James swam through the blood-polluted ocean to Blackbeard, stretching out his hand as he got close enough to grab him. But just as he reached out to him, Blackbeard was snatched by a tentacle and dragged down, out of sight into the dark depths. James swam as fast as he could, following the trail of blood, but he knew he had made a mistake. He wouldn’t be able to stay under for much longer, and he couldn’t see past the blood.

This wasn’t how his story was supposed to end. He could feel his lungs starting to seize, and he was losing strength. As fast as he could, he changed direction and swam toward the surface, but he had followed Blackbeard too far down—he would never reach the top. And in that moment he knew his story was over before it could properly begin. With his heart full of regret, he let out his breath, and everything went black.

Chapter IV

Smee watched in horror as James dived into the water after Blackbeard, and he held his breath waiting for him to return to the surface. Only moments before, the Kraken had tipped the ship on its side, making the crow’s nest smack against the water. Smee was huddled inside, holding on to the mast for dear life, making himself as small as possible and hoping he and the ship weren’t being pulled under. He felt like he was inside a cork bobbing in the water.

He saw James dive into the ocean just as the ship was righted. Smee had already feared he would eventually lose James to Blackbeard, but not in this way. He had seen how much James and Blackbeard respected each other, and was sure Blackbeard was about to make him his first mate. And though it made him happy for James, he wondered what would become of their relationship.

Logically he knew there was no way James could survive being underwater for so long, but he had an inexplicable feeling James was still alive. Nothing about James’s life was typical as far as Smee was concerned, and he seemed to have extraordinarily good luck. How else would you explain finding a position on the ship of Blackbeard, the very captain he idolized? James of course would never admit it, but he’d read everything he could about Blackbeard, and had made it his mission to join the pirate’s crew. What strange stroke of luck lured James to that drinking hall that evening, the very place he would impress the dreaded Blackbeard himself?