Without You (Book 2 of The Blue Star) OUAT

Cages

Chapter 22

*Solstice*

The trees rustled around me as I focused on Archer. Sparkling blue dominated my attention; I held my breath as I waited anxiously for his response. I just confessed my love for Peter. How would Archer respond?

As soon as the words left my mouth, his once concerned expression rapidly declined into mortification. The torchlight revealed the anger in his eyes. Color drained from his face; white as a ghost, but a ghost with vivid blue eyes. His feet were rooted to the ground, his arms fell to his sides as he gaped. His words were barely audible.

"What?" He swallowed hard, waiting for my response.

"I love Peter." I answered while looking directly into his eyes. I held my gaze as Archer's eyes burned with animosity.

"Solstice," his voice was low and commanding, "how could you?" His hands abruptly shot out and gasped my arms. "What are you thinking!?" Fury spiked in his words as his outburst continued to rage; "Pan is a murder! He is a monster! Don't see that?" His grip instinctively tightened around my arms; "Pan did something to mess with your mind!"

"Archer." My soft words were overrun by Archer's vexations.

"You have to stop thinking Pan is the hero when he's the villain! You can't love a villain Solstice! He'll never love you! He's not capable of it!"

"Archer!!" I immediately cut him off with an intense shout. He suddenly stopped speaking; his eyes widened slightly with surprise. I gritted me teeth as I attempted to ignore the pain flaring on my arms where Archer's hands touched my skin. His grasp was deathly firm, digging into my skin like a jagged stone.

I swallowed hard as my eyes locked with his; "you're hurting me."

Shock flashed across his face as he slowly let me go. His arms dropped to his sides, seeming like weights. Bitterness plastered itself into Archer's features; his eyes showed his heartbreak.

"I-I'm sorry." He stuttered. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I—"

"It's okay." I tried to comfort him as I took his hand in mine. "You didn't mean to."

Archer nodded his head slightly. Something flickered in his eyes; something I couldn't decode. He sighed heavily as he ran his hand through his greasy hair. "You told me before you couldn't trust your memories. So how can you say you love Pan when you can't even trust yourself?"

Archer's words left me bewildered. His words caught me off guard. I didn't know how to respond. His question left me in deep thought. I did say I couldn't trust my memories, so why should I believe I love Peter? Or why should I believe Baelfire killed Shine when everything pointed to a different suspect. Peter was the one who everyone said was the monster. Peter was the only one who could take my cuff off, but yet when the chance came, he chose to leave it on me; to torture me with uncertainty. Cale, the one who gave me the Star Fever, was the one who offered me a way out—a way to remove the cuff. Yet Peter didn't give me that offer, he let it go. He let my suffering linger. How is that love?

If Pan wasn't going to help me, then Cale would.

I lifted my head up as I spoke; "Take me to Baelfire. I need to explain a few things to both of you."

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*Baelfire*

Aching pain sluggishly moved through my body as my captors halted from our march; we arrived at the prison site. Iron cages rested on the ground along side one another; the Dreamshade plant, the plant which killed Dylan, was scattered around the earth, guarding the cages with its ink-like poison.

Dustin opened a door to a cage; its hinges creaked and screamed as if it was being ripped apart. Its cry for help ceased as the metal-bared door stood wide open. Ivan lead Cyrus over and shoved him inside. Cyrus grunted as his face connected with the metal ground of his prison. If he was still experiencing pain from Pan's torturous magic spell, he did a hell of a good job pretending he wasn't.

Every move I made was like a knife slowly carving into me. I couldn't understand how Cyrus could handle such torment.

Suddenly Ivan grabbed my shoulder, which caused tremendous pain, and shoved me into my own prison cell. Dustin swung the door shut and locked it.

"Home sweet home." Ivan snickered as he spat on the ground. He scoffed at my pathetic existence and stalked away. Dustin soon followed along with Felix.

I laid there, refusing to move an inch. The sting of the magic became maddening. I couldn't deal with it any longer. A cold sweat trailed down my forehead as I gritted my teeth. Finally, I couldn't keep it in any longer; I let out an agonizing wail, like a child crying for his parent wanting comfort, like a dog yelping out in distress for its master, like the screeches of the nightly children in the forest; their echoes pleading for their loved ones to find and return them.

Suddenly, my racing thoughts were interrupted by a unforeseen gasp nearby. I slowly lifted my head to see curly blonde hair in the torchlight. My eyes instantly widened at the sight of none other than Wendy Darling.

Her face was pale and frightened as her blue eyes gazed at me. "Baelfire," her soft British accent filled my spirit, "you're alive."

"Wendy." My breath caught in my chest. I couldn't believe it was her. I hoped she would've escaped, perhaps that Pan would've let her go; but my hopes were dashed like waves against rocks.

"It's really you." A gentle yet joyful smile spread across her lips as her eyes brightened. I haven't seen her smile like that ever since I first met her. She was such a happy soul, until I came into her life. I was toxic. I was no good for her.

I slowly sat up with a painful expression until I answered, "yeah, it's me. Are you alright? Why are you in this cage?"

Wendy shook her head. "I am perfectly fine. Pan put me in here for my own safety. The other boys were a bit frisky." Her face fell with sadness, "I thought you were dead. I'm so glad you're not, but why did you come back?"

"I came with Solstice, and Cyrus," I motioned to the dark-skinned boy in the other cage; "Solstice lost most of her memory. She believes she's in love with Pan." The words left a bitter taste in my mouth as I spoke.

Wendy's eyes widened, "are you serious? Why would she believe that?"

"I don't know. Pan must've done something to her after he sent me away from Neverland." I answered with my eyebrows furrowed.

"Baelfire," Wendy's words were soft and soothing, "don't worry. We're going to get out of here. You did it once before, you can do it again."

I smiled slightly at her enthusiasm. Wendy never was someone who'd back down. "Thanks Wendy."

Her lips cracked into a bright smile in response.

"I hate to be the one to point this out," Cyrus suddenly spoke up, "but how in hades are we supposed to get out of here?"

I sighed at his words; "Our saving grace won't be us, it'll be someone else."