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“Ugh, the tedious things us gods have to do. With eminent power comes so much responsibility. No one understands the sacrifice. What we do for others without asking anything in return.” Sprig sighed dramatically, wiggling his fingers. “The power these hands hold is such a blessing and a curse.”

“If you don’t shut up and finish, I will cram those fingers up your blessing and out your curse-hole,” Croygen grumbled.

“Someone’s being a Viking-pirate.”

“Sprig.” Croygen ground his molars.

“Two buckets of honey if you hurry,” I cut in.

Sprig smiled at me, working on my other cuff, sticking his tongue out at Croygen.

“You two.” I shook my head. “You act—”

“If you say we act like brothers, I will leave you here.” Croygen cocked his eyebrow, moving toward the cell door, peering out.

“Ta-da!” Sprig sang, the other manacle falling to the stone. My hands automatically rubbed where they had been.

“Thank you, super Sprite God King.” I patted him on the head, smirking at Croygen.

Croygen snorted, his eyes rolling up as I traveled to where he was at the barred door, Sprig climbing up to my shoulder.

“You are very close to being voted off the island, pirate.” Sprig stuck his finger out at Croygen.

“If I’m stuck on an island with you, I vote myself off.”

“Too bad. Now you’re stuck with me. Forever,” Sprig volleyed back. “But you know how you can make it up to me?”

“Let me guess, it has something to do with honey,” Croygen muttered, scanning down both ends of the hallway.

“I’m hungry. Actually, I’m past hungry. I think my insides are revolting. Screaming,‘Let him eat cake!’”

“Get us out of this cell, and I will find you cake.” Croygen motioned to the cell door. “And if you find my sword, I’ll get you all the honey in the land.”

My stomach sank, knowing Killian too well. Croygen’s sword was too valuable to him to leave anywhere we could get at. It was a symbol, a power grab over his enemy.

So many times, Croygen let Killian play with it as a kid, pretending to defend the ship and save us from pirate hunters. He once adored his captain more than anything, then it turned to hate and vengeance. And like my father, I was the center of it.

“In allll the land?” An excited chirp came from Sprig, leaping to Croygen and down to the lock.

“You remember how we got down here?” Croygen turned to me. Since he was unconscious on the way in, I was the only one who sort of knew how to get out.

“Yes.” I nodded. It was Croygen who trained me to be aware of my surroundings. To map it out in your mind, down to the smallest detail. Because that detail might be the difference between life and death.

“Okay, you lead, and I’ll cover.” Croygen touched his waist, realizing his sword was gone, his lip curling up. Killian having his sword, the one Blackbeard gave him, was an extra blow to him because Killian knew what that sword represented, what it meant to Croygen.

“Ohhh, sprite spit. This is a prickly one.” Sprig’s face scrunched up, his fingers working the lock. “Allll-most got it.”

Far away, booms twitched my ears, jerking my head above us, wondering what they were.

“What?” Croygen asked. “You hear someone coming?”

“No. Not people.” I held still, trying to hear it again, but was only met with silence. “Sounded like fireworks or something.”

“Fireworks?” Croygen snorted. “Killian celebrating my demise already?”

“Allllll-moossstt therrree.” Sprig stuck out his tongue.

“He’ll probably plan a parade,” I quipped.