Page 18 of Veiled in Stars and Silver
“I don’t care,” I replied. “If any chance exists that my brothers might be alive, that I might save them, then I have to try.” I straightened my shirt, grateful that it was beginning to lose its dampness.
Peter paused on a branch, looking askance. “This isn’t how these games are played.”
“This isn’t a game. Not to me.”
Despite his prudery about how one was supposed to go about such affairs, it had been ridiculously easy to convince Peter to come with me. Marooners’ Rock? A possible rescue, or even better, a trap? I didn’t know what we would find at our destination, but he wassure it involved pirates. The forever boy of Neverland lived for these adventures.
“Of course it isn’t!” he said, now getting into character. “This is serious business. Hook has convinced you your brothers are alive so he can kill us all. But do not fret, Wendy Lady, I shall protect you.” He drew his sword and brandished it.
I held in a growl at his assumption that I needed him to protect me, at the way he acted like this was simply another game for him to show off. Not to mention, the way he held his sword was atrocious.
Tinker Bell flitted up to Peter, tinkling about his head.
“Hey, Tink,” Peter sheathed his blade and puffed out his chest. “We are going to rescue Wendy’s dead brothers.”
I frowned, unsure whether he was being condescending or serious.
Peter nodded. “Thanks.” He turned to me as tink flew off. “She says there are pirates up ahead.”
“Not sure she’s the most reliable scout,” I grumbled under my breath. The fairy’s insistence that everyone on the Jolly Roger was asleep, including its captain, was what had gotten me captured and dumped off the ship.
Peter landed on the ground and motioned for me to join him. He looked at me in all seriousness. “From here on out, we walk. Don’t make a sound.” Creeping forward, he faded into the brush. I hunched down, trying to follow and not lose him as he moved a little too well with the surrounding vegetation. It was disconcerting. Sometimes he acted like an unassuming child, but when he showed such easy skill, I remembered that Peter may be a boy, but he washundreds of years older than me. Was he also secretly clever enough to manipulate me?
I shook off the thought. Was I really letting Hook, the vilest pirate known to man, get into my head? Peter—an evil tyrant.
Not likely.
He crouched low and snuck up behind a large boulder before turning and motioning for me to approach. I crept up next to him, my hand resting on the pommel of the sword Peter had loaned me that was belted at my waist. Hook had taken most of my throwing knives, so I only had one stashed in the holder that was wrapped around my thigh. I felt strangely bare without the complete set. Leaning forward, I peeked over the rock.
The ground sloped away from us, descending toward the glassy inlet and the large flat stone that jutted out of it known as Marooners’ Rock. Five pirates stood on the shore, not too far from the massive stone, which was already surrounded by water. And tied to the rock, up to their necks in sea water, were two young boys.
My breath caught.
John. Michael. Not a day older than when I last saw them. My shoulders sagged and tears pricked my eyes. There they were, alive.
Peter pointed excitedly. “Hey look, Wendy. Your brothers.”
I pressed my lips. “You said they were dead, remember?”
He quirked his head to the side. “Did I? Well, Hook must have tricked us, ‘cause there they are. Let’s go rescue them. I’ll call the Lost Boys.” His hands cupped around his mouth, and he crowed.
I ground my teeth. All that effort sneaking, and now he’d announced our presence.
The pirates on the beach looked around in alarm. Peter drew his sword. “Wait here. The battle has begun!” And with that, he darted out of the bush and flew off to the shore.
Like hell I was going to be left behind. While Peter engaged the pirates, I would get my brothers. I stepped out from the protection of the bush, dropping into the sand that led to the water.
A hand grabbed me from behind.
I struggled, slamming my elbow into whoever held me. A large grunt sounded, and he flung me onto the sandy ground. I flipped onto my back to see my attackers.
Three men loomed over me. One of them, a thin, tall man, pressed his foot onto my hair, pinning my head to the sand.
“Ah, there she is.” A man with a scruffy beard and huge shoulders glared down at me. “Just like the captain said. All gift wrapped and delivered.”
My heart sank and my hands curled into the sand, something ugly snaking inside my veins.
Hook.
