The Calypso’s Nightmare and the storm raced to see who would arrive first. In what little time she had left, Jocelyn struggled to ready her crew for their first battle.

“Offer no quarter and take no prisoners!” the girl shouted, but the wind stole her words and flung them away. The sea rose and fell, enormous waves buffeting the ship. Rain poured in earnest now, making the deck slick and treacherous.

Jocelyn ordered Jack to drop anchor. The Hook’s Revenge slowly turned about, getting into position for firing. Krueger’s ship was close now. Even through the deluge, Jocelyn could see his bloodthirsty crew waving pistols and cutlasses in anticipation of fighting. Her untested men didn’t stand a chance against them. She called for Jim to fire a warning shot across the bow.

Are you surprised to learn he missed? His shot hit the tip of Kruger’s mast. Other than breaking off the flagpole, no damage was sustained.

The loss of their flag only angered the rival pirates. Jocelyn faintly heard their curses over the roaring storm. The Calypso’s Nightmare was now close enough that the girl could make out an eager wildness in the crew’s eyes, and the ship did not appear to be slowing.

“Fire the cannons again! Aim to hit her this time!” Jocelyn yelled.

Jim’s shot went wide, dropping harmlessly into the roiling sea.

Jocelyn ran across the deck, desperate to get below and take over the cannon. Pounding waves rocked the ship from side to side; it was difficult to keep her balance. Just as she reached the hatch, Jocelyn heard the thwock-thwock of grappling hooks strike her railing. She was too late. The Hook’s Revenge was about to be boarded.

“They’re coming, men! Ready your arms!” she shouted.

One-Armed Jack complained, “That’s terribly insensitive, Cap’n. You can’t ready your arms if you only have one.”

Jocelyn glared at him and shouted, “Shut up and get ready to fight, you fool!”

“Aye, aye, Cap’n,” he said with a left-handed salute. “A real pirate war? Hurrah!”

The first wave of Krueger’s men landed on deck and the battle began. Jocelyn pulled her sword from its sheath and jumped into the fray. A huge man, covered in warts and tattoos, had Blind Bart in a headlock. Even in the dim light Jocelyn could see Bart’s face beginning to turn an unhealthy shade of blue. Fearful of damaging her lookout should she try to use her sword, Jocelyn ran up and kicked the warty pirate in…well, in an unfair place.

Quit your cringing. It was the right thing to do. Pirates do not fight fair.

The man let go of Bart and doubled over, wheezing. Bart tumbled to the deck, overcome.

Wild with rage, Warty recovered quickly. “You’ll pay for that, little miss!” he yelled.

The girl’s sword flashed and the big man’s speech was cut off—as were his pants. He stood there in his not-so-clean underwear, looking too astonished to move. Jocelyn backed up a few steps to get a better view of the spectacle. Her laughter pealed out, rising above the cacophony of wind and wave.

Grabbing his pants with one hand and his cutlass with the other, the pirate moved toward her. “I’ll teach you some manners, girlie.”

“That’s unlikely. I’ve already been to finishing school,” she replied, her blade at the ready. She took a step toward him and swung. He parried the blow. Their clashing weapons shot sparks that were immediately snuffed out in the rain.

Though he was larger and stronger, Jocelyn was quick. While fending off the man’s cutlass with her sword arm, she used her free hand to poke him in the eye. He howled, dropping both his weapon and his pants, and grabbed Jocelyn in a wresting hold, pinning her arms to her sides.

“Fancy a swim, missy?” he growled as he dragged her to the side of the ship.

Jocelyn thrashed and kicked but was unable to free herself. The railing pressed into her back as her feet lifted from the deck. She would be tossed into the stormy sea and drown.

“Stand down, Benito!” a deep voice commanded. A newcomer approached, his face cloaked in shadow.

“But Cap’n—” Warty began, earning him a sharp slap across the face. He dropped Jocelyn to the deck in a heap.

“Now go cut the lines to the lifeboat while I parlay with the little captain here. I wouldn’t want anyone to leave before the party is over. And pull up your breeches.”

“Aye, aye, Cap’n Krueger, sir.”

Jocelyn stood. The deck pitched and yawed under her feet. She steadied herself and brandished her sword. “What right have you to board my ship? I’ll gut you for this, Krueger.”

Reaching out his index finger, Krueger pushed her blade down. “Put that away, child, before someone gets hurt. I’m here to parlay—to discuss the terms of your surrender.” Lightning flashed, illuminating a long white scar and rows of pointy teeth.

“Why would I surrender to you?”

“Your crew of imbeciles is nothing compared to my trained fighters. Acquiesce to my demands or I will kill every last one of them. Slowly.”

Jocelyn glanced around. Blind Bart lay unconscious on the deck. Her other men were holding on, but it was plain to see they were outmatched. She sheathed her sword. “What do you want?”

Lightning flashed again, glinting off Krueger’s sharp smile. “Give me the map to Hook’s treasure and I will let all of you go.”

“I don’t have it.”

He took a step closer, bending to bring his face close to hers. Jocelyn recoiled at his terrible breath, but with her back to the railing, she had no escape.

“Liar! You are Hook’s heir. He left his map to you. You may think the treasure is your rightful inheritance, but you will not get it. That gold belongs to me.”

“So sorry to disappoint you,” Jocelyn replied in a tone that clearly indicated she was not a bit sorry, “but all my father left me was a nearly impossible task. My only inheritance is to avenge his death on the Neverland’s crocodile. Feel free to steal that, if you like.”

Krueger pulled back his hand to strike and Jocelyn jerked her face away. At that instant, an enormous wave hit the ship. The deck tilted sharply and Jocelyn lost her balance. She tumbled over the railing to the boiling sea below.

In the chaos of storm and battle, no one even heard a splash.