The Darkland Life Shadow has been misplaced for centuries. And magic has been waning with the Death Shadow off-island.
They’re getting desperate.
Of course the magical rock will work against my vicious little brother who possesses one of the most powerful entities in the Seven Isles. I’m sure it’ll be fine.
“I’ll see what I can do,” I tell Holt but I won’t.
The second course comes out. It’s a thick red soup.
Now I’m hungry for something else.
By the third course, I can literally hear the seconds ticking down in my head.
I need to get the fuck out of here.
I check my watch again.
“Have somewhere to be?” Giselle asks.
“You know I like to meditate at a certain time every day.”
“Meditate.” Holt snorts as he saws into his steak.
Almost everyone in Darkland knows me as The Crocodile, the Devourer of Men.
But they don’t know why.
They don’t know what happens when the seconds run out.
“Eat,” Holt orders. “You wouldn’t want all this food to go to waste, would you, Crocodile?”
“Of course not.” I give him a tight smile.
When the plates are cleared again, dessert comes out last.
“I’ll skip the last course tonight,” I tell them and shove back my chair.
“Oh must you?” Giselle pouts.
“I must.”
“I think you should stay,” Holt says.
Technically anyone beneath the dominion of the royal family has to follow a direct order.
Holt isn’t stupid. It was more a suggestion than an order to test me, but not risk his limbs.
“I really must go,” I counter. “But I appreciate the hospitality as always.”
My skin crawls as I hunch over Giselle and kiss the back of her hand again. “Goodnight, Your Majesty.”
“Goodnight, Crocodile.”
She has that look on her face—a promise that I’ll see her later.
Not tonight. Not if I can help it.
I start for the door.
“Wait.”
My stomach churns and it takes everything I have not to lose my fucking mind.
I turn back to the dining hall.
Holt says, “We’ll be on the island soon. I’ll expect you to be ready to disembark.”
“Of course, Your Highness.”
I need to get the fuck out of here or I’m eating Holt for dinner.
“You’re dismissed,” he says and I bow to the room and push through the swinging door.
I have my watch in hand as I barrel down the hallway, then use the railing on the stairwell to slide down to the lower decks.
I find a servant girl and take her hand. “Come with me,” I tell her and she tries to object but there is no try with me.
The clock ticks louder in my head.
Sweat breaks out along the back of my neck.
Too close.
Too fucking close.
I yank the girl into my cabin and slam and lock the door behind us.
“My lord,” she says and wrings her hands.
They all know my reputation. But I don’t need to fuck.
I need to eat.
“Apologies, little girl,” I tell her as the shift hammers behind my eyes and I catch sight of my glowing irises in the mirror over the desk.
The girl gasps, lower lip trembling.
“This will only take a moment.”
And then I wrap my hand around the back of her neck and drag her to me.
1
PETER PAN
How long until the sun rises?
The thought comes to me as we follow the Neverland road back to the treehouse, drenched in blood, steeped in victory and covered in darkness.
It is an old thought that still causes a thread of panic to travel its way up my spine and seize me by the ribcage.
Because if I am caught in the sunlight, I will turn to ash.
It takes me a few seconds to realize that I no longer have to worry about the light.
I have my shadow.
Neverland is mine again and I am hers.
The twins surge ahead on the path, but Vane is by my side. I can feel his questions hanging between us.
"What is it?" I ask, keeping my gaze on the twins. They’re cajoling one another despite the fact that we’re returning from a battle with their sister, the fae queen. One where she clearly drew the lines for them and they clearly chose a side—mine.
We will have to face the queen again and if I get my way, she’ll be usurped and the twins will be crowned kings of the fae court and everything will be as it should be.
That is my preferred outcome—that I will return to what I was and Neverland will be at peace.