“It’ll be a full moon when we get there?” That doesn’t sound good. I barely survived the last full moon, and this one has even higher stakes. But maybe the Fairy Village will offer shelter like the Guardian Village. Surely, it’s safer there than out on the island in the open. “Peter’s shadows were all over his cave. Have you seen them in other places at the full moon?”
“I’ve heard tales of them in the Nevertree and around those parts, but I don’t know how far they venture. They might be buoyed to wherever Peter drained them.” He turns to me. “Which means there might be other shadows in the Fairy Village, if what Tinker Bell said was true.”
“The part about him draining the fae?”
“Aye, lass. If he makes shadows out of the Lost Boys, I can only imagine what would happen to a fae he drains.” His visage goes grim, his jaw tightening.
“I’ve heard stories.” Shiner climbs the stairs and leans on the railing beside me. She’s not throwing up, so that’s a win, but she already looks a little queasy. “We don’t go to the Fairy Village any longer. The Silver Mountains are more dangerous than ever. But before they completely cut off contact, we heard stories of vengeful demons, formed like fae but only existing in shadows. We thought maybe they meant the Lost Boys, but now … Now I suppose we know better. Peter made monsters of the fairy folk, of the ones he drained, anyway.”
“There has to be a way to free them. All of them. Anyone Peter drained. Surely, the island has some sort of magic to repair all the damage Peter has done.” I don’t know how, but I have to believe there’s a way to fix it. Because if there is, then there’s also a way to fix me.
“I don’t know, lass. That’s a tall order.” Hook turns the wheel, and the ship drifts until it’s parallel to the island, the cliffs rising on my right. “The island let it go on for this long without righting the ship. Makes me think either it can’t fix it or it doesn’t want to.”
That’s a sobering thought. I’ve been imagining the island as a benevolent figure, not one indifferent to suffering. But Hook has a point. If the island is a font of magical power, then why hasn’t it curbed Peter yet?
“Captain!” Cecco yells from his spot in the crow’s nest. “Port!”
Hook looks to the left as a mass of purple tentacles rises in the distance.
I shudder. “Oh, shit. Not again.”
The tentacles writhe as another set shoots from the water near it, though these are more of a green color. The sea splashes around them as the tentacles join together and slide along each other.
“Is that … Are they mating?” I wrinkle my nose.
“Might want to avert your eyes. They’re known for making quite a mess.” Hook keeps looking.
“What kind of a mess?” Shiner walks over to that side of the ship and stares.
A loud whale sound vibrates through the ocean, and then the water around the tentacles begins to glow a bright green, like bioluminescent algae. The color spreads, churning through the water.
“He blew his load too soon.” Cecco’s laugh makes it down to us. “Imbarazzante!”
“Embarrassing, indeed.” Hook laughs. “Don’t worry, lass. They’ll be occupied for a while yet. We should have decent sailing.”
My insides cringe at the sight of all the glowing green goo in the water. Gross. This right here is how I know for a fact Neverland isn’t all in my head. Because never, not once, could I have made up kraken splooge turning the ocean a ghastly biohazard green as I sail around it and hope it doesn’t touch the ship.
Shiner bends over and puts her hands on her knees. “I think … I think I’m going to need another one of those pills.”
I nod. “You and me both.”
Chapter
Twelve
“Are you sure there’s a village out there?” Even with a full moon, I can’t make out anything that looks like a village on the shore.
“I’m certain, lass.” Hook rows steadily toward the beach as Starkey, Widow, and Shiner trail along behind us in the second boat. The others wait on the Jolly Roger. They’ll have to take turns in the row boats. “Look down in the water.”
I lean over the side of the boat and gasp at the luminous pearls and gems that dot the ocean floor. “They’re so pretty.”
“The fae value them greatly, but to take one is a sin. We don’t disturb them.”
“Ari had these.”
“She’s queen of the mermaids and can do as she likes in her ocean, but the rest of us know better than to touch fae treasure.”
“Did you know about her and Wraith?” I ask.
