Chapter 21: Brine's Family

Conch surveyed the throne room. The tension was suffocating. Mer that weren't demanding audience from the royal family were noticing the two strangers among them. Wendy's blue eyes and Peter's fiery hair reflected off every glassy ice sheet. Both had the good sense to stay aloof, but their features screamed intruder. Heads were turning. Fins were swishing. Scales were spiking. Murmurs were rising.

Conch glanced at Brine, trying to silently translate the danger. Northern Neversea mer were a fierce, sinewy race with sallow skin and dramatic features. Conch looked at Peter and Wendy. He snorted. The human's mer disguises weren't good enough, and they certainly weren't working. Especially for Wendy.

Conch fingered his trident. With a little luck, Peter's flamboyant colors, nimble tail, and flowing fin would be blamed on being a Neverland mer. The Northern Neversea mer would buy that – Neverland mer were famous for tropical hues, graceful forms, and luxurious pastimes. Conch grunted. If the Neversea mer overlooked the elvin face, pointed ears, and killer instinct, then Peter was safe.

But Wendy…

Conch scratched his beard. Mer rarely used the term 'we're sunk' (for obvious reasons) but in this case it was very appropriate. Wendy was just…too…different.

First, her features didn't match any mer species Conch knew. The blue chatoyance of Wendy's bronze tail followed gazes around the room. But most attracting were Wendy's eyes.

Conch groaned. Wendy's eyes would be a problem. They were eerie. Blue and eerie. Conch guessed Wendy's eyes made her conspicuous even for a Neverland-lubber. No one in Neverland or Neversea had blue eyes. No one. Well, no one except…Captain Hook.

Conch considered. Interesting. The silent impression Wendy cast was similar to Captain Hook's. Both Wendy and Captain Hook were…displaced. They stood out, and effortlessly. Like pearls in grit. They were different. They were obvious. They were almost…alien.

Something chinked.

Conch turned. A pod of mermen were regarding Wendy and Peter. One had jabbed down his trident. Glaring at the Neverlanders, the merman ground his trident into the icy floor.

Peter slowly grasped Wendy's arm. His fist curled.

Quickly, Conch made a decision.

"Brine." Conch turned, "Brine. This won't work. Time to abandon ship – "

"There! Listen! They're coming!"

Collectively, the mer swerved. Wendy jostled from Peter's grip as bodies pressed around her, vying for closer proximity. Fighting for balance, Wendy searched the throne room. But nothing had changed, save for the uproar of shouting mer and…

Wendy listened. She closed her eyes. And she was uncertain at first, but through the commotion, Wendy heard chirping. Chirping that sounded like ghosts, fireworks, and singing all at once. Chirping that sounded very much like the song of…

"Whales! The whales! The royal family!"

The mer pushed. Wendy thumped into Conch. Then, a shadow covered the hall. Holding Conch, Wendy looked up.

"Oh…my…word."

Two whales sailed overhead. The leader was a beluga chirping like a white canary. The second was a narwhale with a long, skewered tusk.

Wendy gaped. Mystified she rotated as the whales circled the ceiling.

Then, the beluga stopped singing.

Conch leaned sideways. "Hey Squirt?"

Long shapes streaked under the whales.

"Y-yes?" Wendy stuttered.

Conch glanced at Brine. Then, as the royal family descended, he spoke.

"No sudden movements."

Wendy swallowed. She waited for Brine to reassure her, to tell her Conch was only teasing, to tell her not to be afraid. But if Brine spoke, Wendy did not hear. Because an orange king crab and hot pink shrimp suddenly bobbed from the queen and king.

"Presenting…" growled the crab. "...Queen Celadon and King Basalt. Their Graces heard your woes across the sea – "

" – and they ain't scared!" The little shrimp squawked. He practically convulsed with adrenaline. "So lay it down! Ya bunch o' clowns! Spew your woes! Gripe and moan!"

"—Barracuda!" scolded the crab.

But Barracuda the shrimp was on a roll. "Come on!" he buzzed around the crab's claws. "Haters gonna hate! So let's have a date! Represent, mates! Swim up and debate!"

Conch snorted. Brine grinned. But the mer roared angrily.

"King Basalt!" yelled a merman. "There are pirates on the ice and ships in our glaciers!"

"And not Bluebeard alone!" shouted a second, making Peter and Wendy flinch. "Also Captain Hook! From Neverland!"

"And his crew!"

"And with your eldest monster!" A mer brandished his trident. "We lose our warriors to the leviathan when they should be fighting pirates!"

Brine darted angrily for the merman slurring his brother. Conch lunged and caught him as the crowd booed.

"Cool it Brine. Look at Leviathan!" Conch grunted. "Does he look upset?"

Wendy looked with Brine to the royal family. But unlike Brine, she paused on each member. It was fascinating. Brine had mentioned once that he had one sister, Nixie. But it had been Nixie that told Wendy, briefly in Neverland, that she and Brine had five older brothers, a mother, and father.

Wendy surveyed the family. Nixie was not present and neither was Phineas her snow-leopard shark. There were two additional empty spots which Wendy supposed were reserved for Conch and Brine. But with the royal family lined before her, Wendy saw bits of Brine in each sibling. And children's resemblance was visibly traceable to King Basalt and Queen Celadon.

Wendy tilted for a better view. Although tridents and fins obscured the king and queen, she was still awed.

King Basalt and Queen Celadon were grand. Majestic and imposing, they gazed calmly over the protests like a single pair of eyes.

King Basalt mirrored the icy climate with every feature and mannerism. Hardly did he move, save for sharp flicks inside his crinkly silver eyes. His scalp was smooth as ice but his shoulders were wide as glaciers. Battle scars littered his torso and barnacles armored his knuckles and cheeks. But most intriguing was King Basalt's tail. Like Leviathan, Basalt's scales were dark gold. But, his tail ended at a mangled point, like an eel. Wendy peered curiously. She noticed that the king leaned heavily on his trident. Suddenly, she realized why the king did not have fins. His fins had been amputated. King Basalt was crippled.

Wendy bit her lip. It was difficult to be sad for the king because his physic was so gallant. The monarch was clearly a warrior with fierce abilities, despite his severed tail. Still, Wendy hoped to find gentleness in the queen.

She did not. Queen Celadon was daunting. Wendy was initially struck that the queen looked so much like her daughter, Nixie. Round face. High cheekbones. Large eyes, identical in shape to Nixie's and Brine's. But the similarities ended with appearances. Queen Celadon was cold and flawless as a snowflake. She regarded the assemblage heartlessly with minty-silver eyes, the color referenced to her namesake. Her tail, the same green hue, swished back and forth. Like a predator.

Suddenly, Queen Celadon turned. Her eyes jumped.

And she looked straight at Wendy.

"Ouch!" Peter buckled, catching Wendy as she backpedaled. "What's –"

"—she saw me. She saw me and she looked at me."

Peter frowned. Wendy was trembling. "Who?"

"The – "

"—Queen Celadon!"

Two mer ventured forward. "Queen Celadon! King Basalt! How will you protect the kingdom?"

"When will these pirates be gone?"

"Why are they still casting nets and hooks?"

"How will you destroy the graveyard?"

"And why – " Conch suddenly boomed "—are pirates killing my icicle fish?"

The shouting stopped. Tethered in surprised silence, the mer simultaneously turned. Frustrated expressions became somber. No one spoke but every merman and mermaid swayed nervously from Conch.

Everyone except the royal family.

"Conch! Hey! Conch!" One brother bounced on his teal tail. A thick bubble bounced synchronously behind him. "You're back! You're –"

"Why are you here?" Queen Celadon spoke harshly as her question. Mer warriors reacted to her tone by inching closer with pointed tridents.

"Hi, Mom." Conch replied. Wendy felt warm water rippling from his chest, but Conch was cheerfully sarcastic as ever. "Don't worry. My body temperature is lowered. I'm not going to melt the palace."

Raising his voice for the assembly, Conch lifted his icicle fish necklace. "I'm cool as a clam. Just drank two doses of icicle fish oil. Which brings me back to my original question…"

Conch returned to his parents. He winked swiftly at his excited teal-finned brother before continuing.

"…why are the pirates killing my icicle fish? And, while we're on the subject, what are you going to do about it?"

Queen Celadon stared, pale face smoothed of all expression.

"Fight." she finally said.

Deciding to address her subjects' concerns instead of her trespassing son, Queen Celadon raised her voice to the assembly. "We will fight as we always have. But our advance will require increased cunning this time. This time, Bluebeard is joined by Captain Hook. The eloquent Captain Hook."

The mer murmured darkly. Peter cursed under his breath. Next to Wendy, Brine fidgeted. He started to speak, but was stopped by a warning glance from Conch.

Queen Celadon rotated her trident methodically. "Something secretive is hiding undertow. Bluebeard is a fisherman. A hunter. A killer. But Hook…is sly. Hook is a craftsman. A mathematician. An artist. He devises schemes secretive as his black heart."

Brine spoke. "We – "

"—Brine." Conch warned.

"We cannot fight Bluebeard's pirates…." Queen Celadon continued, calmly noticing her youngest son. "…without understanding Hook's scheme."

"But we do know!" Eagerly, Brine grasped Wendy's hand. Although the details were still vague, he was beginning to the see the connections between Wendy's predicament and the threats to his parent's kingdom. Encouraged that they could help each other, Brine grinned between Wendy and his family.

"We do know a little! And it may help! Mom! Dad! This is Wendy and she said that an icicle fish came to Neverland and ate – "

"Brine. Enough."

Brine halted. His smile deflated. "Mom we – "

"Enough."

Queen Celadon regarded Wendy. Then Peter. Then Wendy again. Silently, she turned silver-green eyes to her husband. King Basalt glanced. Then, almost imperceptivity, he nodded.

"Your fears will be met." Queen Celadon addressed the assembly. "But at the present, Prince Conch and young Prince Brine have…news."

"That's not good." Conch mumbled through his beard.

"Leave us." Queen Celadon said. She waited as the pink shrimp and orange crab bundled mer away. No one dared speak until the room was empty and Queen Celadon shifted on her throne.

"Now." said the queen. "You say, Neverland?"

Brine nodded. Reassuringly he drew Wendy forward, ignoring his mother's prickly gaze.

"Yes. Yes. Um…family. Mom. Dad. These are my...friends from Neverland."

Peter hacked. Brine looked equally pained as he continued with introductions.

"That's Peter." He said unenthusiastically. "And this…" Brine beamed proudly, "…this is Wendy. Wendy…this is my family."

Silence.

Wendy waited. She was terribly uncomfortable. So, too nervous to speak but sure some sort of response was proper, she curtsied.

Conch grinned. Quickly, he smothered it.

The king raised his brows. The queen looked offended. The shrimp and crab looked appalled. The rest were confused.

"What was that?" blurted the teal-finned brother.

A second brother – white tailed and similar in age – silently shrugged.

"Guys!" Brine laughed. He rubbed Wendy's hand. "Come on! Behave! That was Wendy's way of showing she's pleased to meet you."

"I think it's adorable." Conch interjected helpfully. He leaned on his trident in a lounging sort of way. "Brine. Why don't you just introduce everybody in order? Curses, pets, and all."

"Nixie's not here." piped the teal-finned brother.

Conch waved a hand. "They've already met, Teal. Remember Nix was in Neverland recently?"

Teal grinned. It was purely evil. "Ooooo mother of pearl do I remember! She was swimming in the shark tank with her pirate playma – "

Pop!

The thick bubble, which had been lingering behind Teal's ear, suddenly burst in his face. Teal gasped, blinked, shook his head, and apologized for saying too much. The family nodded and the thick bubble reformed. Placidly, it floated back behind Teal's ear.

Wendy looked questionably at Brine.

"Let's start with Teal." Brine suggested. "Youngest to oldest. Wendy, obviously I'm youngest. Nixie is older than me. And Teal is next, older than Nixie. Teal…meet Wendy."

Teal curled his identically colored tail. It twitched into the shape of a devil horn. "Nice Brine!" he crooned, motioning suggestively to Wendy. "Got yourself a funny little guppy, huh?"

Wendy's mouth dropped at Teal's inappropriateness. Peter fumed beside her.

"Teal. Clam it." Brine warned, but Teal jabbered on unnoticed.

"Oh, come on Brine! Yum, yum, yum! Bet you'd like to search for treasure in that ches – oof!"

The white-tailed brother jabbed Teal in the gut. A moment later the bubble popped again in Teal's face. The merman gasped and doubled over. But, he did stop talking.

The white-tailed brother silently consoled Teal.

Brine waited for the bubble to reappear before apologizing. "Sorry Teal."

Teal rubbed his stomach. "No problem. Thanks guys. That was a close one." Still wincing, he smiled good-naturedly at Wendy. "Sorry about that maid. But you know little brothers – they're meant to be picked on."

Conch laughed. "Don't take it personally, Squirt. Teal's been cursed with bluntness, talkativeness —"

"—unbecoming loquaciousness!" Teal added.

"—and an impressive vocabulary." Conch gestured to the thick bubble, resting at Teal's ear. "The bubble is Teal's pet. Pops in his face and keeps him from saying too much. Most of the time."

Peter and Wendy blinked.

"The bubble is his pet?" Peter scoffed. "The bubble is alive?"

"Um yyyyeaaaaah." Teal nudged his white-tailed brother. "Geeze, Tiller. What's with the stiff with the pointy ears, right?"

As Tiller silently smiled, Teal whispered loudly at Wendy. "Some winners you got in Neverland, huh Squirt?"

"Her name…" Peter growled, "…is Wendy."

"And you're a belligerent creep. Whoa!"

Pop!

The bubble burst in Teal's face. Wendy watched as he spluttered. And although he did not apologize to Peter and had been awfully rude to her, Wendy could not help but to like Teal. Teal was built similarly to Brine but had his father's crinkly silver eyes. His black-green hair was haphazard as his speech and his athletic body was constantly moving. Wendy smiled. Teal's enthusiasm was genuine and kind. For some reason, he reminded her of a rambunctious little puppy with ears that were much too big.

"Teal is actually twins with Tiller." Brine explained. He gestured to the white tailed merman. "Tiller hatched first."

"Cheater." Teal grinned, shoving Tiller.

"Tiller…" Brine continued. "…meet Wendy. Wendy, meet Tiller.

The beluga whale suddenly chirped. Tiller lifted his arm as the whale nuzzled him with a melon head. Then, both the merman and beluga looked expectantly to Brine.

"And that is Echo." Brine said. "Tiller's pet beluga whale."

Echo whistled, satisfied. Wendy thought the beluga's song was delightful, just like a bird's. She shyly told Tiller so. But Tiller, unlike his twin, did not respond. His expression hardly wavered as he acknowledged Wendy's compliment with a nod.

"Tiller can't talk Wendy." Brine said softly. "He is cursed with silence. The seawitch ripped out his voice."

"Oh. Oh dear." Wendy was horrified with herself. Apologetically she beseeched Tiller. "Oh I'm sorry. Truly I'm – "

Tiller lifted a hand. He smiled, but even his expressions were muted. Although Tiller was Teal's twin, they shared little more than their father's crinkly silver eyes. Tiller was thin as a ripple with gaunt cheeks and protruding ribs. His white scales were fading into transparent glints, which made Tiller seem much older and wiser than his brothers.

"Well, I'm next." Conch said. Dramatically, he spread both arms, trying to pull Wendy from her embarrassment. "And you know all about me. Prince Conch of the Northern Neversea! The devilishly handsome, huggably brawny, and wickedly witty brother with the rusty red tail and best facial hair – with exception to Leviathan. Cursed with a burning temperature and banished from the Underturned Palace for all eternity! Dum dum dummm."

Wendy smiled. She suddenly noticed through Conch's black-green beard and long hair, that he had King Basalt's crinkly silver eyes.

"Do you have a pet, Conch?"

"Sure do, Squirt." Conch twirled a finger absently. "Orca. She's my killer whale. I try not to see her too much –my heat is a little too intense for her to handle. Don't wanna hurt her."

Queen Celadon sniffed derisively. Conch turned, but Brine swiftly cut the tension.

"Conch is the third oldest…" Brine quickly said, "…and second oldest is Hadal and his pet narwhale. Hadal, this is – "

"I heard. Wendy. Your…friend…from Neverland." Hadal emerged from the shadow of his narwhale "Do you think I care?"

Even the ice shivered. Hadal looked like a demon. His olive green tail lacked luster, and his sallow skin was mottled with bruises. Hadal's black-green hair was long, but his fingers were longer…the perfect length for scratching and strangling. Like Nixie and Brine, Hadal had the queen's large silver eyes. But they were cruel, piercing, and unkind. And they were cutting into Wendy like knives.

"Um…" Wendy tried to breath. Peter was touching her back. "Um…I. What is his name?"

Hadal glared. "What?"

"Y-your whale." Finger trembling, Wendy pointed to the narwhale. "W-what is his name?"

"Sunshine." Conch said.

Teal and Brine snorted. Tiller hid a smile behind his whale. Even King Basalt allowed a twinkle in his crinkly silver eyes.

Hadal stared at Wendy. His upper lip curled. He looked disgusted, offended that Wendy would dare ask such a question. Even the narwhale scowled down his long tusk.

"He doesn't have one." Hadal finally said. Slowly, he slunk forward. "Would you like to know why?"

Wendy recoiled into Peter. "I..I'm sorry –"

"It is because…" Hadal hissed, drawing to his full height. "…I am a backstabber. That is my curse."

Hadal curled a spindly hand around the narwhale's tusk. "And only those that appear trustworthy and kind…those that give names to their lovely, little pets…will be the ones to stab them in the back."

"Figuratively…" Teal murmured, "…and literally."

Pop!

"We're all cursed, Wendy." Brine said as Teal's bubble reformed. Comfortingly, he rubbed Wendy's shoulder. "And none of it is easy. I mean…take Leviathan. He's the oldest. I think you already met today. And you've seen his curse. When Leviathan is scared, or threatened, or mad…he changes into a sea monster. A leviathan."

Leviathan did not wait for Brine's formal introduction.

"I apologize, maid." Leviathan's voice was mesmerizingly deep. Regally, the eldest brother bowed his head. "Twas not my intent to frighten you."

Wendy blushed. Leviathan, despite his wounds, was fiercely handsome. The younger version of his father, Leviathan was a perfect mix of gentleness and savagery. His triangular face smiled with crinkly silver eyes; his strong features were graced with the beginnings of a black-green beard; his dark gold tail curled powerfully beneath him; and his muscular arms were wrapped tenderly about a mermaid and merchild.

"May I present my wife Lorelei. And our son, Littoral." Leviathan nodded to the mermaid at his side. Like all Neversea mer, Lorelei and her son had silver eyes and black-green hair. Her tail was periwinkle, but Littoral's was gold.

Wendy smiled. Littoral was so small he could not swim for himself, but the child already resembled his father and grandfather.

"Um excuse me!" demanded a muffled voice. "This is my wife Lorelei and my son Littoral? Is that it? Come on now sugar, does the starfish get any love?"

Leviathan turned. A starfish, suctioned to Leviathan's shoulder, had suddenly flapped up her face.

"Merboy! Didn't I teach you better than that?"

"Tis my err."

"Mmm-hmm! Ya bet it's your err! Fancy talkin fool!"

Leviathan smiled. "Allow me to present Csilla. My pet starfish."

"Mmm-hmm!" Csilla pursed her lips at Wendy and Peter. "Charmed. I'm sure. Hope you understand the symbolism. Of me? Being a starfish? To this here Leviathan?"

Wendy thought. "Because he…um Prince Leviathan…grows? Or shrinks…or goes back into a merman? And you…can grow back your arms? You both…" Wendy ventured. "…can…transform?"

"Uh-ooo." Csilla pointed a limb. "Ooo I like her. That's right! Regeneration baby! This starfish! This merman! Right here! Ooo baby maid, you can stay!"

Wendy grinned. Then she ducked, blushing furiously under Leviathan's gaze. "Thank you."

"Mmm-hmm!" Before flopping back down, Csilla turned to Lorelei. "I tell you what now; I like her almost as much as I like you!"

Lorelei laughed. Gently she adjusted Littoral to her breasts. Then, she smiled at Wendy.

"Hey! So the starfish gets all the glory?" Barracuda the shrimp was enraged. "Waddup with that?"

"I quite agree!" the king crab said. "After all. We are the domesticated subservients to the king and queen!"

"Squirt…" Conch waved at the shrimp and crab. "Barracuda the shrimp and Herman the king crab. Barracuda belongs to Dad, and Herman is Mom's problem."

"Gasp! How rude!" Herman snapped his spiky claws. "Go back to being banished!"

"Or do we have to muscle you out!" Barracuda squeaked.

"Yeah… Conch raised his eyebrow. "…I'll risk it. Okay, Squirt what else do you need to know. Oh, that's Mom and Dad, alias Queen Celadon and King Basalt. Dad's cursed to have cursed sons and Mom's cursed to have a cursed daughter, aka all of us plus Nix who isn't here. OKAY!"

Conch wiped his hands. "Introductions are over. So before I demand to know how we are going to save my icicle fish, are there any questions?"

Wendy exhaled. It was all very overwhelming. But, before she could even think of a question, Teal opened his mouth.

But Queen Celadon spoke first.

"A Neverland mermaid. Interesting."

Brine tensed.

"Oh boy. Here it comes." Conch looked sympathetically at Wendy. "Get ready Squirt."

Wendy cocked her head. But before she could ask, Queen Celadon swooped before her.

"A Neverland merman and maid." Queen Celadon rounded Peter and Wendy like a shark. "Here in the Northern Neversea kingdom exactly when the pirates of Neverland invade our waters and ally with our enemies."

"Mom –" Brine began.

"The guards are waiting on my orders." Queen Celadon said without pause. "You are fortunate Brine that your father and I have not had your friends arrested."

"Arrested? Mom!"

Conch swam forward. "Mom, come on. Brine was just in Neverland. He's allowed to make friends."

Queen Celadon laughed. Wickedly. "Whilst I would despise such a selection, I would be comforted that the mer in question was indeed a native of Neverland. However…"

Queen Celadon leaned into Wendy. Wendy backed, but the queen held her chin with one finger. "…this young maid is not a Neverland mer."

Brine's and Conch's staggered silence was verdict enough.

"Mom…" Brine finally managed. "Wendy…Wendy is…I met Wendy in Neverla—"

"Be quiet."

Queen Celadon waited. When her orders were obeyed, she returned to Wendy.

"What is wrong with your eyes?"

Wendy's heart pound in her ears. "…I…"

"And your tail…" Queen Celadon circled Wendy. "..bronze? With only a sliver of light blue luster? Were you a sickly tadpole?"

"Mom." Brine protested as Conch held Peter back.

"And this…" Queen Celadon tugged the ribbon threaded through Wendy's seashell top. "...do you call this appropriate?"

"Mom!"

"Hair the color of sand and a blush the color of a winter sun." Viciously, Queen Celadon hissed. "And what…for a second time…what is wrong with your eyes?"

"Nothing! There's nothing wrong with her!" Peter slipped from Conch. He swam to Wendy's side. "Leave her alone, you Codfish! She's perfect!"

Queen Celadon stared. Then, slowly she exhaled. "And the red haired one. With the demon face. Well…merman and maid…"

"Mom!" Brine joined Peter and Wendy. "These are my friends! There – "

"—suspicious and sloppy." Queen Celadon glared at Brine's hand, tucked in the small of Wendy's back. "And if there is one thing I can't stand…it is a mermaid carless of her appearance."

It was exactly at that moment that Nixie decided to make her entrance.

"Hi Mom!"

Queen Celadon turned. She grimaced at her daughter's unkempt blue-violet tail, roguish grin, and short hair. "Nixie. Did you not hear the call to come to court?"

"Sure did!" Nixie grinned. "But I ignored it."

"Why?"

Nixie's expression was criminal. She winked at her snow-leopard shark. "Phin and I went to see Shark."

The family hissed. But Nixie, clearly enjoying the reaction, sauntered towards her throne. "Yeah I know. Jolly Roger's in town. And Shark sends his – Conch?!"

Conch grinned. "Hey Nix."

"Conch!" Elated, Nixie slammed into her older brother. Half wrestling, half embracing she laughed. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

Conch ruffled Nixie's hair. "Leviathan had an episode. Then I had to play tour-guide for Brine's Neverland buddies."

"Neverland?" Perplexed, Nixie turned. "Who does Brine know in Never – oh mother of pearl! Peter Pan? Wendy?"

Wendy smiled. "Hello Nixie."

Nixie was flabbergasted. When she spoke, Wendy's heart froze. "Why are you a mermaid?"

The guise shattered. King Basalt straightened. His son's baulked. Herman gasped. Barracuda fainted. Queen Celadon darkened.

"Excuse me? Nixie? They are not mer?"

"Well yeah…they're human. From our adventure in Neverland. " Nixie looked around. Suddenly she stiffened. "Wait. Didn't Brine…tell you?"

Queen Celadon raised her trident. "No." she hissed pointing the barbed weapon straight at Peter and Wendy. "He did not."

Then, King Basalt spoke. "Kill them."

sultal's note: One of you posted a review under chapter 1 as a GUEST (probably by accident?) asking me to read your POV story. Now I am happy to read and talk/type to you about it, but (1) I don't know who you are and (2) I don't know the title of the story. Normally when people ask me to do this, I have them PM me so we can discuss. Again, happy to read it, but just PM me so I know who you are and what I am reading.

keep writing.