On the main deck, Lucy watched two crewmates lower the rowboat into the water until her friends approached. She turned toward the panther. “Byron, do mermaids fear weresharks?”

The tribal panther scratched his chin. “Mermaids do not fear my kind. We live in separate waters and respected each other’s territory. However, they wouldn’t bother me unless I attack their nest.”

A grin spread across Lucy’s face.

“What?” Byron asked.

“I think we have a volunteer.”

Byron pointed at himself. “Me?”

“If the mermaids catch you, they will not attack, right?”

Byron crossed her arms. “Maybe.”

“Then you can get the cargo from the wreck without me risking my crew!” Lucy exclaimed.

“But I cannot carry all the cargo alone, and we do not know which ship has them.”

“I can guess,” said Walton. “Du Su marks his insignias on his vessels. A panda paw print wit' serpents around it. They be nah hard t' wench.”

Byron smiled. “Good. Maybe you can assist me so-”

“Don't ye dare ask me t' come!” Walton shook his finger at the tall black cat. “I 'ave seen enough nightmares wit' those mermaids already! I will nah lose another eye!”

Lucy doesn’t care if the cowardly little cat stays on her ship. But Byron will need a partner to help him move the cargo onto the boat.

Tashina stepped forward. “Eff yuh nuh mind, mi cya guh wid him. Mi cya scare di mermaids away wid mi light spells. Weak but effective enuff tuh drive di sea devils away.”

Byron frowned at her. "Tashina, you don’t need to come with me. If I must do this on my own, I will go."

"But-"

The panther placed his paws on the hyena's shoulders. "Trust me, I am strong in both ways. The mermaids cannot stop me."

With a frown, Tashina slowly nodded her head.

Lucy could tell the hyena had a strong affection for Byron. They may be different species, but love comes in different forms.

“Wait!” Ivy clambered down the rope ladder and landed next to Lucy. “There is a gap between the tall reef mountains. Why not sail the ship through there? We can collect the cargo faster than a rowboat.”

Lucy bit her lip. She never thought about that before.

“It’s too risky!” Walton complained. “Those sea devils will swarm our ship afore we can escape!”

Charles crossed his arms and glared at the cat. “Can you not see the sun? We still have time before dark. We can leave before the mermaids come out. But time is ticking now.”

Lucy glanced at the sky. Still blue, and the sun descended slowly to the east. It was now or never. “Fine, pull the rowboat back up. We’ll sail into the reef and retrieve as much cargo as possible. When the sky turns orange, we leave immediately. Understand?”

“Aye, captain!” Everyone shouted.

“And if you hear any singing, cover your ears.”

Walton dragged his paw down his face. “We'll all goin' t' die!”

*****

Lucy steered the ship cautiously through the gap into the forest of giant, pointy, sharp rocks. The clear path was wide enough for any ship to sail around the seamounts.

Shadows loomed everywhere from the tall rocks, making the waters black-like darkness. Knowing what slept below, the dark waters crawled through Lucy’s skin. But she has to remain focused on sailing across the dangerous surface.

“See anything?” Lucy shouted to her lookout.

Ivy stood in her crow’s nest, glancing around through her spyglass. “Nya, captain! There are too many ships in the graveyard! I can’t see their insignias!”

“Then please keep looking!” Lucy checked the sky again. She couldn’t see the sun, but she could still tell the sky hadn’t turned black yet.

About an hour or a half left? At least the sky was visible above the mounts.

“Ahoy, captain!” Ivy called. “I think I see it!”

“Where?” Lucy asked.

“About a mile north! A frigate smooched between two mountains!”

Lucy ordered her crew to slow down the ship as she pulled out her spyglass. She aimed the glass at a gray brigantine ship, resting on a bed of rocks between two butte mountains.

Damaged with a giant crack through the center and torn sails hung like spider webs. Black grime coated the wood as if something burnt the ship. High on the quarter sail post, a red flag waved through the cold wind with Du Su’s insignia on it.

Lucy lowered her spyglass and grinned. “It is the ship! Get the boarding party ready! We’re heading there now!”

“Aye, captain!” Ivy replied.