“Spinner?” She rises again.
“Could you …” I glance out at the glittering sea and the storm beyond. “Could you search for him? Please?”
She thinks for a moment, then gives me a slow nod. “And when I find his body?”
It’s like a gut punch, like I’m watching him fall over the side of the ship all over again. Hisbody. I sway, my legs trying to give out. For once, I’m glad for the water. It keeps me afloat.
“Bring him to me,” I say as my salty tears slip into the sea. “Please.”
“You have my word.” She reaches below the water and pulls out a pearl, one of the large ones she tried to offer me that day in the town. “This seals it.” She hands it to me. “Keep it on you so I can find you once I have him.”
“All right.” I sniffle.
She pauses, her opal eyes losing a bit of their sparkle. “Remember the ocean is not kind, Moira. It won’t be kind to him either. He won’t be …” She lets the silence finish her words.He won’t be handsome. He won’t be in one piece.
I think of a million gruesome things hewillbe, but still, I need to see him one last time, no matter how much it hurts.
“I understand.”
She and the other mermaids sink beneath the surface, and it was like they were never there. Not a bubble or a ripple to mark their presence. Only the wide, unforgiving sea.
Chapter
Nineteen
“She can’t go in alone!” Widow yells.
She and Shiner are in a standoff at the front of the cave.
“She must. Tiger Lily said only Moira.”
“That’s bullshit.” Widow shakes her head. “There’s no way she’s going in there by herself. It’s too dangerous. We didn’t come this far and lose our Cap—” She halts, then looks at me.
“It’s all right.” It isn’t, but she’s not lying. We lost someone that can never be replaced, and what he wanted more than anything was to set the island to rights and end the scourge of Peter Pan. I’m here to do just that. Once it’s over, then I’ll mourn, then I’ll let myself fall to pieces. Until then, I have to be strong for Hook. He was always so strong for me.
“You’re not going alone.” Widow comes to my side. “I’m part fae. I can go in and?—”
“That doesn’t matter.” Shiner stomps over. “Don’t you think I want to go in, too?” she snaps. “Wecan’t. Moira is here to restore the balance. She’s theonlyone who can. If anyone else enters theheart of the island, it threatens the balance we’ve been working toward. She’s Peter’s boon. A Spinner. She’s part of the island, and only she has the island’s blessing to enter.”
“You mean Tiger Lily’s blessing,” Widow shoots back.
“Are you saying Tiger Lily doesn’t know the island’s heart?” Shiner’s hand strays to the hilt of her sword.
“I’m saying maybe you’re trying to lead Moira into some sort of trap.” Widow’s fingers flirt with her cutlass.
“What?” Shiner cries.
“Exactly how many pirates have you killed, Shiner? Don’t be shy. You’ve always hated our kind. And now you want to let Moira walk right into?—”
“Guys.” I force my way between them. “Well,ladies, I guess. Ladies, stop this. I don’t think either of you want to hurt each other or me.” I reach out and ease Shiner’s hand away from her sword hilt. “Don’t go ‘Mercutio’ me, all right?”
She blinks. “Don’t what you?”
“Shakespeare. Nevermind.” I wave a hand. “Look, I know the two of you want to protect meandthe island.” Turning to Widow, I scoot her fingers away from her blade. “But I think Shiner is right. If all this started from when—” I swallow hard and say his name. “—Hook went into the island’s heart without Tiger Lily’s blessing, then maybe we should try to go about this the right way this time around. If I’m the only one with the VIP pass, then I’ll go. I can handle myself. I’m magical, remember? And I can fight.”
“I’m not sure how true either of those are.” Widow raises a brow. “You broke Ari’s curse, but you don’t know how. And your fighting is questionable at best.”
“Fair points.” I turn back to Shiner. “What’s in the cave other than the roots of the Nevertree?”
