He reappeared in the treehouse. His chest was in physical pain, and the constant lump in his throat made him feel weak. Feeling weak made him angry. Rage burning in him, he did the only thing that he felt he could do.
"Ordjo!" He shouted into the night sky.
He stood on the balcony of the treehouse and waited. Waited for his shadow to obey his command. For he was Peter Pan, and he was in charge.
Moments later, the shadow, its body dark and wispy and its eyes bright and glowing, appeared in front of him.
"Did you or did you not manipulate Lily's memory of the night she left."
The shadow remained quiet for several moments. It did not talk much.
"I can only do what you command, sir. You are the king of Neverland, I am a piece of you." When it spoke, its voice was deep, distorted and demonic.
"Someone has manipulated Lily. Someone forced her into believing the worst in me and someone opened the portal the night she escaped. It wasn't me, despite what she may believe, and now I know it wasn't her."
The shadow hovered in front of him, unblinking.
"I want to find out who. I want you to find out who." Pan commanded.
"I can do nothing. The facts have not changed since that night, sir. I am bound by Neverland's reality."
"You always talk like that, what the bloody hell does it mean?!" Peter shouted.
His eyes stung but he refused to acknowledge it.
"The reality of Neverland is the inevitable death of the island. Death of you, of me. As you have bound me to Neverland, my attention will not be diverted."
Peter remained silent for a long time. The shadow's distorted voice ringing through his head. Neverland was dying, he knew this. He needed the boy, his heart, and yet he was distracted. Lily was distracting him.
"Right, Ordjo. Forget this conversation and keep an eye on our guests. Make sure they are following the correct path."
The shadow gave a bow from where it hovered and flew away into the night sky.
This was absurd. The prophecy predicted a boy. This boy, Henry, that he had with him. All of it was in his grasp, he wasn't going to throw it away now. Not when he was so close to having everything.
He would ignore the feeling in him that told him that he felt most whole with Lily, that maybe she was the answer. This feeling was nothing more than an irritation, an inconvenience best squashed. She didn't believe him, didn't care about him. She made that clear, and Peter Pan would never be subservient to someone else.
(Had a bit of writers block but we're back, baby!)