meet those of Drake, and he felt a shivering sensation running to his stomach.
“ So, is this the man who will bring us to Mabouyacay?”
“ Aye. He’s the captain of the Banshee’s Cry, the fastest vessel on these waves. The perfect ship to carry out your master’s will,” replied Red Leg.
“ Le Baron isn’t my master,” she said abruptly, coming closer to Drake, never lifting her stare from his eyes, “I serve the Loa’s will, yet none is my master.”
Drake could not spill out a single word, too charmed by the girl’s beauty, or something else.
‘ What’s happening to me?’ he thought.
Kaya came face-to-face and stared deeply into his eyes, looking for something. Then, she turned attention to Red Leg, “Yes. This is the right man. We have a deal, O’Neill.”
Later, they sat around a round table, enjoying a supper of roasted chicken and vegetables. Red Leg had explained him that Kaya was a Mambo; a voodoo priestess who was able to communicate with powerful spirits called Loas.
“ So, please Kaya let Drake be partaken of the true story of the Plague.” Red Leg appealed.
The Creole girl clutched her silver medallion, bearing the etched image of a coiled snake, then began her story.
“ This tale has been told to me by Baron Samedi himself, during one ceremonial mounting. In the year 1663, Captain Hackett convinced your King to approve an expedition to Las Tortugas. These isles, now known as Cayman - according to will of your namesake’s hero, Captain Drake - were first visited by Christopher Columbus in 1503. Hackett had found a secret log of the Italian explorer, in which he recounted of unholy ceremonies performed by natives – named Kalinago – into a cave complex called Mabouya’s Well. Hackett, being a fervent religious man, saw in it the Pit of the Devil and the natives as debauched Satan-worshippers. He reported to King Charles that Cayman Brac hid a secret Spaniard fortress which could threat Jamaica’s fledging colony. Ten warships set sail to Mabouyacay – as the native called the isle – and once there, Hackett put all inhabitants to the sword, set villages to fire, and finally killed the shamans in the cave.”
She paused, gulping a glass of water, eyeing Drake’s skeptic look, then continued her tale.
“ What Hackett didn’t know, was these Kalinago were buyeis, shamans whose role was to perform rituals to keep Mabouya at bay. With no one to provide sacrifices, the evil spirit enraged and sent the Plague into this world. The mariners of Hackett’s fleet became the embodiment of the Curse; when they returned to England they carried it with them.”
Drake’s gaze went to Red Leg.
The man believed this nonsensical stuff.
“ The Loa are unhappy with the current state of affairs,” continued Kaya, “especially Baron Samedi, who’s judge of the dead. He has told me how to lift the Curse of Mabouya and I know how to pass into Risen’s waters without harm.”
Red Leg was smiling now, “It is now clear what the Banshee’s role will be? We’ll be heroes, Drake; we will be like kings for lifting this Curse from humankind!”
“ You’re crazy! Blimey! Do you eat it?” Drake exploded; he was not going to lead his men into Risen territory to be slaughtered.
“ I’m not crazy, Drake. I’m a believer.” Red Leg rebuked showing his own silver medallion, and then added, “And you’re coming with me Drake, because you know what I’ll do, shall you refuse?”
He paused to have Drake get his full attention, “I’ll hang all your crew by the neck for treason. Because you still owe me six damned missed payments!”
Drake’s eyes widened. Morgan could do that, he knew the old bastard had the power.
He took a deep breath, then ignoring the older man, asked the Mambo, “Assuming I accept to lead my men to certain doom, how do you think we can stop a God?”
She smiled and replied, “There’s no God over there, just an evil spirit; a being we call a djab. No
“ So, is this the man who will bring us to Mabouyacay?”
“ Aye. He’s the captain of the Banshee’s Cry, the fastest vessel on these waves. The perfect ship to carry out your master’s will,” replied Red Leg.
“ Le Baron isn’t my master,” she said abruptly, coming closer to Drake, never lifting her stare from his eyes, “I serve the Loa’s will, yet none is my master.”
Drake could not spill out a single word, too charmed by the girl’s beauty, or something else.
‘ What’s happening to me?’ he thought.
Kaya came face-to-face and stared deeply into his eyes, looking for something. Then, she turned attention to Red Leg, “Yes. This is the right man. We have a deal, O’Neill.”
Later, they sat around a round table, enjoying a supper of roasted chicken and vegetables. Red Leg had explained him that Kaya was a Mambo; a voodoo priestess who was able to communicate with powerful spirits called Loas.
“ So, please Kaya let Drake be partaken of the true story of the Plague.” Red Leg appealed.
The Creole girl clutched her silver medallion, bearing the etched image of a coiled snake, then began her story.
“ This tale has been told to me by Baron Samedi himself, during one ceremonial mounting. In the year 1663, Captain Hackett convinced your King to approve an expedition to Las Tortugas. These isles, now known as Cayman - according to will of your namesake’s hero, Captain Drake - were first visited by Christopher Columbus in 1503. Hackett had found a secret log of the Italian explorer, in which he recounted of unholy ceremonies performed by natives – named Kalinago – into a cave complex called Mabouya’s Well. Hackett, being a fervent religious man, saw in it the Pit of the Devil and the natives as debauched Satan-worshippers. He reported to King Charles that Cayman Brac hid a secret Spaniard fortress which could threat Jamaica’s fledging colony. Ten warships set sail to Mabouyacay – as the native called the isle – and once there, Hackett put all inhabitants to the sword, set villages to fire, and finally killed the shamans in the cave.”
She paused, gulping a glass of water, eyeing Drake’s skeptic look, then continued her tale.
“ What Hackett didn’t know, was these Kalinago were buyeis, shamans whose role was to perform rituals to keep Mabouya at bay. With no one to provide sacrifices, the evil spirit enraged and sent the Plague into this world. The mariners of Hackett’s fleet became the embodiment of the Curse; when they returned to England they carried it with them.”
Drake’s gaze went to Red Leg.
The man believed this nonsensical stuff.
“ The Loa are unhappy with the current state of affairs,” continued Kaya, “especially Baron Samedi, who’s judge of the dead. He has told me how to lift the Curse of Mabouya and I know how to pass into Risen’s waters without harm.”
Red Leg was smiling now, “It is now clear what the Banshee’s role will be? We’ll be heroes, Drake; we will be like kings for lifting this Curse from humankind!”
“ You’re crazy! Blimey! Do you eat it?” Drake exploded; he was not going to lead his men into Risen territory to be slaughtered.
“ I’m not crazy, Drake. I’m a believer.” Red Leg rebuked showing his own silver medallion, and then added, “And you’re coming with me Drake, because you know what I’ll do, shall you refuse?”
He paused to have Drake get his full attention, “I’ll hang all your crew by the neck for treason. Because you still owe me six damned missed payments!”
Drake’s eyes widened. Morgan could do that, he knew the old bastard had the power.
He took a deep breath, then ignoring the older man, asked the Mambo, “Assuming I accept to lead my men to certain doom, how do you think we can stop a God?”
She smiled and replied, “There’s no God over there, just an evil spirit; a being we call a djab. No
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