So they set a course for the Darling estate.
Epilogue
For Those Who Like Tidy Endings
Wendy stood on the ridge and surveyed the work crews carefully disassembling the booby traps lining the stretch of sand on the easternmost beach. Dismantling Peter’s legacy on Neverland would take months, if not years, as the workers had to move so slowly. But Peter languished in prison, the Lost Boys had been adopted by various wonderful people (Wendy made sure of it), and her brothers had joined the crew of theJolly Roger. Unfortunately, Sophus and theDrunken Krakenwere still at large.
As another bit of good news, Horas and Shaye had returned. They arrived with their adult-sized “baby” sheerie, named Cendis, a couple weeks after the big battle. Sheeries didn’t marry, per se. Their courting rituals took place away fromeveryone they knew and lasted about a month. Wendy didn’t know anything about juvenile sheeries, either, as the mated couple appeared at the end of that time with an additional sheerie, who looked and behaved like all the rest of them. If she hadn’t witnessed this behavior before, she would have simply assumed Cendis was a friend they found.
Footsteps approached her from behind, and she smiled, recognizing the sound. James slid his arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple. After watching the painstaking work below for a few minutes, he casually said, “I’m thinking about visiting your mother and stepfather with a large group of people. Mostly the crew of theJolly Rogerand a few friends.”
Wendy tipped her head to look at him. “Why? He already agreed to let John and Michael apprentice under ‘an upstanding merchant such as yourself.’ Why else would you willingly interact with that man?”
He kept his gaze on the sea. “It’s customary in Sharamil to bring a full complement of friends or family to a marriage proposal. I will even honor the Jocestrian ceremony and find a nice shell, just for you.”
When he winked at her, she couldn’t resist teasing, “Sorry, George doesn’t believe in polygamy.”
James turned her, resting his left wrist on her shoulder and clasping her other with his right hand. “I want to marry you, goose.”
“I caught that, actually.” She bit her lip, then smiled widely anyway.
He let out a fondly exasperated noise and kissed her for good measure.
Wrapped in each other’s arms, they faced the sea. Wendy could hear the steady beat of his heart as she rested her head on his chest.
She felt him pull in a deep breath. “I did have a nice little speech prepared.”
“Compliments, promises, and the like?” she asked.
“Exactly.” His jaw brushed against the top of her head as he shook his. “Then you turned everything upside-down.” He ran his fingers up and down her back. “Just like you turn everything in my life upside-down. For the better.”
Wendy squeezed him tighter.
“I thought my life was fine. The resentful bitterness—”
“Redundant,” Wendy whispered under her breath, then laughed when he poked her in the side. “Sorry, keep going.”
He played up his sigh. “Anyway.I got used to carrying around my bitterness while preparing to fight Pan someday, but I didn’t expect someday to come so soon. Or maybe ever.”
Wendy hummed an acknowledgement.
“Nor did I realize how set in my ways I had become. The way you see the world is exciting, and you have such a definite way of viewing right and wrong.”
“I prefer the term ‘idealist,’ ” Wendy said to his vest.
“Well, you are ideal for me.”
“And you’re the right blend of realistic and stodgy for me.” She tilted her head back to smirk at him.
“Stodgy?!”
“I mean, practical and reliable.”
“Much better,” he said dryly.
“I know!” She lifted her hand to cup his bearded cheek. “You anchor me. You keep me on a steady course, and you weather the storms with me.” A playful frown crossed her face. “You’re also strong, handsome, and a good provider. Now that I think about it, I’m definitely getting the better end of this deal. What’s in it for you?”
James chose not to answer verbally, and Wendy found his arguments quite persuasive.
