“I hate you,” Pam said in a low, controlled voice.
Remy shrugged her shoulders elegantly, looking out the carriage window. Her eyes took in a typical seaside town, the smell of rank fish and salt causing her nostrils to scrunch. “Yes, that’s not the first time a servant has told me such,” she said. “I do not particularly care how you feel about me. I do care about you giving me the information I need. Now, tell me. Is this ball the same one James was going to throw in my honor in The Other World?”
Pam took her time in responding. There was a chance she might not respond at all. But finally, she said, “No. I don’t know. The one The Magistrate is talking about happens annually. Hook rarely threw parties. Whatever ball he was going to throw was solely for your benefit and his, but it’s not a typical thing.”
Remy nodded, her fingers tapping on the tip of her chin. She knew The Magistrate wished to debut her at her ball the same way Hook had, which meant her presence would be a claim on the power the two wanted to steal from the other. She did not know why it had to be public – possibly because no one knew what her presence meant and how it affected souls – but they needed her for the same reasons.
“Why do they want me?” Remy asked, throwing her eyes back at Pam. “I know it’s for power. I know it’s to have the most power. But why?”
Pam looked increasingly more frustrated but Remy did not care. “Because there are rumors swirling that one ruler will inherit The Neverland, The Paradise, and The Other World,” Pam replied. “One ruler means one law. Whoever gets to be that ruler gets to create that law and impose the punishment. Whoever that is will be the most powerful person in the afterlife.”
“How will I help them?” Remy asked.
Pam gave Remy a look that seemed to say she was nothing short of idiotic for not already figuring it out.
"Because," she said, not bothering to hide her annoyance. Remy shot her a warning glare but it did not seem to do much damage. "You attract souls. If one ruler attracted enough souls, they would clearly inherit the title because they have the most followers."
"So," Remy said, wrinkling her brow, trying to make sense of it all, "it's similar to a democracy; the individual with the most support wins."
Pam looked like she was going to argue, then stopped. "I suppose you could look at it from that angle," she allowed. "No one knows how The Creator will make her choice, but it's always nice to have support from potential subjects."
Remy nodded and turned her head do she looked out the window. She did not know how long it would take them to reach their destination but she supposed it did not matter. She was trapped, taken prisoner, again. She had been since the day Nicholas Grey rescued her from a fate possibly worse than death, if not death, and pulled her into a world he could not return her from. Then, she was kidnapped and tortured by Peter Pan before being taken captive by James. James wasn't so bad but technically, she was his prisoner all the same. She was never free. And now, she was prisoner to The Magistrate. All because she was alive. All because she could attract souls. All because she didn't belong here.
She clenched her jaw, her colorful eyes narrowing at nothing in particular. She was tired of being trapped. She was tired of playing games. She was tired of having to use her sexuality to get what she wanted, tired of having to pretend to be stupid in order to appear more trustworthy. She was not sure if she wanted to return home anymore. She had James to thank for that on top of her heart, she supposed, but more than anything, she wanted to be free. Free to make her own choices. Free to be in control of her circumstances.
She didn't hear her mother's voice anymore. She was not sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing. If anything, Remy believed it was because she was not as tied to her home as she used to be. The decisions she made here were hers alone, not her mother's. She could not depend on her anymore. If she was going to get out of this, she would have to do it herself. Her heart echoed through her head, a throbbing that was soft but painful. She needed to get out of this mess. She needed to take her freedom back because they were but going to give it to her.
Remy exited the carriage and clenched her jaw. Her mind was racing. Her thoughts were tumbling over themselves trying to figure out something that might stick. Something that might help her out of this mess.
She turned her head to the west and then the east, taking in the different roads. Ships lined both sides of the streets and people walked down without a care in the world. Up until they felt her presence. Then, they began to turn toward her. They wanted her. She hadn't experienced this since when she was with Nick and they were on Tenedor. When the souls wanted to get her. They began to walk toward her, completely disregarding their previous tasks. All they were focused on was Remy. They needed to get to Remy and that was it.
"What is going on?" Pam asked, her eyes going wide.
Remy clenched her jaw. She would not be able to escape. Not yet. Not now. The souls would give her away. She would have to try when she was back at the manor, when she wasn't surrounded by souls.
"Haven't you heard, Pam?" Remy asked. "The souls want me. I'm not quite sure what I'd do if they got me or why they even want me in the first place, but this is what tends to happen when I'm out in public in The Neverland. I’m not sure why you don't feel it, why the crews on the ships that I've been with don't feel it, but I imagine it has to do with the fact that they're all stationed somewhere. They all have jobs to do. They have a purpose, unlike the majority of these souls who are either waiting or afraid. Their purpose is tied to their fear or the presence of someone else. And I represent that. Or something." Her eyes flickered to the oncoming souls. As much as it pained her to do so, Remy slipped back into the carriage and took her seat.
"What are you doing?" Pam all but yelped, scrambling to get in beside her and shut the door before the souls reached them.
"We should go back," Remy said, keeping her shoulders back and her chin tilted up. She rubbed her lips together.
"What?" Pam asked, throwing her arms out. To be honest, it was the most emotive Remy had ever seen Pam in the entire time she knew her. "Why?"
"Do you honestly believe we can purchase a gown with souls clamoring to get me like this?" Remy asked, arching a cool brow. "I have no idea what will happen if they ever do get me. All I know is that The Magistrate needs me and I don't think you want to have to return with bad news. A dressmaker can be summoned to the manor."
Seven
The Jolly Roger docked at Tenedor in the middle of the day, which meant the crew could place their order now and expect their ship to be filled by dawn the next day. Which meant they had to spend at least one evening here. It was not something James preferred to do, but it would seem he had no other choice.
“What are you going to do?” James asked Magda, once they signed in with the dock master and paid the docking fee. Even James, ruler of his own realm, was required to pay the same fee everyone else did.
Magda stopped walking – she had been by herself and seemed to know exactly where she was going and what she would do – and glanced at him over her shoulder. He easily detected the pain in her eyes. Whatever was going on between she and Nick was still not resolved. James wanted to reach out and envelope her in his arms, which was odd, since he never felt compelled to reassure Magda of anything. Then again, Magda was not the type who usually needed reassurance.
“I’m going to purchase a dress,” she told him. “The Creator’s Masquerade is coming up. I know we are intent to find Remy, and that is still my main focus, but I do not know when I will have another opportunity like this to pick up a dress for it. And I do not wish to disrespect The Creator.”
James nodded and watched her go. Something niggled in his mind, deep within the folds. Something Magda said about the Masquerade, something was trying to make a connection to the other part of his brain.
And then it hit him, square in the face, so hard that James physically stopped moving.
The Magistrate would have Remy at the Masquerade. She would try and
take over there, and she would need Remy in order to do so. The souls would rise up from the depths of the ocean, invade the ballroom, and everyone would be powerless because they would be under the Magistrate’s – perhaps Remy’s? – command.
To be completely honest, James had completely forgotten about the Masquerade. He attended each year as the leaders of all realms met and discussed problems, issues, or persons that needed change. James didn’t particularly care for it, but the women who attended were beautiful and he never left unsatisfied. Magda would never admit it out loud, but James knew how much she loved dressing up in something beautiful. The point of the Masquerade was to discuss, compromise, assign, and resolve. But this one would be different. This one, The Creator would designate a new leader that united all three realms under one law, one person.
How could he have forgotten such an important occasion? It happened once a year and James attended each year due to the fact that it was mandatory. It was a celebration for the people of The Neverland - everyone was invited but they did not all attend because they would need to get to the island on their own. The night before the Masquerade, the three rulers of each realm - The Creator, The Magistrate, and himself - convened for a long meeting. The meeting was a way for them to check in with each other, discuss their realms and the people within them, and who to expect in the coming year. They made suggestions for improvement, asked questions when things weren't clear, and tried to assist in any way possible. It was the one day of the year they all got along - well, he and The Magistrate forced themselves to get along because they both knew The Creator was more powerful and could rescind their role with a flick of the wrist - and worked together for the betterment of The Neverland. What they came up with didn't always work and a lot of the times, they didn't exactly follow it to the letter. The meeting was more of a show for the people - though The Creator insisted they all work together and carry out the compromises they all come up with - a fancy place for them to get together and practice their bullshit. James did but much are for it, but he danced with pretty ladies who later went to bed with him so he had no complaints.
Now, however, that changed. Of course, The Magistrate would bring Remy to the Masquerade. The number of souls that attended was more than any one location held at any given time. If The Magistrate wanted to acquire power - possibly even more than The Creator had - the Masquerade would be the best place to do so. He could not believe he did not think of it before. Thank goodness Magda mentioned it or else he would have forgotten it entirely. It baffled him that his mind was so focused on one person that other important things slipped away.
They both were distracted, for the same reasons. He, with Remy. Her, with Nick. James was not sure how he felt regarding Magdalena and her emotions toward Nick. He supposed he had a role in that indirectly by sending her to him; he just did not expect her to fall for him. Truth be told, he did not expect her to fall for anyone at all. He assumed she was all right by herself. She looked at feelings and emotions and romance as pointless. He knew part if it was due to her experience with her mother. Being abandoned by the person who was always supposed to stand by you and take care if you certainly had an effect on a person. She tried to push her feelings away, tried to hide them, but James could tell. She had no idea what love was, and honestly, he didn't either. He wasn't certain if both of them were experiencing the emotion, if it was just one of them, or if it was all in their head. All he knew was that something had changed during their time apart and he wasn't sure just yet if it was a good thing or a bad thing.
James shook his head. He needed to focus. He needed to plan. Now that he had an idea of where Remy was and when she would be used, he needed to narrow down the best means of getting her back. Luckily, he knew that island like the back of his hand. He knew the Ebony Palace, where the meeting and the Masquerade would take place, even better than the island because he had been there so often. The only thing he couldn't predict was how The Magistrate would use Remy. James's thoughts starting sprinting quickly, too fast for him to tease out each one. His fingers twitched. He needed to write everything out, sort out his ideas, and then call another meeting.
You also need to sort out your attire for the Masquerade as well, a voice reminded him. And you should do that here and now, while you still can.
James rubbed his lips together. The voice was right. He swooped up in a standing position and slid on his coat. Perhaps he would be able to catch Magdalena before she exited the ship. Perhaps not. At least now he had a plan of action, even if was as minuscule as ordering appropriate attire for a ball. That gave him a scrap of hope and a scrap was better than nothing.
He was not able to catch up to Magdalena. By the time he reached the docks of Tenedor, the fairy had already disappeared. He knew the dress shop she preferred, but he did not want to disturb her while she was getting her own attire taken care of. Magda was not the sort to spend a lot of time concerned about her clothes. She only had three dresses to her name and they fit her beautifully. They were small on Remy when Remy had to wear them, and if it turned out they were stretched out and did not fit right anymore, he was more than willing to pay for new ones because her wardrobe was sparse in elegance, to say the least.
Instead, he headed toward his tailor’s, where they crafted custom designs suited perfectly for his body. There was almost no one inside because customers were rare – it was too expensive for many Tenedor residents to afford; however, they remained in business because the few customers they did have, including James, were elite and willing to pay the high price for their material. James knew every outfit he purchased would last him years and fit him perfectly. The material was quality and would withstand his time on his ship and in his home in The Other World.
When he walked in, they were already waiting. They were familiar with James and knew this Masquerade was scheduled at some point in the near-future. Because he was a previous customer, they kept his size, preferences, and measurements on record.
“Captain Hook!” The owner, Sam, a man who was from the Africas when he was alive, stood tall, reaching James’s broad shoulders. His posture was perfect in spite of his height. His head was smooth, void of hair, and his brown eyes were proud. He was dressed beautifully in a white tunic, black breeches, and black boots. Not fancy, but not common. The perfect look a shopkeeper should present to potential customers. “I thought we’d be seeing you soon. I’ve already had a few outfits made specifically for you. If you would come to the back” – he waved Captain Hook in the direction of the dressing rooms – “we can try them on immediately.”
James nodded, a small smile on his face. He liked Sam. Many people preferred to go elsewhere because of the color of his skin, but James did not care about something as superficial as that. The man could make a suit. That was what mattered.
He followed Sam past the mannequins, past the premade clothes, and led him through a crimson curtain where three fitting rooms were placed, all concealed by the same color curtain. They were big, spacious, with mirrors circling the customer so he could look at his potentially new outfit from every angle. When James walked in, he already noticed three outfits hanging on a rack, waiting for him to try them on.
James tried on the clothing already knowing he would be purchasing them all. Sam had impeccable taste and knew James well. It did not surprise James that each piece fit wonderfully and made him look even more commanding than he already did. Each outfit fit him exactly, highlighting his broad shoulders, his sturdy waist, his strong legs. Somehow, Sam's clothes made him appear taller than he already was. He would have to go next door for new boots but his entire wardrobe for the next year was taken care of.
"You all right, Capt'n?" Sam asked as he slid the coat off of James's shoulders. "Something seems to be troubling you. Is it a young lady, perhaps?"
Through the mirror, James saw a small smile on Sam's face, though his brown eyes were twinkling merrily. James could not help but feel his own lips quirk up in his own firm of amusement. He was
not typically someone who shared his troubles; he liked to keep them to himself, work through them on his own, and still remain intimidating and untouchable. But Sam was different. James trusted Sam and he was the one person James felt as though he could talk about any issues rolling around in his head only because keeping everything inside was much more difficult than one might actually believe. It wasn't common for James to have anything to actually share with Sam, and now that he did, he wanted to take advantage of it. Especially since he knew Sam would say nothing. Sam would keep his secret. And more than anything, Sam would not judge him.
"Yes, actually," he said. Even Sam looked surprised by the admission. "I think I'm in love but considering I've never been in love before, I can't say for certain whether I'm right or not."
"And who's the lucky lady?" Sam asked, using his tape measure on one of James's arms before making notes.
"She's not from this place," James replied. "She's different. She's beautiful and intelligent and clever. She knows her place in life but with that knowledge comes the ability to work around her place in order to achieve whatever she wants."
"So what's the trouble?" Sam asked. "Because it sounds like you have everything figured out."
"I'm not sure if it's love," James admitted. "And I'm not sure if she feels the same way for me in return."
"May I be bold, Capt'n?" Sam asked with his twinkling dark eyes. He placed his hands on James's shoulders, smoothing out the wrinkles that accumulated there.
"Of course, Sam," James said with a firm nod of his head. "I welcome it from you."
"It sounds like you've already figured it out," Sam said, taking a step back and looking at him through the mirror. "It sounds like you already know whether this is love or not. But your findings conflict with something else."
James was silent for a long moment. "Yes," he said with a nod of his head. "Remy is incredibly important to my goal. However, using her in such a way all but guarantees that she will be unable to return home, back on earth. She's a Breather, you see. A very special, very important Breather."
The Neverland Trilogy Box Set Page 49
