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Chapter Twenty-Seven

Peter

Present Day

“ P lease keep an eye on Meria,” Dominick said as we walked through the jungle to the lookout point the next morning.

“So, you are worried about her being in the water?”

“No one is more capable than Meria, but she’s not an Ancient. She can still get hurt.”

“I will try to keep an eye on her.” I didn’t want anything happening to my new sister. I liked Meria; she had been nothing but kind to me.

“I’m sure Gwendolyn will be well. The boys do love her,” Dominick said with a chuckle.

It was true. The lost boys were in love with Gwen. Just that morning at breakfast, she had passed water to them all, and each of them, with the exception of Shadow, gave her bashful smiles. Bear kept glancing at her. They were infatuated.

“She’s going to lose her mind with all that attention. She’s not used to it, and when she gets too much of it, she might faint.” I paused. “Perhaps, I should go back and check on her.”

Dominick stopped me with a hand on my shoulder. “Her brother is there, so she will be well.”

I nodded. Even though her family had caused her many problems, Michael was there, and he supported her. He’d make sure she was safe.

We finally reached the shore, and I pulled out my stash of pixie dust. Shadow and Stone were with us.

“You two can fly, right?” I asked them both again.

“Yes, the pixies showed us last evening, so we can,” Stone said, shoving Shadow’s shoulder.

“I did it once, but I find holding onto a happy thought difficult. ”

“What are your happy thoughts?” I asked. Shadow was the loner of the lost boys. He was called Shadow, I’d realized, because he always stayed in the shadows. He reminded me a bit of Gwen in that way. He was timid, too.

“Cake. I remember eating strawberry cake once,” Shadow said, kicking sand.

“Oh yes, that is a good, happy thought.” I nodded. “You know, I am sure you could grow your own strawberries here, and make one.”

“What?” Shadow asked, his eyes surprised.

“Yes, my friend William loves fruit. I am sure he has some seeds we could leave with you all; that is, if you do not wish to leave this place. We could take you all away from here and back to a normal life if you want.”

“No, I wish to stay. But I do want the seeds.”

“Perfect. You fly with us, help us rescue the boys, and I will give you the seeds. Now, is that not even a better happy thought?” I asked with a smile.

Then, for the first time, I saw Shadow smile.

“That is a very good happy thought.”

Stone smiled at his friend. I sprinkled the pixie dust over the boys, and myself, as Dominick approached us.

“So, you just sprinkle that on yourself, and you can fly?” he asked.

“There is a little more to it. But essentially, yes,” I said, picturing Gwen, and I began to rise off the ground, Stone and Shadow following after. “Let’s defeat Captain Hook!”

“Let’s.” Dominick grinned and ran back to the shore where his men were waiting to pick him up.

Shadow, Stone, and I all flew across the sea to Captain Hook’s ship.

We flew up into the low clouds, trying not to disturb the crew. Peeking down, I saw Meria in the water. I looked to see if there were any shark fins, and realized that we were in the clear.

I moved down, flying to the boom of the central mast and stood upon it.

Shadow and Stone were on either side of me.

Looking down, I saw five boys locked in the cages that Shadow and Stone were going to unlock while I distracted the crew.

With all eyes on me, I couldn’t unlock them.

I hoped that after Dominick arrived, I would be able to track down the pixie and save it.

“Go to the cages and get to unlocking them while I distract these pirates,” I said to the boys.

They nodded silently and made their way just out of sight, ready to work on the locks as soon as I had drawn attention to myself.

Moving closer to the deck of the ship while still near the mast, I leaned too far forward, and before I knew it, I was falling, no happy thought in sight.

“Peter, huh?”

I awoke to a snicker, and my head hurt. Someone kicked me, and that’s when I remembered that I’d fallen, our entire plan was ruined by my stupidity. I was kicked again and took it; I deserve to suffer the consequences for my foolishness.

Someone pulled me up by my hair, and I winced.

“I asked, Ye name be Peter ?”

I looked to see a man with a curly grey beard, long matted hair, and wrinkled, filthy skin. His teeth were black, yellow, and gold, and he had a hook where a hand should have been at the end of his left arm. It was Captain Hook.

I answered his question. “In the flesh,” I said with a smirk.

“The pixies have been buzzing about a ‘Peter.’ Ye come for the boys? They be mine.”

“They are not yours—and you will surrender them to me.”

Hook laughed. “Ye are no threat; ye’re just a slightly bigger boy.”

I was surprised not to have had my hands tied. Perhaps, they really did not see me as a threat. I tried not to let my pride hurt too much at that.

“Ah, that’s interesting,” I said, walking closer to the railing of the ship. Meria was there below me, looking confused. I gave her a look that I hoped said, Give me a second . I saw Shadow and Stone hovering near her, waiting. “But I am no mere boy.”

I thought a happy thought and floated upward.

“He can fly!” crew members almost seemed to say in unison.

“Stop that! Get him!” Hook called.

I flew to where Shadow and Stone could see me, and I signaled them to go. I flew around to the opposite side of the ship, causing all the pirates, including a sneering Captain Hook, to focus on me.

“Ha! You think you can get me?” I called, moving from side to side.

Then, the crew began throwing things at me, trying to knock me out of the air. I dodged them easily.

“You will have to be better than that, scallywags!” I said, sticking out my tongue. The more irritating I could be, the better. They were getting rather riled up. I looked to the cages and saw Stone and Shadow leaning over them. Good , they were close.

“Come on! Make it difficult for me!” I said, flying over to Captain Hook, stealing his captain’s hat, and placing it on top of my head. “Maybe I am the actual captain of this ship!” I called, placing my hands on my waist as I floated in the sky.

“I will kill ye, slowly and painfully, boy!” Captain Hook shook with anger.

“If you can catch me!” I said, tossing the hat into the ocean and flying back over the men.

It was much more fun than I thought it would be.

I watched as the cage was opened, and the lost boys dove over the railing of the ship.

Finally, things seemed to be going according to plan. I flew around and noticed splashes in the water and Meria counting the boys. They swam slowly, but I hoped they would be far away before Hook and his crew noticed they were missing.

I needed to keep the distraction going a little longer.

“Come an’ fight me like a man if ye be one, little bird!”

Still floating, I came to a stop, placing my hands on my hips, right in front of Hook.

“A battle, then?” I asked, tilting my head to the side. I tried to be as impish as possible.

“A battle, if ye have a sword.”

“Aye aye, Cap! That I do!” I laughed as I saw Meria swimming away with the lost boys, Shadow and Stone flying above them. I pulled out my small dagger and held it up.

The pirates laughed .

Our plan worked. I just needed to get rid of those pirates.

Where is Dominick? I wondered. His part of the plan was next. I had a feeling I truly should have brought a sword.