Chapter 6

The Lost Boys stayed behind while Peter and I traveled along the lagoon to the decrypted castle. Peter keeps on the ground with me, our arms almost brushing together as we walk. Tinkerbell flies over head us, her faerie dust shimmering down to the ground as she drifts on. When I glance up at him, I notice he looks away but not fast enough for me not to see. He's been watching me for most of the day and I wonder why.

Does he think I will run away? Do I intrigue him in some way?

I bite my lip, my heart thumping loudly in my chest. "What was your favorite song that I had sung?"

He looks back at me but he's not smiling. He looks content. "It was in your language; I don't know the name of it."

"Oh?" I raise a brow and try to imagine which one it could be. I knew lots of Elvish songs. They are mostly lullabies to put children to sleep but they are generally stories. "Then I have no idea which one it could be."

"Your language is very beautiful, not like the faeries."

"Is the faerie language ugly or something?"

He snickers. "No. They just move a lot when they talk," he leans in towards me and whispers, "it can get a little annoying."

I sneak a glimpse up at Tinkerbell but she doesn't seem to notice Peter talking about her. With how close we've become, our arms touch as we walk. The wetness of my dress dampens his skin but he doesn't look bothered by it.

We stay in silence the rest of the way to the castle, and once we reach the towering building we walk up the grand steps that are in front of the entrance. There are stones here and there from the crumbling mass and it's dead silent.

"Hello?" Peter calls out with a smile. His voice echoes throughout the cavern. He chuckles to himself.

"Why'd you do that?" I ask, confused. Did he think people still lived here?

"Don't want to disturb the spirits."

"Spirits?"

He just smiles back at me. I've begun to notice that he smiles with his lips mostly, hardly ever showing off his teeth. It makes him look young and innocent, but I think he does that on purpose. He walks up to the entrance and waves for me to follow. I quicken my speed and catch up to him as he enters the first room. It's a small room with a high ceiling that has a few doors that are cracked open. It looks like whoever lived here left in a hurry.

We pick the door that's ahead of us that enters into a large ballroom. The ceiling is missing here so the green and blue lights of the crystals above shine down to the stone ground.

Peter walks to the center of the room and turns to me. "Will you dance with me?" He bows like he has before, and like before, he stretches out his hand for me to grab.

I try not to smile, but I can't help it. Peter just shines. He knows what to say and what to do. I step forward and take his hand. His is warm and still sends jitters of heat throughout my body. I am starting to think something is wrong with me whenever the heat goes through me. When our hands meet, he pulls me in quick and our chests bump into each other. He wraps his other arm around my waist and starts to step us back and forth to the silence.

The blue and green light plays on his face, but never changing the way he looks down at me. I start to hum to our movements so to break the silence and when I do, he smiles. He pushes me softly away and twirls me with our hands together, and then pulls me back against him.

My heart beats like a war drum in my chest and I feel heat pool up in my cheeks. The more I stare up at him the more I examine his youthful face. He's handsome for his age – handsome for a human. But, I also think he's more handsome than some of the Elven boys I know.

What am I doing?

My brain shifts and I frown softly. He's a human. Elves and humans cannot be together. It's forbidden.

Wait? Why do I think we're together? It's just pretend. Yeah. Pretend.

He frowns when I do.

"Something wrong?"

I shake my head, "no. Just thinking."

He twirls me again but this time slower than before. "What about?"

"You do know that humans and elves are forbidden to be together – even around each other is taboo."

"Taboo?"

"Not allowed."

His brows furrow together as he pulls me back in. He doesn't stop our movement as we speak. His arm stays strong around my waist, baring me to him.

"I never heard of it."

"You're not from around here." I smile. It's good he's not from around here. He's not like the other humans.

"I'm different."

"And unique." I say.

"Yeah!" He grins widely.

"Always so prideful." I giggle. I abruptly stop laughing, surprised the sound even came out of me. Peter doesn't seem to notice.

"And you're…." He pauses. A thoughtful expression crosses his face. After a second of him thinking, his cheeks start to redden. "Beautiful."

My throat drops to my stomach. "Beautiful?" It's hard to swallow.

"Yeah. From the first time I saw you, I have always thought your beautiful."

Suddenly, I feel really heavy under his gaze. My head falls onto his shoulder. A human, thinks I am beautiful?

From where I rest, I can hear Peter's heart. It beats as fast as mine. His breathing quickens and when I look up at him, his lips are parted and his eyes are full of innocence. Lifting my head back up, I pull away slowly, having a little difficulty removing myself from his arm.

"But you can't."

"Why not?"

"As I had said before, humans and elves can't be together." I hug myself, realizing quickly that something is seriously wrong with me. My heart feels sick, like it's about to throw up.

"Lahona," he says so clearly. It's the first time I have heard him say my name since he's taken me from my home. "I am not like those other humans. I am different. I am unique, like you said."

"Oh Peter," I whisper, tilting my head to my left side. A burning sensation fills my eyes and I am almost sure I am about to cry. What if he's right? Maybe I can really be his Queen.

My heart sinks the longer I stare into his innocent green eyes.

He breaks the space between us by walking up to me and grabbing my shoulders. "We don't have to be like them. You don't have to follow the rules and responsibilities of the elves."

"You promise?" The words come out without my control. But they feel so right.

He smiles, steps back and places his hands on his hips. "Of course, I am after all, Peter Pan."

Under the spell of his smile, I smile back. The heaviness I felt starts to slip away and I feel lightweight. "Let's go back, the boys are probably wondering where we are."

When we all leave the cave we cover our eyes to the gleaming sun that is soon to be setting. Unlike before, Peter stays close to my side now; walking instead of flying. We take another way back to the hideout, coming across a small waterfall.

"Can we stop here for a minute?" I ask.

"Yeah, why?"

My cheeks start to heat up, "I'd like to wash myself. Sea water is a little grimy."

Peter stares at me for a second, tilting his head to the side with confusion settling on his face but then something registers and he smiles.

"Alright boys, let's give her privacy."

They walk off in a group. Peter unsheathes his sword and starts hacking away at bushes that they passed by.

I sigh and look back to the streaming water. I round the lake and reach the waterfall. My fingers skim the water as it comes falling down. It's cold, but not too cold. Taking a deep breath, I step under the rushing water and let it consume my body.

The boys really didn't have to leave; I wasn't planning on taking my clothes off but it's nice to have the privacy for a small bit. Back at the city, I was usually surrounded by a group or by someone. Never really left alone except for in my bedroom at night and even then there would be a guard outside my door. I lean my head back and let the flow of water stream through my black hair.

There is a whistling noise coming from somewhere nearby. Something slices across my cheek and hits the rock wall behind me. I stumble back from the water fall, my hand on my cheek and when I pull it away I notice blood dripping down my hand. To my left I notice an arrow sticking out of a small crack in the rocks. My brows furrow and eyes narrow.

That's an Elven arrow.