“I’m the only one here. Now go. I’m safe.” I don’t mention that I want to take a good look at the map.
He doesn’t move, his eyes holding mine.
I’m not backing down. I don’t care how hard he and his muscles stare at me.
“Fine. Just stay here, all right? Don’t wander off.” He backs to the doorway.
“Wait.”
His eyes light. “Change your mind?” He moves toward me again.
“No.” I put my hand up. “Not on that. I just want to know why you referred to me as your ‘boon’. What did that mean?”
He stops his advance. “Nothing.”
“I don’t believe you.” I cross my arms over my chest and fight off another shiver. “Tell me the truth.”
“It’s just a word.” His eyes seem to shutter, and he backs away more quickly this time. “It means a blessing.”
“I know what it means.”
“All right, then you know it isn’t a bad thing. Don’t worry about it.” He turns to leave. “Get warm. We’ll come by in a little while for a story, all right? I’ll bring neverberries.” He strides away, out of my view.
I strip quickly and crawl between the blankets, then lay out my clothes beside me to dry. The Guardians didn’t tell me anything, didn’t give me any idea of what they were thinking or why they truly wanted to speak to me.
I’m in the same place I was before they took me, so why am I now left with even more questions?
Chapter
Thirteen
Fairies have to be one thing or the other, because being so small they unfortunately have room for only one feeling at a time.
Isit at the kitchen table, my usual plate full of neverberries in front of me. The men bustle around and claim to be making waffles. The berries are great, but I’d absolutely do a murder for a waffle right now. My clothes are warm and dry, and I don’t seem to have any negative effects from being out in the rain yesterday.
Even so, I have another pounding headache that feels like someone’s chiseling the bone between my eyes. And I had dreams, bad ones. I woke several times to find the fire still stoked and crackling beside me, but each time I fell back asleep, I dreamed of dark forms rising from the ground, all of them trying to drag me down with them.
“You all right?” Coy asks, his tone apologetic, as the table chatter dies down.
He hadn’t met my eyes last night, and he’d left the room as soon as my story was done.
“I’m okay. Are you?”
“All good. I’m sorry about yesterday. I never should’ve taken you to town.” He shakes his head.
“I liked town. It was just the Guardians we didn’t plan on.”
“He knows to never risk you like that again.” Peter’s voice falls between us like a guillotine. “Isn’t that right, Coy?”
“Yes, of course.” Coy drops his gaze.
Foy leans over and whispers something in his brother’s ear, and the chatter at the table starts up again.
I rub my forehead and wonder how long I’ve been here. Technically, I think it’s only been a few days, but with no sun, I have no solid number to go by. I wonder if anyone at school has even missed me. Then again, if time works strangely in Neverland, does that mean I’ve only been gone for a short time? Or maybe it means I’ve been gone for even longer than it seems.
“Waffles are up!” Slightly hands Tootles a plate.
“Hey. Why can’t I see the food? I mean, seriously. I want food.” I stare at Slightly as he pours invisible batter into a crude waffle iron. I could swear I smell the faintest whiff of it cooking, but that must be my imagination. Wishful thinking. Though I don’t make a wish. I glance at Peter who’s speaking quietly with Curly. Much too quietly, in fact.
