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''Priceless or 50K?''

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THE AMULET RESTED on the scarred wooden table in the center of the room, its intricate carvings gleaming faintly under the light. We were all gathered around it, trying to piece together the puzzle it represented. 

''Where the living and the dead collide, the gatekeeper will guide the way,'' John B recited as he traced the words etched into the amulet with his finger.

The door creaked open behind us, and JJ strolled in, a towel draped around his shoulders as he ruffled his damp blond hair. He looked freshly showered.

''Sounds like a Bible verse,'' Sarah commented, tilting her head as if the words might rearrange themselves into something more comprehensible.

''It's like some fable,'' Cleo added, her tone sceptical as she leaned back in her chair, arms crossed.

John B, still staring at the amulet, shook his head slightly. ''To me, it still sounds like directions.''

''Yeah, but so what?'' Cleo asked, her gaze narrowing.

JJ stepped forward, picking up the amulet and examining it. ''Well, I mean, Genrette was obsessed with Blackbeard,'' John B began, ''so maybe directions to his treasure?''

JJ arched a brow, his smirk growing wider. ''And how much would that be in American?''

''Um, in almost every major currency? Priceless,'' John B explained, leaning forward. ''Unlimited US dollars.''

JJ gave a low whistle as he set the amulet back on the table. ''Tempting.''

''So, what is this treasure? Gold?'' Cleo asked, raising an eyebrow.

''No, wait a minute,'' Pope interjected, straightening from where he'd been slouched in his chair. ''I remember on the pier, the diver was talking to some lady about something. It wasn't gold. It was like a... a crown. A blue crown.''

''A blue crown?'' JJ repeated, glancing at Pope as if he'd sprouted a second head.

''A blue crown, Pope?'' Kie echoed.

Pope threw up his hands defensively. ''I don't know! I'm just relaying information I heard!''

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table. ''What else did they say?'' I pressed.

Pope shot me a look,. ''I—I was literally hanging from the bottom of a pier, Mavis,'' he huffed, his voice rising slightly.

The bickering continued, voices overlapping as everyone chimed in.

''I mean, honestly, what even is a blue crown?'' Sarah wondered aloud, throwing her hands up.

John B, who had been flipping through a book, suddenly perked up. ''Apparently, it's the most sought-after artifact in the ancient world,'' he declared, holding up the book triumphantly.

Sarah's brows furrowed. ''What?''

John B flipped the cover around for us to see. The title read The Fabled Blue Crown.

''I don't believe I'm capping on this one, Pope,'' John B remarked smugly.

''I'm interested,'' JJ cut in, moving closer as John B sat back down and opened the book to a marked page.

''Right here,'' John B announced as we all crowded around the table, peering over his shoulder.

''What is that?'' Sarah asked, pointing to an illustration.

Pope read aloud, ''Legends abound of the Crown's fabled origins.'' He paused, glancing up. ''So, it's a real crown.''

''Okay, page... right here. Look.'' John B flipped to another page with a photo of the crown.

JJ leaned in, squinting at the image. ''That's what Genrette wanted.''

''It's a blue crown,'' Pope reiterated, almost in disbelief.

''Listen,'' John B began, his finger trailing along the text. ''The Blue Crown was created for Darius the Great of Persia over 3,000 years ago.''

JJ snorted, clearly impressed. ''Looks more than 50K. I'll say that.''

''It was said to possess the blessing of the gods themselves,'' John B continued, ''granting the wearer immense favor and rare invincibility.''

''Holy shit,'' I muttered, leaning back slightly.

''Look at this,'' John B added, pointing at the text. ''It says Xerxes, the son of Darius the Great? He was a badass. He's wearing it. Uh, Alexander the Great beat the shit out of everybody? He's wearing it. Julius Caesar, also a badass? Murdered a bunch of people.''

''So, what, your dad told you all this?'' JJ asked.

John B shook his head. ''No, no. I don't remember any of this. I just know that it granted wishes.''

''Grants wishes?'' Kie echoed, her brows raising.

''What, like a genie?'' Pope joked.

''Hold on,'' John B said. ''It says right here, 'The crown was lost sometime in the 1700s but was rumored to be hunted down by...''' He trailed off, his eyes scanning the page.

''Who?'' Sarah asked, her voice rising slightly.

''Who?'' Kie echoed.

''Who, John B?'' JJ pressed, leaning closer.

''Blackbeard,'' John B finally answered.

The room fell silent for a moment.

''What?'' Sarah leaned in.

''Come again?'' JJ prompted, his smirk giving way to genuine shock.

''That's crazy,'' Sarah murmured, her eyes wide.

''There's no way,'' I interjected, shaking my head.

Pope tapped the page. ''It's right there. Look, look, look. 'Hunted by Blackbeard.'''

JJ's grin returned, broader than ever. ''Guys, come on. We're doing this. I know we're doing it, all right?''

Cleo smirked. ''I mean, what other choice do we have?''

JJ's eyes gleamed as he leaned back. ''Priceless or 50K?''

''You've got a point,'' I admitted.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

THE FIRE CRACKLED softly, sending sparks into the humid Outer Banks night. A gentle breeze carried the salty tang of the ocean, rustling the leaves overhead. The group sprawled out around the glowing flames, each in their own world. JJ and Sarah were yelling as they jockeyed for control of the hammock.

''Please don't catch your hair on fire,'' Sarah called out in mock warning, dodging JJ's attempt to pull her back.

JJ let out a whoop of frustration as Sarah darted away. He climbed onto the hammock with exaggerated effort, only for it to flip beneath him, dumping him onto the sand. His groan was muffled by the laughter that erupted from everyone watching.

A little further from the group, I perched on a weathered log next to John B, a bottle of beer cool in my hands. We both watched the scene unfold in front of us—Cleo teasing JJ about his lack of balance, Pope shaking his head in mock disapproval and Kiara laughing the entire time.

John B leaned back. ''They're so dumb sometimes,'' he mused, his lips quirking into a half-smile.

''You love it,'' I replied, taking a sip of my beer. The foam lingered against the glass lip, and I wiped it away absently with my thumb.

He chuckled softly but didn't answer right away. I noticed the shift in his expression, the way his gaze dropped to the sand as if he were lost in thought.

''You ever think about Dad?'' he asked quietly, the question coming out hesitant.

I knew this tone.

''Every day,'' I admitted. ''I mean, he was more of a dad to me than mine ever was.''

John B looked over at me, his brows furrowed. ''I've been meaning to ask... why'd your dad do that? Like, disown you? What the hell was his problem?''

I shrugged, trying to brush it off with a small laugh that didn't quite reach my chest. ''Guess I shouldn't have gone chasing treasure, huh? Who knew losing both parents over some gold was part of the deal?''

He frowned at my attempt to joke about it, the hurt lingering in his eyes. ''Mavie, that's not on you.''

''I know,'' I said, my voice softer now. ''It's just... we were always so close, weren't we? You, me, and Big John. He didn't care about the legal stuff—he just took me in like I was his kid. And honestly? He was a better dad than my biological one ever tried to be.''

John B leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he looked me straight in the eyes. ''You'll always be my sister, Mave. I don't care what papers didn't get signed. None of that matters.''

I felt a sting behind my eyes and blinked quickly, not wanting to cry. ''Thanks, JB,'' I murmured, managing a small laugh to ease the lump in my throat.

He pulled me into a hug, his grip strong and familiar. For all his rough edges, John B always knew how to hold it together when I couldn't.

''We're family, no matter what,'' he whispered.

''Always,'' I replied, squeezing him back.

As we pulled away, I wiped at my cheek discreetly and let out a shaky breath. ''Okay, enough of this emotional crap. Let's go make fun of JJ some more.''

John B laughed, standing up and brushing the sand off his jeans. ''Good plan. He deserves it.''

JJ, still brushing sand off his clothes from the earlier hammock debacle, stood near the edge of the group muttering something about bad engineering. I couldn't resist a grin as I leaned toward John B.

''He's never going to live this down, is he?'' I teased, swirling my beer bottle lazily.

John B tilted his head, smirking. ''Not a chance. It's JJ. He practically invites this stuff.''

Before I could reply, JJ caught on to the whispering and looked over, narrowing his eyes dramatically. ''You two plotting over there? What's the plan? Humiliate me further?''

''What? Us?'' John B exclaimed, feigning innocence, but his face gave him away instantly.

''Oh, that's it!'' JJ growled playfully and darted toward John B, jumping onto his back like a wild monkey. ''Say your prayers, JB!''

John B staggered under the sudden weight but quickly regained his footing, spinning around in circles while JJ clung to him like an oversized kid. They stumbled toward the firelight, drawing laughter from everyone.

''You guys are such children,'' Sarah remarked, shaking her head, though her smile betrayed her.

I raised my bottle toward her, the glass catching the firelight. ''To sister-in-laws,'' I announced, grinning widely.

Sarah laughed and clinked her bottle against mine. ''To sister-in-laws,'' she echoed. ''And to putting up with these idiots.''

We both glanced at John B, his hair a messy mop flopping around as JJ yelled, ''Faster, pony!'' Sarah wrinkled her nose, gesturing toward the sight.

''Does he even know how ridiculous he looks with that hair?'' she joked.

I snorted, covering my mouth as I laughed. ''I don't think so, but honestly, it's too long. It's like... surfer meets feral raccoon.''

Sarah burst into laughter, her shoulders shaking. ''Exactly! Like, at least pretend to care about grooming.''

The laughter must have carried, because John B's head whipped around mid-spin, his face a mixture of mock betrayal and amusement. ''I heard that!'' he called.

He promptly dropped JJ onto the sand, who groaned dramatically but didn't seem too fazed. ''Oh, so that's how it is?'' John B challenged, marching toward Sarah and me.

Sarah instinctively stepped back, holding her hands up. ''Wait, wait—John B, don't!''

But it was too late. He tackled her lightly, pinning her down with an arm and launching into a relentless tickle assault. Sarah's shrieks of laughter rang out, and she twisted and kicked, trying to escape his grip.

''John B! Stop! I take it back!'' she managed between fits of giggles.

I shook my head, smirking, and sank onto the log beside Kie, who was leaning back with a content expression, her arms loosely crossed. ''You know,'' I began, ''this group should come with a warning label.''

Kie laughed softly. ''Yeah, but you love it.''

''Don't let them hear you,'' I teased, leaning back as the warmth of the fire curled against my skin. ''Wouldn't want to inflate their egos any more than they already are.''

She grinned knowingly, and we both sat quietly for a moment, watching our friends under the open sky.

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