Chapter 15 #3
She cocks her head to the side, one of her braids falling in her face. She swipes it away. “The what?”
“Never mind.” I try to swallow my irritation, but a bit of it still leaks out. “You could’ve just told me he was using me. I needed help. I still do.”
“Sounded like you were getting plenty of help a little while ago.” She glances at the staircase.
“Ugh.” I turn and walk toward the dining room.
“Wait.” She takes my elbow, gently though. “Sorry. Look, I’m sorry.”
I meet her eyes again.
“We didn’t know what you knew and what you didn’t know.
Of course, when Tiger Lily talked to you a bit more, we realized you were completely in the dark.
And it’s not like we know anything for certain.
Still don’t. We would’ve told you our suspicions, but Peter had already found you.
There’s nothing we could’ve done without risking a fight. ”
I try to think of it from her point of view. After all, I was a stranger to them, and it’s been made perfectly clear to me from Peter and Hook that Tiger Lily will do anything to protect her people.
“If I could go back, I would’ve warned you. All right?”
I try to read sincerity in her eyes. Staying mad would be easy, but Shiner seems earnest. I’m not going to trust easily. Not anymore. But I finally relent. “I understand.”
She seems to relax a little and lets go of my elbow, then looks around the room. “This is a nice place, if you’re into that sort of thing. You’re staying here, then? For good?”
“No.”
“So you’re going back to Peter?”
“No.”
She finishes her wine. “All right, then what are you planning to do?”
I plan on stealing fairy dust from a Lost Boy and flying back to the mainland on my own. But I don’t say that. Instead, I opt for, “I guess I’m going to see what fate has in store.”
Nessie lets out a little giggle from the kitchen.
I turn the questions on Shiner. “Last I heard, you weren’t a fan of pirates, much less Hook. Why did you all agree to come here?”
She shrugs. “I didn’t want to come. We all advised against it, but Tiger Lily had different ideas. Hook offered safe passage and said he wanted to discuss a solution to the magic problem.” She pats the blade at her waist. “But we’ll see how it goes.”
“You think he’ll try to hurt you?”
She gives me a skeptical look. “Hurt? No. Kill? Probably.”
“If it makes you feel any better, I’ve been here for days and no one has said anything about attacking you. In fact, all the pirates are supposed to be on their best behavior.”
Her skepticism only increases. “You think Hook would share his plans with you, Moira? When you’ve been cozied up to Peter?”
That hit lands. I hate to think that I’ve been duped yet again, but given my track record, it’s entirely possible. I assumed from everything I’d heard that this meeting was supposed to be peaceful. Would Hook be feeding me that lie to turn it all to bloodshed when he feels he has the upper hand?
“Just keep an eye out, that’s all.” She grabs a bottle of wine from the buffet and puts her glass down. “Come on. Tiger Lily will want to see you.”
I let her lead me to the porch where Widow is leaning against the railing seductively and listening intently to every word Tiger Lily is saying. Hook is out in the back yard talking to Cobweb, the two of them looking a bit standoffish with stiff posture, but still conversing amicably enough.
“There you are.” Bunk, who’s the only person I’ve seen to even come close to Bill’s size, gives me a nod.
Wraith barely acknowledges my existence with a slight jerk of his chin, but at least he remembers me.
“—and that’s how I knew we could travel through the Fading Forest without worrying about the imps.”
Widow laughs and reaches out to touch Tiger Lily’s arm. “Well aren’t you a clever one?”
Tiger Lily smiles, but I can’t tell if she’s taking the bait. Bunk certainly is, because he’s staring right at Widow, seemingly forgetting all about me.
“Moira?” Tiger Lily turns to me. “Can I have a word?”
“Sure.”
She pulls Bunk over to Widow. “This is Bunk. He’s very familiar with this island. If you have questions, he’ll be happy to tell you anything you want to know.”
“Hi, Bunk,” Widow says brightly, though she still cuts a glance over at Tiger Lily.
Bunk seems at a loss for words as I follow Tiger Lily to a quieter spot on the wraparound porch.
Once she seems satisfied we’re out of earshot, she turns to me. “Are you safe?” Her tone is no-nonsense, none of the warm chat she was giving to Widow.
That’s a good question. One I don’t know if I can answer. “Hook hasn’t hurt me.”
“Does he intend to?” Her eyes narrow.
“I don’t know. I don’t think so.”
She sighs and leans against the house. “That doesn’t tell me anything.”
I throw my hands up. “Then ask him.”
“I did. It was one of the conditions of our coming here. He gave his oath that he has no intentions of harming you.”
“Wait. You wouldn’t agree to come here unless he promised not to hurt me? Why?”
She straightens up, putting back on her air of ease. “Because I don’t know what you are, I don’t know what Peter will do if you’re harmed, and I don’t know what Hook intends.”
“I’m from the mainland.” I shrug. “Though Nessie says I have magic—she’s a bit woowoo and scary if I’m being honest—and everyone else thinks that when I told Peter stories that he somehow drained my … my …” I search for the right word.
“Your essence,” she finishes for me.
“Yes, that. I’ve looked in a mirror.” I point at my face. “I know it’s not supposed to look like this, so yeah, that’s probably true. Hook caught me when I was trying to run away from this shadow child thing, and—”
“So you’ve seen them?”
“The creepy kids?”
“Yes. The shadows. We’ve heard whispers of them, but we haven’t seen one. They truly look like children?”
“The ones I saw did. Little boys. Makes me think maybe they’re connected to the way Peter brings Lost Boys to the island.”
Her perfect brow wrinkles. “How do you know about that?”
Shit. Why do I have to talk so much? “Hook told me.” It’s somewhat true, though of course Tinker Bell is the honest answer.
She doesn’t seem convinced, but she continues, “It could have something to do with that, but I don’t know.
Peter used to treat me like a confidant, but after the fairy folk began disappearing right along with my own people—” Her jaw clenches, her gaze hardening.
“That’s when he changed. He’s different now.
Different ever since he went into the heart of the island. ”
“What’s the heart of the island?”
“Beneath the tree. Where all things converge. It’s a sacred place. No one should ever venture there lightly. Peter knew that,” she says bitterly. “But he went anyway, and when he came out, he was changed.”
“That’s where he made his w—”
She shoots me a sharp look.
I regroup. “That’s where he made a request of the island?”
“He won’t say. But I assume so. Yes. Then he changed more and more.
Grew dark.” She taps her chest. “In here. It was all coming to a head, but then we heard about you. I thought you might be the key to solving all this, to bringing back the sun and my people, the fairies too. Their numbers have dwindled. The ones who remain hide in the Silver Mountains. From what, we don’t know. They won’t speak to us anymore.”
“What about Tinker Bell?”
She bares her teeth like a reflex, then schools her features. “Tinker Bell is no friend to us. And if you’d like a word of advice, don’t trust a thing she says. She serves only herself.”
“I’ve noticed.”
“Good. We’d best get back before Hook starts to look for you.”
I ignore the knowing look she gives me and walk around to the back garden.
“There you are.” Hook is waiting, and I have absolutely zero illusions about him not knowing exactly where we were.
“Captain.” Tiger Lily gives him a slight bow.
“Tiger Lily. Nice to see you again, on better terms this time.” He bows in return.
I can feel the tension in Shiner and the others rising by the second.
“The terms are yet to be decided.” Her tone is polite but edged with steel.
“True.” He nods. “All the same, I’m glad you’re here and not actively trying to kill me, at least for the moment.”
“For the moment.” She nods.
Cookson whistles sharply, and several pirates head over to him, each of them grabbing platters and trays of meat and vegetables. They carry them inside.
I startle for a moment when I see another familiar face.
“The frat boy. The hot dog jerk was a pirate?” I gawk at him as he carries what looks like an entire roasted boar on one shoulder.
“Still serving up pork, I see,” I mutter under my breath.
Who else did Hook plant to keep an eye on me?
He played it so cool when he saw Peter on the quad.
That little dickwad. I bet he ran back to Hook the second I was out of his sight.
I need to give Hook hell for sending spies after me, but I suppose it’s better than straight up kidnapping me like Peter did.
Now when I think about him, I feel like my memories are coated in a grimy residue.
He piled so many lies onto me that I didn’t know which way was up.
I’m still trapped in all sorts of deceit—from Peter and Hook—but at least with Hook I feel safe.
Which is probably exceptionally dumb, even for me.
“You all right?” Widow asks.
I didn’t realize she was waiting at my elbow. “Yeah. I’m good. Just hungry.”
Once all the dishes are inside, Hook motions for Tiger Lily to lead the way. “Princess, after you.”
Bunk offers her his arm. She takes it, and they walk into the house toward the dining room. Starkey, fresh off carrying a tray of roasted potatoes, comes to Widow’s side. “Shall we, my beautiful piratess?”
“That’s not a word, Starkey.” She rolls her eyes but allows him to escort her inside.
Hook is still standing in the same spot, his eyes on me. “Come, lass. If you’re as hungry as I am—and I know you are—you’ll be wanting to eat your fill.”