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“Portal?” James asked.
Starkey gazed questioningly at his companions, who stood stoic, silently appraising the situation. “Last we knew, the Jolly Roger sat in the belly of a mountain. Did you not wonder how she came to be there?”
James remained silent for a moment, pondering the question before he answered. “We’ve only just arrived. The ruby was our first priority. You graced us with your presence just as we were formulating a plan. But tell me more.”
“A slip in time. A wormhole. A void between realms if you would. It took us centuries to find. Who knew the gods would hide such a valuable treasure in such an insignificant realm? But I digress. With that ruby, the portal can bring us anywhere in the cosmos.”
“But how does the stone work, exactly?” James asked.
“You only have to focus on your intentions. Set your mind to your wants and desires and speak the words to life.”
A well of excitement built in my chest, cutting through the knot of anxiety. This stranger had saved me from revealing my failures to James. It all made sense now. When James had wished for a crew, the ruby had manifested it into reality.
“That’s it?” James sounded incredulous as he scratched at his beard, obviously not convinced that Starkey had all the answers. “The most complex magic in the universe, and all I have to do is think about what I want?”
“There is beauty in simplicity, is there not?” Starkey said.
“Or destruction,” he countered. “The Heart of the Divine in the wrong hands would be a nightmare.”
Starkey eyed James thoroughly. “That remains to be seen, Captain.”
James growled at the veiled appraisal of his character before ending the conversation with a clipped order. “I suggest you get topside and make yourself useful. I want her ready to sail. We have our heading.”
The fae filtered past us without another word.
“James,” I said, holding him back from following our newfound crew. “Are you sure we can trust them?” I whispered.
“They owe their very existence to me, and with this,” he grasped the ruby tight in his fist, “I could take that all away. I think that is enough to keep them loyal,” he reassured me. “Come on. Our destiny awaits.” He placed a solid kiss on my temple and pulled me toward the main deck.
Neverland… Peter Pan… Revenge. Neverland… Peter Pan… Revenge… The words cycled through my mind. I closed my eyes and envisioned myself walking along her rocky shores, Peter in a bloody heap behind me. My heart pounded as the wind began to stir the air around us.
“James, it’s working. Look.” Katherine grabbed my hand, gripping it tightly.
I tried to quell my excitement. Focus, damn it. Neverland, Peter Pan, revenge. Neverland, Peter Pan, revenge.
The surrounding water swirled up into a giant maelstrom, aimlessly tossing the ship about like a fallen leaf caught in the wind. With the ruby firmly gripped in my palm, I locked my arms around Kat, trapping her between myself and the mainmast. We were too close to lose now. I wouldn’t allow the growing chaos to tear us from the ship.
Walls of water surrounded us on all sides while an unseen force pulled the ship deeper into the murky depths. Anxious energy coursed through my limbs while my heart pounded against my ribs. Had we made a mistake? Had my obsession gone too far? Had I allowed it to burn too hot? Darkness descended upon us, shrouding us in pitch-black nothingness. The Jolly Roger lurched violently onto its port side, rolling itself over completely moments before shooting up through the vortex of water.
Light spilled over us with calm skies once again above our heads. As quickly as it had begun, it seemed to come to an abrupt end as the ship bobbed calmly along the surface of the water once again.
“Are you okay?” I reached up, brushing the mussed hair from Katherine’s beautiful face. She had been in my arms the entire time we ‘traveled,’ but I couldn’t be too sure. We had no idea what the cost of using the ruby was or what consequences we would face, if any at all.
Kat reached up, grabbed my face and kissed me gently. “I’m fine, James.” She smiled before looking around. “Did it work? Are we back in Neverland?”
Gathering my bearings, I scanned the horizon. Off in the distance, shrouded in storm clouds, was the familiar profile of my beloved island. Either Peter was in a mood, or the island knew I was here to take my revenge. An ominous warning to the natives of the dark days ahead. My heart pounded with excitement, and a wicked grin spread across my face. All my sacrifices, suffering, and relentless desire to return to Pan had finally paid off. Neverland and all her splendors were mere moments away. Peter was about to taste my wrath.
“At last!” I jumped into the air, pounding my fist at the sky before kissing the ruby. “Ha ha! Yes, we did it!” Reaching for her face, I pulled her in for another kiss. “We did it, Katherine.” I picked her up and spun her around in my excitement. “Thank you for finding the Heart of the Divine. This wouldn’t be happening if it weren’t for you.”
“I do believe, Mr. James, that this was all you.” Katherine’s words warmed my heart. It had nearly cost me my life to get back to Neverland, but it had been worth it. Now, the real adventure was about to begin.
“Starkey! Hoist the sails and prepare the ship. We set sail immediately.”
“Aye, aye, Captain. Crew, you heard him. Make haste.”
“Miss Hawkins,” I said playfully, matching her flirtatious use of my formal name. “Join me in the captain’s quarters. While the crew mans the ship, I’ll draw a map to help you find your bearings.”
I clutched Katherine’s hand as I dragged her to our cabin, barely able to contain my excitement. In all its fine velvets, the room felt suffocatingly small with the entirety of Neverland waiting just beyond the walls. I searched the cluttered table in the center of the room, my eyes landing on an old map. “This will suffice.” I flipped it over and quickly sketched out the island, dividing the land into its regions. “We’ll set anchor here—Three Pence Bay. It keeps us fairly close to the Lost Boy’s camp and provides us with the cover of the Viridianwood. It’s unlikely Princess Tiger Lily’s sentries will be actively patrolling this area of the island.”
