“It’s the only way, Wendy. Not everyone who fights over you wants you for themselves, Darling.” I study his face, confused as a tinkling of bells starts in the distance. “Some, only want to take you away, just so you won’t be mine.”

The bells grow louder, and with them so does the serious expression etched across Peter’s face. “Why would they want to take me away?”

“Don’t you know?” he looks at me in disbelief. “Why, to kill you of course.”

PRESENT DAY

“So, the prima donna graces us with her presence once again,” Tinker Bell hisses as she comes to a stop at the entrance of the cave. She puts her hands on her hips, judging me like she always did. Always has.

“I thought you took care of it,” A fae I remember by the name of Blaze whispers at her right side.

Another one I don’t recognize stands on her left. His bright, crystal green eyes glisten and flicker as they dance across my frame. The look he gives me makes me sick, so I take a step back to protect myself when I know they could kill me on the spot if they really wanted to.

“I thought I had,” her disapproving stare looks me up and down as she rises to her full height. “Turns out, I was wrong.”

Tinker Bell was never the small creature I was told stories about before I first came to Neverland. When she flies, she reduces herself to the size of the sound of her tinkling bells. But when she’s standing in front of you, as she is in front of me right now, she has the power to manifest herself into something bigger, something taller than you’d ever imagine, so she towers over her competition. Her slender goddess-like frame seems larger than life as she gloats silently, still looking flawless after all this time, and still looking down on me like she always has.

“If memory serves right,” Pan grits out at my side, “I banished you the last time you came between Wendy and I.” He steps between me and the fae. “If you don’t remember, Tink, I have no problem reminding you. This time, I won’t give you a second chance to go back on your word.”

Gripping Pan’s arm, I stop him from taking another step forward. The sounds of the fairies laughing fills the cave a moment later. Are they laughing because of what he said, or because of me?

“Still so naïve,” I hear Tinker Bell say and turn back to meet her stare. “Still think that you can control him.”

“I never wanted to control anyone,” I hiss, shaking my head in annoyance. There once was a time I cowered away from her. I won’t let myself do that anymore.