Avalina Jones and the Eye of the Storm: The Avalina Jones Series, #1

By Lori Adams

AVALINA JONES AND THE EYE OF THE STORM, Book One

The Avalina Jones Series

 

"Adams' pirate-centric story teems with entertaining bits of magic. A well-crafted, supernatural pirate tale with a capable, young hero." ~KIRKUS REVIEWS

 

"Avalina Jones and the Eye of the Storm is an action-packed fantasy…This novel is packed with creativity. Lori Adams has outdone herself in describing the magical ship and all of its components. . . I really enjoyed the story of Avalina Jones and her pirate adventure . . . any Hogwarts fans might find themselves equally enthralled by Avalina and her time aboard the Aquatiery." ~SAN FRANCISCO BOOK REVIEW

 

When a young girl learns she is the Last Heir of the infamous pirate Davy Jones, she is whisked away to begin life aboard an enchanted schoolship for Pirate Heirs where danger and excitement awaits...

 

Contemporary kids who happen to be Heirs of the most villainous and celebrated pirates in history live aboard schoolships. Superstitions, mysteries, curses, secrets, strange ocean creatures, and undead pirates will thrill middle-grade readers in this rollicking, globe-trotting adventure. 

 

Worlds collide for middle-grade readers who will love the fast-paced thrills, colorful characters, secrets, legends, and interplay of fantasy and reality in Avalina Jones and the Eye of the Storm. Author Lori Adams expertly delivers a timeless story bringing together sea lore, magic, and adventure. The first book in a seven-book series, Avalina Jones and the Eye of the Storm, is a romping tale for middle graders who are searching for the next enduring fantasy classic.

 

Yo Ho for Avalina Jones!

 

A MUST READ FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES!    AND THE KID IN YOU!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Spyhop Publishing
• Release date: Sep 7, 2022
• ISBN: 9781737131229

Book preview

Chapter One

The Secret

Avalina Jones slowly sank to the bottom of the large, claw-footed bathtub. Her arms floated at her sides, and her long dark hair drifted about her shoulders. Bubbles trickled from her open mouth while her wide blue eyes blinked and gradually closed. One minute passed. Then another and another.

Five long minutes and still, Avalina Jones remained at the bottom of the giant tub.

Small, bare feet padded across the bathroom’s black-and-white tiled floor and stopped at the bathtub’s edge. Macy, a seven-year-old orphan, clutched her long white nightgown and peered into the water.

Macy gasped and then wailed in horror. Such a racket roused every orphan on the third floor of La Maison des Oublies—the House of the Forgotten.

Within moments twenty fearful girls huddled around the tub, horrified by what they saw. And then more orphans raced up from the second floor, shrieking at the sight of Avalina Jones lying quietly at the bottom of the tub.

It was enough to bring Miss Ward, the orphanage’s owner, stomping into the bathroom in her own nightgown. An unhappy woman, Miss Ward brought her scowl wherever she went. Her dark hair was always pulled back from her pale face and wound into a tight bun atop her head. A small black net held it in place.

What now? she demanded and then stopped abruptly upon seeing the young girl in the water Miss Ward stared openmouthed before narrowing her eyes suspiciously. Then she slapped the water and yelled. Get up!

Avalina bolted upright, sputtering and coughing. She blinked furiously and brushed water from her face.

Jumping junipers! What’s all the fuss? Avalina blasted. A sea of shocked faces surrounded her.

Oh, Avie! wailed Macy, wiping tears from her eyes. We thought you were—

That’s enough of that! snapped Miss Ward. Avalina Jones can hold her breath longer than most! Big deal! Now back to your rooms! All of you!

Without further explanation, Miss Ward herded the girls out of the bathroom. Then she grabbed a towel from a peg on the wall and threw it at Avalina.

Get out of the tub! At once! she barked, her dark beady eyes flashing with anger.

Avalina carefully climbed out and dried herself off. Then, she slipped into her long white nightgown and faced Miss Ward.

You know I wasn’t holding my breath, she said quietly. Miss Ward sniffed and raised her chin.

Yes, I know.

That was the night everything changed.

Six months later, strange things still happened to Avalina whenever she was near water.

One time, Avalina was drying her hands in the bathroom while long ribbons of water streamed out of the closed faucets. They swept over the sinks and shimmied down to the floor. Unaware a pack of clear snakes was following her, Avalina left the room and shut the door behind her. The water snakes splashed against it, making a huge puddle on the floor.

I didn’t do it! Avalina had insisted when Miss Ward accused her of making the mess.

Regardless, Avalina had been forced to clean it up. A month later, a glass of water tipped over during dinner and trailed across the table straight onto Avalina’s lap. Miss Ward had recognized this as no accident. To calm the children’s concerns, she told a big fat lie.

The furniture maker must have built a crooked table! It’s a wonder anything stays put!

Avalina thought it highly suspicious but knew better than to question Miss Ward when her anger was up.

And there were many more strange incidences with water, but through it all, Avalina carried on as though she were as normal as the next orphan.

Early one September morning, she stood on her bed and raised her arms over the twenty eager faces gathered around. Rows of narrow beds lining the long room lay empty as the sun peeked through the tall windows. The children had been drawn to the foot of Avalina’s bed the moment she began.

So there I was, Avalina continued, her voice rising in anticipation and blue eyes flashing wildly, racing toward the cliffs when the evil winged creatures swooped down after me. I was trapped! Nothing but the sea far below me and death behind me. She paused dramatically, brushing hair from her face.

What’d you do, Avie? Macy asked, her brown eyes wide with wonder. The older orphan next to her, Cecilia, rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her nightgown.

She didn’t do anything, Cecilia answered for Avalina. Because it never happened. It was another one of her dreams. Right, Avie?

With a face as solemn as a grave digger, Avalina slowly shook her head. You know I never do lie, so I can’t say for sure. This one felt more like a memory than any of them others. A long-ago memory in a far-off land that—

Cecilia scoffed loudly. You’ve been here since you were four. I know because I was here when Miss Ward found you in the tree outside.

That much was true. Avalina had awakened one morning to find herself abandoned in a live oak tree outside La Maison des Oublies.

The orphanage was a giant red brick mansion plopped down along the Mississippi River in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. It was the only home Avalina remembered. Her dreams were usually filled with vivid images and wild adventures, making her doubt they were dreams but perhaps real memories.

So! Macy demanded hotly. She jammed her hands onto her seven year old hips and stood against Cecilia’s tall, thirteen year old frame.

"So, when was she supposed to have been running for her life again? asked Cecilia doubtfully. Avie is only ten years old. She couldn’t have been in danger so many times: swimming from sea creatures, hiding in an underwater bubble for days, swinging through trees while being chased by skeletons with swords. Either they’re just dreams, or she’s making it up."

At that moment, the mansion’s front door slammed shut. Avalina jumped down and raced to the window.

There she goes, she said as the orphans piled up behind her and craned their necks to see.

Far below, Miss Ward was stepping onto the front sidewalk. Her coiled-up hair and pale face brought to mind certain qualities of a pelican: black beady eyes, a long narrow nose, a scooping jaw, and a cruel mouth where cruel words grew like seaweed.

Today, like every day, Miss Ward wore a black skirt and a white blouse stretched high around her birdlike throat. She was so fond of this severe look that she made it the mandatory uniform for anyone living under her roof.

The thing about Miss Ward, aside from her clever mind and unreasonable temper, was her skittish nature. It made her downright paranoid at times. And she hadn’t a single funny bone in her entire body, which was a crying shame as far as Avalina was concerned.

All that aside, Miss Ward was not someone to be taken lightly. A tall woman, she was so thin and quick afoot that even her shadow found it difficult to keep up. What she liked most was order and consistency, which Avalina found to be dull and predictable.

Now watch this, Avalina said, quietly reciting everything Miss Ward would do.

First, Miss Ward would begin her morning routine by sniffing the air and gazing toward the Mississippi River.

‘Bad weather brings bad news,’ Avalina quoted Miss Ward’s tiresome warning while the girls giggled and nodded.

Second, Miss Ward began inspecting the high brick wall surrounding the orphanage.

’Shipshape and above board,’ Avalina recited in a crisp tone.

With a stick, Miss Ward poked the wall here and there. She jiggled bricks and kicked the foundation as though checking its tires.

Miss Ward seemed to have an unnatural concern for the safety of those within the walls. Avalina believed she also had a great fear of outside visitors. Not once did Miss Ward welcome a potential couple who wanted to adopt an orphan without a rigorous, insulting, and suspicious examination.

Most of the time, the loving couple would leave in tears with Miss Ward muttering sarcastically under her breath.

Why she was so cruel and distrustful had long been a mystery to Avalina.

Back on the sidewalk, Miss Ward seemed satisfied that all was well. She locked the front gate with a quick turn, dropped the key inside her pocketbook, and closed it with a sharp snap. Then, with her spine as straight as a flagpole, Miss Ward marched smartly down Pier Street toward Café du Monde. The orphans were left in the care of the cook, Mrs. Carringford.

Avalina turned back to her friends.

She’s gone, she said with a knowing grin and a familiar restlessness.

Quick as a wink, Avalina hopped onto the nearest bed and began jumping up and down. Soon, every girl was leaping from bed to bed.

Macy was better than any guard dog and declared that she believed every story Avalina had told them.

Just look at her go! Macy cried by way of proof as Avalina swung from the chandelier over their heads.

Avalina rocked back and forth, easily shifting from one chandelier to the next. She crossed the long narrow room to the delight and amazement of her friends.  

For unknown reasons, Avalina always felt comfortable swinging through the air or climbing to great heights. She loved to scale the outer rails of the mansion’s grand staircase or scamper through the sprawling live oak tree.

Cecelia gave up trying to compete with Avalina’s physical talents and dove into a basket of clean laundry instead. Rather than sort and fold the clothes, Cecelia invited the girls to dig in and have some fun.

Soon, every orphan on the third floor was throwing clean laundry at one another. They were laughing, falling, and having the time of their lives. The loud commotion brought the second-floor orphans racing up to join in.

Avalina swung back to the center chandelier, where Macy grabbed her ankles.

Swing me! Macy cried, sounding more like a toddler than a grown woman of seven whole years. Together, they swung high like trapeze artists in a circus. Back and forth, they went, gaining speed while their friends clapped and cheered.

Okay, now! Macy called.

Avalina gently pushed Macy forward, sending her sliding across the floor and into piles of black and white laundry.

Weeeeeee! Macy cried and then crashed headfirst into Miss Ward, who just happened to walk into the room at that exact moment.

No one had time to wonder why Miss Ward had changed her morning routine. Macy yelped and Miss Ward gasped, clutching her shins in pain. Every orphan froze on the spot, except for Avalina. She slowly swung back and forth with her mouth hanging open.

How dare you! Miss Ward snapped after she had yanked Avalina into the hallway to speak privately. I’ve warned you about throwing the Landlubbers!

Avalina grimaced. She had come to hate that word. Mostly because Miss Ward always said Landlubbers as though it was an insult. As though the children were all good-for-nothing-layabouts. Never mind that they were Avalina’s friends.

"I wasn’t throwing them this time, Avalina whispered. We were just having a bit of fun."

"That’s what you always say! But I’ve told you to be extra careful now." Miss Ward peered around nervously should anyone eavesdrop.

Sometimes I wish you hadn’t told me anything at all, Avalina grumbled.

It was one thing to learn you were different, which she would have been fine with. But it was quite another to learn you weren’t as normal as the next orphan, being that they were just plain old humans.

Don’t be ridiculous, Miss Ward said irritably. You know perfectly well I had no choice. Especially with all your trouble with water. She waved off further arguments because they both knew she was right.

Not long after the spilled glass of water episode, Miss Ward had called Avalina into her office. Avalina remembered the day clearly as December thirty-first. It was the day Miss Ward had selected as every orphan’s birthday because she hadn’t cared to keep track of their individual birth dates.

Avalina had hoped for a present for her tenth birthday, which would have been a first. Instead, she’d found Miss Ward slouched behind her desk. Her head swayed, and her eyes blinked slowly. She had visited the locked cabinet she thought no one knew about. A glass of amber liquid rested on the desktop.

"Child, it’s time you knew that La Mansion des Oublies has a dark and disturbing secret, Miss Ward had said thickly. And, well...it’s you."

Avalina sank into the chair opposite the desk. Miss Ward then revealed the differences between the forty-four other orphans and Avalina.

"They’re known to us as Landlubbers. Boring old humans who live on land. You and I are not Landlubbers. We are Heirs, part of an ancient organization known as Heirs of the High Fleet. But you, well...you’re not just any Heir. You’re a...a..."

Miss Ward swallowed hard as though the words she had wanted to say were too heavy to haul up to her mouth.

But what’s it mean to be an Heir to the High Fleet? Avalina had asked.

You have responsibilities! That’s what it means! she said as loose hair fell about her face. Avalina had never seen Miss Ward so disheveled and agitated. So deeply disturbed.

Disturbed or not, Avalina still wanted answers. What kind of responsibilities?

Miss Ward slammed her fist on the desk. You’ve been a torment all these years, she’d slurred. Given me nightmares to have you under my roof. A ticking time bomb. That’s what you are...

Avalina hadn’t been able to make heads or tails of anything Miss Ward said. She claimed to have been keeping a close eye on Avalina since the moment she’d arrived, should anything dreadful happen.

Dreadful?

Miss Ward said she never asked for such a task. She resented being dragged into ‘Heir business’ when she had been living happily ashore for fifteen years. She resented those who’d put her in danger.

Danger?

In the end, Miss Ward had failed to explain the peculiar things about Avalina—her strange connection to water, the mysterious responsibilities, and why she was a secret.

But there was only one thing Avalina had really wanted to know—why she was left at the orphanage in the first place. It was the most important question Miss Ward always refused to answer.

Avalina left Miss Ward’s office that night more confused than when she had arrived. Perhaps it would have been easier to believe Miss Ward had made the whole thing up. Perhaps she had only wanted to teach Avalina a lesson for causing trouble.

But Avalina couldn’t forget the wonderful sensation of floating in the giant tub when she breathed water as easily as she breathed air.

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Forty-five orphans in matching black skirts, white shirts, grey socks, and black shoes shuffled listlessly in line, clutching breakfast trays. Avalina wrinkled her nose at the foul smell. Mrs. Carringford had dumped lumpy gravy onto a pile of sad-looking scrambled eggs.

Was gravy supposed to be green?

The food was reliably bland and boring, but no one dared complain. Talking was not allowed during mealtimes. Anyone caught with words in their mouths instead of food would pay dearly. Miss Ward was known for creative punishments that usually involved the spanking board.

Lately, though, Miss Ward had been staring out the windows, glaring as though the lovely blue sky had offended her.

No one goes outside today! she snapped. Then she muttered, Looks like a storm’s brewing.

Strange. It appeared to be a perfect September day to Avalina.

The next day, Avalina had the same thought when Miss Ward announced that only Mrs. Carringford and her helpers were allowed outside to pull laundry from the line. Miss Ward had warned about another storm, although there hadn’t been a cloud in the sky since Labor Day.

Avalina wondered why they kept hanging laundry out to dry if they expected such a horrific storm.

Her fear of bad weather never made a lick of sense to me, Avalina told Macy as they secured the storm shutters. Then they locked every window on the first floor.

Maybe a hurricane is coming, Macy said, although she didn’t sound convincing.

Louisiana was practically famous for its hurricanes, so this wasn’t the first time Miss Ward ordered the girls to lock down the shutters. But it was the first time they did so without a severe weather report.

Later that night, when everyone was tucked into bed, Avalina sneaked into the bathroom. She preferred to brush her teeth alone should the water decide to misbehave.

Luckily, she finished brushing her teeth and washing her face without incident. Then she tiptoed down the hall to change into her nightgown.

That’s when she suddenly remembered the attic. She and Macy had secured the second-floor windows but forgot the attic windows. What if Miss Ward was right, and a storm hit the mansion? The windows would shatter, and Miss Ward would have a fit for the record books. Worse, she would blame Avalina.

Macy rarely visited the creepy attic because her imagination was so wild it could scare her under the covers for days. So Avalina decided to go alone.

Up the long, darkened stairway she went, each step creaking like a painful moan. The attic was spacious and dusty. It was full of sticky cobwebs and broken furniture.

Avalina hadn’t an ounce of fear about it. She often escaped to the attic because she had hidden a small purple sack under the floorboards. It was her mother’s sack and the most precious thing in the world to Avalina. Another reason she visited the attic was for the view. The attic windows had the best view of the Mississippi River.

From the first moment she laid eyes on the wide river, Avalina knew it by heart. That water belonged to her as sure as she belonged to it. She couldn’t say why, but no one could tell her different.

It wasn’t the way the river changed colors like a chameleon. It wasn’t how it thrashed during a storm or even the way the sun made golden discs on the surface. That water called to Avalina as though it knew her by name.

On days when Avalina could steal away to the attic, she would perch on a window ledge and gaze out in wonder. So much life on the river, barges carrying cargo, various sailing vessels, and the Steamboat Natchez down by Toulouse Street Wharf.

Avalina loved watching the giant white steamboat with its red, white, and blue bunting. She loved the enormous red paddlewheel churning up the river. Happy tourist often filled the Natchez, waving from her three decks.

Avalina had often imagined herself sailing around the bend and out of sight. Her destination hardly mattered. Being gone from the orphanage and on the glorious water would be good enough.

Avalina picked her way around broken chairs and three-legged tables to a small window that looked down onto the backyard. She threw a careless look outside. Not a shred of wind moved in the night.

Fat chance of a hurricane, she muttered, locking down the shutters and closing the window.

Before she could walk to the next window, the large live oak tree outside began to whip around in a frenzy. Its long, gnarled branches swirled and thrashed as though battling an invisible enemy. The windowpanes rattled. The streetlights far below flickered erratically.

How had the wind come up so quickly? Was Miss Ward right after all?

Avalina was tempted to run down and warn the others, but curiosity had gotten its hooks into her. She hurried to the window and pushed it up. Her long dark hair immediately took flight, snapping around her head. She cupped her hands to her eyes and squinted into the faint moonlight.

Up and down the river, all appeared calm. The window looked down on Governor’s Wharf, where the water lay at its feet. It was there that the river was throwing a tantrum. Whitecap water swirled around, forming a tight circle, and picking up speed.

Bad weather brings bad news, Avalina whispered. But what was the bad news? And who was it meant for?

To Avalina’s amazement, a water funnel began to rise straight up from the center of the swirling circle!

But that’s...impossible, she said.

She had once seen a waterspout spiral down from dark clouds over Lake Pontchartrain. But she had never seen a waterspout rise up from the river. And now, this impossible grey cyclone of water was twisting its way across the surface.

Without warning, the wind changed course and suddenly began blowing...upward?

Avalina gaped in wonder as rocks rose and floated in midair. Newspapers, tourist pamphlets—anything along the riverbank not nailed down—levitated. Meanwhile, the cyclone danced along the water, twisting this way and that. It headed straight for Governor’s Wharf. But instead of crashing into it, the cyclone paused at the edge, and a woman stepped out as pretty as you please.

Avalina caught her breath.

Not only was the woman completely dry, but she was also completely beautiful. Like a burst of vibrant color beneath the pale moonlight. She wore a wide-brimmed, blue-velvet hat with a white feather immune to the wind. Her long hair was a magnificent shade of red and swept over her shoulder and tied with a piece of rope.

Matching the hat was a blue-velvet waistcoat over a flowing white blouse. The ruffled cuffs were so light and airy that they waved like tentacles of a sea anemone. Her blue-velvet knee breeches matched her waistcoat, while white stockings covered her shapely calves. Black, square-heeled shoes with shiny gold buckles and a gold-tipped black cane completed the look.

Avalina squinted deeper into the chaos of the swirling wind, desperate to watch her every move. The woman pulled up a golden chain from around her neck. Anchored to the chain was something resembling an old-fashioned pocket watch. The woman popped it open and held it up to all four directions as though she was lost and it was a compass.

That couldn’t have been further from the truth.

Quick as a sneeze, the strange waterspout was sucked right inside the pocket instrument. When the woman snapped it shut, the wind stopped blowing, and the floating debris dropped to the ground with a thud. The tree outside Avalina’s window settled, and her hair came to rest on her shoulders.

It was as quiet as the moon, but the woman must’ve noticed something wrong. She gave the instrument a good shake. Then she opened it again, pulled out a garden gnome, and tossed it aside.

Satisfied, she dropped the pocket instrument back inside her blouse. Then she turned and began walking directly toward La Maison des Oublies.

Chapter Two

The Worst Kind

of Awful

Avalina raced across the attic to the tiny window that looked down at the front of the mansion. The strange woman from the waterspout stood outside the black wrought-iron gate.

It’s locked, Avalina whispered as the woman jiggled the handle.

Miss Ward never failed to lock them in. Avalina thought that was the end of it, but the woman gave the handle a quick inspection. Then she inserted the gold tip of the black cane into the lock. The gate swung free, and she strolled up the walk with a sly grin.

Avalina rocked back on her heels, astounded. She had never seen a more amazing woman. Not to mention that amazing cane. If Miss Ward hadn’t been snoring in her brass bed on the second floor, she would have been horrified by how easily the mansion had been breached.

And oh, how Avalina would love to see the look on Miss Ward’s face when she found an intruder inside the gates!

And why not? She giggled.

Quiet as a thought, Avalina left the attic and tiptoed down one staircase after another. She had just reached the second-floor landing when the first knocks hit the front door. She ducked into the shadows moments before Miss Ward flew from her bedroom, wild-eyed and foul-tempered.

Avalina clapped a hand over her mouth for fear of laughing. Miss Ward’s hair was free of its tight bun and spiraled in every direction. If that wasn’t enough, her white robe winged out as she swept by, and her bright orange slippers slapped the hardwood floor. She had never looked more like a pelican than at that very moment.

No doubt one of the brats has gotten herself locked outside, Miss Ward muttered. A mistake the spanking board will correct.

She bustled around the wide, curving staircase just as a second round of knocks echoed throughout the first floor. Miss Ward stopped cold. Her knuckles turned white on the handrail. She was scared stiff as her eyes traveled into the darkened hallway leading to the front door.

Did Miss Ward know who was at the door by way of knocking? It seemed as though fear had pushed anger out of the way.

Fascinated, Avalina crept closer while Miss Ward’s eyes swung back and forth from the hallway to her office door. She was weighing options. Should she answer the door? Or should she make a call for help? Avalina waited breathlessly.

Miss Ward slowly moved across the foyer, heading for her office. But another round of five solid knocks made her stop on the spot.

These knocks had a strange sound. They were thin and brittle, with a hollow echo that Avalina hadn’t noticed before. She would never have believed what happened next if she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes.

Those five knocks flew through the front door and into the mansion like a flock of dark smudges! They flapped around Miss Ward’s head, knocking those strange sounds as though trying to herd her toward the front door.

Stop that! Miss Ward yelled, not nearly as shocked as Avalina was.

After batting away the knocks until they dissolved, Miss Ward straightened her robe and patted down her wild hair. Her hands trembled as she braced herself for something unpleasant.

The front door lock gave way with a metallic clunk, and the door squeaked back on its hinges. The mansion fell into an eerie silence.

Avalina crawled behind a pillar, her heart pounding furiously in her chest. She couldn’t imagine why Miss Ward refused to answer the door or why she seemed so frightened.

Footsteps thumped, and buckles clinked across the hardwood floor. Firm and deliberate, they echoed up the darkened hallway: thump and clink, thump and clink. They stopped beneath the foyer’s grand archway.

Scarlet Read, Miss Ward said in a hateful and anxious tone. What an unpleasant surprise.

The woman called Scarlet Read tilted her head, making the soft white feather in her blue-velvet hat flutter.

A surprise, is it? I should think you knew this day was coming. Sooner or later.

She lifted her chin, revealing bright blue eyes that wandered around the room as though playing a game of hide-and-seek without trying too hard.

You’re too soon. Now, leave us in peace, Miss Ward said sharply. She wrung her hands and straightened her spine.

If anything, I am rather late, Scarlet Read said lightly.  You see, I opened my letter from Sarah months ago. As I am sure you did as well. Sarah’s instructions were quite clear, Willa, which is why I had expected to see Miss Jones aboard the Aquatiery several days ago. Why have you not brought her to us?

Avalina’s heart stuttered and then froze.

Miss Jones?

Were they talking about her? But they must be. There was no one else at the orphanage by that name. Who was Sarah? What was the Aquatiery? And what were those letters all about?

Miss Ward growled in frustration. Yes! she snapped. I did open the letter. On New Year’s Eve. As instructed.

And did you share the contents with Miss Jones, as instructed by her mother?

Avalina’s mouth opened in surprise. Was her mother’s name Sarah Jones? She pushed her memory back as far as it would go, trying