The Treasure Hunters by Beth D. Carter

Author:Beth D. Carter [Carter, Beth D.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

The next day they got an early start, heading into the jungle, using the map to try and triangulate the best path to go, although Ruby wasn’t sure how effective that was. Everywhere she looked there was nothing but heavy green foliage: In front of her, behind her, to the side. Sin had a machete that Asia had managed to get off the boat, and he led the group, hacking their way deeper and deeper inland.

Merridie followed him since she had the map and journal, trying to make heads and tails of their surroundings. Ruby was next, followed by Eden. Asia brought up the rear.

They hit a slight incline and Eden’s foot hit some loose gravel. She stumbled, waving her arms to get forward momentum and before Ruby could grab her hand, Asia threw up his hand to steady her but managed to hold her up via her posterior. Ruby’s eyebrows shot up just as Eden giggled and Asia’s dark skin flushed even darker.

On and on they walked, the sun rising higher in the sky and with it came grueling humidity. Ruby could’ve sworn she was breathing in liquid. Her hair, her skin, her clothes, everything was wet. She also had bits of plants on her face from Sin’s hacking ability.

It was sometime after noon when Sin halted all of a sudden. Merridie bumped into his back before he held up his hand, indicating they needed to stop. The jungle gave way to a clearing.

“Are we still going the right way, Merridie?” he asked.

“Looks like it.”

He only took a couple more steps before a long decorative staff landed in front of him, the deadly blade sticking in the ground. Sin tensed and brought his sword up but it was too late. As they all looked around, Ruby realized they were surrounded by island natives. They were painted in colors of white and red, and feathers stuck all over their bodies wrapped in vines and leaves. They were unfriendly looking people who held spears and posed in threatening positions, tensed as if waiting for one of them to move. The only sound Ruby heard was her own heart beating frantically against her rib cage.

Oh, my god…

One of the natives came forward and pulled his sharp staff out of the ground. He said some words, followed by grunts, and various hand waving but since none of them spoke his language it only angered him more. Another warrior came forward and grabbed Sin’s machete before pushing him. Ruby realized they were supposed to follow their leader.

“All right,” Sin told the leader, holding his hands up non-threateningly. “We’ll follow.”

The leader turned and, escorted by about fifty of his closest friends, Ruby knew they didn’t really have a choice.

“The map mentioned protectors,” Merridie said quietly. “I just thought they’d be dead after a hundred years.”

“Vouleigh probably had a relationship of some type with the natives,” Sin replied, keeping his eyes alert as they continued walking through the clearing, now surrounded by the wary and fierce people.

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