Tinker Bell’s rage is evident, as her eyes flash the same shade of crimson as before. But my vengeance on her man does the trick I need, she releases her hold on Wendy and starts to dart back to save the other fae’s life. I wrestle him to my side, quickly coming atop him, and pull out my knife. With a flick of my wrist, I slash his wings from his body and crash into the floor with a thud as he shrinks beneath me.

       Quickly getting to my feet, Tinker Bell’s eyes meet mine as she hovers close in front of my face. “You’re going to pay for that,” she seethes. “I’ll make sure of it.”

       “Peter!” Wendy calls out from the lagoon just as Tinker Bell darts away, retreating quickly towards Mystic Mountain.

Wendy gestures towards her brothers. John is fighting the chief. Three lost boys now lay dead at his feet. But I smile when I see four of their attackers lie next to them, suffering, and fading quickly to their own demise.

       Wendy yells again, and my eyes flash to Michael. He’s wounded. Badly. But still fighting to the death. Wendy kicks at the mermaids trying to make it to her brother’s side. John throws her a dagger, she grabs it quickly before it falls off the cliff, slashing it in the mermaid’s direction and making them finally bolt back in fear. She jumps quickly to her feet, and I dart forward, knowing that if my Wendy were to be so pure, so heartless, to sacrifice herself for me, she’d do the same for her brother.

       “Wendy,” I yell, just as she throws herself in front of Michael’s attacker’s blade. “Wendy, no!”

       “Peter,” Michael shouts. “Catch her!”

       Before the Indian can slash his knife down, Wendy’s brother throws her off the cliff. Her screams pierce my ears as her body starts to fall quickly to the whirlpool below. As quickly as I can manage, I fly to her rescue. Swooping in and catching her just before she can hit the water. Just before the mermaids can get their claws in her.

       Swiftly floating her to a safe space, out of reach of the madness, she shakes in my arms as I come to a stop upon a rock. Her face is tucked into my neck. Her breath is warm against my lips as her eyes lift to meet mine.

“Wendy,” I whisper out of breath. “Darling, remember, I won’t be able to live with myself if you get hurt.”

Her grip on my biceps tightens.

Sacrifice.

My body shakes. I feel something leave me. Stronger than I felt before, when I took what I wanted from Wendy in Skull Rock.

“You’re the only life worth saving, Wendy,” I whisper, my body convulsing once again as I feel the same zap through my system.