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Her eyes darted back and forth between me, then Bellamy and the whirlpool. Like a clock ticking, it beckoned, urging her to make her choice.

Finally, in one swift, sudden movement, she sent the crystal dinghy out to sea, into the path of the swirling black void. Gasps and screams erupted from our group as her power guided him to the heart of it. Though the water twisted and raged around him, his boat remained steady as though drifting on a calm sea. Ink-like water seeped into the boat, filling it to the brim until it covered Bellamy entirely, and pulled him slowly into its depths. The pool settled, becoming a ripple once more, moving in reverse—inward instead of out. And when it was all gone, nothing remained but a quiet, steady sea.

56

Dead Men Tell Tales After All

Milo

The sobs of Serena echoed in the silence as we waited ashore. McKenzie buried her face in Noah’s shoulder, and Katrina and Grace stood huddled hand-in-hand, watching with anticipation. Russell and I glanced at each other, before he went back to wringing his hands and worriedly watching his daughter.

As the stillness lingered, I began to question if it was the right decision. Perhaps I shouldn’t have spoken up. Perhaps Serena knew better, and it truly would’ve been best for her to spend the ages guarding Bellamy. Katrina and I might’ve made a grave misjudgment…and if we were, could we live with ourselves to see our friend return as a puppet of the sea’s darkest force? The doubt gnawed at me, and I swayed uneasily, still watching the water that took Bellamy.

“I’m a fool for listening to you!” Serena wailed before lunging at me. “He’s gone because of you! You were wrong!” I didn’t stop her as she hit my chest and shoulders with the edge of her fists. I couldn’t blame her.

“On the contrary, love, for once he was right.” The voice that broke through Serena’s rampage brought us all to a standstill. My head snapped to see Bellamy, taking form from a stream of shadow over the sand. He now wore the pirate lord’s clothing, a long, black captain’s coat and a skull medallion around his neck. His hair was long again, like our early days on the Siren’s Scorn. He looked restored and rejuvenated in some ominous way, as though he’d been gifted a do-over of a life long past.

The smile that swept across my face was hindered by a gripping fear. I was certain we all had to be wondering the same thing. Bellamy stood before us, but was he still the Bellamy we knew?

He held his arms open wide as Serena ran to him, leaping into his embrace, weeping with joy. He spun her around and placed her down with a kiss. Katrina and I stood back as everyone else rushed to greet him with excitement and relief. He walked to me, to my surprise, and slapped me on the shoulder. “Don’t stress yourself mate. I’m not completely evil.”

I huffed out a sigh through my grin. “Still the same asshole as before, I see.”

“With a few upgrades.” He snapped his fingers and black water swirled from his hands and snaked its way around Katrina and me, wrapping around us loosely like a ribbon before Bellamy called it back with a motion of his finger.

“Bellamy!” Katrina stepped forward and threw her arms around him. “I’ve never been more glad to see you.”

“You should know by now I don’t stay dead for long, lass,” he chuckled, patting her back in a friendly embrace, but then he gave her a protective squeeze, and I knew I could never thank him enough for keeping her safe.

“Thank you…for everything.” I pulled his sword from where it hung at my side and offered it to him. “I believe this is yours.”

He took a long look at the blade, and for a moment I thought he was at loss for words, as he dropped his guard for just a moment and allowed me to see beneath that aloof and sarcastic exterior. “You keep it, mate. I don’t think I’ll quite be needing a sword anymore.” His eyes flashed silver and shadow swirled around his shoulders.

“You’ll free the souls Bastian trapped?” Katrina asked, a hopeful look in her eye.

“If I must,” he rolled his eyes with a sigh.

“Yes, you must,” Serena stepped in with a chiding smirk. “That’s kind of your new job.”

“Aye. The deep sea undertaker. Could be worse, I suppose.”

Katrina and I chuckled as the others drew in around us.

“So…will we ever see you guys again?” McKenzie asked.

Bellamy and Serena exchanged glances. “Maybe sometimes,” Serena said gently. “Like when you come to the ocean just to get lost in the sunrise. When you’re alone on the shore as the tide rolls in. When your soul is in true need of a breath of fresh sea air. We’ll be there, watching over the ocean and those who’ve made it their grave. The last remnants of what the sea gods left behind.”

“Then this is where we part ways?” I noted the dawn finally breaking over the horizon. Serena nodded.

“We’ll miss you, you know.” Katrina spoke to both of them, but she was focused on Bellamy. She stepped forward and embraced him in a hug, a burst of brightness clinging to his dark, looming figure. “It won’t be the same without you.”

“I know, lass.” Bellamy said with more softness in his voice than I expected him to let break through. “But as long as you’re by the sea, I’m never far away.”

“Then you’ll come visit us?”

“If Bastian can run an underground club, I’m sure I can squeeze in a visit to my best mates every now and then.” They released their embrace, and Bellamy blinked a few times and swallowed. “Just bring along some rum and Dr. Pepper. Not sure they have much of that where I’m going.”

Katrina laughed as she wiped a tear and sniffed. "Will do."