Page 5 of The Curse Breaker

Axel shoved Gil, and he stumbled into Ryan’s sleeping form as Thomas and Laurel began shouting now too. Ryan sat up in the middle of it all, half a pound of sand sifting out of his hair. He blinked twice.

“Where am I?” He narrowed his eyes at Benny and Zara. “Did you two knock me out?” He looked at the others in confusion, then did a double take. “Who are all of you? Are you Evelyn’s friends?” He scrambled to standing and looked at Benny in awe. “You found them! They’re alive. You found the…” His expression faltered, like a switch. “Wait. Where is the treasure?”

“You’re after the treasure too? Who are you?” Axel demanded, folding his arms over his chest.

Benny could sense things were spiraling out of control. She had to do something. She put her fingers in her mouth and whistled loudly. “Everyone cut it out!”

Gil blinked. “Cut. It. Out?”

“It means chill,” Zara told him.

“Chill?” Now Thomas was confused as well.

“Stop fighting,” Kimble said with exasperation. “You’re going to need to get up on the lingo of twenty twenty-five.”

“Twenty twenty-five?” Laurel asked as the others looked confused.

Zara clapped her hands. “Focus, people! We’re going to explain everything and take you back with us through the cave to get to Greenport! But first you have to stop talking and listen to Benny.”

“Fine. But where is Sparrow?” Gil said again. “Why isn’t she here?”

“Does it matter?” Thomas grabbed Laurel’s hand and swung it cheerily. “We shall go see her when we’re off the island. Axel is right. Let’s go home!”

Home. Benny’s heart sank. She knew what it was like to search for a place to land only to find the rug ripped out from under you. Benny froze, her eyes landing on Aggy, who wouldn’t make eye contact. “Before we leave, I think we need to explain what’s going on first.”

“Kid, clock is a-ticking,” Kimble said with a sigh as he rubbed the scruff of his light blond beard. The gold earring in his left ear blinded her in the sun. “I need to find whatever treasure is still missing first. I can’t believe Evelyn tricked me again.”

Tricks. A second game. It didn’t seem fair. Who said life was fair? Grams always said. She’d been gone for a few years now, but Benny could still hear her grandmother’s voice in her head, guiding her.

“I don’t have to listen to you about anything.” Axel gave Benny a look that turned her blood cold. “I am leaving. Now.”

“So am I,” Ryan said, scrambling to get up fast. “I’m not getting trapped here with you people.” He waved to Axel. “Let’s get out of here!”

“Wait!” Benny cried but neither boy stopped. Her heart thudded in her chest as she watched Ryan lead the way down the beach back to the cave, taking Axel with him. Benny felt the color drain from her face as she thought about what Axel would think when he reached Greenport and realized it wasn’t 1825. Benny watched as Ryan and Axel slipped under the waterfall and disappeared, headed to a world Axel Rudd would not recognize at all.

“We have to stop them!”

“Kid, just let them go,” Kimble said. “We have enough to worry about.”

“The captain is right,” Zara said gently. “Axel is Ryan’s problem now. We have to know what’s in Evelyn’s letter.” Her focus was on Benny. “It’s time to play a new game, right?”

“Yes,” Benny said miserably.

“Read the letter aloud,” Aggy said.

So Benny did as she was told.

September 8, 1850

Everly Benedict,

First let me say, I’m sorry I tricked you. The game is far from over. In fact, it’s only just begun.

I didn’t mean to be dishonest, but if I had told you what you were up against from the very beginning, I feared you would walk away. With so much at stake, I couldn’t risk that happening.

Now that you know the island is real, I hope you’ll want to protect the treasure as much as I do. That treasure saved my friends’ lives, but it also took something very precious from them, it stole their chance to age and change like I have and you will. What comes next won’t be easy. You’ll need to piece together the clues I offer brick by brick. The island won’t stay long, so hurry!

This new game is dangerous, and you’re not the only one playing it. There are others who know about the island and its treasure, and they will stop at nothing to get ahold of it.