Lost, Then Home: The Third Book in the A Tale of Two Sisters Series

Part One: Ariel

"Focus. Concentrate," Regina said to Emma as the blonde tried to use her magic.

"It's kind of hard when you're talking in my ear."

"And when the wind blows or it's raining, or . . . Someone's shooting arrows at you. Yes, concentration is hard. That's the point. Find your anger and use it to focus. Reagan, get up here and demonstrate."

The younger raven rolled her eyes and stood up, shaking herself out a little bit. It had been a hot minute since she had used it.

"Concentrate. Use your anger."

"I thought you told me my magic was based on love."

"Well right now—"

"No. I am not going dark."

"You are so pathetic when it comes to this!" Regina threw up her hands, turning away.

"And now you're being like Cora!" Reagan shot back, making Serenity look down.

Regina slowly turned around before looking at the fire pit, smirking, "Smell that?"

"What?" her daughter asked sternly.

"Smoke," Regina walked away.

"You'll get it, Regs," Serenity said.

"Thanks," her older sister replied before going over to her tent to cool off.

"This is a bad idea," David said.

"They have it in them. They should learn to use it. We just have to trust them," his wife said.

"Don't worry, Reagan won't always go haywire like she did a few months ago," Serenity said.

"It's not her I don't trust," David said as Hook came over to them.

"We need to talk," he said, pulling them aside. "Pan paid me a visit. He, uh . . . He told me that Neal is alive, and that he's on this very island."

"Emma saw him," Mary Margaret said. "He was shot. He fell through a portal. No one could survive that."

"Well, he did, and now he's here. He said he took him from this very camp while we were of in his cave."

"According to Pan, if he's telling the truth," Serenity said.

"And, uh, why would he tell you?" David asked. "What does he hope to gain?"

"Who knows why he doesn't anything?" Hook said. "He has his reasons, but it's a sure bet they're not good ones."

Mary Margaret turned, looking at the dirt, "He's telling the truth. Tracks . . . And a scuffle. Someone was here while we were gone. We have to tell her."

"No, no, no. She already lost Neal once. And if this is a game, we can't put her through losing him again," David said.

"He's right," the pirate said. "Either way, telling her is what Pan wants, which is why we shouldn't do it."

"You want to find him without letting her know?" Mary Margaret asked.

"Why hurt her unnecessarily?"

"I've never lied to her before."

"You're not lying. You're just keeping a secret until confirmation."

"Uh, you don't tell Snow White a secret," Serenity said. "It leads to betrayal, the death of the father of your unborn child, an unhappy marriage, and a curse that devastates an entire population."

"Thanks Serenity," Mary Margaret said.

"You're welcome," the thirteen year old smiled. "But you guys are on your own with this. If I leave Mom's sight, she might have a heart attack, and then both of Reagan's parents would have died of heart complications."