Free Love in Neverland: Book 2 in The Neverland Trilogy by Heather C. Myers Page A

speaking to.
     
    “Nick,” she began but stopped.  “Captain.  Captain Grey.”
     
    She flashed her blue eyes at the woman, hoping to get a good view of her face and commit it to memory.  The woman was striking; everything about her face exuded beauty and grace.  She had almond-shaped brown eyes with flecks of honey in them, a small, upturned nose, with a splash of dark freckles on the bridge of her nose.  The only makeup on her was rouge on her lips – a bold red that caused her to stand out more than she already did.  She wore a thin gold headband that wrapped around her forehead like a halo.
     
    “Ah,” the woman said in her melodious voice.  “And who is this, Nick?  I did not realize you had more to your crew than the four assigned to you.”
     
    “Magdalena,” Magda said before Nick could respond.  “And I’m not officially part of his crew.  I’m just here to…”  She let her voice trail off.  She wished James had given her some direction as to why she was here – or, at the very least, give her a believable lie she could provide those who questioned her presence onboard Nick’s ship.
     
    “Hook sent her for some unknown reason,” Nick said, crossing his arms over his chest.  When Magda looked over at him, he gave her a shrug that seemed to imply he was not going to lie on her behalf and did not understand why she wanted to lie in the first place.  “I don’t think she even knows why she’s here.”
     
    “My name is Esmeralda,” the woman said though she did not extend her arm.  “It is a pleasure to meet you.  I believe you will have a positive influence on our Nicholas Grey.  I’m glad you are with him, keeping an eye on him.”
     
    “That makes one of us,” he muttered under his breath.
     
    “Pleasure,” Magda murmured, her eyes still guarded, curious. 
     
    “I’m sure you have much to discuss,” Esmeralda said.  “I shall leave you to it.”  Her dark eyes refocused on Nick and glimmered with seriousness.  “Heed my warning, Nick.  It is high time you thought before you acted.”
     
    Without warning, Nick reached out and grabbed Magda's arm and proceeded to lead her away from Esmeralda's knowing smirk. He kept quiet for the duration of their walk, which surprised her since Nick had a knack for always having words for every situation. They walked through a crowd of people, Nick skillfully dodging them so they did not bump into anyone. They dodged vendors and drinks, whores and fortunetellers, all trying to turn a quick profit and better their lives in whatever way they could. Some outright begged, but they were regarded as the lowest rung on the ladder. One only begged if one had no shame. If you could work or sell something, you were expected to do it. Magda never thought about what she might have to do if she did not have a roof over her head or clothes on her back. She refused to worry about things that had not happened. As long as she kept her eyes ahead and her mind sharp, she would not have to worry at all.
     
    Fairies were incredibly superstitious. They believed that merely thinking something was akin to creating a reality. As such, they were very careful with their thoughts and only projected positivity. It was why Magda kept her mouth shut most of the time. She did not want to bring forth a negative reality. Though she did go through a depression after losing her wings, she was able to bounce back to her usual self. She had always been quiet, not as peppy as fairies typically tended to be, but her thoughts were always constructive. She believed heartily in the adage 'where there's a will, there's a way' to the point of stubbornness.
     
    "So lovely to see you, Tink," he said with dry sarcasm once they were away from the roads of Tenedor and closer to the quiet docks of the island. They were adjacent to a tall palm tree, their bodies hidden from view. Nick was positioned in front of her while Magda's back nearly touched the trunk of the tree.