Everland

by Wendy Spinale

  “Better get this door unlocked again,” Pickpocket says without looking at me. He struggles with the lock before it gives a distinct click. Opening the door, he peeks through the gap. He clears his throat. “The coast is clear,” he says, sliding the cabinet open.

  Lily glances at me, grimaces, marches up to us, and paces. The bent metal chain on the pocket watch clinks with every stride. “Gwen is right. You would be outnumbered at least twofold even if the Lost Boys were capable of fighting for themselves. You’re going to need our help. It is unreasonable to believe that the Professor and a few Lost Boys can take on an entire army of Marauders and lead the escape of … how many Lost Boys did you say?” she asks, halting in place.

  “A little more than a hundred,” Pete says.

  Lily shakes her head. “Her Majesty’s train was meant only for her, her family, and her personal guards. Two dozen at most. The train will not hold all of the Lost Boys. It was constructed with a single car intended for a quick escape. They’d have to hunker down here too long. They’ll surely be caught. We will have to find another way to get everyone out of Everland,” she says, pacing again.

  “Blast!” Pete says, kicking the steel door.

  “Wait! What if … ?” I waver, thinking of the numerous things that could go wrong. Biting down on my lip, I weigh the pros and cons. It’ll be risky, but it’ll ensure that everyone escapes. Everyone … but me.

  “You have an idea, Gwen?” Doc presses.

  “It might be a crazy suggestion, but what about Hook’s zeppelins?” I ask.

  “Yes!” Lily says excitedly. “The Jolly Roger is sitting at the far end of the royal gardens along with the rest of his fleet. His ship is certainly large enough to accommodate your group.”

  “Won’t there be soldiers protecting it?” Mole asks, wringing his hands.

  Pickpocket pulls his revolver from its holster and spins the chamber, checking to see if it is full. “Oh, we’ll take care of them.”

  Pete places both of his palms on my cheeks and plants a wet kiss on my forehead. “You’re brilliant, Gwen Darling!” Pete exclaims. My face grows warm, but no one else seems uncomfortable about his public display of affection.

  “If Hook’s intentions are to leave tonight, more than likely his men will be preparing the zeppelins for departure. That would be the optimal time to rescue the Lost Boys. They will be in the holding cells constructed within the ballroom. That’s where they took me when I was captured,” Lily says.

  “We’ll head there straightaway,” Pete says.

  “I’m going after my mother,” I say, placing my hands on the hilts of my daggers. “Can you get me into the courtyard?” I ask Lily.

  Lily’s gaze flits from me to Pete and back. “Yes, but it could be dangerous. I have no idea how many soldiers will be accompanying Hook.”

  “I don’t care,” I say. “I’m the one Hook wants. He won’t hurt me—he needs me alive.”

  Doc regards me for a moment. “You’re up to something, aren’t you. What’s your plan?”

  I shake my head. If they knew, they’d never agree to let me go. I turn to Lily. “When can we leave?”

  “No, Gwen, it’s too risky,” Pete says, worry creasing his forehead.

  I face him, unblinking. “I am not leaving Everland without my family.”

  Pete steps toward me, his stare holding mine. “I promised to get your family back to you unharmed. You’ve held up your end of the bargain and helped Bella; now it’s my turn to hold up mine.”

  I fold my arms, indignant and attempting to be unmoved by his show of regard.

  “Technically, you already held up your end of the bargain. You helped get Joanna back,” I say, raising my brows. “It wasn’t your fault she refused to come with us. My mother and brother were never part of the deal.”

  “I’ll go with her,” Bella says, joining me on my right and wrapping her gloved fingers in mine. I wait for her to wince, expecting the sores on her hand to send shooting pain through her, but she only smiles.

  Bella has already risked her life for me once. This time, I cannot guarantee her safety. I start to object, shaking my head in protest, but Bella’s warning expression forces me to reconsider. If I deny her, she’ll follow me anyway. As stubborn as she is, I make a silent vow to get her to safety the first chance I get, or die trying.

  “There’s a tunnel entrance not far from the Jolly Roger. It won’t be easy, but it will give us access to the palace courtyard,” Lily says. She glances down at Bella. “I think with Bella’s help we can get you in there. Once you have your family, we’ll leave Everland … for good.”

  Suddenly, the weight of jealousy slips as I am filled with gratitude.

  “Perfect!” I say with feigned enthusiasm, knowing my feet will never board the zeppelin. “You boys search for the holding cells. When you find the Lost Boys, meet Lily at the Jolly Roger. She may need Pickpocket’s help to jimmy the lock.”

  Pickpocket replaces the revolver in his holster and laces his fingers, cracking every knuckle. “Piece of cake.”

  Pete shakes his head. “I don’t like it. I won’t let you face Hook without me.”

  “Pete’s right,” Doc says. “One of us should go with you.”

  “I’ll be fine,” I say. I turn to Pete. “You be careful. And don’t get caught.”

  Pete takes both of my hands in his. He hesitates, gazing into my eyes, and for a moment I’m certain he’s going to kiss me. My pulse beats wildly and my breath quickens. I don’t know if my racing heartbeat is because of anticipation or fright. The pause seems to last forever, and just when I’m sure his lips are going to touch mine, he gives me a playful nudge.

  “You and I, we’re Lost Kids. Neither of us will be caught,” he says, staring at his boots.

  My heart shrinks and I feel my smile slip.

  A hand rests on my shoulder. I turn to see Doc’s resigned expression. “Be careful,” he says, patting me on the shoulder.

  Trying to shake my disappointment, I wrap my arms around Doc’s neck. “Thank you for helping me save Joanna,” I whisper into his ear. I feel the muscles in his face pull up into a smile against my cheek before he releases me.

  “It’s my pleasure,” Doc says. “Saving people, it’s what I do, and I will always be there when you need me.”

  I release him, grateful for his offer. I’ve grown fond of Doc and feel indebted to him for his help. I know I’ll never be able to repay him or any of the Lost Boys.

  “We should get going,” I say.

  Bella follows Lily as Pickpocket, Doc, and Mole step through the opening and into the lab. I start to turn, but Pete grabs my elbow and pulls me into a bear hug.

  “Please, Gwen. I need to know you will be safe. Promise me you’re not going to do anything dangerous,” he says quietly into my ear.

  Safe is a word I have not known in a very long time. The weight of responsibility, the burden of being the one in charge, threatens to drop from my shoulders, and the little girl within me fights to break free of the bonds I’ve placed upon her. My eyes well up with tears as I rest my cheek against his chest, hearing his steady heartbeat. Silently, I admonish myself for being so childish, so easily moved to tears, when Pete pulls back from me to look me in the eye.

  “Gwen, I—” He stops himself abruptly.

  “Yes, Pete?” I ask, trying to steady my own pulse.

  He purses his lips, as if struggling with what to say next. “You’re the bravest girl … no, you’re the bravest woman I know.”

  The word woman settles over me like a brand-new coat: unfamiliar but comfortable, soft, and warm.

  With my sixteenth birthday coming, I consider the implied sophistication that comes with being referred to as a woman. Suddenly, I feel self-conscious. I consider that it’s still been too long since I’ve last bathed. And that my hair is one tangled knot these days. My dirt-stained hand rests on Pete’s chest with fingernails that are broken, cracked, and filthy. Briefly, I wonder if Pete is right, if a
woman does lie beneath the mask of grime that covers me; grime that belongs to Everland.

  “Pete, any day now,” Pickpocket says from inside the lab.

  I drop my hand from Pete’s chest, but before it falls, he places his on mine. “Be happy, Gwen. Only think happy thoughts. If things don’t go right, if something happens to me, get out of Everland. Forget about today, forget about me. Just … just be happy.”

  Wiping away a tear from my cheek, I give him a disingenuous nod. I struggle with Pete’s words. Be happy. Finding Joanna and my mother made me happy, but now … now the prospect of having my family together does not seem to be enough. Without Pete and the other Lost Boys, it’ll never be enough.

  Pete briskly turns and steps inside the lab, pulling the steel door shut behind him. My pulse races and the world seems to slow down. My heart feels as if it is spiraling, a bomb plummeting to earth, uncertainty eating a hole in my gut.

  “Wait!” I call, forcing the words out as a heavy sensation chokes me. Pete stares through the cracked door with piercing green eyes. Eyes I know I will never see again if I go through with my plan.

  “Pete?” I say, my voice cracking. “Please don’t die.”

  Pete gives me a dazzling smile and bows. “To die will be an awfully big adventure.” He blows me a kiss and pulls the heavy door shut with a metallic clank, leaving me alone in the dark.

  The dimly lit walls close in on me and the air feels thin. I gasp as a swell of energy surges through me. I race into the infirmary. Bella and Lily are gathered together, excitedly exchanging conversation, sometimes talking over each other.

  Gripping Lily’s elbow, I pull her to attention. “I don’t feel right about this. We can’t let them go alone,” I say, breathing rapidly. “What if they get caught?”

  “You can’t worry about him,” she says in a stern voice.

  “Him?” I ask.

  Lily folds her arms. “You’re concerned about Pete.”

  My breath catches, caught between denial and truth. I drop my gaze. She’s right, but it’s more than just that. I’ll never know if he makes it out alive.

  As if reading my mind, she places a soft hand on my arm. “They’ll be okay. Those boys are the bravest I have met. Smart, too.”

  The simple gesture and the confident tone in her voice curbs the edge of my anxiety. Taking a final glance up at the steel door, I nod. “You’re right. We stick to the plan.”

  Lily takes my hand into hers, intertwining her gloved fingers with mine. She gives my hand a reassuring squeeze. “Come on. Let’s rescue your family.”

  “So how are we getting into the palace courtyard?” I ask.

  “You’re probably not going to like this plan.” Bella smiles, her complexion glowing with a new healthy radiance she did not have earlier. She links her arm in mine. “It’s time for the Lost Girl to learn how to fly.”

  Lily looks at me with unblinking, wide eyes. “Are you sure about this? If Hook captures you, we can’t come back to rescue you. There are too many children’s lives at risk to stall our departure.”

  “Don’t worry about that. I’m going to give him exactly what he wants,” I say, articulating each word.

  Bella shakes her head. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

  Soon enough, we are trudging through murky water in a dark tunnel. The smell of damp dirt fills the narrow passage as I duck beneath a low ceiling. The intertwined tree roots give the illusion of lace. Lily takes the lead while I follow, Bella close behind me. Water seeps into my leather boots. Unlike the carefully engineered royal tunnels, the muddy channel feels more like an underground animal burrow than a passageway. I lumber on, trying to keep myself upright while my shoes sink into the muck.

  Lily, on the other hand, travels with ease, her long, dark hair swinging behind her. She marches forward, each step sure and steady. Her slender hands grip the skirt of her sari, holding it above the waterline. The metal chain around her waist tinkles in the cavern like the ringing of miniature bells.

  Thunder rumbles ahead. A rusty old ladder leaning against a rocky alcove appears from the shadowed darkness; a small hole above it opens to a stormy sky. The flash of lightning illuminates the passage for a moment before plunging us into the dim light of Lily’s lantern.

  “This leads into the gardens behind the palace. Follow the tree line toward the building,” Lily shouts over the crash of thunder. “It will take you to the northwest corner.”

  “What about you?” I ask, my eyes fixed on hers.

  Frowning, Lily nods. “I’ll be taking a nearby passageway just to the west. It ends several meters from the Jolly Roger. I’ll sneak aboard and prepare it for departure. When Pete, the Lost Boys, Bella, and your family arrive, we’ll leave for Northumberland.”

  Pete, Lost Boys, Bella, and my family. No mention of me. She knows my plan, my secret. I’m sure of it. My chest wells with gratitude as she smiles weakly at me, acknowledging the unspoken words between us.

  I nod. “So how are we getting inside to the courtyard?”

  Another bolt streaks the sky, lighting Bella’s face. “That’s where I come in. We’re scaling the walls.”

  My eyes dart toward Lily. “Scaling the walls? Of the palace?” I ask in disbelief.

  “It’s the only way in without drawing the attention of the guards,” Lily says. “There are soldiers guarding every entrance.”

  I peer up at the darkness beyond the opening. Lightning rakes across the midnight sky.

  “The only trouble will be traveling in the darkness,” Lily says. “They’ll spot you right away with a lamp. With the cloud cover it’ll be hard to scale the wall without the moonlight.”

  The corners of Bella’s mouth turn up and her blue eyes sparkle in the lamplight. “And that’s why you need me here. How do you think I travel by the rooftops at night? Lily, can you dim the lantern?”

  Lily turns the brass knob, and the hiss of gas quiets until only a small flame remains. Bella’s face is shadowed in the dark, but even in the minimal light, I can see her chin tilted up toward the opening in the ceiling. Another roll of thunder rumbles the earth.

  “Watch this,” Bella says. She pulls something from her pocket and blows a breath across the palm of her hand. Lightning brightens the cavern again. This time the air is filled with a metallic glitter, sparkling like the brilliant gold rays of a sunrise on a clear morning. The fine powder shimmers and floats to the ground.

  “Gold dust,” Lily says, surprised.

  “Pixie dust,” I correct.

  Lily turns the lanterns back up and the floor sparkles in the dust’s luminescence.

  Bella’s expression is bright with excitement. “That storm is close enough that we’ll have plenty of lightning to reflect off of the dust. I’ll go first and leave a trail for Gwen to follow.”

  Lily whistles. “That’s bloody brilliant!”

  Bella grins and starts up the ladder. “Come on, Gwen. It’s time for your first lesson.”

  “Lesson?” I ask.

  She winks, her long lashes fluttering like the wings of a butterfly. “I wasn’t kidding when I said I was going to teach you how to fly.”

  “But you don’t have your wings,” I say.

  Bella shrugs. “I don’t need wings for this adventure.”

  Hesitantly, I follow her. I prop my elbows on the muddy ground and pull myself out of the narrow opening. We find ourselves near a small grove of trees. Two soldiers guard the garden entrance into the palace. Across the vast overgrown lawn in the far distance, torchlight surrounds a large silver zeppelin that hovers above a wooden ship fitted with propellers. A long ramp leads to the door, and dozens of soldiers are carrying crates and boxes into the vehicle. Other smaller zeppelins surround it.

  “That must be the Jolly Roger,” Bella says, pointing to the largest ship, which is adorned with a skull-and-crossbones figurehead.

  The faint smell of smoke and burnt wood carries on a cool breeze. A crack of thunder bursts through the air, follow
ed by another bolt of lightning, casting the smoke-and-cloud-filled sky in an orange haze. Bella must smell it, too. She turns, facing the palace.

  Beyond the palace walls, the city is ablaze.

  Everland is on fire.

  Bella watches the burning city and her bottom lip turns up in a pout, but she says nothing. A heavy sense of sorrow hangs in the air, mixing with ash as the city burns. The last thread of hope inside of me that believed England would one day be restored snaps. There is nothing left of London. All that remains is Everland, a city of sorrow, destruction, and embers. Although my heart severs in two, I remind myself of Northumberland, a light in the midst of despair.

  “Ready?” I ask.

  Bella nods and leads the way. We follow the line of trees to the northwest corner of the palace, keeping within the shadows. The palace roof towers above us, nearly three stories high.

  “Are you sure about this, Bella?” I ask. “It seems so high. You could fall.”

  “We will both be fine. Trust me,” she says with a sly smile.

  Another crack of thunder startles me. Bella looks up at me, the light in the sky making her bright eyes appear almost green in its glow. She touches my trembling hands. “We have to hurry before the rain comes. I’ll go first and you follow behind.”

  She crouches down and darts from the trees, paying no attention to the soldiers in the distance. I follow her lead. Bella grabs onto a stone in the wall and climbs effortlessly. When she reaches the top ledge of the building, she grunts as she pulls herself up, but her expression shows no hint of discomfort. She is the healthiest she’s been since I’ve met her.

  Bella peers over the ledge. She waves a hand at me, coaxing me to join her. Stepping out of the protective cover of the trees, I sprint toward the wall. When I reach it, I close my eyes and take in a breath. The air smells faintly of rain and electricity. Another burst of lightning brushes the sky, but all I see is the fiery red glow behind my eyelids. A light dusting of flecks falls on my cheeks, reminding me of family trips and playing with my sister and brother in the powder of fresh-falling snow, flakes catching on my lashes.