Delia felt her heart race and an icy fear grip her chest. She looked at Cassie, and the doctor looked back at Delia, the alarm and confusion mirrored in her eyes.

So, she wasn’t the only one who heard it.

After a few confirming seconds, Delia then turned her gaze to the crew, most of whom lay slumped against the wall, unaware. Those who hadn’t filled their ears with wax, however, froze. Eyes wide with shock, colour drained from skin, and breath held in suspense; the standing crew members stilled at the sudden voice.

Even Delia’s muscles tensed, her lips taut and pressed together in a fine line. Despite dismissing the thought of being under the siren's hold, her heart continued to thrum. Her eyes darted between Cassie and the standing frozen occupants to the quietly panting and deafened companions in search of an explanation. The source of the voice felt like it came from within the room. It seemed to surround her, emanating from someone standing before her. But that wasn’t possible — not unless they were invisible.

Karl broke the suffocating silence as her eyes continued to roam. “Err… I don’t want to be socked in the face, but am I the only one who heard that?”

She let out her held breath. The familiar voice was a steep contrast to the ominous echo that had greeted her. Before she could affirm, Cassie spoke. “No. I think we all heard it.” The doctor's eyes lingered on Delia.

“Don’t look at me!” she said, expressing her innocence. She liked her pranks, but she wasn’t a fool to do anything now. And where would she have even found the time to set anything up? She didn’t become a master ventriloquist overnight. It was insulting, how much like a child they treated her.

“Anyone there?” The booming voice repeated.

“I’m not — never mind. Did the books ever talk about male sirens? Or anything that can affect us?”

Delia thought for a moment, mind still whirling by the ghostly voice. “No,” she answered. Female sailors were atypical in the first place, combined with such few instances of monsters like sirens, it was no surprise. “Other than mermaids and sirens being mixed up, there’s never been talk of male sirens. At least, not in the books I’ve read.”

There was a first time for everything, though. “Regardless,” she continued, “if what we heard was a male siren, we should’ve been in a hypnotic state like Jeremy or the Captain. Not sharing the same dream of ghosts talking to us.”

Cassie nodded with a frown, her forehead wrinkled in thought. “Then… I think we have some company.”

Karl, Gavin and Delia exchanged worrying glances with one another. Company at sea was rarely friendly. Ships avoided each other like a plague, only approaching when a barrelman spotted a familiar ensign. And whilst the Flightless Owl had a reputation, even amongst the pirate community, these were alien waters. She doubted anyone knew them here.

“This better not be a ghost ship,” Karl muttered.

Delia was about to say how silly of an idea that was but stopped herself. Given the last three months, it was as likely as anything. Likelier than a friendly neighbourhood —

“Could be pirates,” Cassie said, breaking her out of her thoughts. The doctor's eyes fell on Jonah, and Karl grunted in agreement. “As long as it isn’t Brook and his skeleton crew, our pirate punisher can handle it.”

Delia gave the boatswain a pointed look to which the man responded to with an apologetic smile. She hadn’t mastered the soul-piercing stare of her Pa, but her critical gaze could make a shipmate or two pause.

Jonah was in no shape to fight, as much as he would’ve argued otherwise. And whilst he could cut practically anything with that sword of his, he too was vulnerable to cuts. Without his hearing, the likelihood of being injured was that much higher. They had to do this without him.

“Anyone alive?” The words were sharp, clear, and cold, as they cut through the room's stillness once more. It sounded like a megaphone, and yet, paradoxically, like a whisper.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

“Pirates wouldn’t announce their approach,” Delia said, gathering herself. “They would’ve ambushed us.”

“So a ghost crew,” Karl responded.

“I don’t know, but I don’t see why they would talk to us either,” Delia answered.

Cassie frowned at the idea. “Do we assume it’s friendly, then? They did ask if anyone was alive.”

“No. We don’t know what’s friendly out here. It could be trying to lure us out, whatever it is,” Delia said. “Knowing how this trip has been, I doubt it’s friendly. We should prepare for a fight.”

The gazes of the listening occupants turned to the ship guard, who was leaning on the wall, taking meditative breaths with his eyes closed.

“I’m not comfortable letting him out,” Delia said preemptively. “Not without knowing what’s going on”

The doctor nodded. “I agree. Karl, you -”

“Given that there is no response, we will approach the ship,” the sterile voice interrupted.

“You and I can go greet them,” Cassie completed. “Del, brief Jonah and get ready to come up. Grab some pen and paper, and give him as much detail as you can.”

“No, you’re the doctor,” Delia protested. “You don’t go to the front line.”

“We don’t have anyone but us, Del.”

“I can go,” she replied.

Cassie raised an eyebrow at that. “And you think Jonah wouldn’t follow you like a little duck?”

“I, err… If we explain it to him,” she stuttered. “Just give me a few minutes to explain and —”

“- And there we go. We don't have the time.” Cassie turned towards Karl. “Grab a weapon. We don’t know what’s waiting, but like Del said, we should assume it's hostile.”

“Hey!” Delia interrupted. “You both know I'm a sharper shooter than Karl is. Let me go with you then.”

“So, me being at the front lines isn’t an issue anymore?” Cassie casually observed.

“No, I still think it should be me and Karl, but you probably won't budge.”

“I’m fine staying down here, guys,” Karl said.

“Really?” Gavin finally spoke. “You really being a chicken?”

“I didn’t hear your name mentioned!”

* * *

Jeremy stirred to the murmuring of distant voices. His head was pounding and his body ached all over. The pain seemed to engulf his very being, making it difficult to focus on anything else. He didn’t even bother opening his eyes, the throbbing of his brain instinctively causing him to wince.

What had he done to garner Nemesis's attention?

Jeremy struggled to recall the events of the previous night, his memories hazy and fragmented. He knew he had been drinking late into the night, but he couldn't remember how much he had consumed. He was a seasoned drinker, and unless he had challenged the captain — which he was sure he hadn’t — there was no reason to be feeling the way he was.

He didn't even feel drunk, if he was honest, just fuzzy and disoriented, with a pain-stricken body, as if Hephaestus was crafting him anew, hammering at his bones. But then again, he hadn’t been drunk in quite some time. Perhaps this was how being drunk felt.

The murmuring voices ebbed before a cold, emotionless tone echoed in his ears. He flinched and a sharp pain shot through his body, his muscles protesting at the sudden movement. Squinting, he opened his eyes, ready to slate the person who had shouted the nonsense in front of him. But there was no one there. Not within 10 yards of him.

Jeremy's eyes fluttered in confusion, looking further up at the corridor. It seemed the entire crew, bar the few standing members, had passed out from drinking. He moved his hands to rub at his eyes, the fog slowly clearing from his mind, before the awareness of an uncomfortable tightness around his wrists and ankles dawned on him.

Jeremy was bound in thick, scratchy rope. It dug into his skin with every twist and turn, and panic joined his confusion as he struggled against his restraints.

Were they captured by pirates? Why now, when they were so close to land? Of course Tyche would fuck them over, after dangling safety in front of them.

The chilling voice spoke out again, causing him to jerk once more. The voice sounded so close, and it made no sense. Approach the ship? Were they not already on the ship? His head hurt too much to think, as if he had bashed his head on a wall, or more likely, as if he got smacked with a club. Well, there was no point dwelling on it.

Jeremy focused on the ropes the held him, feeling the coarse fibres leave there mark as he tried loosening his shackles. He closed his eyes, keeping up the pretense of sleep. Then the distant, muffled voices became louder and more distinct. They belonged to… Delia and Cassie?

Jeremy looked up towards the ensuing conversation, squinting in the face of the illuminating glow. He was right. Delia, Cassie, Karl, and Gavin. Shelby was there too, but sitting. He was clearly awake, unlike the others on the floor, though for whatever reason, the fool stared at the arguing trio as though he was deaf.

“What the fuck is going on?” Jeremy said to himself.

“I didn’t hear your name mentioned!” Karl snapped.

They seemed chirpy - not captured then, he concluded.

Jeremy's heart slowed and his confusion rose like the tides. If this was Delia’s idea of a prank, it wasn’t funny. There was one way to find out.

“Guys, why the fuck am I bound?!”