Siren's Kiss

67: Honor Bound

The three formidable captains decided to split up and divide their tasks before reaching the mainland. Captain Drake remained with his crew, preparing for the underwater journey to uncover what had happened to the Siren Kingdom. Meanwhile, Captains Hawk and Purity would accompany Templar Commander Rowan back to the mainland. Their destination was the Sanctum Aeternum, where they would meet High Sentinel Aurelius Stormwarden to warn of the looming danger across the Seven Seas and reveal that their true enemy was an immortal.

"Blimey... this whole rigmarole's got me ponderin'," Purity said, chewing on a twig as she watched her crew prepare their ship from the shore. "What be it like to tussle with an immortal? Ye reckon anyone's ever pulled a stunt like that before?"

She glanced at the person beside her, noticing how unusually quiet he was. Hawk had been staring at his ship, which was somehow trapped inside a glass bottle—miniaturized, yet still alive with movement. His expression was as dark as a thundercloud as he watched the tiny vessel.

Purity raised an eyebrow. "Well, what be yer trouble? Forgot how to break the curse and free yer ship from that sorcery, did ye?"

Hawk clicked his tongue, glancing around. Everyone was busy with their tasks, except for him, still unsure about what to do with his enchanted ship. "I'm... not quite sure if I should do this."

That got Purity's full attention. She spun around to face him. "What the fuck be that s'posed to mean, matey?"

"Right, hear me out. No one's ever actually asked why my ship's in a bottle."

"Ye said King Cyraeni had naught to do with it—that it be like that when the siren fleet stumbled upon it," Purity mused. "Hold yer horses... did ye really hurl yer blasted ship into the briny deep?"

"Shh! Keep your voice down!" Hawk hissed, looking around before trying to cover her mouth. Purity swatted his hand away, nearly causing the bottle to slip from his grip. "It's not what you think."

"What I think be none of yer business, matey! Now, what really transpired with yer crew?"

"We all grew up as orphans, right? Until we were old enough to find our own way to the Seven Seas, each of us becoming captains in our own right."

Purity furrowed her brows, unsure where Hawk was headed, though the start of the story intrigued her. "Aye?"

"I went with the sorcerers, you went with Barnabas, and Drake—he went off with those kids he saved from that lab..."

"Where be this headin', matey?"

"I told you to hear me out!"

"Well, get to the bloody point then, ye scallywag—"

"Mutiny."

The single word from Hawk made Purity fall silent. "I beg your pardon?"

"They're in mutiny. My crew."

"Why be yer crew on a mutiny, eh?"

"Because I broke the coven's trust. I used my magic to force them into things against their will."

Purity's jaw dropped. "What sort of monster be ye?!"

Hawk sighed heavily. "Look, I was experimenting. We all know that when a crew binds themselves to us, the captain assumes full control, right? Well, the idea that a pirate captain commands the ship got me thinking—maybe, just maybe, I could manipulate their minds, make them do things for me using the magic I learned from them."

"Like puppets?!"

Hawk flinched at her accusation, though it hit squarely. "I wouldn't put it like that..."