Peter's Flame

Part 22

"You will be sleeping in my hut."

-Alina's POV-

The second those words had left his lips, my brain went blank.

I could not process what he had just said. Did The Peter Pan just ask me... to sleep in his hut?!

He didn't really ask but it came across my mind like a question. It was a declaration, a fact, not a question.

I tried by best to come up with an excuse but words refused to come to my mind.

"I- uh- n- I don- plea- huh," I tried to form a single sentence but made no success.

He smirked and held out his hand.

I looked down at it. The surface looked rough and worn but he still made sure not to have a single scar on his hand. Unlike me.

I didn't want to touch or even take his hand but he didn't like how long I was taking.

He gently grabbed my hand, my body going numb at the contact, and pulled me into his tent.

We moved past the dining hall into the next room.

His room.

I had seen it before but it felt different. Maybe it was because Pan was awake but I had no clue.

Something felt... off.

I looked around, trying to find the source of my confusion but with no luck.

Everything was exactly how I had seen it before with not one thing out of place.

His desk was scattered with an array of papers, letters, and all sort of bottles in both different shapes and size.

Nothing was out of the ordinary.

Then I found it. A small light was coming through a wall. I looked closer to see that it was not a wall, but a flap.

"What are you doing?"

I jumped and spun around, extending my leg out for a kick. I opened my eyes to see my toe barely touching his chin. His eyes were widened but then he chuckled.

"I didn't expect for you to be that jumpy, no matter what you told me," he laughed.

I retracted my foot, embarrassed.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

He didn't say anything as his laughter echoed through the tent.

"You're fine Alina but try not to get into trouble."

I nodded.

"Why did you bring me here?"

He put a finger to the side of his temple.

"You really don't like being in here, do you? Or is it because of me?"

My face flushed. "No! Of course not! It's just that..." I sighed. "I can't sleep."

"What do you mean," he asked, brows furrowing.

"I can't sleep. Every time I close my eyes, they snap back open. I couldn't sleep even if I wanted to."

"Do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Do you want to sleep?"

I thought about this.

"If I could sleep, I would take the opportunity. But I can't and I have accepted my fate."

He nodded and walked over to his desk before grabbing a vial.