Marie's voice stabbed through the door, reminding me of a nail dragging across stone. "Thomas? Thomas, sweetheart, open up! I need to talk to you!"

I started climbing off Hook's lap, not wanting to be caught in such a position by Marie. She would surly have a fit if she saw me wrapped around Hook, and I didn't want her attempting to claw my eyes out. But before I could, his arms tightened around my waist, pulling me back to him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, looking up at me through thick lashes, but I just shook my head and gave him my best attempt at an understanding smile.

I could see the conflict in his eyes, and it made my heart flutter. He wanted us to stay just like this, but he also seemed to not want to keep Marie waiting.

I had to agree that it was a bad idea to keep her waiting.

Reluctantly, he let me go, and I sank back onto the bed beside him, leaving more than enough space between us as not to look suspicious should she come barging in. Then, I picked up a rag and pretended to clean my lip, my entire body buzzing and my mind reeling as Hook stood and made his way to answer the door.

"Marie," he greeted as the door swung open. I could hear the smile in his voice, and I couldn't help but wonder if he had to force it.

"What's this I hear about you taking Miss Priss to Fairedge?" I had to give it to her, she sure knew how to skip over pleasantries when she felt like it. I swallowed the fire that was rising in my throat at her nickname for me.

I couldn't see Marie behind Hook's tall form, but I did see his shoulders tense slightly before he relaxed again, leaning up against the doorframe in an attempt to seem casual.

"I figured you'd be happy to see her go, at least for a little while." If Marie heard the clip in his tone, she didn't acknowledge it.

"I suppose," she mused, and I could just picture her pursing her lips. "I still don't see why she has to go with you? You know how much I love Fairedge."

Because he wants me there with him, I wanted to scream, remembering what Hook had said to Reilly.

"If I want her in Fairedge with me, then that's where she'll be."

Hook heaved a sigh that told me that they had probably had similar conversations many times before, but he didn't say anything. He rubbed the back of his neck and ducked his head and he had started to fidget.

When he peeked back over his shoulder, his eyes met mine for only a moment before he turned back to Marie.

"We've talked about this before, Marie," he said in a low voice that was probably supposed to be only meant for her, but now, with my suspicions confirmed, I felt my stomach churn. What was the reason he had talked to her about?

"I know, I know," she said with a sigh and I heard her take a step forward before seeing her fingers run through his hair, her long nails painted the same bright red. Again, he stiffened, but he didn't push her away. "If she's spotted, word gets back to her father that she's still alive and well. Then he'll pay your ransom, and maybe even throw in a little more for good measure, and you'll be able to travel a free man."

A hard knot plunged into the pit of my stomach.

I was just a bargaining chip in Hook's affairs. The key to his freedom.

But what about—?

No. I wouldn't let myself think about what had just happened between us, if there was anything at all. I wouldn't think about last night on the beach or about him opening up about his nightmares, no matter how slight. For all I knew, it had all been a ploy to get me to trust him so I wouldn't make any hasty escape attempts once we were somewhere other than Starryview.

But he had to know that I wouldn't do that, not after everything. Wouldn't he?

After a long moment, I heard Hook let out a steady breath. "Exactly."

I felt my throat close at the word. I was nothing to him; just another foolish girl who got caught up in his good looks and his smooth voice.

Marie's giggle brought me out of my thoughts, and I peered up from my trembling hands just in time to watch her snake her hands around his waist.

"How about I give you a proper send off then, Captain?" She purred his title, and it made me feel sick to my stomach.

But Hook only shook his head. "Not now, Marie," he said as he slid out of her grip. "We have a lot to get done, and we're already behind schedule."

"Well, if you'd stop getting into scuffles, that probably wouldn't be a problem, would it?" She sounded as though she was trying to poke fun, but her tone had come out much too sharp. As if on reflex, Hook reached up and ran his fingers over the bruise on his jaw. "Reilly doesn't want her going with you either," she stated cooly, but the truth in her words rang loud in my ears.

That's why Reilly attacked Hook: he wanted me to stay in Starryview with him.

"Then perhaps you two should get together and discuss such things amongst yourselves," Hook snapped.

Marie was quiet for a long moment, no doubt surprised that Hook had crossed her. But, just as I expected, she recovered with a humph and stormed off. I could hear her retreating footsteps on the wood of the Jolly Roger growing farther and farther away until they weren't there at all.

Hook stood in the doorway long after she had left, his grip on the doorframe turning his knuckles white as he tried to steady his breathing. He was fuming, although I didn't understand why.

I stood on shaky legs, the hurt of knowing that I was a pawn in Hook's grand scheme to become a free man burning hot in the front of my mind. I tried to be quiet but, unlike the floorboards of the inn, I didn't know which boards creaked and which ones didn't, and the low groan of a floorboard gave me away.

Hook turned to face me, his face carefully composed as he watched me, but I looked away. I wouldn't look at him. I couldn't look at him. If I did, I knew that I would come unraveled.

"I should be getting back to Nora," I said as I gathered the dirty rags from the bed. "We have a lot to get done before tomorrow, and you're already behind schedule."

Hook didn't say anything as I placed the dirty rags on the edge of his wash basin, for which I was thankful, but when I made my way towards the door, he didn't budge.

"Holly," he began, and I thought I heard a waver to his voice, "what Marie said… What I said—"

"You don't have to explain anything to me," I interrupted as I pushed by him. I tried to keep my tone casual, as if what he had said hadn't broken my heart, but instead it came out cold.

I made my way across the deck without looking back, and I told myself that I wouldn't cry until I was back on the sand and far out of earshot of any of the crew members or Hook.

I didn't need any of them feeling sorry for me.

My feet hit the dock before I heard footsteps bounding down the ramp behind me. Just ignore it, I thought. Just ignore him.

"Holly." I ignored him, but I couldn't ignore his hand closing around my wrist. I stopped my retreat and swallowed the hard lump in my throat before turning to face him. I needed to keep it together if I was going to face him; no letting him know how much he had gotten to me.

I put on my best tight-lipped smile and cold gaze, one that I used in court or when dealing with people I didn't like. My father had an advisor who taught me this look since my mother hadn't been there to show me herself.

"They'll think you're being polite," she told me, "but they'll also know where they belong. Beneath you. Always beneath you."

I didn't much like that lesson. I thought it was a bit cruel, but it was the best shield I had.

Hook stared down at me for several heartbeats, his eyes darting over my face as if he was trying to find a sliver of the girl from before, but she was gone. I had tucked her away. For now, he was dealing with Princess Holly.

But it seemed that Hook had a mask of his own. The concern slipped from his face, the gentleness from his eyes giving way to cold calculation. There was no uncertainty in his posture; only authority. This was Captain Hook, the same pirate that had shown up in my court only a few weeks ago, and he was the same pirate who had taken me from my room in the middle of the night and had almost gotten me killed in the process.

He's also the one who saved me. I pushed the thought away. It it wasn't for him, I'd probably be in Peter's clutches right now.

He might as well be handing me back to him, I thought as anger began to stir in me. Because once he hands me back over to my father, he'll regain his freedom and then Peter will come for me again. And this time, no one will stop him.

Hook released my wrist and took a step back, putting some appropriate distance between us. "We leave before sunrise."

I nodded.

Then I walked away, feeling his eyes on me long after my feet hit the sand and the tears started to fall.