem’s arm, and he turned to her, slack-jawed.

“The King’s Men!” they mouthed in unison.

“But how?” Scarlet mouthed.

Jem just shrugged.

The King’s Men had halted and were staring at the pirates, who had yet to notice them. Lucas was crouched by the stream for a drink of water, and Pete stood behind him as if debating whether to push him in.

“You think the treasure might be rubies, Lucas?” Captain Wallace’s lip was twitching uncontrollably. He plucked another flower off the shrub.

“Seems like it.” Lucas dipped his hand in the water and slurped from it.

“Bah. Just because of some—” Pete began.

“It does, doesn’t it?” said the captain. “Can you
imagine?” He dropped his flower and grabbed a fistful of blooms.

“I sure can! We’ll be rich!” Lucas slapped the water, splashing the blue butterflies and sending them fluttering off in a huff.

“A great big mound of rubies!” Captain Wallace tossed the crumpled flowers in the air and spun around. “There for the taking! It’s—”

Suddenly the captain’s eyes fell on the strangers, and he froze, arms outstretched. Lucas looked up from the water, and Pete looked up from Lucas. All three stared across the clearing at the King’s Men. Then they looked at each other. Then back at the King’s Men. Captain Wallace slowly lowered his arms.

For a few moments the men in blue didn’t move. Scarlet took deep breaths to slow her whomping heart and the voice in her head—her own this time—screaming, “How did they get here? What does this mean?”

Slowly, the King’s Men began to move closer. One raised a hand to the pirates, who looked at one another and shrugged. Captain Wallace waved back.

“Hullo!” one of the King’s Men called.

“Halloo!” Captain Wallace replied.

The King’s Men stopped a few yards away from the pirates. No one seemed to be able to think of anything to say.

“This is so awkward,” Jem whispered.

But Scarlet was barely watching the exchange; her eyes were glued on the newcomers. From their shoulders down they looked like twins, with identical blue trousers
and identical coats with brass buttons. The one farther away had more little medals hanging over his heart and golden tassels on his shoulders—clearly higher in rank than the other. Their faces were different, though. The one nearer to the shrub had pasty, pockmarked skin and brownish-green eyes. The one farther away had a more stern face, with a sharp jaw and eyes the color of the sea after a storm.

Scarlet gasped, then slapped her hand over her mouth.

Outside the shrub, the pirates and King’s Men all paused at the sound and looked around. Seeing nothing, they resumed staring awkwardly at one another.

Jem looked at Scarlet quizzically. “What?” he mouthed.

She shook her head, squeezed her eyes shut, and then looked out on the scene again.

Nothing had changed. The
Dark Ranger
pirates still faced the King’s Men.

And the King’s Man farthest from her was still Admiral John McCray.

Scarlet’s father.

Jem wondered if Scarlet might be sick. She’d looked rather green since they’d witnessed the pirates meeting the King’s Men. Not that he blamed her. Having the pirates on Island X with clues about the treasure was bad enough. Throw in some blue and brass, and there was real trouble. Now they had to fend off two groups of much larger, much stronger enemies.

But still, he hadn’t expected her to react the way she did, all flustered and unable to concentrate. After their long run home (made longer by the fact that he’d steered them in the wrong direction—twice), Jem had to remind her to tell the others about this new danger. She’d been ready to go sit with the aras all evening.

“Right. Good call, Fitz.” Scarlet looked sheepish. “Could you round up the crew? Let them know it’s important.”

Thinking that “important” was the understatement of the century, Jem jogged off, shaking his head.

“The
who
?” Ronagh screeched at the news.

“King’s Men
and
pirates?” Emmett paled.

“Double trouble,” Smitty moaned.

“What’re the King’s Men doing here?” asked Gil.

Scarlet raised her hands, palms up. “Who knows? Maybe they’ve pillaged all the other islands and now have to face the ones that always scared them off.”

“D’ya
think they know about the treasure?” Liam asked.

“They do now,” said Jem. “One of the pirates saw an ara drop a ruby today, and those stupid swabs were hollering about it when the King’s Men came into the clearing.”

“Triple trouble,” Smitty groaned.

“What’re we going to do now?” asked Edwin.

All heads turned back to Scarlet, who was staring at the trees, lost in thought. When she noticed their eyes on her, she shook her head and cleared her throat. “Right. Yes. I agree.”

“With what, Cap’n?” asked Tim.

Scarlet seemed distraught. “Look…I need time to think. Right now there’s something…” She rubbed her temples. “Maybe an ant colony this time?”

“Ant colony?” Tim said, looking bewildered.

“I’ve got to go.” Scarlet stood. “But I want everyone to think hard about this. We’ve got to make a plan.” She turned away, then turned back. “Oh, and let’s take turns on night watch. Just in case.” Then she hurried off into the trees.

“Ant colony?” Tim repeated.

“What are we going to do?” asked Monty.

“How can we face the pirates
and
the King’s Men?” Sam sniffed. The others shrugged and whispered nervously to one another.

Jem was about to remind them that worrying wouldn’t help matters, and that they’d be better off doing something useful, like building tree houses, when Ronagh spoke up.

“Wait, everyone. We’ve still got the animals on our side, remember?”

“Of course!” Elmo exclaimed.

“They’ll save us!” other Lost Souls chimed in, looking relieved.