AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Princess Tiger Lily?” Katherine asked, her eyes widening.
“I’ll tell you more about her in a moment. I want to keep our arrival a secret for as long as possible. Finding Pan will be easier if he doesn’t know we’re lurking in the shadows.”
She nodded, focusing intently on every word.
“The Mysterious River leads you into the island, keeping the Viridianwood to your left. Just beyond the end of the river, due east, you’ll find the Lost Boy’s camp.”
“That’s where Pan will be?”
I huffed. “Pan likes to wander the island alone. He’s rarely ever at home.”
“Hmm, that’s going to make it more complicated.”
I chuckled. “Nothing good comes easy.”
“We have the ruby. Maybe we could use it to locate him?”
“It is tempting.” I pondered the idea. With no solid information on the cost incurred from using the relic, I decided it wasn’t worth the risk. “I feel it is best to avoid any ill consequences at this time. The island is small. We’ll find him,” I said, gently dismissing her suggestion, and continued my summary of the regions. “Northwest of the Mermaid Lagoon and due north of the Viridianwood is Tiger Lily’s village.”
“The Princess?”
“Yes, Neverland is governed by fae. Tiger Lily comes from a line of Divine Chosen. She is a nymph—native to the island. Much like Pan, she looks considerably younger than her years.”
“How young?”
“Adolescent.”
“And she’s the ruler here?”
“Well, technically, her father is, but more often than not, he’s gallivanting around the realms on diplomatic missions, leaving Tiger Lily to rule in his stead. But don’t let her youthful appearance fool you. She is a powerful force to be reckoned with. Her people age extremely slowly, even by Neverland’s standards. Time here moves at a snail’s pace.”
“Captain,” Starkey popped his head into the doorframe. “We have arrived and dropped anchor. The rain appears to be passing.”
“Perfect. Prepare to go ashore.”
“Katherine, welcome to our new home.” I ushered her delicate frame over the rocky shores. “Watch your step. The rain has let up, but the rocks will be slippery.”
“It’s beautiful!” she gasped. “More so than I could have ever imagined.”
Neverland welcomed us with its picturesque landscape. The smooth grey stones of the shoreline gave way to the lush, vivid greens of the Viridianwood. The sun peeked out from the clouds, casting glimmers of sparkling light along the surface of the Mysterious River.
“Please allow me the honor of showing you around. We will start our tour along the banks of the river and continue northeast around the island.”
Going straight up the river to Tiger Lily’s village would have made more sense, but curiosity was eating me alive. I had to get eyes on Pan. The sooner, the better. Heading northeast would ensure we would find ourselves within the outskirts of the Lost Boy’s camp, and I could use the Mermaid’s Lagoon as a diversion.
“Shouldn’t we head into the forest?” she asked. “We need to find food and supplies.”
“The Viridianwood is an extremely dangerous place, Kat. Evil lurks between the trees. We’ll be better off taking our chances along the banks of the river.” She looked at me with suspicion. Her eyebrows raised in question.
“Are you sure you’re not just taking us straight to the Lost Boy’s camp?” She grinned. “Maybe you shouldn’t have drawn me a map? Your vendetta against Pan can wait. We need rations.”
“My love, I’m simply taking you to see Neverland’s best. Don’t you want to see the Mermaid’s Lagoon? I’ll send the crew out for rations while we explore.”
Katherine rolled her eyes. “You underestimate me, James. I can see right through your schemes. You’d be wise to remember who I am.”
“Starkey,” I ignored her retort, “appease Miss Hawkins. You, Cecco, and Mason head into the forest. Find us a beast for dinner. Better yet, make it two.”
“Aye, Captain.”
