“You’re a liar.” Peter glares at her mother, his face scrunching up.

Jane’s breath catches, a soft sound in the dark, but enough to make Timothy look at her. She shakes her head. Even if she could speak without being heard, what would she say? Her mother was here, in Neverland, and never told Jane a single word about it. Her mind whirls, but there isn’t time to process everything and still pay attention to what’s going on.

“Peter.” Her mother doesn’t raise her voice, and in fact it’s quieter as she says Peter’s name. Her tone makes Jane shiver.

“No!” Peter stamps his foot. “You’re not my Wendy.”

Jane isn’t certain, but she thinks she sees her mother flinch ever so slightly. Peter’s tone is petulant and harsh all at once, but he still has to tip his head back to look her mother in the eye. If they weren’t in danger, Jane might almost find it funny.

Next to her mother, Peter looks like a spoiled and rotten little boy. But threat bristles in his posture, and she remembers how he stilled the boar and what he did to Rufus.

“I am Wendy, Peter. I told you before, I grew up.”

“You’re not supposed to do that. It’s against the rules!”

“You wanted a mother.” Jane’s mother spreads her arms. Behind Peter, Arthur and the other boy shift nervously. “That’s what I am. I’m a mother, and you took my daughter away.”

The words swell inside Jane and her fingers cramp around the slingshot. She wants to make herself known. She wants to run to her mother and throw herself between her and Peter, but she doesn’t dare interfere.

“She isn’t armed,” Arthur calls out, his voice going from uncertain to bold in the space of a sentence. Jane hates him, more than she ever did before. Can’t he see how wonderful and formidable her mother is? Can’t he see she’s someone to be feared? “And she’s all alone.”

Jane bites her tongue, keeping herself from calling out. She nudges Timothy beside her, cutting her eyes to him and trying to convey without words that they must be ready even as they keep themselves hidden.

“You’re not going to hurt me, Peter.” Her mother ignores Arthur, keeping her attention fixed on Peter.

Her mother steps toward Peter. Jane holds her breath. Then everything happens all at once.

Peter darts forward. Her mother lunges, just missing Peter as he twists away, laughing. Arthur and the other boy shout, brandishing their swords. They look silly—boys playing with toys—but at the same time, those toys are sharp. Sharp enough to kill and skin and hack apart a boar. Jane feels like a coiled spring. Movement catches her eye—Tiger Lily, circling around behind the boys—and she clamps down on a cheer.