The Necromancer

Chapter 3

Wendy awoke to the sound of splashing water. Peter stood at the wash basin, sleeves rolled up to the elbows, revealing arms that were tanned only with freckles, but roped with muscle. He was studying his hair in the mirror. He tried to pull it so that he could see it with his own eyes. "Perhaps I'll dye it before we get to your grandfather's?"

"Oh, no, Peter," said Wendy, stretching and yawning, "don't do that. I like your hair." Peter scowled.

"It's red."

"Yes. I know. It's a nice sort of red though. Not too bright. It's more the color of ripe chestnuts. You know? That dark red?" Peter shrugged at Wendy's words.

"Still, though. You wouldn't want red hair, would you?" Peter wrapped a lock of his hair around his finger.

"Well, no. But that's only because I have a horrid cousin with red hair who is the spawn of Satan."

Peter chuckled softly. "So I remind you of your sadistic cousin?"

"Precisely. Although he might be a little more adept at dealing with people than you." Peter laughed out loud at this.

"If you weren't a girl I'd throw something at you." He pretended to throw his towel at her.

"Too bad I am a girl. At least you have the decency not to hit girls." She said with a smile and then was forced to dance out of the way of the towel that was promptly thrown at her.

"I could never hear my name and 'decent' in the same sentence," Peter grinned. His hair was momentarily forgotten as Wendy threw her pillow at him. He caught it easily and then tossed it back.

"Come on," he said, "we need to get going. I'll meet you at breakfast." Peter could sense Pan downstairs before he actually saw him.

How was sleeping on the floor? Peter asked, with a grin.

At least I had a magic mattress. He said.

Magic is cheating. Only the lady should have a soft bed. Peter sat down beside Pan and called for the waitress.

"Well, I'm sorry that we can't all be as decent as you."

Peter rolled his eyes and sighed before ordering pancakes. The girls arrived just as the food did and the serving girl only briefly glanced at their rings before taking their orders as well. Wendy narrowed her eyes at Peter's plate as she sat beside him.

"I thought you didn't eat." He looked her in the eyes as he took a huge bite, syrup dripping from his lips. "That's disgusting."

"I feel as though the word you were looking for was delicious."

"I feel as though you are mistaken." Wendy said, exaggerating her movement as she slid a few inches away.

Peter rolled his eyes as he wiped his face with a napkin. "I don't have to eat, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy it. Besides," he took another bite, "the pancakes here are some of the best in the country." He continued to take huge slurping bites, being as loud as possible, earning several dirty looks from the serving girl as she went past. Syrup ran down his chin and he purposely chewed with his mouth open, enjoying the disgusted looks he was getting.

"Peter," Pan finally said, "stop it. You are incredibly obnoxious and disturbing the other guests." Peter set down his fork and took money from his pocket.

"Why? I can pay so I can do what I want with it." He stood with the intentions of going to pay for their food, but Wendy stopped him. "Wait! Is that real money?" He squinted at her.

"Yeah. Would you like to bite it?" He mockingly tossed a coin to her. She caught it and turned it over in her hands.

"That's not what I meant. Is this money... conjured?" Peter reached forward and took the coin back from her, grabbing a napkin as well.