Siren's Kiss

43: Last Hope

"Captain!"

"Cap'n, I miss ye!"

Ciel watched in utter bewilderment as Gus, along with the ever-nervous Ori, rushed into Drake's arms, clearly overjoyed to be reunited with their captain and the rest of the crew. It was obvious that they saw Drake as more than just their leader or big brother—he was their "Dad." Ciel couldn't help but wonder what Drake had sacrificed in the past to protect them.

As Ciel observed Drake's expression and the way he treated his crew, despite the infamous reputation his name carried, he felt certain that Drake could be a good father someday. This thought brought a lingering smile to his lips, one he was unaware of, but it certainly didn't escape the notice of Sage or his sister.

"Are you expecting?" Coraline's question came out of nowhere, causing Sage to choke on his words and break into a fit of coughing. Ciel snapped out of his reverie, quickly rubbing circles on their friend's back.

"What are you even talking about?" he asked his sister, feeling a mix of embarrassment, confusion, and fear. While it was true he desired to have a child with his fated mate, now was hardly the right time—not with their father out for his mate's head!

"Why are you looking at him like your whole world revolves around him?" Coraline pressed. "Seeing you like this makes me hope I never find my fated mate!"

Sage shot her a skeptical look, his eyes narrowing as he glanced past Coraline to the only female pirate on the battlefield.

Coraline followed his gaze and quickly caught the implication. "That's not it!"

"Oh, really? My apologies, I must've been mistaken," Sage replied with just enough sarcasm to almost make Ciel laugh.

The three sirens surveyed the mayhem unfolding before them. Stalkers swarmed from every direction, multiplying like insects and advancing relentlessly. Despite Drake, Hawk, Purity, and Rowan holding their ground with impressive strength, it was clear that if they didn't find a way to stop the onslaught, they would soon be overwhelmed. Exhaustion would set in long before they could defeat their enemies.

Ciel glanced around, searching for a safe area. Coraline and Sage noticed but held back, choosing not to guess what he had in mind. With the stalker warriors preoccupied with the four strongest fighters on the battlefield, none of them paid attention to the three sirens, who were now free to act as they pleased. The stalkers had completely overlooked the fact that, without their sorcerer, they were defenseless against siren magic.

As soon as Ciel found higher, safer ground, he exchanged a glance with Coraline and Sage, who nodded in agreement. It was as if they were communicating telepathically, united by a single purpose. When Ciel opened his mouth, the most beautiful, enchanting tune spread across the land. Drake and the others turned toward the source, captivated by the melody. For them, the music was meant to soothe, to ease the violence in their hearts. But for the stalkers, it was a weapon, designed to strip away their killing instinct.

The stalkers slowly retreated to their caverns, trembling with wide eyes as if all courage had drained from their hearts. The pirates and the commander watched in astonishment as the sirens' song forced the cannibals to back away. The magic was so powerful that their enemies couldn't resist. To their horror, the stalkers' skin began to peel away, revealing flesh that started to melt. Bones and muscles seemed to disintegrate into dust. It became clear to everyone that the song wasn't meant to soothe but to punish. Drake and the others shuddered at the thought of such dark magic and couldn't help but imagine what it would be like if they were ever the targets of it.

However, such powerful magic drained a great deal of stamina from the siren who initiated it—in this case, Ciel. As soon as the song ended, he collapsed to the ground. Coraline rushed to her brother's side, but Drake reached him first, swiftly lifting Ciel onto his back without a word.