Page 33 of Lost Starlight
“Lost?” I asked, looking from that boy and then around to the others.
“Yes, we were once lost, but the pixies found us and gave us this place. We have thrived here,” Stone said.
“And you are?” I asked the boy in all black, who looked about to stab me.
“They call me Shadow.”
Stone walked up to me and shook my hand. “Will you help us?”
“Yes,” I said, looking from the boys to the pixies.
Satisfied, the pixies left, and I looked back at the lost boys of Neverland.
Chapter Fifteen
Gwendolyn
Present Day
It had been rather easy to make my way through the royal chambers and into Peter’s room, even though I’d never been inside his room before. The lightness I felt within the castle walls was nearly absent at knowing Peter was not within them. I passed through the breezy hallways, and nodded to a few courtiers as I made my way past the open hallways to the private royal chambers. I checked a few other doors before I found his room, but I was in such a hurry I was not at all nervous checking. When I found his room, the light blue bedding and walls, with the desk covered in books, fit him.
I opened up a drawer from his desk and gasped.
There, sitting on a pillow, was a silver crown, decorated with pearls.
He had it crafted for me?I traced the pearls and pulled the crown out to examine its exquisite design. That’s when I saw something further back in the drawer—another silver crown, matching the one in my hand, only it was not studded with pearls. I laughed with tears dripping down my cheeks at the crown. I touched the common rocks in his crown and loved Peter even more.
He had not left me. It was not his choice.
I made my way over to the books to find that they were all on a single topic: Pixies. I never knew the kingdom had so many books on that topic, but they did look to be quite old. He had notes and papers all over his desk. What had he been doing with all this information? He had saved us from the pixies, why was he researching the topic?
“What are you doing?” That’s when Michael found me.
I turned from the books.“Looking over the books here.”
“Messy, isn’t he?” Michael chuckled.
I brought my attention back to his desk. There were other books on oaths, vows, and promises. Then one on deals. My heartbeat sped faster. In his quick writing, he had written: “Debts must be paid—they cannot be spoken of until after they are fulfilled.”
“What is this?”
I turned to see Michael picking up a book that was on the floor closest to the window. I walked to him, putting out my hands to take it from him.
I knew that book; it was one of our favorites. The page that had been left open had my name on it.
Gwen, I love you, and it was written in Peter’s familiar writing.
“Michael!” I said, my heart racing. It was hard to catch my breath. I traced the words with my fingertips.
“What is that?” He came to stand directly behind me as I looked over the page. “Does Peter owe a debt?” Michael asked, walking to Peter’s desk, looking over the papers there. I walked to the window, clutching the book with the note to my chest. Touching the windowsill, hoping for answers, I spotted something. There were just a few small specs of glitter that looked like sand, but in the light, I could see the golden hue to it. I pressed my finger against the grains. They stuck to my finger, and I placed them into my palm.
“This is pixie dust, Michael. He was taken. Pixies took him,” I said, looking at him in earnest.
“We should probably tell Prince Dominick.”
We made our way to the door, but a soldier opened Peter’s door before we could.
“What are you doing here?” he shouted, his sword pointed at Michael and me.
