Chapter 21

 

“I need to see Joni,” I told Titus, who stood there holding his trident.

“La Sirene is not seeing visitors.”

“Then let me talk to Agwe. He will understand why I need to see him.”

“The admiral is predisposed.”

I rolled my eyes. “Titus, come on. This is a life or death matter.”

“Everything is a matter of life or death these days.”

“I can save her,” I said. “La Sirene. I can remove the curse. You just have to let me through.”

“I am under orders…”

“Then break them!” I said.

Titus tightened his grip on his trident. Clearly, he was the sort of soldier who wasn’t accustomed to following the spirit of a command. He was all about following it by the letter.

“Think about it,” I said. “You were told not to grant her any visitors. Why?”

“I do not question the reasoning of my superiors.”

“Come on, you old brute. Think about it. You’re a smart man.”

“Merman,” Titus corrected me.

“Exactly,” I said. “Now if extenuating circumstances arise, surely you have a way to reach out to Admiral Agwe, do you not?”

Titus nodded.

“These are extenuating circumstances. Trust me.”

Titus took a deep breath, releasing a cascade of bubbles from his nostrils.

“Very well,” Titus said as he reached for a conch shell around his neck and blew into it.

“Thank you,” I said.

“Admiral Agwe will be with you shortly.”

Seconds later, Agwe appeared. I had no idea how he’d gotten there so soon. “What brings you back to us, Annabelle? We are in the midst of a potential crisis, and we may need your assistance if you can spare the time.”

I nodded. “I have a way to help. Tell me, the crisis you speak of…”

“Someone has acquired the soul of Anne Bonny. They are reassembling her armies and preparing for an attack. Without the wyrmriders…”

I cringed. I hadn’t expected it to go so quickly—it wasn’t even an hour ago that I’d seen the vision of Oggie’s sacrifice. The ritual must’ve commenced almost immediately.

“Any idea who it is that has her soul?” I asked. “Is it one of the Bokors?”

“I cannot say,” Agwe said. “I haven’t been able to get a good look at the person’s face.”

I nodded. “Well, you aren’t without the wyrmriders. I’ve used Dumballah’s blessing.”

Agwe raised an eyebrow. “For what did you ask?”

I grinned. “Let’s just say I am now a healer of souls.”

“Ahh. He has given you a Seelsorgerin!”

“A what?” I asked.

“It is a Germanic word. A soul soother.”

I nodded. “Then that’s exactly what this ring is supposed to do. I asked Dumballah to give me the ability to heal people’s souls. That’s what Joni requires.”

Agwe nodded. “Indeed, it is in the soul where the curse upon her resides.”

“Then take me to her.”

We approached the brig, where Joni had herself locked away. I could hear screaming from within her cell—it wasn’t a prison. They’d given her all the amenities she could desire. But it did prevent her from following through on the compulsions associated with the piracy curse she’d absorbed.

“I might need some assistance, Isabelle,” I said.

Of course…

I felt some of Isabelle’s magica course through my brow and into my fingertips. “We’ll need to act quick. Pauli, if she tries to run away, grab her and teleport her back in here. Hopefully it doesn’t come to that. I don’t know how I know, but this thing should only take a moment, a single touch to work.”

“She won’t get past me!” Pauli exclaimed, slithering through the waters around me.

“I have a better idea,” Agwe interjected. “Pauli, return to human form and summon Nix. Use it to call on the ocean to press the water pressure against the exit of the cell. It should prevent her from leaving.”

“Sweet!” Pauli said. Seconds later, he’d returned to his human form—again, no clothes. Ugh. He summoned Nix, gripped it tightly and stood just behind me as I opened the door.

Do this fast, Isabelle said. Once I use magic to restrain her, she’ll just siphon it and use it against us… only more powerfully.

I nodded before I pressed open the door.

I released a chain of jade energies, enveloping Joni’s body as she charged after me. I pressed my hand to her forehead. My ring—the Seelsorgerin—began to glow. Again, with a green that matched Isabelle’s energies. It cast a veil over Joni’s whole body.

I could feel the force of the water behind us, holding us in, even as Joni tried to press against us, as she inhaled and took in Isabelle’s magica.

But I’d gotten to her in time. The rage on Joni’s face faded, and a wide grin took its place.

“Annabelle… I knew you’d do it… somehow.”

I smiled back. “Kalfu hasn’t been defeated. So that’s not how I did it. But we got you back. And we need you. He’s given someone else Anne Bonny’s soul.”

“But whoever has her soul does not share her curse, only her abilities.”

“Still, they are bound to Kalfu in one way or another. Which might be just as bad as a curse. Bargains can’t be undone… not like a curse.”

Joni nodded. “Then we’d best get going.” Her face changed. She pressed her lips together and narrowed her eyes—she entered general mode. “Titus, summon the wyrmriders.”