I couldn’t stop thinking about what was waiting beneath the water for me. The thought of treasure was darkened by the threatof sharks—and death. I wasn’t afraid of swimming, but I didn’t like tight spaces or not getting enough air. The worst thought, though, was not finding the treasure. The Spaniards and the pirates had looked for it for several years after the hurricane. What made Captain Zale think we’d find it now?
Heavy footsteps sounded behind me, and I turned to find Marcus approaching, which caused Timothy to leave.
“You don’t need to do this,” Marcus said for my ears alone, his brogue thick.
“And how would I get out of it now?”
“I’ll dive.”
Shaking my head, I leaned on the railing that Timothy had just vacated. “People have been diving for centuries. Mayhap I’ll be good at it.”
I was trying to lessen the tension that seemed to coil around Marcus, but I could see it wasn’t working. He took a step closer to me. “As soon as we’re able, I’ll get you away from this ship, lass. I promise. I’d have tried already if I thought it was safe.”
“I know.” I straightened to face him.
The concern was etched so deeply into his brows that I wanted to reach out and smooth it away.
“I’ll be watching the recovery rope closely, every moment you’re underwater. If you have any trouble, don’t hesitate to pull it.”
I nodded, feeling sober and terrified again. I wanted to change the course of the conversation, so I said, “Why does Captain Zale think this is the spot? Hasn’t it been searched before?”
“We’ve searched this entire coast,” Marcus said, crossing his arms. “But we couldn’t go deeper until we acquired the diving bell. You’ll be searching new depths.”
Hawk’s approach brought our conversation to an end. “We’re ready for you.”
Without another word, Marcus and I followed Hawk to the launch boat, and I climbed aboard. There were only a handful of men who would leave the ship. Hawk, Marcus, me, and three others that Marcus had chosen. He trusted each of these men withhis life—and with mine. The rest would stay on theOcean Curseto watch for navy patrols or the elusiveAtlantis, which we had not yet encountered, though the ship was rumored to be in the area.
The launch boat rocked in the gentle river. I stood next to the diving bell as the men rowed downriver and then through the inlet and out into the ocean.
“How deep will I go?” I asked Hawk.
“About thirty meters.”
I blinked several times. Thirty meters was almost a hundred feet. “Will I be able to see anything at that depth?”
“You should have no trouble.”
“Some of the ships sunk in such shallow waters,” Marcus said to me, “that their masts were visible for several years after the hurricane. Others, like theCapitana, were so mangled by the reefs and the pounding waves that much of the wreckage sank to the bottom of the ocean, making it difficult to locate.”
It took almost an hour to row to the location the captain wanted me to search. My nerves were so frayed, I could hardly concentrate on what Hawk was telling me as he offered last-minute instructions.
The crew lowered the large anchor and then waited for me. I would get into the water first and then position myself so they could move the heavy diving bell over me. There were bags of sand tied to the bottom to make it sink, and I needed to be inside it before its descent, or I wouldn’t get a chance once it was on the bottom of the ocean. I could never hold my breath long enough to swim one hundred feet down to the bell.
Turning my back to the crew, I removed my shoes, socks, and hat, then I unbuttoned the vest and set it aside. The thought of what creatures might be under the water terrified me, but I wouldn’t show my fear to Marcus. He was already watching me closely. If I gave any indication that I was afraid, he’d do something foolish to stop this from happening.
“Ready?” Hawk asked.
I nodded and then jumped into the ocean without a second thought.
The water was cool against my skin, but a welcome relief from the heat. Panic threatened to choke me as I positioned myself next to the launch and they pushed the heavy diving bell to the edge of the boat.
With one fleeting glance at Marcus, I dipped underneath and was surrounded by the musty smell of wood.
The diving bell scratched the floor of the launch as they pushed it off the rest of the way.
It immediately began to sink, so I climbed onto the small bench built into the side of the bell.
The pressure of the air inside kept the water level around my feet, and within seconds the windows of the bell sank beneath the ocean, disrupting my view of the bright blue sky.
