Chapter 97: Professional Ruin Inspectors
The laughter faded by degrees. By the time the last of it disappeared into the jungle, James realized he was getting his first proper look at Mary in the light since the flooded passage had claimed her tricorn.
Her dark hair hung loose past her shoulders now, parts of it lay plastered flat from the swim, while the jungle heat had already begun drying the rest into unruly waves.
Her coat and shirt clung to her, leaving little to the imagination. She was lean as a whip, with barely enough chest to betray the disguise at a glance and the sort of firm arse any sailor would envy after years spent climbing rigging. No wonder she’d passed for a man so easily, but truth be told, she was rather pretty once there was nothing left for the clothes to hide.
"See somethin’ worth stealin’?"
"I’m admirin’ the view."
"A dangerous habit. One day the view’ll notice."
"Nay, lass. Wasn’t lookin’ at you at all."
James nodded toward the seam of her coat, where a narrow flash of light appeared whenever she shifted. "That’s gold catchin’ the sun for sure, man’d have to be blind not to notice."
A small, knowing smile tugged at the corner of Mary’s mouth.
"Don’t tell me ye walked out empty-handed."
James answered by reaching inside his coat. The golden mask emerged into the sunlight, the serpent across its brow gleaming as though pleased to have escaped the ruin with them.
Mary barked a laugh.
"I knew it. There wasn’t a prayer ye’d leave that thing behind."
"I did leave it."
"So how in the devil’s name is it sittin’ in yer coat right now?"
James turned the mask over in his hands. "Grabbed it back the moment that door started swingin’ shut. Wasn’t much of a decision, more like a reflex. Instinct doesn’t always wait for permission."
"Instinct, or greed."
"Why not both?"
Mary laughed despite herself and shook her head, sending damp strands of hair swinging.
"Right then. What’s yer plan for that ugly thing?"
"Havana, I reckon."
James tilted the mask until the serpent flashed again. "Some rich fool’ll pay well for somethin’ this old and this gold. Won’t ask questions, either, so long as the coin spends and the story stays vague."
"Havana."
Mary spoke the name like she’d bitten into spoiled meat. "So the grand plan is to walk into Havana with a heathen god tucked inside yer coat, stroll past the Guarda Costa, smile politely at every customs man in the harbor, and somehow leave with a purse full of Spanish coin."
James grinned.
"When ye put it that way, it does sound a little reckless."
Mary let out a laugh. "Captain, that’s the sort of idea that gets written into sermons after they fish yer corpse out o’ the bay."
"Then I’d best make certain they never catch me."
"I’ve no doubt ye’ll manage that part, somehow."
He tucked the mask safely back inside his coat. "I’ll give it a bit more thought before I decide."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The ruined plaza stretched around them beneath its shattered canopy. Vines and roots were already reclaiming stone that had stood there centuries before either of them had been born.
"Still don’t know who built any of this."
James glanced back toward the passage they’d escaped. "Nor why. Nor what happened to the folk who came before us and never walked back out."
"Nor do I, and I’d rather not learn the hard way a second time today."
Mary folded her arms. "But that place is packed with more gold and jade than the two of us could haul out in a month."
"Aye, it is."
James felt an idea beginning to form. "We come back with a party once we’re settled at camp. Enough hands to brace that passage, shore up anything ready to collapse, and enough greedy souls that nobody finds an excuse to stay behind."
Mary snorted.
"Greed’s never failed you yet."
"Built a fleet and a hideout with it already, seems foolish to stop trustin’ it now."
"Aye. Well, I’d rather not leave all that gold for the roots."
The space in front of James thickened before either of them could speak again.
⚓ [SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Quest Complete : Ruins That Shouldn’t Be Here
Reward : 10 Fate
Your performance has been evaluated.
The ruins have now been thoroughly searched, disturbed, flooded, and very nearly converted into your final resting place. Despite these impressive accomplishments, the identity of their builders remains completely unknown. This is disappointing, although not especially surprising.
As the available evidence appears unwilling to cooperate, and your current method of investigation consists primarily of surviving increasingly dangerous accidents, further attempts are no longer expected to produce meaningful results.
Quest complete.
James grinned at the display.
Meanwhile, Mary gathered her hair with both hands, twisting it into something resembling a hairstyle before giving up. It fell loose again. Without her hat, the disguise she’d need once they returned to camp would have to wait.
James tipped his head back and watched the sun through the gap in the canopy. It had already slipped well past its highest point and was drifting west with steady certainty, making it painfully clear how much daylight they’d spent beneath the ruins.
He took another moment to get his bearings. If the sun was there, then south lay off to the left, near enough. It was hardly the sort of navigation a chart deserved, but after everything the island had thrown at them, it would do well enough.
"That’s our heading, near enough."
He nodded toward the trees. "Camp should be south o’ here, unless the whole island’s spun itself around while we weren’t lookin’."
Mary sighed.
"After today, I’d not put it past this place."
"Aye, fair point."
James tucked the mask deeper into his coat and started forward. "Come on then. This day’s gone on long enough without spendin’ the night wanderin’ through the swamp."
Mary fell into step beside him, and together they left the ruined plaza behind.
Before the trees swallowed the last of the broken stone, James stopped at the first stand of mangroves and carved a quick mark into the bark with the tip of his cutlass. He repeated it every so often as they walked, leaving a trail only someone looking for it would ever notice.
Within moments the jungle had closed around them once more. The ruins vanished behind tangled roots and hanging vines, swallowed as completely as every other secret the island had chosen to keep.