“All right.” He gasps in another breath.
“Please, Valinx.” I hold his hand between mine, his skin dark and luminous, my own pale and aged in comparison. He has so much life. This shouldn’t be happening.
“No.” Shiner shakes her head. “No!”
That’s when I realize he’s taken his last breath. He’s no longer looking at me though his eyes are still open.
Shiner pulls her hand away, her palm bloody. “No,” she whispers.
I close my eyes and say a prayer to whoever’s out there that Valinx’s next kitchen is stocked to the brim with only the best ingredients. But he should still be here. This mindless slaughter has to end.
“We have to go. They’re still here.” Widow’s gaze is on the treeline at the edge of the village. I can’t see any Lost Boys, but I know she’s right. Peter will sacrifice as many of his soldiers as he must if that means he gets his hands on me again.
“You will be given a hero’s burial.” Shiner dips her chin, bowing to Valinx, and then she stands.
“I’m so sorry.” I lean on both of them again.
“He died a hero’s death defending the village and the island. There’s no nobler end for any of our people.” Shiner says it with certainty, but I can still sense the pain in her voice.
There’s nothing more to be said. Grief lives in the silence between us as they help me away from the kitchen and deeper into the village.
“Whoa!” Shiner pulls out her blade as a Lost Boy runs between the kitchen and the round house.
He doesn’t stop for us, only sprints away like the devil is on his tail.
Because the devilison his tail.
Hook appears from between the buildings, the scowl on his face so intense that I almost wince. He has blood on his shirt, a rapier in his hand, and vengeance writ large in his eyes.
When he turns his gaze on me, my breath catches.
His prey forgotten, he stares at me, his eyes wide with recognition. No, not just recognition—there’s so much more there, not the least of all is love.
My mouth drops open, and all the emotions that I carry hidden within myself, locked away in beautiful boxes with unbreakable latches—all of it bursts open like a dam giving way. My tears flow freely, and I whimper as he stalks to me.
Sheathing his sword, he grabs me around my waist, lifts me up, and kisses me hard on the mouth.
I can’t think, can’t focus on anything except the claiming brand of his tongue, the way his hands rove me with complete possession.
He crushes me to him, almost as if he wants to tuck me away inside his ribcage where its safe. I cling to him, wrapping my arms around his neck as he grabs my ass and pulls my legs so I’m straddling him.
“Lass.” He pulls back, his eyes meeting mine, like the sea crashing on the shore. “Are you hurt?”
“N-no.” I shake all over, my body pushed to the breaking point.
“You are.” His jaw tightens. “Youare. That bastard hurt you. I don’t know how, but I’m going to kill him, Moira. I’m going to destroy him for you. Only you. I don’t give a flying fuck for any of the evil he’s wrought, any of the Lost Boys he’s murdered, or the innocents he’s corrupted. When I kill him—and I fucking will—he will die knowing thatyouare the reason.” He kisses me again in that fierce way of his, the one that would turn my knees to jelly if they weren’t already there.
“Moira!” Tiger Lily runs up.
Hook kisses me more, his mouth seeking mine, hunting me down and taking, taking, taking. When he finally lets go, I’m even more dazed.
“You’re all right? When Bunk told me the shadow had you—” Tiger Lily’s gaze darts to our right, then she nocks an arrow and lets it fly with unbelievable speed.
A Lost Boy falls from the roof of the round house, his body thudding onto the ground.
“It let me go.” I look at where the Lost Boy fell. He doesn’t move.
“Let you go?” Tiger Lily scans the roofs of the other buildings.
