Riven Isles

27 | Syrens Blaring (Part Two)

The overwhelming screeching shudders as I'm climbing the levels. It shudders when I pass my cabin. It shudders again when I pass the galley. Harvey's madman howling gives me sadistic imagery to think on. I keep my head down and keep moving until I'm there.

It's safer now. No more men stupidly stumble towards the tailed women. Even the doctor is tied up, bound to the mast with all the others, meekly whining and pleading like the rest of them. He's weaker than the rest of them. His head hangs, his shoulders sag, tears stain his pale cheeks and seep into his white coat.

Simon and Elian are the only men who are neither tied up nor glowing. I think the glow has something to do with why I hear screeching and not singing. It shudders once again. A shock of something powerful runs over the water, and Harvey spits rude insults at the devilish temptresses.

"Leslie! Mrs. Marks! Prepare the stern anchor!" commands the captain.

Simon and Elian stand in the middle of the deck and stare into each other's eyes. That's all they do. Stare. Their faces are slack.

Leslie and Lydia run off to follow orders.

"Increas! Direct me!"

Master Langley gracefully climbs to the bow and plants his feet at the very front. He draws his sword and the single creature hanging there flees, dropping to the water. He sheaths the blade once more and holds out his right hand. The captain spins the wooden wheel to the right.

Langley holds his hand still, elbow at ninety degrees, and Avery stops. "READY!" shouts the sailing master. Though he may not like to shout, he isn't bad at it. His voice echoes in the chamber, loud and clear and gravelly. "BRACE."

I duck back into the stairwell and hold on. One second, two seconds, then we crash against sand and the ship quakes at the force. My head pounds against my handhold and I let go, sitting back and holding my brow in my quivering hands. My hair falls around my fingers.

"ANCHOR!"

A heavy splash indicates the decent of the stern anchor; only half the size of the main anchor. After the stern anchor is dropped, Leslie, Langley and Lydia work the capstan to lower the bow anchor.

Dorian stands with the captain. Harvey fires a very unusual gun into the water, and the static screeching reduces again. With each explosion from the device, which appears to fire electricity—like lightning!—the screeching grows quieter and less invasive. The men struggle less and less.

Simon and Elian embrace each other. I wouldn't mind an embrace, either.

"Ha!" laughs Captain Avery, tying off the helm. "I'll marry you now, lads!"

Simon peeps and lets go of Elian. The professor is... blushing?

Avery trounces down from the stern and puts his arm around them both. "I did peg you, Professor... but Arrow? And they say arrows are straight."

"I don't know what you're talking about," mutters Simon, eyes on his scuffed shoes. "Please release me."

"It took me as long as it took you, I swear!" the captain chuckles. "But of course you can't simply have a natural 'immunity' to the beasts. We all know what it really is." He whispers something in the professor's ear, and poor Simon takes on a red hue all over his cheeks and his ears, eyes bulging.

"I beg your pardon!" the professor huffs shakily.

I blink. He meets my eye. If it is possible, he turns redder, then quickly glances away. Elian has taken on quite some color, too. The captain shoves them both away and holds his hand out to me. I take it, and he pulls me up to my feet. He's sweating, too. More than I.