Tess panted heavily as she looked at her mother’s fallen form on the ground. She was suddenly very fatigued. The door to the room opened and closed. The other sirens must have left the room. She stumbled backwards, feeling lightheaded.
“I’ve got ya,” a soothing voice whispered in her ear as someone caught her falling form.
Tess looked up at her savior’s face. “Tom?” She whispered, as her vision blurred.
She heard his familiar chuckle as he scooped her into his arms.
“Go to sleep,” the voice whispered as she closed her eyes, exhaustion finally claiming her.
——-
Tess woke up to her curtains drawn. She groaned as she sat up. Every single part of her ached. How had she made it back to her room? She couldn’t remember anything after crying over Tom’s fallen form. She slowly swung her legs out from under the covers, uttering small groans of pain as she did so. What did she do last night? She hobbled over to her vanity and sat down.
Tess pulled at her eyelids, examining the bags that had formed under them. Did she not sleep well the night before? Sighing, she reached for her hairbrush to brush out the night from her hair. She looked down when she didn’t find it right away.
Where was it? She always left it on the vanity. “Looking for something?” A familiar voice whispered into her ear, startling Tess. She hadn’t heard anyone come into her room.
She looked up into the mirror to see Tom standing behind her. Tess gasped, a hand flew to her mouth, as she whirled around to face him. “Tom?” she whispered, reaching a shaky hand, not daring to believe he was alive.
“It’s me,” he whispered, opening his arms to her, tears brimming in his eyes. He had finally found Tess, and he could hold her.
Tess sprang to her feet and fell into Tom’s arms, relishing the feeling of them wrapped around her. She pulled away slightly to look at him. He had an angry red line where she had slit his throat the previous night. “I saw you take your last breath,” she whispered, gently tracing the line. “How are you still alive?”
Tom brought Tess back into a tight hug, his nose in her hair, breathing in her scent as he swayed them both back and forth. She still had her siren features but they didn't seem to dominate her other features like they had before. “I don’t know,” Tom replied, not caring for the answer either way. “But I’m not questioning it.” Tom took Tess’ chin in his hand and gently pressed his lips to hers. A slight warming sensation began to fill him, starting at his lips and working it's way down his body. She still had her poison and probably didn't realize what she was doing, Tom reasoned. “Tess,” he groaned as his knees gave out.
He collapsed into Tess’ arms as she gave him a horrified look. “Tom?” she whispered. Trying to help him regain his feet. It was too good to be true, he was dying now. Of course he wouldn't stay alive.
“You still have your poison,” Tom gasped, collapsing further to the floor when Tess couldn't hold his weight anymore. His legs felt heavy like lead.
Tess looked in the mirror after she got Tom settled on the floor and saw her lips glistening. “I'm so sorry,” she went back to his side. “I had forgotten all about it.”
“It's fine,” Tom gave a weak smile, even though he didn't think it was. “Do you have something to get rid of it?”
Tess thought for a moment. “It doesn't affect sirens like it does everyone else,” she finally said, pushing back some of Tom’s hair. “It's more of a paralysis than a poison. But it should wear off in time. Nyx would probably know a better solution than me. The sirens don’t exactly like their prey getting away.” Tess ended with a slight smirk that looked almost hungry.
Tom's heart rate spiked, a sudden wave of fear ripping through his body at Tess’ smile. “Should we find Nyx?” He asked, trying to ease the sudden fear in his mind. Tess didn’t complete the ritual so she wouldn’t stay a siren, he reminded himself over and over as the warmth finished spreading over his entire body. It was an accident, she forgot about her sirens kiss, he pleaded with the part of his mind that was trying to convince him that she was too much of a siren. He didn’t think he’d be able to make it far on his own, let alone shout for help if he were to need it.
The couple looked towards Tess’ door when they heard a knock. A troll servant stood at the door, not making eye contact as he cleared his throat. “Priestess, your presence is requested in the dining hall.” The troll bowed and began to walk away.
“Wait!” Tess called, making the servant stop. “I need the troll named Nyx to attend to my friend. Can you either bring Nyx here or bring my friend to him?”
“Certainly,” the troll bowed, then walked towards Tom to pick him up.
“I’ll check on you as soon as I see what’s going on,” Tess whispered, putting her hand under Toms chin as his head began to slump forward.
“I’ll be counting down the minutes,” Tom responded, surprising Tess with another kiss.
Tess looked towards Tom with a concerned look once they separated. Tom chuckled, “I doubt a double dose of your kiss will do anything worse to me.”
Tess ruffled his hair while he couldn’t do anything about it. “I’ll see you in a bit,” she nodded towards the troll who picked Tom up and carried him off towards the kitchens.
——
Destru looked up from leaning against a work table when Tom was brought into the kitchen. “Is everything alright?” Destru asked, as Tom was sat in a chair.
Tom chuckled a little as he slouched in the chair, trying to find the strength to sit upright. “She still has her sirens kiss,” he finally managed to gasp out. “She thought Nyx might know how to make it go away faster.”
Nyx grumbled as he moved towards Tom. Forcing Tom to look him in the eye as he assessed how bad he was. After a few moments, Nyx turned away and began looking for ingredients.
“Just couldn’t get enough of her after she killed you, could ya?” Destru winked with a slight smirk.
Tom attempted a smile, thinking about their most recent kiss. She was still perfect to him. “What can I say? I’m in love with her.” He groaned as he lost the strength to stay sitting and fell to the ground, much to the delight of Destru.
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“Oh how I wish I had a camera,” Destru pretended to take a picture with his hands. “Perfect blackmail,” he continued to howl with laughter as Nyx came back.
Nyx let out a gravelly moan as he picked Tom up by the collar and laid him on the table. He carefully administered the potion he brewed, tilting Tom's head so he could swallow without choking. After the potion was gone Tom began to feel his fingers and toes, wiggling them as he got his feeling back.
“We need to figure out how we’re getting off this awful Island,” Destru mused as Tom slowly sat up on the table.
“How do the sirens get around?” Tom wondered, as the trolls in the kitchen began to start preparing the next meal.
“They’re sirens,” Destru crossed his arms sourly. “They swim everywhere.”
“But they knew how to sail your ship. They must have ships around here somewhere,” Tom pressed, stopping when a roar was heard behind him.
Tom and Destru turned to see Nyx carrying a large baking sheet with something on it. One of the other trolls had tried taking it from him. “What’s gotten into you Nyx?” Destru asked, his attention now on the tray.
Nyx gently sat the tray down next to Tom. “Cap’n” Nyx said, giving a nod towards Destru.
Destru made a confused look, before slowly removing the sheet, revealing gray spotted ears. Tom held his breath as Destru continued to reveal Runes body, tears in his eyes.
“Thank you,” Destru whispered, looking towards Nyx. “We’ll give him a proper burial.” He rested his head on Runes for a few moments, then looked towards Nyx.
The troll nodded in agreement, baring his teeth as other trolls made their way near them.
“He stopped them from serving him to the sirens,” Tom said in awe as he realized Nyx probably had gotten in trouble for doing what he did.
Destru and Tom jumped once more when Nyx knocked a plate out of another trolls hand. “Priestess gets fruit,” he grumbled out.
The troll that had brought Tom down came up to Nyx with their arms raised, irritation on his face. “You don’t get a say here. You’re not ranked enough.” He argued. “Matera clearly stated if the priestess didn’t complete the ritual she would be fed the organs of a sailor.”
“Matera’s dead,” Tom pointed out, making the troll look towards him for the first time.
“Her body may be dead, but her presence is still around,” the troll whispered, fear in his eyes. “She was too powerful to be killed by a witchling.”
“I don’t feel anything,” Tom mused, as Destru shrugged.
The troll curled his lip at them. “No magics wouldn’t feel anything. Some High Priest you’ll make.” The troll moved further into the kitchen directing the other trolls to their tasks.
Tom mentally pictured himself folding wolf ears back to lay on his head. He still wasn't good at expressing irritation. “We should gather everyone so we can figure out how to leave,” Tom pushed himself off the table.
“Priestess,” Nyx’s voice rumbled as their attention turned to the doorway out of the kitchen.
Tess was debating on coming to join them, only stopping when she saw Runes body laying on the table. She had tears in her eyes as she looked towards Destru, waiting to see a reaction. “Destru-”
Destru held a hand up, making Tess stop her sentence with a small sob. “Best not to discuss it now,” Destru stared at Runes body, not meeting Tess’ gaze.
Tess nodded, knowing Destru wouldn't see it. “I’ll wait outside,” she whispered, then turned to go into the hallway.
“Tess! Wait!” Tom called, stopping her at the door. He walked up to her and brushed a stray hair out of her face. “Are you okay?” he whispered, studying her frown.
“I’ll be fine,” she took his hand into hers, making sure to look anywhere that wasn’t Destru or Rune.
“Are you sure?” Tom persisted. He waited until she nodded, giving him a weak smile. “Okay,” he returned her smile and kissed her lightly on the forehead. “We’re trying to figure out how to get home. Do you know how the sirens got around?”
“They don’t have any ships that I know of,” Tess’ frown returned as she continued to think. “I could probably raise Destru’s ship if it was one of the last one’s they sunk.”
“You could do that?” Tom asked, incredulously, amazed that her powers had grown this much in just a year and a half.
Tess nodded in confirmation. “I’ll just need to rest for a bit afterwards because of these bracelets,” Tess raised her arm to show him the thin silver bracelet entwined around her wrist.
“What are they for?” Tom asked, his eyebrows furrowed together in confusion.
“They’re supposed to help me with my power surges,” Tess examined the bracelets in the torch light. “I was supposed to have them removed once the ritual was completed.”
“I think I know someone who can help take those off,” Tom gave Tess a quick kiss on the lips then walked back into the kitchen, leaving her dazed in the hallway.
Destru looked up from the table when Tom reentered the kitchen, his ears perked forward. “Any news?”
“Tess says she can raise your ship,” Tom answered, suddenly realizing he was feeling warm once again. “Can we go to your brother's village?”
“If she can raise my ship, I’ll take her wherever she likes,” Destru nodded. “We’ll be heading there to bury Rune with his parents.”
Tom nodded, leaning against the table as his legs threatened to collapse under him. “Good plan…Nyx” Tom called weakly towards the troll as he gave a sheepish smile.
Nyx rolled his eyes as he lumbered away to gather more ingredients. Destru laughed as Tom collapsed to the ground, the siren's kiss taking effect on him once more. “Stock up on those Nyx!” Destru howled after the troll. “We’ll be needing them most of the trip I reckon!”
All that answered Destru was an annoyed grumble.
—----
Tess was raising Destru’s ship shortly after the noontime meal. Destru’s crew whooping in excitement when the prow broke the surface of the water. The ship creaked and groaned as water expelled out of the port and canon holes in the sides. It took a few concentrated minutes for Tess to repair the damage. Tom lent her some of his energy when she began to feel fatigued from the energy the boat and her bracelets took from her.
She was leaving the sirens on good terms. They were going to search out their original matriarch that Matera had run out when she joined this group of sirens. They promised to stay in touch and try to find a place in the new world. Debating on becoming fisherwomen to help nearby towns. Tess was proud of the few strides for improvement they were making in such a short amount of time.
Tess stood on the dock breathing hard as Tom helped her stay upright. Destru’s crew were beginning to load the ship up to make the trip home. Rune’s body was carefully laid in the cargo hold, where crew members could pay respects if they found the need to. “Aterea,” Tess gave a weak smile towards the young siren that was hesitantly coming up to her and Tom.
“Priestess,” Aterea shuffled up to Tess, nodding towards Tom as she came closer. “Priest.”
“How can I help you?” Tess watched as Aterea fumbled with a package at her side.
“We wanted to give this back to the High Priest,” she offered Tom his sword back. “We should have never taken it from you in the first place.”
“Thank you for returning it,” Tom answered, taking the sword from the young siren. “We wish you peace and happiness in your new beginnings.”
“Thank you,” Aterea gave a small bob, before offering another item to Tess. “This is the Priestess’ athame.” Aterea handed Tess her jeweled dagger that she had used in the ritual sacrifices. “I know it might hold bad memories for you, but the High Priestess is the only one that can use the powers held in it.”
“Thank you,” Tess took the athame from Aterea and placed it carefully in the sash of her dress. “I wish you the best in your future,” Tess whispered in the young siren's ear as she gave her a hug.
“Don’t forget about us,” Aterea whispered back.
“I won’t,” Tess promised, as Tom offered his arm to board Destru’s ship. Tess took it and looked around the ship. It was just as she had remembered it.
“Everyone aboard?” Destru called from the main wheel. The pirates ran about and untethered the boat, freeing it from the dock. “Off we go!” Destru smirked, setting sail for his brother's village.
Tess and Tom watched as the island slowly disappeared from view, ready to see where their new future would take them as the High Priestess and the Wilkolak.