That can’t be…
“Brodie?” I stop in my tracks.
He looks over his shoulder and stands up, dropping his hammer.
“Daphne!” His face lights up, then he shakes his head as he walks towards me, arms open for a hug. “You remember me.”
“Of course I remember you.” I frown at his silliness, then I look from him to Hook, gesturing between them. “Sorry, Jem, this is Brodie. He was—”
“A Lost Boy,” Hook tells me.
Brodie gives a strangely solemn nod.
And I stare at him, bright eyed and confused. “What are you doing here? Peter said you found your brother.”
Brodie’s face pulls, and he looks over at Hook, eyebrows up.
Jem puts his hand on my waist and starts guiding me away. “Aye, we should have a wee talk.”
“Okay.” I frown up at him, hands on my hips. “What?”
“For some time now, I’ve ken thon when the lads age out—”
I shake my head. “What does ‘age out’ mean?”
Jamison gives me a sobering look. “When they get too old.”
I stare over at him, shaking my head. “Too old for what?”
“When they turn sixteen, Bow, Peter leaves them on an island t’ die.”
“No.” I shake my head.
He doesn’t. No. There’s no way.
“Yes.” Jamison stares at me.
“No!” I shake my head, moving away from him. “No, he said he found Brodie’s brother and they—”
“He left Brodie.” He speaks over me. “On an island, the same as he left Orson—his brother—five years prior.” Jamison lifts his eyebrows. “When Peter found them on a sinking ship off the coast of Alabaster Island.”
I keep shaking my head. “That can’t be true.”
Jem crosses over the small distance I put between us, places a hand on my face. “It is, my love,” he tells me gently, and I stare over at him.
I swallow, and it hangs there for a couple of seconds.
I stare up at him, my face still in a residual strain from what he just said before.
“You’ve never called me that before.”
“I ken.” He nods, his cheeks going a bit pink. He gives me a little shrug. “Thought I’d try it out.”
“And?” I ask, eyebrows up and waiting.
He nods. “I like it.”
I smile a little bit. “I like it too.”
He presses his lips into mine for a few seconds before he pulls back. “He’s bad, Daph.”
“Jem,” I sigh. “Sometimes he plays and he forgets, and I’m sure it was an accident.” I stare up at him because I am sure.
He wouldn’t do that.
“Peter probably thought his brother really was there on the island still. Peter’s thoughtless. He’s not—he’s not murderous.”
“Why did he leave Orson on an island in the first place?”
“I don’t know.” I shrug, desperate to believe it’s not true. It can’t be. “Maybe he didn’t realise, or—”
Jem shakes his head and turns away from me. “Forbye, heed what you need to then.”
“I’m not trying to fight with you.” I walk after him, grabbing his arm.
He turns back around and gives me a solemn look. “Nor I you.” He touches my face. “It’s just half my crew are men I found about marooned on islands by yer boy.”
I dig my chin into his chest and give him a look. “He is not my boy.”
“Then why are ye defending him like he is?”
I breathe out my nose. “I just think there’s some kind of misunderstanding.”
Jem cups my face in both his hands. “I hope, my love.” Then he kisses my forehead before he nods his head another direction. “Care to take a dander up the mountain?”
“No, I’m happy enough in town.” I shrug.
Jamison’s face pulls. “We d?nnae want it getting back to him, sure we don’t.”
“Oh!” I blink. “Do we not?”
Then he rolls his eyes, big and exaggerated. “Bow, let me have a fucking day afore all hell breaks loose.” He sighs dramatically. “I just want ye a day.”
I purse my lips, supposing that’s a reasonable enough request. “Fine.”
Jem extends me his hand, but before I take it, I dart over to Brodie, throwing my arms around him.
“I’m sure there’s been a misunderstanding, but I’m so glad to see you. I’m so glad you’re here.”