Raghu cleared his throat. “Do we attack tomorrow, or wait one more day?”
“We’re ready; let’s go tomorrow,” either Gharza or Maaka said; Wendy couldn’t tell from the half-mutter that came from beyond her circle of light.
Mirai stretched for the lantern above her, standing on her back legs to reach it.
“She’s reaching for the light; that means tomorrow is good,” Kalaakaar declared.
“Let’s confirm,” Mücahit said. “Mirai, should we go to Neverland tomorrow?”
The cat licked the bottom edge of the lantern.
“Or do we wait and attack the day after?” Raghu challenged.
Mirai sat on her haunches and cleaned the claws of her front paw.
“That settles it. We go tomorrow,” James announced decisively. “Let’s call it a night.”
Wendy, who could smell the fish oil in the lantern from here, thought they were ascribing more credit than the cat deserved. No matter how long-lived or how unusual the feline looked in certain lights, she was still, after all, a cat. Right?
*****
Dawn came and left before theJolly Rogerraised anchor the following day. Peter had never been known as an early riser, and they needed him to be aware of their presence this time. Their chosen passage through the rocks that ringed most of Neverland took a good bit of time, as well. It was solidly late morning when they stopped outside the cavern. Everyone pretended not to see the mermaid heads that popped up to spy on them. Confined to the water, the fish ladies weren’t a guarantee that Peter would learn of them right away.
But they had sheeries for that. The pair that had followed Wendy rested on a crate in a nest they had made from someone’scap. Both had been awake and raring to go at dawn, but as the hours stretched out, so did they. Itty-bitty snores were audible when she ducked her head to poke them awake.
“Disa.” Wendy ensured she had his complete attention. “Where are Iniq and Shaye? Or Horas, if it comes to that.”
The tiny faerie shook off his lethargy and concentrated. “Iniq is with Michael and Peter.”
“What about Shaye and Horas?”
Wendy expected him to focus again, but he shrugged. “Gone.”
“Gone?” She tried to keep the panic out of her voice, “What do you mean, gone?”
“Not here.” Disa’s expression questioned her intelligence.
She opened her mouth to question him further, but James put his hand on her shoulder. “We can investigate later. Time is of the essence.”
“Right.” Wendy threw him her attempt at a smile, then applied herself to the sheerie again. “Disa, where did you see Peter and Michael?”
The sheerie flew in lazy loops and figure-eights. “Underground hideout.”
Wendy turned to James. “You know the island better than I do, but I think it will take at least thirty minutes for them to get here. Disa can fly there in less than half that.”
He nodded. “This is the perfect time to send Disa, then. Iniq is with Peter. Disa,” he addressed the sheerie directly. The faerycame to attention. “Will you do your part to the best of your ability? Tell Iniq that Wendy is here, then lead them to the top of this cave?” James gestured with his hook to the opening before them.
“I will!” Disa promised. Then he bobbed once and became invisible.
“You’re up, Leq.” Wendy nudged her sleeping sheerie with one finger.
Leq sat up and blearily surveyed his surroundings. He flew a wobbly circle, looking for all the world like a miniature drunk. James must have worried if that was, indeed, the case, because he asked her what was wrong with the faery.
“Nothing,” Wendy assured. “This is a normal morning for him.” She put her hand over her mouth and whispered loudly, “I think he does it for the attention.”
Leq covered his frown by rubbing his eyes. He woke up a bit faster after that, though.
When about fifteen minutes had passed, Wendy asked Leq to report on Disa’s whereabouts.
