Wendy’s blood stuttered in her veins, but surging anger pushed her forward. “Let them go,” Wendy demanded, trying to pull herself free of Peter’s grasp.

The shadow laughed and dissolved, spilling down the tree like a heavy black fog. It was a deep, rumbling laugh that reverberated through her bones. The shadow pooled on the ground before her and materialized back into its human form.

“Let who go?” it drawled.

Peter stepped forward. “You need to stop this,” he said, voice firm. “Let the kids go.” Peter drew his hand through the air. With an explosion of light, the sword materialized in Peter’s grasp. With his shoulders squared, Peter faced the shadow. The sword sparked and shone, a weapon made up of tiny golden particles. But then it started to flicker.

The shadow leaned its head back and let out a sharp, barklike laugh that echoed through the trees. “Oh, Peter,” it purred. “Do you really think you can stop me?” it asked with a wide grin.

Peter gripped the hilt with both hands. The sword surged with energy and glowed bright, but only for a moment before it started to wane and fade out. Peter’s knuckles blanched as he aimed the blade at the shadow. “I’m warning you,” he growled through gritted teeth.

“Oh dear.” The shadow’s mouth split at an unnatural angle. “Are you having some difficulty performing?” it asked. “You’ve hardly any fight left in you, Peter.” The shadow reached out and flicked the edge of the sword. Like a lightbulb, it blinked out of existence, dissolving into a quickly disappearing pile of sparks at Peter’s feet.

Peter’s shoulders went rigid. His hands clenched into fists at his side.

“Soon, all your magic will drain from your body, and not even you, the great Peter Pan, will be able to stop me,” it said in a singsong tone, twirling its long fingers in the air.

Wendy shook and her eyes stung, but she wouldn’t let herself run away. This was it. This was the thing that had taken her brothers from her and was keeping them captive. It was the thing keeping them apart. Wendy surged forward, trying to push past Peter. “Let them go!” she shouted.

The shadow’s attention shifted to her. “Wendy,” it breathed. “So nice of you to join us this time.” The shadow sucked in a deep, rattling breath. Its eyes rolled into the back of its head, eyelids twitching. “Mmm,” it hummed before looking at her with sharklike focus. “You are delicious, aren’t you?” The shadow’s smile split its face in half. “All that fear and guilt just streaming from you.” It chuckled. “It’s nearly overwhelming!”

She might have been afraid, but anger boiled through the ice in her veins. “Where are my brothers?” Wendy tried to move in, but Peter held an arm out, keeping her back. She wanted to rip and claw that grin off the shadow’s face.

It let out deep, booming laughs. “They’re here, of course!” It held its hands aloft, gesturing around them.