Veiled in Stars and Silver: A Peter Pan Fairy Tale Romance

Chapter 20

Peter sat in the boughs of a Nevertree, staring out toward a large stone face in the shape of a skull head, on the lookout for his Lost Boys. He had to watch closely as there were many hiding places near the massive rock. The jungle pressed around it, and several boulders dotted the ground.

Movement in the nearby bushes caught his attention. He swooped down, and in an instant, tagged a small boy, who’d been sneaking up to skull rock, on his large mop of brown hair.

“You’re prey, Tibble.”

The boy pouted. “But Peter…”

“No buts. You know the rules. Now, go back to the hideout.”

The boy looked like he wanted to vomit, but turned to do as directed.

This was a game they played often, called Prey and Predator. The rules were simple. The Lost Boys had to touch the skull rock without Peter catching them. If they got past Peter and touched the stone, they became hunters and would chase down the wild beasts on their next hunt. If Peter caught a Lost Boy, however, that child became prey and had to lure out the beasts the next time they went hunting.

Simple game. Simple rules.

He wished this was how this other game would go. The one with Wendy. Part of him couldn’t believe that she’d allied herself with Hook. His hands balled into fists as fire welled in his chest. She was supposed to be his ally. They were supposed to fight Hook together, save Neverland, rule Neverland.

This, after all, was his world.

It had been created for him.

And he wouldn’t see it destroyed by Hook, by Wendy, by anyone.

He gazed up into the sky and froze in surprise. A small figure flew erratically toward him, their glow winking in and out. A fairy. A dying fairy. Peter abandoned the game and launched into the air to intercept the tiny creature. Reaching out, he cupped the fairy man between his palms.

“Hold on,” Peter said. “Tink will fix you right up.”

So many had come to Neverland in this condition over the last few years. Coming from Wendy’s world. It made sense. Neverland was a land of magic filled with belief and wonder. Commodities, which in the human world, were quickly fading out. Neverland was their last refuge.

Looking around him, he found Tibble in the woods, pouting over his loss, not having gone to the hideout as directed.

He dropped to the ground in front of the boy and handed him the small fairy.

“Take him to Tink.”

“Yes, Peter,” the boy squeaked.

Tibble rose into the air. Peter watched him go. Thanks to Tinker Bell, the fairies were flourishing.

At that moment, he heard the familiar sounds of boys chanting, and his heart sank.

Some of the Lost Boys had made it to the rock. Usually, the more ruthless boys used the innocent ones to distract Peter in order to make it past him. Today, they’d taken advantage of the wounded fairy’s appearance.

But he couldn’t be too upset. That was how the game was played.

He flew toward the stone to see how many had made it. Two boys, so far. Fine, he supposed they could hunt with him.

A sigh escaped as he listened to them repeat the chant a second time. They always did it three times, as if gloating. But it had to be done that way. It was tradition, after all. Rules of the game set well before Peter could remember. He really should change it, though he never had. The poem served as a reminder of a creature Peter knew long ago. One that was a friend, at first, but later turned into a foe. He couldn’t forget that betrayal. Forget that friends can turn into enemies. Like Wendy.

The last time their voices resonated up to him crystal clear.

A book, a knife, or a really long life,

Two fairies in a tree, a new land for me

Wonder, Belief, Power released

Stardust rebels.

Stardust condemns.

All Neverland ends.