Chapter 26
" I can't stop thinking about it."
I rolled to my side to face Moll, who was lying in her bunk, staring at patterns from the lantern light dancing on the ceiling.
After a long day on the ship with everyone snappy and clearly on edge, we'd both been more than happy when night had fallen and we got to climb into bed.
But after laying here in silence for over an hour, it was clear sleep would be a long time coming for both of us.
I could almost hear her thoughts churning.
"Which thing?" I asked softly.
"Oh, the fire in the sky wasn't great. But I was talking about the wormhole masquerading as a whirlpool.
..the massive, gaping blackness. It chills me to the bone, that.
" She turned her head and met my gaze, eyes full of worry.
"What's to say she didn't send them to do the same to Neverland yesterday or the day before, thinking you were still there? What if the kids aren't okay?"
"Gods." I pinched my eyes shut, stomach sinking.
With everything else going on, it was something I hadn't even considered.
But that was Moll for you, always thinking of the children.
Even back in The Hollow when we had nothing to give, she found a way to do what she could.
Started her own little school where Cissy Petway and the rest of the street urchins could learn to read, do basic math.
..and apply eye shadow, in the unlikely event the need might arise.
"Can the worms do that to people, do you think? Eat through them, if they find a way to munch on the exact right spot in the book?"
I wanted to reassure her that was impossible, but what did I know about Almira and her magical book worms?
"Maybe, but it mustn't be that simple or she'd have already had them eat me," I reasoned. "I'm guessing it's not an exact science."
"Based on the places we've seen them, though, we can assume that she has some idea of where you are, and even where you’re going at points. She could have locked on the position when we were in Neverland..."
She was right. And there wasn't a single fucking thing I could do about it. I gnawed at my lower lip and tried not to drown in my own guilt.
"Shit. I'm sorry," Moll said, swinging her legs over the side of the mattress with an apologetic little smile. "It isn't your fault, Harm. I'm feeling anxious, is all. I'm sure the kids are fine."
"The best way to protect them and everyone else in this book is to get the rest of the items and knowledge I need to defeat Almira and get us out of here as soon as possible. Which is exactly what we're on the path to doing by getting the clock."
She nodded and let out a sigh. "You're right. No point in dwelling. Let's talk about some good things instead, shall we?"
"Love to. What have you got?" I tucked my hand under my pillow.
"Well, first off, you’re a princess!” She let out a laugh and shook her head. “Imagine that, of the two of us after all my years scheming to marry a lord? And, more importantly, you know where you come from now. That's huge!"
From learning about the witch Almira to the fact that Gayelette had known my parents, I'd filled Moll in on everything I'd learned at the old fortune teller's home with Hook the other night, after lights out. It had seemed easier to do it in the dark and I’d just kinda blurted the words before I could take them back. Moll being Moll, she’d lit a candle and stared at me with wide eyes as I’d stuttered and spluttered and explained my way through the crazy story that seemed more than fantastical. It sounded impossible.
And Moll, being Moll, she’d believed me without question and then hugged me tight as the unexpected tears had hit me. I’d been so worried she’d…I don’t know, decide not to be my friend maybe? But my worries had been for nothing.
Hook though, I wasn’t sure what he thought about the whole story.
James, my brain corrected helpfully.
Well, I’d told her almost everything...the dreams, those I’d kept to myself.
"I wonder if, when we finally get to Ca'an Saas, it's all going to come rushing back to you. Memories of your childhood, and your family..."
I could only hope.
But something about Gayelette's demeanor when she spoke of it made me think things weren’t exactly peachy there under Almira’s rule.
Why would all these people—from Molly and me, to The Speaker and his tribe, to Duncan, to Hook and his crew—have been called on to risk so much if things weren't an absolute shit sandwich in Ca'an Saas?
I couldn't wait to get there, but part of me was also terrified by what I'd find.
Was I going from bad to worse?
But bigger than that...
What if I failed my people?
"And how about cutey-cute-cute First Mate Xander?" Moll added, her cheeks going pink. "He's a lovely distraction."
"I'm so glad you think so. He's helping me with my magic, too. We can add that to the list of good stuff."
"We also got to see the O'Donnellys again. I know they're sort of not good guys, but it's nice to see familiar faces, and that Paddy is a hoot."
"He is. I do still wonder if there's a Billy somewhere here. Maybe I'll try to find a way to ask when we're making our way through The Fen."
Moll laid back down and tugged the blanket tight around her. "I'm just going to force myself to keep thinking about all the positives. Plenty of food, we're together...things could be way worse."
I was about to agree when a strange, low sound echoed through the room. Like the tapping of metal on glass...
I flicked a glance to the porthole and shot to my feet so fast, blood rushed to my head, leaving me disoriented.
"Someone," or some thing — "is out there," I whispered, pointing toward the pane of glass as the chowder in my stomach from dinner seemed to curdle.
Moll sat up, the color draining from her face.
Tap tap tap.
I reached for the whip on the table beside me.
I'd just closed my fingers around the handle of the whip when the porthole popped open.
"I knew it!" a familiar voice called through the now open space. "Tink kept saying I was being naive again, but I knew you guys didn’t really want to leave and that he kidnapped you!" Pan's smiling face came into view, and I nearly collapsed with relief that faded as fast as it had come.
He obviously wasn't here to murder us, which was a plus if I was trying to embrace Moll's recent optimism. But that was where the positives ended.
"Peter!" Moll hissed, rushing to greet him. "How are the kids?"
"They miss you two, I'll tell you that much! They were so sad when you were gone." A crease formed between his eyes as he flicked a gaze between me and Moll. "Are you okay? He didn’t hurt you, did he?"
“No, we’re fine. How is Caleb? Any better?”
He shook his head, lips twisting. “Not good. But once you’re back, he’ll be a lot better.
He’s been crying for days, which I’m sure isn’t helping his condition.
” He bobbed up and down as if the howling wind made it hard to tread air as he hovered.
“Did Hook make you write that silly note?
I can't believe he thought I'd fall for that. Did he ever say how he found Neverland after all this time? Tink shielded it so well.”
“Peter…” Moll began. I stepped closer and gave her forearm a covert pinch, and she went silent.
We needed to tread carefully here.
“Tink didn’t come with you?” I asked carefully.
“Nah. She’s mad,” he said, rolling his eyes.
“She has a short fuse, but she’ll get over it once we get back.
Besides, I don’t need her. I’m not here for a fight.
This is purely a rescue mission, so we should hurry before someone spots me.
If you can sneak out onto one of the decks, I’ll scoop you up and we’ll be on our way. ”
I stared into that open, innocent face, and it was incredibly hard to imagine that this was the person both Xander and Hook claimed was basically a monster. Almost as hard as it was to believe that Hook was the black-hearted villain they—and he—made him out to be.
Either way, though, time was up.
“Sure. Let us just grab a few things…” I tugged at Moll’s fingers. “Wait right there.”
Pan hovered in the porthole while we made a show of packing what little we had as I reached out for the space in my mind reserved for my falcon.
Fetch, if you can hear me, I need you. Pan is here. Distract him, but don’t hurt him if you can help it.
He must’ve been hunting close by because I’d barely thought the words when I heard a screech in the sky.
“There’s that bird,” Pan said. “I was just about to ask him. Hook probably wanted to use him to?—”
Fetch dive-bombed Pan, flapping his wings violently as I shoved Moll toward the door.
"Go! Run and get help!"
She shot a worried glance to the porthole where Pan and Fetch were tussling, and laid one hand on the knob. "Are you sure we shouldn't go with him? The kids?—"
"Once we have the clock, we'll go back for them. Go now!"
She flew out the door, shouting Xander's name, calling for help.
I rushed back toward the open porthole, Moll's incapacitator in hand.
Go, I tried to tell Fetch. I can take care of the rest.
But a shaft of pain shot through my shoulder so great, it brought me to my knees.
I gasped, trying to catch my breath as I looked up to see Pan holding Fetch by one mangled wing. His impish face was a mask of pure rage, and I swallowed back a rush of bile.
Go for his eyes, I commanded, any thoughts of mercy drying up under the heat of my fury.
"Let go of my fucking bird!"
Pan turned his attention back to me. "Or what, you lying cunt?" he sneered, any trace of the person I thought I knew stripped away.
Fetch used the opening I gave him to reel up and strike at Pan's face with his razor-sharp beak. Pan let out a howl and released his hold on Fetch, slapping a hand over his cheek.