The group starts to step towards her, and I give my second in command across the way a firm nod. He lifts his chin and turns, making his way down below, to the gallows to get the other men. I looked for John when we first came aboard the ship and couldn’t find him.

“I never controlled him, not like you’re thinking,” Wendy insists, and the group stops walking.

“You did… more than you think,” Tinker Bell says after a moment.

“It was never my intention…”

“Oh, we know that,” Tinker Bell snaps, grabbing out in a flash and pulling Wendy to her. I tell myself not to react, but when I see Wendy start to struggle in her grasp, I take a step into the moonlight and start to slowly make my way across deck.

Tinker Bell looks up. Tiger Lily does as well and catches my eye. I see both women smile triumphantly, as my feet take me closer to an impending fate, I was too blinded to see because of my love for Wendy. One that could do more harm than good before I can somehow think of a plan to get us away from here. To safety.

“It was never his intention either,” Tinker Bell hisses out.

“What wasn’t?” Wendy struggles against the fae’s tight grasp but Tink never lets her go. She holds my stare as my feet quicken their pace. I know that look in her eye. I know Tinker Bell better than anyone else.

“To lose what matters most,” I break out in a run as Tinker Bell’s eyes fall back to Wendy. “What he treasures most in both your world and ours.”

“You mean me?”

I push my feet further. Faster. My heart pounding as my eyes widen in fear.

“Of course, Darling. Who else?”

A wicked smile plays across the fae’s lips as she leans in closer. I see the glimmer of the dagger as she raises it, and it catches the moonlight. I feel my body propel itself in front of the blade. A crow ripping from the depths of my toes, up through my lungs, and barreling out as I throw myself in front of Wendy, in order to stop her.

The blade slashes through my skin, digging deep, and twisting as I turn to face Wendy and push her out of the way. My Wendy’s eyes widen as she takes in what’s just happened and I grab on to her, the weight of my frame forcing us both to the floor. The dagger sticks out of my side, and she screams when she sees it there. Yells for help as I hear my men’s feet finally hit the deck and start making their way towards us.