Pirates of the Caribbean 03 The Pirate Chase (6 page)

"Poena Letum Pugna."Jack repeated, loudly and proudly, "Poena Letum Pugna!""Did he say 'pain?'" Jean whispered to Tumen
. Jack pretended not to hear.
Fitzwilliam said, "Envinco--"

"Envinco."

"Inhumanus."

"Inhumanus!" Jack finished, shouting it out, to make sure the godlike power knew to come to him instead of Fitz.Silence. Nobody moved. Jack waited for any of the humming, tingling, or glowing that ought to accompany godlike power. None
developed. “Is
that all?" Jack said, turning the parchment over in case something else was written on the back. But the other side was blank.Arabella scratched her head. "The change must not be obvious. Try to do something magical."Jack did the first thing that came to mind. He pointed at Constance and said, "Turn this thing back
into Jean's sister!"
Constance mewed once, then began washing herself with her paw. Jean slumped in disappointment. "Why didn't it work?"

"Maybe because she was never a girl to begin with, lad," Jack said, patting Jean on the head."Any idea at all what this says in English?" Jack asked Fitzwilliam.Fitz shook his head."At all?"Fitz shrugged."Just a little? A word or two?""No!" Fitzwilliam yelled out."Okay, no need to go mad over it."Jack put his hand beneath his chin and considered the Sword. Clearly another test was needed, but what?"Aha!" he said, then lifted the Sword high in the air and commanded, "Bring all the citizens of
Puerto San Judas back home!"
Again, silence. No one filled the church. No people wandered the roads.Fitzwilliam said, "Possibly no one was attending church at the time."Tumen shook his head. "Incense is still burning. They were here, but they haven't come back."

"It didn't work," Arabella said, disappointed."Didn't work?" Jack stared down at the sword at his side. "What do you mean, it didn't work? You don't go finding a magical sword and a magical sheath and a secret incantation, and then just have it--not work! And, besides . . ." Jack began, "it worked before! Why now, when it's in its sheath where it is supposed to be, is it not working? I blame you, Fitz," Jack said dismissively. "Your pronunciation was all wrong. I'm su
re of it. Positive, in fact."

"I can't believe it," Arabella said. "It makes no sense at all.""Blasted pirate stories." Jack could have pitched the sword and never looked back. He threw his hands up in the air in disgust and said, "Right. I'm headed back into the city to see if anyone left supper on. Coming?"He turned to go--and that's when he saw the phantom. It wore a conquistador's armor, made of iron and silver, glowing slightly with heat. Steam and foul-smelling sulfur oozed from the bearded phantom's ears, mouth, and nostrils.The phantom took one step toward them, its hellish armor clanking. Its eyes were red, and its beard curled like smoke. As the crew of the Barnacle all huddled close together, terrified, the phantom raised a hand and groaned in a gravely voice.Arabell
a clutched Fitzwilliam's arm.
"Jack, don't ye realize what's happened? The pirates' stories lacked a wee detail! The incantation brought back the Sword's owner! This is the spirit of Hernan Cortes, risen from the dead!"Cortes took one more step toward them, his glowing red eyes still fixed on the Sword. Nobody said a word. They were all too scared to speak--in fact, scared out of their wits.Almost all of them, that is.Jack took a jaunty step forward and extended his hand toward the conquistador. "Well, hello there, mate," he said. "Captain Jack Sparrow. How
very nice to meet you." To Be Concluded
in the next volume in the continuing adventures of Jack Sparrow and the crew of the mighty Barnacle.

The Sword of Cortes

The End