---Cain's POV---

All eyes on board were watching the island like a hawk. Time was slowly passing and no movement was a good sign but...

"It's unnerving, isn't it?" Archer questioned, making me sigh and nod. Raising the scope to my eye once more, I looked at the cave entrance but saw no movement.

"Let's give them more time. They're two supernatural beings adapt at surviving in the ocean, compared to a bunch of humans who can only bully the weak."

He made a nonsensical sound, lifting the scope to his own eyes. Watching the island for the slightest movement as we counted down the time.

"Movement." Archer hissed, making me jerk the scope to my face as we watched a small group emerge in a rowboat.

I nodded, eying their trajectory before adding "Not just movement. Company."

"Figure the jig is up?"

Eying the small crew of three, I shook my head slowly. "If the plan failed, they wouldn't send over three. They'd use a back entrance, move out of our line of sight and hit us from our blind side."

Motioning towards the heavily forested edges of the islands, I added, "Any ship can hide their outline behind the forest. And normally, we'd be much closer than this."

Archer nodded with understanding. The only reason why we weren't as close as we'd normally be for a human crew rowing to shore, was because of Orion and Elijah.

"Get us closer to em."

"Aye, Cap'n." Archer complied before barking orders at the crew. I was slightly surprised to see genuine concern among the men, showing that Orion, and perhaps even Elijah, had squirmed their way into the crew and earned a place.

Commanding the lookout to keep an eye on the approaching rowboat, I made sure to scan the horizon. This almost seemed too easy.

"Two men rowing, a woman and two kids aboard Cap'n!" sounded from the crow's nest, only reaffirming my suspicions. Never the less, we couldn't be too trusting.

"Keep an eye out. Slavers wouldn't shy away from using women and children as bait." I barked out, spotting several of the crew keeping their guns ready as we encroached on the rowboat.

The second they were in full view, all of us relaxed at the docile, stupid smiles on the men's faces. Meanwhile the woman seemed confused, looking up at the ship before pointing to the island.

"We were told to give the all clear? Are you here to help us?" Her eyes flitted over the crew with slight distrust, which was very understandable.

She and her kids came aboard with little fuss and I watched as the two men rowed back to shore with the same dumb grins on their faces.

Which made me wonder how far Orion's control reached, if he was able to send them out all the way over here. Then again, I could imagine that anyone under the alure of a Siren would obey the commands given without question.

It would be child's play for Orion to give the men a detailed instruction on what they should do and send them off.

"Let's approach the cave, but keep an eye out. Don't wanna be surprised by slavers roaming on the island."

Ultimately, there was no need to worry. As we approached the island, we all heard the haunting melody in the air.

Anyone on the island that was the target of Orion's song, would be instantly under his spell. As it was, all the slavers were gathering on the beach while the former slaves looked on with a mixture of curiosity and confusion.

After all, it wasn't every day one got to meet not one, but two supernatural creatures and live to tell the tale.

Especially not one that is known to devour humans.

Which was also why I urged the crew to be quick with their actions. Because if we simple mortals could hear Orion singing, you could bet your ass that any merfolk in the vicinity could pick up on that as well.

Something I wasn't about to gamble on.

Orion already had a permanent target on his back, simply for being born a Siren. If any Mer in the surrounding area picked up on his song, they would rush towards the island in the hopes of catching the Siren off guard.

And while Orion had proven capable of defending himself with the help of Elijah, I doubted either could fend off an entire pod of Merfolk.

It wasn't like we could help out either. Even if we came to their aid, we'd be more of a nuisance and literal fodder to the Merfolk than actual help.

Which is why we hurried as fast as we could to the island, laying down anchor as close to the shore as possible.

Orion and Elijah were already waiting outside as more people kept pouring out of the cave. A lot of slavers were already busy removing cuffs from the slaves and shackling other slavers up.

It was definitely an interesting sight, especially when observing the former slaves.

They just couldn't understand how their abusers suddenly changed their behavior on a whim, though several seemed to understand the cause.

I caught several side-eying Orion and Elijah, giving them both a wide berth just to err on the safe side. Not that I could blame them; up until I had met Orion, I had thought of him and his kind as nothing more than myths.

Being faced with the reality that humans never had a shot at the top of the food chain, was rather sobering especially in this situation.

"Get some clothes for these people." I snapped when I spotted several naked women, desperately covering themselves before I snarled a warning to the crew "And if anyone lays a single finger on these people, I'll take that as an aspiration to becoming a Eunuch. Am I clear?"

"Crystal, Capt'n!" They chorused, some cringing at the mere thought of losing their most prized possession. And I wasn't joking either; I had done it before and would do it again.

I did not condone rape and if any of my men felt they should be able to do whatever they wanted, they knew better than to do it while sailing with me.

A few men found out in the flesh when we went to shore and they decided they didn't need to pay at the local brothel.

Eying my crew and taking note of those who were lingering a bit too much with the former slaves, I notified Archer with a pointed look at the offenders.

He nodded, showing he understood, even while he remained outwardly calm. Even Elijah seemed to clue in, eying the individuals in question with a slowly growing smirk.

"How many slavers did you murder?" I questioned, letting my eyes flit to a body slowly floating out of the cave, bobbing along the current.

The mer hummed, tapping his fingers against his thigh thoughtfully before shrugging. "A few. Two were attempting to drown a child so we took care of those. Those that didn't fall under Orion's alure from the get go were trying to get weaponized. Some of the slaves took vengeance as well." Elijah grinned before eying Archer.

"But, I kept my promise. Didn't eat a single bite and I rinsed my mouth too." He grinned, baring his teeth as if to prove not a morsel was stuck between them.

Archer rolled his eyes but couldn't help but chuckle when Elijah leaned closer, nearly nuzzling him like a feline wanting attention.

Walking past them, I stepped up to Orion, gently letting my fingers graze his arm. "Are you alright?" He nodded, still humming as the last of the slavers were chaining themselves up.

My men were already busy corralling the slavers together, shoving them in the cages they had so kindly provided themselves.

When the last shackle was attached and the door slammed shut, Orion slowly halted his song. Gills flaring before he sighed, clearing his throat as he stretched.

"What the- Who the fuck are you?" One of the slavers snapped out of the song, taking in his surroundings as the others soon copied the man's shocked gasps, cries of shock and outrage flooding the air.

We simply ignored them, providing the rescued people with clothes, food and what limited medical aid we could offer them.

Hell, we even inspected the boats that were hidden away and I couldn't help but grin when Archer suggested I could start my own fleet.

While the idea was tempting, it also meant that I needed to put someone I trusted in charge of those vessels. Someone who would help my cause and not stab me in the back, betraying me and the people in their care for something as stupid as money or fame.

A little over fifty people had gathered, dressing themselves and hugging their partners or relatives with elation clear on their faces.

"Clear out the cave, destroy anything that other slavers can reuse." I barked before sending several of my most trusted to the other vessels. The cargo was checked and properly stowed away while the former slaves were all put on my own personal ship.

While my men were moving quickly but efficiently, I turned back to Orion and Elijah. "Any signs we're being tracked?"

Both eyed the surface of the ocean, listening carefully to any sounds their supernatural hearing might've picked up.

"Not... to my knowledge." Orion stated with a cautious look towards Elijah, whom had tilted his head with a narrowing of his eyes.

The mer's lips pursed thoughtfully before he sighed, eying the position of the sun. "There might be a pod in the vicinity but they're far away. If they swim full speed, they might be here in several hours."

That incited my men to only move quicker. Nothing quite set a fire under their arses as the idea of mers approaching this very island.

"Well, I guess that means we don't need to worry about them." Elijah snickered, eying the slavers with barely veiled animosity. "It's almost as if it's planned out."

Archer hummed at that, eying Elijah for a moment. "You'd think the Mers would actually be willing to aid us, if we went on other excursions like this?"

At that, Elijah burst out in laughter, throwing his head back with clear amusement. "Good luck trying to convince them to only eat what's left behind. Depending on what pod you ask, perhaps, they're willing to clean up behind us. More likely they'll be a bit overeager and clean more than they should, if you catch my meaning."

Everyone nodded grimly, understanding exactly what Elijah said. The risks behind the proposal would be far outweighing the benefits. Even if the merfolk didn't devour the messenger sent out to speak with them, who was to say that they kept their word?

For all we knew, they could easily lie in ambush and hunt down everyone on their path.

Waiting for one wrong move, just so they could strike and drag us down into the unforgiving abyss.