“Of course, sir,” said Smee, putting it in the drawer. “You won’t be able to wear it for quite some time, not until you’re healed, but Jukes did go to great lengths to make it for you.”

“Thank him for me,” said James with a weary smile.

“The men will be so relieved to know you’re okay. Shall I make you something to eat before you go out and speak to them? I’ve laid your clothes out for you so you will look the part when you address your crew. I know they will all want some encouraging words from their captain now that you’re up and about,” said Smee.

“Yes, I’d like that very much. Thank you. Oh and, Smee, did Tinker Bell survive?”

Smee smiled. “Yes, I believe she did, sir.”

After Smee was out of the room, James got out of his nightshirt and put on his pirate garb. Smee had managed to clean the blood from the cuff of his shirt and jacket, and had even managed to salvage his hat, plume still intact. After he was dressed, James went to his desk, where he had been keeping Lucinda’s magic mirror and the boot buckles. He opened his drawer, took out the buckles Blackbeard had given him, and fastened them to his black boots. Perhaps if he had been wearing them when he tried to kidnap Tinker Bell he wouldn’t have lost his hand, or his friends. Well, he wasn’t going to be parted from any of his other friends again. He would keep Blackbeard’s memory by wearing the buckles he gave him, and he would always have Smee at his side. He would at least have that.

He wasn’t surprised to see Lucinda’s face already reflected in the mirror sitting inside the drawer, and he felt a surge of fear wash over him when he saw her cruel and cunning eyes looking at him. “Hello, James.”

“Everything went terribly wrong. I wasn’t able to capture Tinker Bell.”

“I’d say everything went just right.” Lucinda was laughing and didn’t seem at all surprised to hear this news.

“I lost my hand to Peter trying to capture Tinker Bell for you. And now Peter and the Lost Boys know what I was up to. I don’t know how I’m ever going to capture her again.” James felt the crushing weight of his failure like an anchor dragging him into the sea.