Magic

Chapter 8: Across the Horizon

As Anna and her group ventured into a large sandy area with large boulders towering over them, she glanced over her shoulder and when she saw no guards around, a slow smile formed. "Thank goodness we didn't run into any of the guards when we're dressed like this."

"We're not out of the woods yet, Anna," Kristoff said, peering around the area. "How much farther are we, Eugene?"

"We should be coming up to it anytime now," Eugene confirmed. When he slowed down, he gestured for everyone else to do the same which they all obeyed. "We'll be running into them soon."

When the group went further into the area, Anna's eyes scanned the area as she crept forward, listening to the waves nearby. "You really think that they'll believe that we're from Lady Caine's crew, Eugene?" she quizzed, her eyes still focused on her surroundings.

"Certainly," Eugene responded. "There's not a chance that they'll know that it's a hoax. Even Golden Eye will be fooled!"

Kristoff stepped over a large log on the path and held his hand out to help Anna over. "Have you met him before?"

Eugene shook his head. "No, but I know a lot about him." Maximus raised an eyebrow, neighing at him. "Hook Foot told me that he used to be part of his crew. That is how I know a lot about him, Max."

"What do you know about him?" Anna asked, jumping over the log.

"He named the Robin Gallery after himself," Eugene answered. He ducked under a long-hanging tree branch and his group did the same. "And he assigns jobs to his crew members by playing favorites. Hook Foot told me that he was the swab when he was on his crew."

"Well, that sounds like a real swell fellow," Kristoff said sarcastically. "He's a pirate so that doesn't surprise me. I wonder what jobs we're going to get assigned."

"All we have to do is make a good impression on him," Eugene said. "It'll be easy."

"You used to be a criminal so you'll have no problem," Anna commented.

Without hesitation, the group instantly froze as soon as they heard a couple of slurring voices nearby. Anna could make two of the voices be Long Floyd and Ruthless Buck while one of the new voices was a female's voice while the other one was a male.

"It's the pirates!" Kristoff whispered. "We're getting close to them!"

"How many are out there?" Anna asked, her eyes scanning the area.

Eugene carefully took a quick peek from behind the boulder and backed away before anyone could see him. "Just the same four that we saw back at the theatre."

Kristoff gingerly snuck a peek and jerked his head down. "How are they not back with their crew already?"

Before Anna could open her mouth, Eugene gestured for her and Kristoff to be quiet and the four pirates scanned around the area for any guards nearby. When they saw that the coast was clear, the male pirate and female pirate began berating Ruthless Buck and Long Floyd.

"What the bloody hell were ye thinking?" the male pirate growled. Long Floyd and Ruthless Buck had their arms crossed, sighing in frustration. "Ye were supposed to meet us back at the east harbor! Were ye not paying attention to the captain?!"

"We came to this country for booty!" Ruthless Buck snapped. "There's nothing wrong with us plundering into a new part of the country, Peepers!"

As Peepers and the female pirate continued to chastise Long Floyd and Ruthless Buck, Eugene scoffed.

"Peepers?" Eugene shook his head, rolling his eyes. "What kind of name is that for a pirate? I know a lot of thieves with better names than that!"

Kristoff turned to him with burning eyes. "Eugene, shut up!"