If I could only get back to Peter, I feel like this would all make sense. He would tell me the truth. I have to believe that, because the alternative is Hook. The alternative is me putting my faith in the villain, the man Wendy warned about in her well-worn tale of Lost Boys and fairies, the pirate who killed my friend right in front of my eyes.
I can’t do that.
I never will.
Chapter
Ten
The Jolly Roger was wrapped in the blanket of night, through which no sound from her could have reached the shore.
“You’re looking better.” Widow circles around me as the Jolly Roger coasts through the waves.
Neverland rises ahead of us, the great golden tree glinting in the moonglow. We’re moving closer to Peter, to my freedom, and hopefully to my return home.
“I slept well.” The cannonball warmed me for hours, and when I woke, I found a breakfast already laid out for me on the table. I didn’t see Hook, though. In fact, I haven’t seen him at all today.
“Me too. I guess I missed my time on a rocking boat surrounded by slovenly assholes.” She glances around at the pirates.
“Slovenly?” Starkey drops down from a rope, some sort of metal crank in his hand. “Absolutely not, Widow. I’m the best dressed on the ocean.”
She looks at him over her shoulder. “With the biggest ego.”
“Not the only thing about me that’s big, but you already know that, don’t you?” He grins at her.
My eyes are probably as big as saucers.
Widow tosses her dark hair over her shoulder. “We all make mistakes.”
“Shall we make it again when the moon is high?” He sweeps up behind her. “We’ll be at the hideaway by then.”
“I’ve raised my standards.” She sidesteps him. “No more pirates for me.”
“Then it’s a good thing I’mGentlemanStarkey.” He gives her a practiced bow, his eyes eating up her curves.
She turns her back on him. “Isn’t there a deck needs swabbing?”
“If I recall you’re the newest boatswain onboard. You should be bent over … a mop.” He leans against the railing.
“I have orders.” She draws her cutlass and tosses me a wooden one.
I catch it. Barely.
He looks at me. “A stiff wind could knock you over, darling. You sure you’re up to this?”
“Quit pestering them.” Hook’s voice comes from somewhere above.
I crane my head back and see him leaning out of the crow’s nest.
“Aye, Captain.” Starkey stops gawking and takes his metal crank somewhere up to the front of the ship.
The other sailors get to work, some mopping the deck, others coiling rope, while a few others are working on repairing the sail that was ripped when they fought the Ranger.
“Don’t worry about them. Hook runs a tight ship.”
I hoist the wooden sword. “How can I not worry? They’re pirates.”
“So am I.”
