ChapterOne
Peter’s shadow is locked around me, its arms and legs holding me tightly as we soar away from the fight below.
I shove and kick at it, trying to free myself from its grip, but it slithers close to my skin, the darkness coating me in black oil. It’s like an inkblot, a two-dimensional shape that wraps around me like cloth.
“Get off!” I don’t want to fall to the trees below, but I have to get away. Going back to the cave won’t end well for me, and I don’t think I can return to Hook either. My eyes sting with tears at the thought of it, at the thought of spending one more minute with the man who hurt my mother. I crumble inside as I realize what I’ve done, what I’ve given the man who always told me he was a villain. I just didn’t want to believe it. But now I know.
“I said get off!” I fight more, trying to reach the cutlass at my side, but the shadow constricts, keeping me bound as we aim straight for the Nevertree.
When we get close, the shadow dives toward the ground at a frightening pace. I scream before my breath is stolen from my lungs from the sharp descent.
It flies me past the grove, then down the shaft where Tinker Bell led me the night I first ran into Hook. I scream as I fly past a confused Tootles, then scream again as the shadow takes me down a long, dark tunnel I don’t recognize. It eases its grip somewhat, and I reach for my sword right as it dumps me on the ground.
I hear something creak, and then the sound of a metal door clanging shut. “Hey!” I get up, but it’s completely dark in here. I don’t know where I am or where the shadow is.
I draw my sword. “Stay away!” Holding it out in front of me, I slowly back up. I ease one foot out behind me slowly, feeling for a dropoff or anything at all, but there’s nothing until I bump into a stone wall. At least I know nothing can creep up behind me as I flatten myself to it.
A light begins to glow to my right. Then I catch the sound of footsteps.
“Tootles?” I call.
“Moira? What’s going on?” He quickens his pace, and then I see him appearing down the dark tunnel with a candle in one hand.
I’m in a cage, some sort of jail fashioned out of bits of metal and wood that have been jammed against the cave wall. I hurry to the door and yank on it. It creaks but doesn’t give way.
As Tootles gets closer, I realize Peter’s shadow is just outside the door. I jump back and raise my sword again, my hand shaking as I stare down the darkness that seems to be looking at me with its eyeless, featureless face.
“Don’t you fucking touch me.” My voice trembles.
The shadow doesn’t move, just stands eerily still.
Tootles finally arrives and lifts the candle up to get a look at me. “Why are you in there?”
“Thatthingbrought me here.” I point at the shadow with my sword.
“Oh.” Tootles seems to finally notice the shadow. “Hello.”
The shadow doesn’t move. It still seems to be staring at me, sending a chill creeping along my skin.
“It’s Peter’s shadow,” Tootles says.
“I know. I have to get out of here. Unlock the door for me.”
“Sure thing, Moira.” Tootles steps forward, but then the shadow turns its head toward him.
Tootles stops. “I don’t, um, think I’m supposed to.”
“Tootles.” I move closer to the door. “Let me out. You know me. I’m not supposed to be in here.”
“Yes.” He glances from me to the shadow and back again. “But maybe I should wait for Peter.”
“No!” I move to the side of the cage away from the shadow and try to think quickly. “Peter’s in danger. That’s why he sent the shadow here with me. To protect me from Hook.” I glance at the shadow. It’s not like the damn thing can talk. I may as well go all out. “But he needs me. I mean,us. He needsus. He’s fighting Hook right now. We have to help him!”
“Right now?” Tootles blanches.
“Yes! He’s in danger. I can take you to him.” I grip one of the bars. “Let me out so I can show you.”
He waffles, his gaze darting to the shadow again.
