“Okay, that’s it!” I kick my legs to make Hook put me down. It doesn’t work. “Why do people keep calling me a boon?” I point my finger in his face, sending his eyebrows straight up. “I want a straight answer this time. No more bullshit.”
The cackle only grows. “Oh, yes, she’ll fit right in here. Come along, come along. James, put her down! You mustn’t treat a lady so.” She smacks him on the arm, her fingers twisted and spotted with age.
He drops the arm under my legs, which means my front is pressed against him as he slowly lowers me to my feet. I feel every hard inch, and I know for a fact my face is bright red by the time I touch the floor.
“I’m not going anywhere until someone tells me the truth! What is this boon crap?”
The old lady elbows her way between us. She has long white hair, wears a navy blue dress that reminds me of a maid from a period drama, and looks up at me with deep brown eyes. “You’re a boon because Pan claimed you from the mainland as his own. The island gave him a choice, and he chose you, but not in so many words of course.” She grins, her teeth surprisingly intact despite her age. “Okay, now we have that all settled, let me show you to your room.”
The island offered me to Peter? I honestly can’t tell if the woman is messing with me or serious. Either way, her answer makes zero sense.
Hook pinches the bridge of his nose, then seems to shake off his irritation. “Clytemnestra, this is Moira.”
“I know. Ari told me all about you.” Clytemnestra pats my hand. “Call me Nessie.”
“Nice to meet you.” I offer her my hand. “Wait, Ari from the town?”
“Ari, queen of the mermaids. Mmhmm. Oh look! Manners, manners.” She takes my hand with a little giggle. “Good manners. I always love good manners.”
Okay, so Nessie is a little batty, but she seems kind. I can work with that. I glance around the house. It’s cozy here, the living room dotted with sofas, most of them gathered around the wide fireplace. The wallpaper is a lively green with vines, and the ceilings are high and white with what looks like ship beams for rafters.
“You can explore later. I’ll show you to your room. Come, come.” She takes my hand. “James, go pound sand. Us ladies need to talk.”
Now it’s my turn for my eyebrows to hit my hairline. I’ve never heard anyone talk to Hook like that. And what’s even crazier is that he just sighs again and strides off somewhere deeper in the house as Nessie leads me up a winding staircase.
“So, are you the housekeeper?” I ask.
“Something like that.” She hits the landing and leads me to the right, past a small sitting room along the front of the house and then down a hallway. “This is yours.” She points to a set of double doors at the end of the corridor. “That’s James. I’m on the first floor.”
“This house is beautiful.” I peer at the stained-glass windows at the back of the sitting room. “It’s not what I’d ever expectof Hook. I mean, I figured there’d be chains everywhere and skeletons, maybe some gaudy feather décor to top it off.”
“People aren’t always what they seem.” She taps the side of her nose then opens the door to my room.
Inside, the walls are painted a deep gray and the ceiling is done in black with golden specks here and there. The bed is four-poster, large, and covered in a deep purple quilt with silvery pillows. It’s practically luxurious. Then I spot some marble through a door to the right. I peek inside and almost moan at the sight of the well-appointed bathroom. A clawfoot tub greets me, and there’s a water closet as well. It’s not huge, but it has everything I need. When I pass the sink, I stop.
There’s a mirror here. As I stare into it, I realize I haven’t looked in a mirror since Pan took me.
“Holy shit.” I press my palms to my gaunt cheeks, the dark circles under my eyes like two shiners. The mermaid bite must’ve been even more horrible than I remember. I look sickly, far worse than I could’ve imagined.
Nessie comes up behind me and peers at my reflection as well. “You’ll be back to rights after you see the Spinner.”
“The who?” I lean closer, taking in the drained look that shadows my face.
“The Spinner. At the Fairy Village. She’ll be able to fix what’s ailing you.”
“The mermaid bite?”
“Pish posh.” She cackles. “The mermaid bite was nothing. This is from you giving out your magic like free treats on All Hallows Eve with no mind to the consequences.”
I lean on the sink and feel like I’m well and truly going mad, because everything she’s saying is not computing. “Are you a sphinx? Can you only speak in riddles? I needrealinformation.”
She cackles again, this time even louder. “Yes, I like you, girl. James chose well.” Surprisingly agile, she turns on her heel and toddles away. “I’ll have some clothes for you soon. I’ve got your measurements in here.” She taps her temple then disappears into the hallway.
I press my forehead to the mirror, frustration oozing out of me. “What the fuck? Like, no seriously, what in the ever-loving fuck? What the fuuuuuuck!” I breathe out, my breath fogging the glass.
After a few moments, I pull back. I have to stop looking in this mirror. It’s messing with my head. I leave the bathroom and close the door tightly behind me, then inspect the bedroom.
The furniture is spare, but what’s in here is useful. There’s a bed, nightstand, a dresser, and a small wardrobe that’s empty. The windows have top pieces that are done in stained glass, and the bottom panes are wavy but clear. I open the middle one and let the sound of frogs and chirps of crickets enter the room. This part of Neverland is like a smaller forest, one that has different sorts of trees than the areas I’m used to. There are no clinging vines and roars in the bushes, just a lovely little hamlet with stars overhead. It’s as if this part is self-contained, and given the cliffs we had to scale just to get here, perhaps it’s isolated from the rest of Neverland. Even if Hook doesn’t appreciate it, Hook’s Hideaway is the perfect name for it.
