Peter by day, Pan by night

Chapter 32

        Peter lets go of me. I rub my arm.

        He winces. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just had to get you out of there.”

        I cradle my jaw and nod.

        Peter lightly runs his fingers where Kelvin punched me. The pain dissipates. I gasp and stare at him.

        “I can heal others. I can heal myself, but not when the wounds are caused by someone else.  That is why only certain weapons can touch me. It was a gift from Tink. At the time she never imagined we would be enemies.”

        “Daine!” I hesitate. “And Kelvin. You need to heal them too.”

        “There is no way I am going to help Kelvin. And Daine will be fine. Boys fight. It is normal.”

        I frown. “I know, but this was different.”

        “Because it was over you?” Peter smirks. “A lot of fights are over a pretty girl.”

        Is he teasing me? I blush. “No, I mean. Kelvin wasn’t just angry. He had hatred in his eyes. He looked like he wanted to kill Daine.” I shudder. “I didn’t even recognize him.” A sick feeling spreads through me. “Is this what it will be like when darkness descends over my world? Will everyone become insane like that?”

        “I don’t know.” Peter’s smile darkens. The playful boy from earlier is gone. Replaced by Pan. Even though I know he is only one person, it makes it easier to categorize him like this.

        But in the end, Peter is Pan and Pan is Peter.

        And I know that he doesn’t care about me. He’s said as much. This is all a part of his game. He must have some other purpose for me. Some other part for me to play that he hasn’t revealed yet. Why else would he let me hang around?

        I know I shouldn’t trust him at all. I know I should give up all hope. But I still believe I can break this curse. Somehow.

        But for now the darkness is tearing apart this island. How can he not see this?

        “It’s unnatural.” It’s scary. “This is bigger than you, Peter. Someone else is behind the curtain, pulling the strings.”

        Peter rolls his eyes. His accent thickens. “I don’t take orders from anyone. Not from you and certainly not some imaginary person. Why is it so hard for you to accept the fact that this is who I am? You barely know us.”

        “I know Kelvin. I know Jacob and Bert and Daine. And I know you. This isn’t real. This isn’t normal. You aren’t the curse, you are cursed.” I hold out my hands. Why is he not getting this? It is so simple! “Which means someone is behind the curse. That is what you said. And so, if we can find this person then we can save the island.” Save you.

        “And if we can’t? I doubt this person will willingly unveil himself. Then what? What did the fairies tell you? Why did you come back?” Peter rubs his chin. “You must have had some reason-they must have had to convince you to return.”

        “I stayed of my own free will. I wanted to help.”

        “Help them or me?” Peter nods and stalks toward me. “After everything I did, there is no way you return to help me.”

        I gulp. “M-maybe there is a way to help everyone.” If there is, I will find it.

        “So that is why you keep saying that I am not the bad guy.” He grins and leans toward me. “Because if I am the villain, the one threatening your world-then the fairies will have to kill me.”

        I blink and pull away from him, but he grab my arms.

        “It makes sense. But no need to worry about me, it’ll take more than one of Tigerlily’s arrows. He frowns. “Then why send you back?” His face changes. “No…no way! You? You are the great warrior who will save the world?” He laughs as he glances at my outfit. “You might dress like one, but you aren’t a fighter.”

        I have to convince him he is wrong, but he’s not. How did he figured it all out so easily? What do I say? I scramble for words. I don’t know what to say. Why did the fairy queen trust me with the dagger?

        She knew I wasn’t strong enough.

        Tink’s parting words return to me. “You have fairy blood running through your veins. Use it.” Fairy blood.

        Fairy…I gasp and slap my hand over my mouth. A crazy notion tugs at me.

        It is impossible, and yet... The way the Queen stared at me, her tight hug before she let me go. The way she kept repeating my full name even though I never told her it.

        The way she hesitated when she said her own name. Felix’s surprised look when I called her Queen Marie. Her long blond curls and bright blue eyes.

        She lied to me. Peter is still talking, but I can find no meaning in his words. The world tilts as I fall to my knees.

        Her name isn’t Marie. It’s Moira.