Read Pirates of the Caribbean 07 City of Gold for Free Online Page B

a partner when I can have all the gold for myself?"
    "Because I...what?" Captain Smith stopped, suddenly realizing what the Madame had said. "Gold?"
    "Gold?" Jack echoed. Mr. Reece, also confused, didn't bother to shut him up this time.Quick as lightning, a serpent shot out from Madame Minuit's wrist. It lunged not at the captain, but at Jack. More specifically, Jack's pocket the one where he kept the gold gem. Before he could react, it sprung back out of his pocke t, the shiny orb in its mouth. It dropped to the floor and slithered back over to Madame Minuit.
    “ What is the meaning of this?" Captain Smith demanded.But Madame Minuit ignored the captain. She pulled the Sun-and-Stars amulet out of her dress and triumphantly placed the gold gem in the final socket.This was not going according to plan.
    ” No!" Arabella cried. Thinking faster than anyone else, she cut the one loose rope which was tying Jack's wrists together.He was a little distracted; his tooth, the silver one, was tingling unpleasantly, like he had just bitten into something very cold or sweet.But he pulled himself together and leapt at Madame Minuit. He brought his fist down on the amulet, knocking it out of her hand. It smashed to the floor, the bronze, silver, and gold gems popping out and rolling across the floor.Madame Minuit let out a screech.
    "Jack, look!" Arabella said, pointing to the floor. Colo u r was creeping back into the world.Everything that was silver was returning to its original state. The floorboards slowly became brown and softer looking, and brown shine licked up the banister like a flame. Out the window, it looked as though a can of paint had been poured over the entire city, filling it with colour and texture. Greens and blacks and blues and yellows broke forth as leaves and grass and stone and lamps all transformed into their normal states.Arabella grabbed Jack's face and turned it towards her.For a very scary moment, he thought she was going to kiss hi m. But she was only looking at his tooth.
    "Your tooth! It's...gold," she said, a little surprised. "
    I suppose it was turned to gold, before the gems fell out of the amulet--and stayed that way!""And...my sword!" Jack cried happily, pulling his rusty, then bronze, then silver cutlass out. But only the tip was gold. The rest was back to being its rusty old cruddy self. Jack almost threw it down to the ground in disgust.Madame Minuit had stopped shrieking in rage. Her sudden silence was alarming.She was green with anger, the whites of her eyes going red. Her hands were clawed, and her back was arched.Even the normally unflappable Captain Smith looked a little daunted. She moved closer to Arabella, standing be tween her and the snake queen.
     
    "Mesfils!" Madame Minuit growled. "Come!"The inner doors flew open and Left-Foot Louis and Silverback came rushing in, swords drawn.
    "Here we go again," Jack said, reaching for his sword.But before the two pirates could do anything, Madame Minuit attacked them!
    Jack's jaw dropped in surprise as snakes launched from her fingertips and flew through the air. They landed on Silverback's and Left-Foot's necks and bit down, the snakes bodies writhing as the poison pumped through their fangs.The two pirates were instantly frozen, horror and amazement on their faces. They swayed a little, trying to break free--but they were paralyzed.Madame Minuit quickly stepped between the two pirates, taking their hands in her own.
    "Sssslayen sseeereeess s'ynloth eressshi!" she hissed in some horrible, ancient language. Her eyes rolled until only the whites showed--and then they turned scarlet, dripping blood."Ah...Jack said. Maybe we should..."
    Silverback's crystal leg began to pulse in a thousand different colors. Tiny lights and shadows were thrown all over the room in a hypnotizing display.Suddenly Madame Minuit threw back her head and let out a howl. It was an unearthly, horrible sound. Everyone except for LeftFoot Louis and Silverback who were