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“What the fuck, James?”
I refocused my attention on Kat. She was now the one seeing red. “Katherine,” I sighed. “You can’t be serious.”
“You cannot just hold her captive,” she pleaded. “What’s next? Are you going to come up with some perverted use for her, too?”
“I have no need to molest the pixie. Unless, of course, you want to bring her into our bed.” The idea alone had my mind whirling. “They can shift to human size if they want to. As for keeping her captive, I can, and we will.”
My words only fueled her anger more. “I will not?—”
“Katherine,” I interrupted her tirade. “She is unharmed. We need her.”
“I can’t allow you to do that to her, James. After everything I went through. Everything Blackbeard did to me, I would hope you, of all people, would understand. I know what it’s like to be held against your will. We can’t. I won’t.”
“Katherine, sweetheart, I understand your plight, but we are in Neverland. It will be dark soon, and we still have to pass the outskirts of the Viridianwood.” I tried to reason with her. “The beasts will be hunting for their dinner, and I don’t want to end this perfect day by digesting in their bellies.”
“You will release her when we get to the ship.” Her words were an order.
I chuckled condescendingly. “It’s not up for discussion. We need her. I give you my word; she will be treated with kindness.”
“Jas? Is that you?” A confused, masculine voice called out from amongst the trees. Blissfully ending the argument with Kat and stopping me dead in my tracks.
“Who said that?” I drew my sword and shoved the faerie lantern at Kat for safekeeping. I scanned the surrounding landscape, but nothing moved. The number of beings left in Neverland who would remember me was slim. And the voice was too mature to be Peter.
“It can’t be?” The voice was a whisper this time.
“Be a man, and show yourself, coward.”
I heard the forest floor rustle before I saw a familiar face emerge from the trees. Dain had an otherworldly beauty that was hard to forget. He had been training as one of Tiger Lilly’s sentries when I was taken back across the veil.
“I am no coward. Identify yourself,” he said, his face contorted with bewilderment.
“Dain, it is I, Jas.”
A look of shock flitted across his amber eyes. I assumed the fae were well aware that once a Lost Boy disappeared, they were quickly forgotten, never to be seen again. “You have changed, old friend, or should I say—grew up?”
“Aye, It’s Captain James now.” His choice of words was not lost on me. I had grown up, while many others like me never got the chance. I was not the boy he once knew. “Tell me, what brings you to this part of the island?”
“You tell me, Captain James,” his voice was full of sarcasm. “Why are you back in Neverland? And who is this beautiful creature hiding behind you?”
“She is none of your concern. I’m here to pay Pan a visit. It’s been far too long, don’t you agree?”
He stared at me for a long moment. I could see the wheels turning as he took measure of me. “Is that your ship anchored out in Three Pence Bay?” he asked, redirecting the conversation that was beginning to feel more like an interrogation.
“Aye.”
“I’m on reconnaissance for Princess Tiger Lily. There have been reports of a rogue band of Lost Boys roaming the Viridianwood. The village is on edge, and your ship's arrival was enough to launch an official investigation. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you, Lost Boy?”
“I’m no Lost Boy, Dain.” I spat the words.
“Once a Lost Boy, always a Lost Boy.”
“Those days are long over. Peter exiled me, remember?” I paused, giving him a moment to search for the details that likely wouldn’t surface. “I’m sure it’s hard to keep track when Pan thins out his ranks so frequently,” I added when all he produced was a confused look. “It was my crew hunting for dinner in the Viridianwood earlier today. Consider your mystery solved.”
“Unless your crew was here days before your ship, your men are not the rogue Lost Boys we are looking for.”
My blood began to boil. Only now that these forsaken Lost Boys were deemed a possible threat were the fae getting involved.
“James, we need to get back to the ship,” Katherine spoke in my ear. “What if?—”
