“You’ll be plenty comfortable onboard, miss.” The captain runs his fingers along the brim of his hat. “And the trip to Neverland won’t take too long.”
I whip my head around. “You’re taking me to Neverland?”
“Sure am. I made a deal with your lover boy over there. Going to come out of it with quite a load of fairy dust.” He sucks on a tooth. “Just have to deliver you.”
Surely, I haven’t misheard him. He means to return me to Peter. This is actually … a stroke of luck for once? I want to believe it, but I’ve been fooled by a pirate before.
“Are you serious?”
“I’ll have you delivered before the moon is high again.” He picks something off his leather pants and flicks it into the sea. “A deal is a deal.” He grins, the moon glinting off a golden front tooth.
I don’t know what to say. I can only hope it’s true. But I don’t feel as relieved as I might. Not when my life is in the hands of pirates.
Balls rows for a while longer, then slows the boat as we approach a ship that’s maybe half the size of Hook’s.
“Let’s go. Peter’s waiting.” The captain stands and offers his hand again.
This time I take it, and he jerks me to my feet.
Someone throws a rope ladder over the side, and I cringe when the captain gestures toward it. “Ladies first.”
“I don’t know if I can.” It’s not too high up, but my leg is already aching.
“Best get a move on then.” Cock snorts and grabs the ladder, handing the end to me.
I gingerly move to it, careful not to rock the boat too much. We’re in deep water now, the shore far behind us. The mist surrounds us, covering everything with a milky haze.
I pull on the ladder, testing it, and it holds as pirates clunk around on the deck above me. It takes more effort than I thought I had, but I manage to climb using mostly my good leg. When I pull myself onto the deck, I look back over to find all three pirates in the boat staring up at me. That’s when I realize they’d been looking up my dress.
Yanking my dress over my knees, I catch my breath as I sit with my back against the side railing. Pirates mill around, all of them eyeing me suspiciously, some of them whispering to each other. When the captain pops over the top of the ladder, he takes off his ridiculous hat and tosses it to one of the men. “Hang it up.”
“Aye.” The pirate limps off, one of his legs a wooden peg.
“Welcome aboard.” The captain takes my arm and pulls me along with him toward the front of the ship. “You’ll be plenty comfortable. I’ll even be so kind as to keep you in my private quarters.” He turns to me, a smile on his lips. “Seeing as how I’m a gentleman.”
There’s nothing about this man that’s remotely gentle. I glance back at the island, but I can’t see it through the fog. My misgivings are growing by the second, but I’ve made my stupid bed, so now I have to lie in it—stupidly.
“In here.” He opens a narrow door that leads into his quarters, the ceiling low and only one window along the back. It smellslike stale laundry with extra muskiness. I want to cover my nose, but I’m trying not to be rude.
“Get underway, you dogs!” The captain’s shout makes me jump.
I look around the sparse room and realize Hook’s quarters verge on nice. This is more like a cellar than anything, musty smells included.
“Nice, eh?” He closes the door and leans on it, his hand behind him as I hear the lock turn over. “Let it never be said that Calico Jack doesn’t know how to treat a lady.”
Calico Jack? Isn’t that the one Blackbeard kept joking about being his enemy?
“Have a seat.” He points to the bed. “It’s mighty comfortable.”
The ship lurches, moving through the sea toward Neverland.
“I’m good.” I back against the wall and glance out the window. “When will we get to Neverland?”
“Already wanting to leave us?” He steps toward me, his gaze raking up and down my body.
My heart drops into my stomach, and I glance at the door. “I just know Peter’s worried about me. That’s all.”
“I’d say so.” He moves closer. “He’s paying me a pile of fairy dust and a heap of gold to deliver you to his doorstep.”
