"Uncle!" Tito cried as the mad Southern Sea Belle aimed the gun right at Kolama's head.

Elise immediately turned her head to Sincirce. "Please! We have to save him, Sincirce! Use your magic tracking spell and find the next piece of that trident!"

"Normally," Sincirce said, strutting forward. "I'd ask for a large fee for my efforts, swine don't come cheap you know! But in the spirit of giving, I think I can do this one for you."

The piece of the Trident glowed golden around Elise's neck as Sincirce babbled out some spells in a mysterious tongue. "Flippity floppity, porkity sporkity. Find me the Trident now with a blast of lightning-krakow!"

Off in the distance, a blast of lightning struck, causing everyone to gasp and jump. Even Sugar Southerncross seemed startled. "My my," she said, holding her hand to her lipsticked face. "A sorcereress. Why I never in a bullfrog's age would ever think one would come and visit me."

Sincirce giggled and threw her hand forward. "And not only that, I'm great at parties and for the magic that happens afterwards!"

Transfixed on the powerful sorceress, Sugar stepped forward, while still having the gun cocked at Tito's uncle. "Why have you come to me with your powers of spectacle?"

"I totally forgot," Archibell whispered to Elise, Tito and Tony. "Sugar was always fascinated with black magic to rebel against her religious father."

"Who knew daddy issues would save da day!" Tony barked.

"Why isn't it obvious?" Sincirce asked. "I'm here to guide you to the Trident. You did see where the lightning struck right? Far out in the distance.

"Yeah?" Sugar responded her eyebrow twitching.

The witch put her hands forward like she was presenting a prize. "Ta-dah! That is the location of the next piece of the Trident."

Sugar puckered her lips. "I did see y'all cast that magnificent blast! But why should I believe y'all, great sorceress?"

"Because…" Elise said and she removed her golden triploon necklace. "It's a tracking spell and she used my piece of the Trident to find it."

Elise held out her necklace, causing Tito to go, "Speckles, what are you doing?!"

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"If I give you this piece of the Trident," Elise said, "Will you promise to let go of Mr. Kolama?"

Sugar looked around at her cronies-Jimmy and Bobby-and then at Kolama and then back at Elise. "Why perhaps for this Trident I can…"

Elise happily handed her the Trident piece. Sugar snatched it and with an evil grin, she giggled. "I can...lock y'all up in ma brig and use you to help me find that trident."

Elise's lips wobbled and her eyes shimmered behind her large red glasses. "But you said…"

"I didn't finish ma sentence," the cruel Southern Sea Belle snapped. "Children should always wait til adults finish talking before speaking. My daddy taught me that."

Elise looked helplessly at her friends who could only give her looks of sympathy in return.

Sugar blew a whistle, and several hulking, inbred looking men entered the ship, barring the Lyre's crew from escaping. "Guards!" Sugar snapped straightening her hat. "Throw this lot in the brig...except for the sorcereress and...Archibell."

"W-why me?" the squawky sea captain said out loud.

"Because…" Sugar growled and mischeviously raised her cattle prod. "I've got some unfinished business with y'all."

The effeminate Jimmy whimpered. "Dang mang. Why does this captain guy get all the luck with our lady!"

***

Tony, Tito and Elise found themselves bound in the brig. The brig on the Cowpoker was fascinating, simply because it resembled a winery. But instead of wine, the bottles on the wall were filled with pink lemonade, milk and sweet tea, crucial exports of the Southern Sea. Admittedly, being surrounded by such lavacious beverages made Elise's throat tingle but she was too worried about Tito's uncle to care.

Bound back to back with Tito and Tony the Troutface sitting on top of their heads, Elise pouted in sadness. "Aww pally," Tony said. "Don't beat herself up too much. It wasn't your fault you got tricked."

"I know," Elise cried. "But I should have known."

"Listen kiddo," the talking fish man said. "It takes a real low-down adult to lie to a kid. Sugar Southerncross ain't in her right mind."

Above the brig, Elise could hear the sound of whipping and Archibell giving off some foppish whimpering. "Get back here you ingrate!" Southerncross cried. "This is what you get for leaving me high and dry for so long!"

"You can say dat again," Tony responded. "But look, you tried your best to help Tito's uncle and that's what matters most."

"Elise…" Tito said at last. "I really appreciate it. And when I get out of these ropes...I'm gonna give you a hug."

"Thanksy…" Elise said warmly, though she still couldn't help but be concerned for the sake of Kolama.

"And look," Tony said gruffly. "Dat crazy broad didn't even lay a finger on Tito's uncle. I think she's much too busy right now with our captain and da witchy woman."

"I feel bad about that too," Elise said softly. "I hope they aren't being hurt too bad."

"Eh," Tony remarked. "Da cap'm's been in worse jams and I think Southerncross is a bit too entranced by Sincirce."

"That's good," Elise said with a weak smile and the ship jerked to a stop.

Jimmy and Bobby stepped down the wooden stairs. "Up!" Bobby shouted. "We have arrived on the island where tha Trident is!"

The guards helped them too their feet. And emerging onto the deck of the Cowpoker, Elise saw a strange sight. It seemed they had entered a foggy bog of an island. A thick brush of swampy trees, black water and most ominously pairs of glowing red eyes shining through the darkness.

"Oh no…" Sincirce said as she, Sugar Southerncross and Archibell all emerged out onto the deck. "This is Evil Lurks Bayou. Home of the infamous Voodoo Lady."