Jane considers stomping on Peter’s foot, but she’s afraid he’ll do something to her mother if she does.

“Let her go, Peter.” Her mother’s voice is firmer this time. Jane feels Peter tense.

“Leave her, and you can have me,” her mother says.

“I don’t want you anymore, you’re… old!” Peter hurls the word like it’s the worst thing he can think of, but there’s uncertainty in his voice.

“I’m the only Wendy.” Her mother takes another step. Jane tries to keep very still, but her heart betrays her, beating wildly.

“Mama, don’t.” Jane barely manages a whisper. Her mother can’t really mean to give herself up to Peter, can she? Jane takes a shuddering breath, tears slipping free as fear and exhaustion catch up with her. All of this is her fault. If she hadn’t gotten stolen in the first place, her mother wouldn’t be here, and none of them would be in danger.

“Peter.” Her mother’s voice shifts again.

Jane stills, done feeling sorry for herself. She knows that tone; it is a tone that is not to be questioned or disobeyed. She’s seen it work on her father, even her uncles, and certainly more than once Jane has felt its power for herself.

The look in her mother’s eyes matches the tone, but it’s so much worse. It’s a look Jane has never seen on her mother before. Burning and dangerous and stealing the breath from Jane’s lungs. It reminds her of the look Peter used to hypnotize the boar, to hypnotize her and make her take its meat.

“Let. Her. Go.” Her mother separates each word, dropping it like a stone. Jane’s legs tremble.

Peter’s grip slackens, and she almost collapses as he lets go. Her knees want to buckle, but her mother is there to catch her. Instead of folding Jane in her arms, she holds her by the shoulders and looks her in the eye. It reminds Jane of the day in the park, and the girl who knocked her down.

“I need you to stay with Timothy,” her mother says. “I need you to be brave one more time.”

Jane wants to shake her head, but there’s that look again, and she swallows her words. Everything is happening too fast. She only just found her mother, and now she’s losing her all over again. Jane curls her fingers around the empty slingshot in her hand, needing something to hold. She’s dangerously close to flying apart, her whole body vibrating even as she forces herself to remain still.