"Olivia," I heard a voice, sharp and dark. My mother. The Evil Queen. I turned around.
"Hello, Mother."
She looked surprised. "You know?"
"Yeah. Like I would expect you to tell me. Considering you abandoned me."
Regina rolled her eyes. "You sound just like me."
"Thanks, Captain Obvious. Or Queen Obvious to you."
"Look, Olivia, I did it to protect you-"
"Yeah, yeah, I know. From Pan. Well, guess what-"
"From Cora."
"Cora? Wait, your mother?"
"Yep," Regina said with a sigh. "I had to. She completely controlled my life no matter what. I didn't want her to control yours too. Giving you up was the only way."
"Well, now Pan is," I said, twirling my finger through my pitch black curls. "At least, he'll try to."
"Don't underestimate Peter Pan, Olivia. He may look like a boy, but he's a bloody demon."
"Are you saying he is older than I presume?"
"Precisely. You see, as a boy, he always visited Neverland in his dreams, and wanted to stay in Neverland forever and grow old. Once he became a father to Rumplestiltskin-"
"Rumplestiltskin?"
"Yes. He is Rumplestiltskin's father. He took Rumple to Neverland with him, physically, and couldn't do all the things he could as a boy. He made a deal with the Shadow, and in doing so he had to abandon his son in order to stay forever as a boy. He rules this island. He controls it. He takes boys who feel unloved and keeps them here, forcing them to do what he says. The Lost Boys."
"Why should I underestimate him still? Just an old man."
"He's a blood demon, Olivia. He has very dark magic. As you should know, considering I feel your heart missing from your body."
I immediately tensed at that. "Don't talk about that, Regina."
She laughed. "He did take it, didn't you? To make sure you didn't try to hurt him or run away."
"Oh, I don't intend on leaving. I plan on staying. But as the new ruler of Neverland."