Meanwhile, in Saloum, Cody crouched behind a stack of barrels. A cutlass rested in his hand, and he kept himself alert in the dimness. He was about to step out when he decided to look for a decoy first. He spotted a straw hat lying abandoned atop one of the barrels. Crawling forward, he stretched out to reach it and set it carefully on the tip of his blade. Slowly, he began to raise it… and a knife whistled through the air, embedding itself deep into the wood.

  Cody clenched his teeth, waited a heartbeat, then slid toward the opposite end and caught sight of Yax. He lunged at him, tackling him to the ground. Yax struck back instantly, and the two became entangled in fists, shouts, and curses. When they finally shoved each other apart, each scrambled for something to use as a weapon. Cody snatched up a plate and hurled it, grazing Yax’s head. Yax grabbed a stone and threw it back. With nothing else left to hurl, they faced one another in fighting stance… and then, as if by shared instinct, they both shouted and charged again.

  The crowd watched with mild boredom until Kenda glanced at one of the maroons and gave a command. Several men stepped forward and tore the boys apart by force. Even so, they continued kicking wildly, forcing the men to grab them by the collars to restrain them.

  “Enough,” Kenda said, ordering that they be taken before the king of the maroons, who by then had dozed off upon his throne.

  They were thrown to the ground. Instinctively, they tried to lunge at one another again, but Kenda stepped between them and kicked each squarely.

  “They look like rabid dogs,” she said. “Father, please… neither one will yield. They’re ready to fight to the death, even if it takes all eternity.”

  The king was stirred awake by his secretary. He blinked, disoriented.

  “What did you say?” he muttered.

  Kenda exhaled, trying to remain patient.

  “Please… let’s end this. They’ve been fighting for hours.”

  The king looked around and seemed surprised to find that night had fallen.

  “Ah… yes. I must sleep. Very well.” He looked at the boys, their faces bloodied from the fight. “I acknowledge your valor and courage as warriors, and that one of you should emerge victorious to speak with me… but since I must retire, I shall hear you both.”

  The boys still burned with the adrenaline of the fight and glared at each other.

  “Let the Maya speak first,” the secretary instructed.

  “I require your support to attack Xul-Kan and free my people,” Yax said.

  Murmurs rippled through the crowd. The king listened, yawned, and then gestured lazily to the secretary.

  “And what does the blond require?” he asked.

  “I need support to free my crew from the clutches of the Spaniards,” Cody said.

  Silence fell. Both boys looked at the king expectantly.

  He leaned back in his seat, studied them, and raised his hand.

  “No,” he said.

  They stared, stunned. Perhaps they expected an explanation, but the king simply rose, assisted by several warriors, and withdrew into his dwelling. Yax and Cody exchanged a look.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  “What the hell…?” Cody muttered.

  “That’s it? That was his answer?”

  “You heard the king. You’re lucky you’re leaving here alive,” the secretary replied.

  Cody began to flare up again, while the Maya boy sank into a kind of bitter resignation. Several maroons approached and shoved them toward the exit beneath the drowsy gazes of the crowd.

  “This is bullshit…” Cody repeated over and over.

  At last they were thrown outside. Cody turned toward the gate.

  “This isn’t fair,” he said.

  “I told you it wouldn’t be easy. I warned you,” Kenda replied. “I’m sorry.”

  The palisade gate slammed shut.

  Enraged, Cody grabbed stones and began hurling them at the wooden wall, shouting insults.

  “You’re a damned fraud! You’re no different from the tyrants you complain about! A bunch of cowards ruled by another tyrant! You might as well have stayed with your masters!”

  Yax grabbed him by the shoulders.

  “Enough. Let’s go. You’ll get us killed.”

  Cody spun and shoved him.

  “Don’t you ever speak to me again, you damned traitor.”

  “It was a desperate impulse… to try to achieve something.”

  “Do you know what you achieved? You made yourself my enemy.”

  He shoved him again. Yax shoved him back, and once more they fell into a brawl.

  From atop the palisade, the maroons watched, laughing, even placing wagers and shouting encouragement for them to keep fighting.

  “What’s happening down there?” Kenda asked.

  “The boys are still fighting.”

  Kenda climbed up and saw them rolling in the dirt.

  “Hey! You two—enough!” she shouted, until she grabbed a pistol and fired into the air. Both boys sprang apart and ran several paces.

  “I warned you how things are here, didn’t I?” Kenda called. “I’m sorry. That’s how it is.”

  “Well, you didn’t do much,” Cody shouted back. “Go back to wiping your father’s backside. Looks like that chair’s grown into him.”

  Yax heard that and grinned.

  “Your father’s king of the pigs!” he shouted.

  “And his backside’s so big it could house the whole village!” Cody added.

  They burst into laughter.

  Kenda sighed in irritation. One of the guards raised his musket and aimed at them.

  “I can shut them up with a bullet to the head. Just say the word,” he muttered.

  Kenda placed her hand on the barrel and lowered it.

  “You have exactly ten seconds to disappear… or we fire.”

  “We’re in the jungle,” Cody shot back. “This doesn’t belong to you. It belongs to the Spaniards.”

  Yax punched him in the shoulder.

  “It belongs to my people.”

  “Not anymore. Sorry. If you doubt it, take a stroll through Xul-Kan, where your people are chained up… and headed for the gallows. Well deserved.”

  Yax bristled.

  “Like yours, you filthy pirates. In case you didn’t know, none of the Santa Carmen’s loot could even be sold…”

  “Because you’re incompetent, that’s why,” Cody snapped. “The gallows suit you.”

  Yax shoved him again.

  “Yours too. They were caught like flies.”

  “Not as easily as yours. And let me tell you something—my captain will defend his men. Captain Skippy leaves no one behind. He’s a gentleman, not like that fat fool up there or your cowardly people.”

  Kenda had begun to walk away but stopped and returned to the guards still watching.

  “What did he just say?” she asked.

  “Something about the gallows.”

  “No. About the captain…”

  They glanced at one another, trying to remember as the boys continued shouting below.

  “Something about Captain… Peaky… or Sneaky…”

  “Skippy?” Kenda said.

  They nodded.

  “Hey! You two!” Kenda shouted.

  The boys turned and made obscene gestures. The warriors laughed until Kenda silenced them with a glare.

  “Which one of you mentioned Captain Skippy?”

  Cody puffed out his chest and grinned.

  “That was me. Got a problem?”

  “You’re from the Garnor’s crew?”

  “Proudly. Better to serve on a pirate ship than some fat man pretending to be Louis XIV.”

  Kenda spoke quietly to the others.

  “Fetch the damned secretary,” she ordered. Then she turned back toward the jungle. “Where is your captain?”

  “He’s at sea,” Cody shouted. “Running before the wind while planning our rescue. I’m sure it’ll be tonight.”

  Yax let out a bitter laugh.

  “News for you, champion,” he said. “Lieutenant Inzunza already has a plan to trap your captain, just like they trapped us.”

  Cody glared at him.

  “Lies. That’s envy talking. At least I have someone who cares about me.”

  “From where I stand, you’re just as alone in this jungle as I am,” Yax replied. “Your hero captain will hang like the rest of them, and his head will be carried on a silver platter to the viceroy.”

  They lunged at each other again just as the secretary arrived atop the palisade.

  “Tell my father we have news of Captain Skippy,” Kenda said.

  The secretary’s eyes widened.

  “That… won’t please him.”

  She turned to the warriors.

  “Bring them in.”

  The boys were still pushing each other when they saw the palisade gate begin to open.

  “Great. Thanks, idiot… here they come,” Yax growled.

  “Damn it. Run!” Cody shouted.

  And both bolted into the jungle, with the maroons in pursuit.