“Hello.”
I whirl, my eyes finding a little boy, no older than nine, staring at me curiously. “Who are you?”
“I’ve never seen you before.”
I roll my shoulder, popping it back into socket where the Bandersnatch had jerked it loose again. “I’m not from Neverland.”
He takes a step closer and I tense. Just because he looks like a child doesn’t mean he’s harmless. I know that better than anyone. “Are you a friend of Wendy?”
Something inside me throbs. “Yes,” I rasp. “Wendy called us here to help Neverland.”
The screams echo around me, forcing me to turn my head to search. They sound closer, tortured, shattering. I don’t know if it’s really Tiger Lily or a trick of the cave. When I look back at the boy again, I find him much closer, and I’m surprised enough that I stumble back a step.
“Why did you come here?” the boy asks. “Wendy knows better. I told her.”
“We had no choice. We have to find the door.”
He tilts his head, as if listening to something in the distance. “The woman you came here with has already found the answer, but she had to make a deal to get it.”
“What sort of deal?” Dealing with the Tweedles pop into my mind and I panic. If Tiger Lily is trapped, I’ll rip the cave to shreds to find her.
“The one she made a deal with likes loopholes. She won, but she didn’t specify.” He pauses. “If I help you, can you tell Wendy something for me?”
I’m not sure what makes me do it. I’m not sure why, but this phantom feels different. Still dangerous, still capable of causing pain, but different in another way. “Yes. If you help both Tiger Lily and I out of this cave right now, I’ll deliver a message to Wendy Darling.”
He nods. “Good. You’re clever to word it that way.” He holds his fingers out to me. “Take my hand, Hare. Let’s go get Tiger Lily.”
I hesitate for a second before putting my trust in him. Worst case scenario, I’m trapped in Skull Rock, but then again, I’ve suffered far more tragic punishments than that. Best case, Tiger Lily and I walk out of here.
The moment I take his hand, I’m jerked forward, the air in my lungs disappearing before I’m thrown from the mouth of the cave. I’m scrambling to my feet, prepared to shout that he promised to get Tiger Lily out, but before I can, the Chieftess comes flying from the cave faster than I’m prepared for. I manage to catch her, but I didn’t brace myself fast enough. Her weight knocks me backwards, but I keep her cradled in my arms, protecting her from the hard ground. When I’m able to look at her, pushing myself back up to check her over, I swallow thickly.
Lily is completely drenched in blood. The smell hits my senses a second later, overwhelming me, and I have to shake my head to clear it. Something this bad will take time to heal, the wounds far worse than a simple stitching back together. I can’t get lost in the madness right now, not when she needs me. I have to make sure she heals first.
I look towards the mouth of the cave, at the little boy standing just inside the entrance.
“A deal’s a deal,” I tell him. “What do you wish me to tell Wendy?”
He hesitates, blinking slowly. I don’t know what I expected, but the words that come out of his mouth certainly aren’t it.
“Tell her,” he says, before pausing. “Tell her it wasn’t her fault. Tell her I would have died anyways.”
“And who do I tell her the message is from?”
Tiger Lily shifts in my hold, her brilliant eyes popping open, but she doesn’t speak, doesn’t interrupt the moment.
The little boy backs into the darkness, but before he disappears completely, I hear his answer. I know whatever importance this moment has will mean far more to Wendy. I’m experiencing something I’m not meant to, and I know I owe Wendy Darling a favor. Without this phantom somehow connected to her, we would have never made it out. I would have never found Tiger Lily in time.
“Michael,” the boy’s voice rasps from the darkness. “Tell her it’s from Michael.”
The sound of the oars hitting the water echoes behind us.
Chapter Twenty-Five
I come to in March’s arms, my body overflowing with pain upon pain. Everything hurts; everything feels like I was ripped to shreds. I remember bits and pieces of before, of the Shadow ripping into me, the false Peter laughing. And then I remember, as everything faded to black, a little boy grabbing my hand and yanking hard.
I sit up suddenly, the image of the little boy filling my mind, but when I look into the mouth of the cave, there’s no one there. I turn to March, intent on asking him about what I’d seen, but his eyes are already looking down at me as he cradles me in his arms.
“You didn’t imagine him,” he reassures me. “He said his name was Michael.”
I nearly swallow my tongue. “Michael? You’re sure?” When he nods, I rub my forehead. Michael. Wendy’s littlest brother somehow helped us get out. It suddenly makes sense that Wendy didn’t want to speak of her experiences inside Skull Rock, especially if it dealt with her brothers.
“We made a deal. He helped us get out, and in return, I’m delivering a message to Wendy.”
My face twists in worry. Poor Wendy.
The sound of the paddles slapping the water draws my eyes to the sea where Hook and Wendy push the small boat up close enough for us to leap onto. I try to stand, but the wounds on my legs are still too much. They can’t hold my weight. I shouldn’t have worried though. March scoops me into his arms easily and leaps over the gap between the rock and the boat, somehow never jostling me, before nestling us in the boat.
“Are you okay?” Wendy asks, her eyes wide as she looks me over. I know what she sees, the blood coating my skin, the open wounds. It’ll all be healed before we reach land, but that’s the point. Wendy knows what she’s seeing is still far better than I was not even moments before.
“I am. And we have some things to discuss once we meet the others, but first, March has something he’d like to tell you.” I glance up at the Hare and take his hand. I can feel his hesitation, not because he doesn’t want to tell Wendy, but because he senses the emotions it’ll evoke.
Wendy’s eyes flick between us and then back to Skull Rock, searching the mouth of the cave, lingering. I’m not sure if she sees anything there or not. I don’t turn to look and take away her moment if she does, but though she’d never told us all she’d seen there, it has to be because of the little boy.
“He helped you, didn’t he?” she whispers, her blue eyes shifting back to us.
We nod. I don’t remember as much as March, but I know he helped us, even if I’d only saw a flash of him taking my hand while the Shadow attacked me. I hope he’s okay after going against the phantom I’d made a deal with. I hope he didn’t break any rules.
March shifts me until I can sit up by myself and offers a hand to Wendy. Hook watches carefully even as he paddles us back to the Star Chaser, making sure Wendy is okay without suffocating her. He doesn’t seem surprised to hear about Michael and I take it to mean he met him, too.
“A little boy came to me and asked if I was your friend.” March keeps his voice low, making sure his message is for Wendy more than anyone else who might be listening. “We made a deal. If he helped Tiger Lily and I out of the cave, I’d delivere a message to you.”
Wendy leans forward, her eyes on March. “And what is the message?”
“He said to tell you, it wasn’t your fault. He said he would have died anyways.”
Hook’s rhythm stumbles a little as he paddles and I glance at him, making sure he’s okay, but his eyes are riveted to Wendy, concerned for her more than anything.
“Thank you,” Wendy murmurs, blinking, and I know she’s trying to stop her tears. Lifetimes of forcing tears back to hide her secrets have bred the need to do so, but when I reach out for her hand when March drops it, I smile at her.
“Tears are not a weakness, Wendy Darling.” I hold her gaze as more well. “In fact, for you, they’re our streng
th.”
“Do you. . .” Wendy swallows. “Do you think it’s really Michael trapped on Skull Rock? Did I do that to him?”
I bite my lip. I don’t deign to know much about phantoms, but I do know about death. “I think, even though your brothers are still alive, some part of them could have slipped out. I think, the Michael on Skull Rock is as real as the Michael of the Lost. Pieces of Souls in different places.” Giving her hand a gentle squeeze, I make sure she’s looking in my eyes. “The fact that the Michael on Skull Rock has helped not only you, but people you care about, proves that he’s real, Wendy, and he wouldn’t want you blaming yourself for that.”
“Thank you,” she murmurs before we sit back.
Climbing aboard The Star Chaser, the rest of the crew help us up and then give us a wide berth, as if being on Skull Rock is contagious. I don’t blame them. Their eyes follow our movements as March helps me limp to a crate and sets me down. I’m healing fast, but it’ll take me the time between now and arriving on land to be fully functional again. All but March avoid me and I’m not sure exactly what they’re afraid of. It isn’t until Wendy brings my headdress back and I smile gratefully at her, that anyone gets the courage to come forward.
“Hello, Tiger Lily,” the man says, taking a seat beside me and offering a pouch of dried meat. “My name’s Smee. With injuries like that, you’ll need some fuel.”
I take the dried meat gratefully, pleased when the flavors burst on my tongue. They’re different from what my Tribe uses on our meat but it’s still good. “You’re Wendy’s first mate,” I murmur, smiling at him. I’ve seen him working often with Wendy, sometimes with another man at his side who I’d always assumed was his lover, with the way they move around each other. Smee and Pete are one of the couples I’ve seen while we all stay in the Coven, another set of happy thoughts. I wonder when the happy thoughts will get to be too much.
“I am,” he nods. “That’s why I know what you must have went through while on Skull Rock.” His intelligent eyes meet mine. “Keep the whole bag, Chieftess. You need it.”
I close my eyes and tilt my head up, feeling the salt air. We’re not far enough from the land for the sun to break through at Skull Rock, but I can see it in the distance, and I can almost imagine that it’s a different time, that we’re not in trouble, and that everyone is safe.
“We owe you many thanks,” Smee murmurs, and I look back at him, furrowing my brows.
“What do you mean?” I’ve done nothing of note, not to deserve the gratitude I see shining on his face.
“We all know Neverland is in trouble. We expected Wendy to fight for us, because that’s who she is. But you and Tink don’t have to join in. I know what you gave up to do this, to walk onto an island of phantoms, to fight against our enemies.” He smiles. “You deserve every ounce of gratitude I can provide.”
A chorus of “aye’s” go up around the ship, agreeing with him, and I look around in surprise. I hadn’t realized anyone was listening, and my throat thickens with how many are looking at me with the same expression.
“Aye,” Wendy adds, smiling, and then she elbows Hook until he says the same.
“It’s the right thing to do,” I murmur, looking back at Smee.
He grins. “It’s the human thing to do.”
I hear the words he doesn’t say, that perhaps, Wendy isn’t the only one with humanity left inside her.
The thought brings more relief than I expect.
We dock the Star Chaser and make our way back to the Coven, on guard the entire time. March and I both keep our ears peeled for any signs of the Croc, but we make it back to the Coven without incident. For a moment, it confuses me. We’re prime targets out in the forest, and Wolfbane has to have Lost watching our movements somehow, if he isn’t himself. The fact we make it back without any trouble is enough to put me on edge. What is he planning that he let us pass by so easily? What’s coming?
I’m healed once we touch land, though I’m still covered in blood, my clothing ruined with the red stains and claw marks splitting parts of it. I’ll have to find a new outfit soon, but walking into the Coven as covered in red as I am sends up a panic more than the bloodstains on March. It’s clear to see I faired worse than March by looking between us.
“I’m fine,” I hurry to reassure them when I enter. March doesn’t look as bad as I do, but his shirt hangs in tatters around his shoulders. I see more than a few eyes widen when they see his scars, when they realize just how brutal the March Hare is, but it really surprises me when I see the other Wonderland inhabitants’ reactions to the scars. It seems, not even they knew he has them.
“Is that from now?” White asks, his brows furrowed, “or have you always had them?”
“They appeared around the time I was Chosen as the Keeper of Memories,” March admits, taking a shirt one of the pirates offers gratefully. He quickly switches them out, hiding the scars away from prying eyes.
“Come,” I murmur, gesturing for them and the others to meet around the fire. It’s become habit, to include them all in the circle. “Is Aniya okay?”
“She’s fine,” Bear calls, smiling. “We’re having a tea party with her creatures. You can thank the Cat for that.”
My eyes fall on Cheshire, the gruffest of the Wonderlanders and I raise my brow. He shifts uncomfortably.
“What?” he growls. “Little girls like tea parties.”
Cal tries to hide her smile but eventually she has to turn her head away to do so, or else risk the big, bad Cheshire Cat seeing how adorable she thinks it is.
“Thank you for taking the time to show her,” I murmur to him. I don’t try to hide my smile, because there’s always going to be something adorable about that image in my head.
Cheshire nods, and I turn my attention to the others. “When we entered Skull Rock, we tried to stay together, and managed to do so, but eventually, it became more dangerous to stay together than it was to separate.”
“They would have attacked you twice as hard in order to get you apart,” Hook says, nodding. “They don’t like when you manage to last.”
“Yes, they didn’t like it at all. But while we were apart, I was greeted by a phantom.”
“Whose face did it wear?” Wendy asks, and there’s sympathy on her face, because she already knows.
Peter sits on the other side of the fire from me, his eyes foggy as if he’s somewhere else in his mind. I don’t have to answer Wendy. She nods her head in understanding. “What did he say?”
“We made a deal actually. The phantoms of Skull Rock surprisingly desired to make deals today. Our deal was, once I got a question right, he’d have to let me go.”
“And if you got it wrong?” White asks, his eyes on mine.
“Then I was attacked by his Shadow.” Peter looks up at my words, his face twisting painfully when he realizes exactly what I’d faced. Wendy had known right away, but Peter, he hardly seems to know anything at all.
“How many wrong answers did you get?” Jupiter leans forward to hear my answer better, her curiosity getting the better of her. I like her more knowing she was willing to step onto Skull Rock herself, even knowing her immortality might not have held up against the phantoms there.
“Two. I got the third correct. But then he stated he never said when he would let me go, so I was stuck there until I had help.” My eyes flick to Wendy and she smiles. “I decided to ask for the location of the door in my questions, because if we can find it, we can study it and figure out how to open it.”
White nods. “That’s smart. Once we find it, we can figure it out from there.”
“I asked if it was in Wendy’s domain first, figuring the sea is the one place we haven’t truly been able to explore.” Wendy perks up. “But that was wrong. I asked if it was in Tink or my domain next, thinking maybe we could have missed it. But that was wrong, too.”
“Which leaves one domain the three of us don’t touch,” Tink murmurs, sighing. “You asked if it was in the Crocodi
le’s domain third, didn’t you?”
“I did.” I clench my fist at my side, but March’s fingers straighten out my own, taking away some of my tension. “The door we seek is on the Dark Side of the island.”
Hook curses, his words far coarser than I’ve ever heard the pirate use, which is saying something in itself. Tink’s shoulders visibly shrink but not enough that anyone who doesn’t know her will notice. I only see it because I’m looking at her. Wendy and Peter have little reaction, as if it doesn’t surprise them, but I know in Wendy’s case, it’s a pessimistic outlook. In Peter’s, it’s simply numbness.
“That’s bad, right?” Atlas asks, raising his brow. He’s not wearing the armor he came in—most of them aren’t—so the sight he makes wearing a black t-shirt and ripped jeans makes me do a double take. I’ve discounted the Berserker as mostly just here, but lounging as he is, his power leaks from him in waves. Dangerous, my instincts scream, but I look away. There are bigger things to worry about right now.
“The Dark Side is where the Crocodile and the Lost reside,” I answer. “And the last time March and I were there, we witnessed a chimera storm.”
Jupiter sighed heavily. “What are the chances of the chimeras no longer being there?”
“Is there a way to even measure that?” Cal shakes her head. “There aren’t supposed to be chimeras here at all.”
Everyone started talking at once, their voices meshing until I can’t pick one from the other. It makes my head throb, and after the ordeal on Skull Rock, I only desire to lay down and rest, perhaps even sit with Aniya for a few minutes and ask her which creatures she’s called this time. Though my body is healed, I still feel exhausted after fighting phantoms I’m not even sure were real.
“Is everything okay?” March whispers in my ear, his fingers squeezing mine a little tighter in reassurance.
Nodding, I smile gently at the Hare. “I just need some more rest.”
“We’ll retire right after they finish. . .” March tilts his head, his ears twitching, his words trailing off as he focuses.
Fierce as a Tiger Lily (Daughters of Neverland Book 2) Page 16