Peter by day, Pan by night

Chapter 40

        “Really, I am disappointed it took you this long to figure it out. It’s embarrassing-since we are flesh and blood and all that.” He balances on the beam of the top sail. “And don’t call me father. How about Hook? Or captain? Or even Jas? I was never meant to be a father.” His dark eyes stare through me and I’m afraid he knows I hold the only sword that can hurt Peter Pan.

        I watch as he moves easily over the slippery beam. I start to warn him to be careful, but then shake my head. He is the enemy. He tried to kill me. And Peter Pan. He destroyed Neverland, but I won’t let him have my world.

        “Your darling mother might have helped you-but she can’t hurt me. Neither can you. And where is your brave pipe player now?”

        “You can’t hurt Peter Pan. The explosion in the cave didn’t kill him.” Or me, not that he cares.

        Hook shrugs. “It wasn’t supposed to. Do you really think that I don’t know you hold the dagger? He knows you were sent to kill him, but not why.”

        I glare and have to remind myself that he can’t fly anymore. At least not in this body. The clock ticks steadily toward midnight. And I wonder if this is all part of his game-distracting us so time runs out.

        I wet my lips and force myself to move closer until I hover only a few feet out of reach. “Like you said, magic always comes with a price.”

        “Actually you were the one who said it. But it is true.” His dark curls brush the tips of his upturned black collar. He dresses like a gentleman, but is nothing like one.

        “And I have a feeling you had to give up more than love. You tied yourself to this island. You are the darkness, Hook. You are the curse.”

        Hook waves his silver hook in the air. “Do go on.”

        So I was right, he is only trying to distract me. Which means there is something better I should be doing. Something so necessary that Hook would antagonize me instead of going after Peter.

        I finger the dagger behind my back and slowly pull it out. Hook already knows I have it. And maybe that is why he is keeping me here.

        “You are the curse, not Peter Pan.” I lean forward. Which means that if we destroy Hook, will the curse be destroyed too? If so, it would change everything. Peter will live and the darkness will leave Neverland forever. Queen Moira didn’t believe it would work, but she might have said that because a part of her will always love Jas.

        My eyes move to the dagger. Will fairy dust and gold work on a pirate too? And he is more than a one handed pirate-he is a mighty fae.

        We are out of choices.

        I still don’t want to kill anyone-but I’d rather kill this monster than Peter Pan.

        “Darling, you know little girls shouldn’t play with knives.”

        I snap my eyes back towards the captain. “Yes…because it is dangerous when we do. You shouldn’t underestimate little girls.”

         “I never have.” Hook calmly steps off the beam. My mouth falls open as he easily walks through the air towards me. I lurch away, but he is too fast.

        His hook snags my sleeve, his other hand yanking me against his chest.

        “No!” I scream, twisting in his arms. “You’re a pirate, you can’t fly!”

        “Of course I can. How do you think the ship stays in the air?” He drags me back, his words hot in my ear. “I’m not just a crewmember, I’m the captain. And I’m fae.”

        Green flashes as the leader of the lost boys flies in front of us. Peter’s eyes shift quickly, but his voice remains casual, steady.

        “Bad form, Captain. Gentlemen don’t threaten girls.”

        “We are not gentlemen, Pan.” He snarls as he lifts his hook to my throat. He yanks the dagger away from me and points it at Peter. “My spell is almost complete. If you move, she dies.”

        The cold metal of his hook traces across my throat.

        Fear fills my eyes. Midnight is only a few minutes away. My father is insane. And I have handed him the only weapon that can kill Peter Pan.

        Peter holds out his hands. “Now, now, Hook. You won’t be able to kill us both like that. Most of your men have already been defeated.”

        “I don’t need to kill you, just her.”

        Fire trembles inside me. The last piece falls into place. That is Hook’s secret. Disguised as Felix, he’s had countless opportunities to kill Peter-but he never did. Mother tried to explain, but I didn’t understand.

        Hook can kill Peter, but he won’t. If he does, he’ll lose his greatest weapon. The darkness is tied to Neverland. And Peter is Neverland. If Peter dies, Hook will be destroyed.