“RELEASE HER!” I HADN’T even released I had spoken until Puck turned to smirk at me.

“Ah! Jim Hawkins, how did I know that you would somehow get yourself entangled in this mess?”

“Let Tinkerbell go,” I said through gritted teeth. I hated this man/fairy/prick with everything that was in me.

Puck was as old as time. And when I first met Tinkerbell she was under his control, much like a slave would be. I knew Tinkerbell could be a pain in the ass, but no one deserved to be chained to Robin Goodfellow.

Puck raised a brow, “No.”

“Oh, for the love of Titan, let the fairy go!” Silver boomed, and Puck immediately released her hands.

This was interesting. Puck usually only answered to Oberon, the king of the fairies. For Silver’s word to insight the same type of obedience was curious indeed.

Puck scowled, “I wasn’t harming the ladybird.”

Ebony’s brows rose.

There have been many definitions to the term ‘ladybird’ over the years. In truth it is a small beetle with a domed back, usually red or yellow with black spots. In recent years it could be meant complimentary, as in someone who looks just as good coming as they do going.

But I had a feeling Puck meant neither of those definitions. Because a hundred years ago or so the term ‘ladybird’ referred to one’s mistress or even a prostitute. It was not for a lady, but for a woman of ill-repute.

Now, I am not one to judge, and I know that Tink has had more paramour’s than eyelashes in her lifetime. But a man didn’t sit back and watch a woman be insulted.

I pulled the sword from its sheath and advanced.

Ebony screamed, but Black Dog caught her before she could intervene. Captain Silver seemed to be yelling something and Tink was harshly shoved to the side as Puck brandished a sword of his own.

“It’s nice to see that you are still in there, Peter Gallagher,” Puck taunted.

“You will apologize to the lady, Puck,” my voice was deceptively quiet, and laced with malice.

“You may have beaten me all of those years ago, Peter,” he spat my name. “But times have changed, and I am not the same boy you bested. Besides, I don’t see a lady present.”

“What is he talking about?” Ebony cried out, but I ignored her. For me to take my eyes off Puck for even a second would be folly. He had now included Ebony in his insult.

“Tell me, Peter,” Puck taunted, “How have you liked your banishment from fairyland?”

I swore beneath my breath, “You will apologize you guttersnipe!”

But Puck’s face had turned at Ebony’s surprised cry.

“What is this? Do they not know who Peter Gallagher truly is? This is indeed a grand surprise!”

“What are you talking about?” Ebony stared him down, like a queen. “He is Peter Pan.”

“A name he took up as a youth when his days of rabblerousing with me ended,” Puck sneered, and Tink hung her head. “You see, our dear Peter Gallagher was once a celebrated member of the fairy guild. But he betrayed his own and was cast off forever.”

Tink lifted her head. Her eyes were full of shame and sorrow.

“Peter never betrayed anyone. He rescued me from this monster. In fairyland a tinker is little more than a slave. When it was discovered he was banished to earth. That was when he got tangled up with the pirates.”

Captain Long John Silver came forward. His wooden leg clanking against the deck as he meandered forward disregarding the two men with swords at each other’s throats.

“I had wondered where you came from,” Silver stroked his white beard, “It makes sense that you are more than a mere mortal, and why you should have changed your name to hide who you had been.”

That had been a long time ago and I had no wish to rehash the past.

“Where did Tinkerbell go?” Ebony asked quietly. “When you came to earth for your banishment? What happened to her?”

Puck laughed, “The naughty sprite has never been loyal. She didn’t want to leave fairyland, and so she went into hiding. It was then she was cursed to remain tiny and at the whim of a human’s wish.”

I had the feeling that Tink was going to do something stupid, so I acted quickly. I brought my sword down and it clanked loudly as it struck Puck’s. His eyes narrowed, and, in an instant, the cold-blooded predator came out in him.

He met my sword thrust for thrust, advancing, and then retreating in the age-old dance of fencing. His skills were much improved from the last time our steel had met. But I was still better.

Arm moving with precision, my sword flew in a flurry of angles and arches. Puck met every parry with one of his own and soon we were brandishing our swords at so rapid a rate that one couldn’t tell where the clanking of metal was coming from. Sweat began to bead on his brow and I smiled knowing that it would only irritate Puck further.

“You always were a pompous ass, Peter!” he snarled at me, and I used his jab to make one of my own. But I used my sword, slicing the top of his arm.

I didn’t cut him deeply, but you would have thought that I severed it by his thunderous expression.

Puck began to fight wildly, showing signs of exhaustion and making mistakes. I nicked him again on the thigh and I grazed my chest.

I hardly noticed the sting, but I didn’t miss Ebony’s horrified indrawn breath.

I needed to end this as quickly as possible. The last thing I wanted to do was frighten her. I shouldn’t have let the old devil rile me. The hiss of the blade came rather close to my ear but with a flick of my wrist I was able to draw him in close and smack his wrist hard enough with the hilt of my sword to make him drop his.

“Are you man enough to finish this off?” Puck spat at me, not caring about the sweat that coursed down both of our faces.

“I have no wish to kill you, Puck. Or I would have eons ago, you know that you’ve given me enough provocation through the years.”

I bowed and released him.

“But you will apologize to the ladies, if you please.”

Puck knew he had been bested. So, like the changeling that he all too often was, a brilliant smile crossed his lips and he bowed as if addressing royalty.

“My dear, ladies, please do not take offense from me. I am truly sorry if I harmed your delicate sensibilities in any way.”

Fucking prick.

Tink eyed him warily, but Ebony choked out a laugh, “Do you have a standard apology that you use? Or was that for our effect only? I must admit, very impressive.”

She couldn’t have done anything more than feed his ego. Puck felt that his acting skills were superb to none.

He faked a blush, “My dear, I haven’t the foggiest idea what you are speaking about. But I declare, you are the most beautiful creature I have ever laid eyes on.”

“Is he for real?” Ebony turned to me and pointed a finger towards my childhood friend turned nemesis.

Puck beamed, “I guarantee you fair lady, that I am one hundred percent masculine perfection beneath these rags. If you have a wish to verify that?”

My sword was immediately at his throat again.

His lips twitched, “So, that is how the wind blows?”

I moved forward so the tip pricked his skin, “You will not come near, Ebony, or I assure you today will be your last.”