Running In Glass Slippers (Storybook Keepers #1)-First Draft

 "I can't go," Luna says, breathlessly.

Conrad looks ready to put the book in her hand and force her through the door with her key himself, "You have to go. That's the plan."

She shakes her head, and walks toward the book, "I really can't. The Keeper I work for is with the King's men."

He looks confused, "Peter? I thought he was going somewhere else."

"He was. This is the Keeper who lied to me, Loren."

He still looks like he doesn't understand.

Luna checks her timer, five minutes left, and sighs, "If I take the book and leave, Loren knows exactly where I'm going, and he will follow me. Which means, "She levels her gaze at the nephew/uncle pair in front of her, "that despite our promise to Peter, I'm going to have to do something unexpected."

She looks at the baker, "Do you have any other books that you could hide this one with?"

He looks startled, "Yes, but I don't see how that's going to help you. Surely that Keeper must know which book to look for?"

"Yes," Luna says, her tone convincing no one, "It's not meant to stop them. It's meant to give me a little more time."

Conrad still seems confused, but his uncle, having been aware of Keepers and their abilities longer, seems to understand, "Then it's going to buy both of you more time." There's no room to argue, "My nephew is not going to find himself caught with these men here."

The baker puts his hands on Conrad's shoulders and looks him in the eye, "I was chosen to protect the older Keeper, and it is your job to ensure that the younger Keeper stays safe. Do you think you can do that?"

Conrad's eyes are wide, but he nods quietly.

"So, you know what you need to do?" Luna asks the baker, "When we go into..." she looks over her shoulder at the book and smiles when she sees that her dad chose one of his favorites, "Peter Pan, you're going to have to close the book and hide it." She turns her attention to Conrad, "That means that we will be trapped in that story until the book is open again."

"And, uh, you've been in that situation before, right? So you know what to do?"

"No, never."

He bites his lip in hesitation as Luna literally feels the seconds ticking by through her body.

"So, between 1 and 10, how much would Peter be against this new plan?"

"100."

He nods, and then surprises her by taking her hand and giving it a squeeze of support as a commotion breaks out downstairs, "I guess 100 is going to have to do."

Luna squeezes his hand back as she fumbles to get her key out of her pocket. She locks eyes with him as the familiar metal settles in her grasp, "Well then, off to Neverland."

"Where?"

She hears Conrad's concerned reply as her key unlocks the book and they are consumed into a bright flash of light.

***

The air doesn't feel much different in temperature to the bakery, but the thick, sticky quality assures Luna that they are no longer in doors. Lush, green trees tower over her and seem to watch her frantic turning as she realizes with a deep, rising fear that she can't see Conrad anywhere.

"Conrad?" she calls, quietly, momentarily proud of how calm her voice sounds, even if she doesn't feel it.

No answer.

A million terrible possibilities grip her heart as she frantically searches for the boy brave enough to weather the unknown with her.

"Conrad!" she calls, more desperately this time. What if him traveling with her was a fluke the first time, and he was still back in the bakery? Or, worse, what if the magic of the key had flashed him out of existence? She didn't know if bringing him to the real world was equivalent to bringing him into a different story.

Her palms begin to sweat and her racing heart pumps her blood so fast that she thinks she may collapse.

"Over here," the familiar voice causes her to catch her breath, and she very nearly does collapse when he appears from behind a tree several yards away, "If this is how Galley was feeling back in your Storybook House, I commend him for helping as much as he did." As he walks slowly over, Luna can tell that his face is a bit green.

"You feel sick." Understanding floods over her, and the relieved tone of her voice must startle him because he looks at her funny.

"I've been sick," he says, slowly and with effort, "But, do I feel as though it could happen again? Absolutely."

"I didn't mean to sound like I don't care. I was just worried that..." she doesn't finish the sentence. To do so would have made her feel sick all over again as well. That wouldn't be good for either of them.

Conrad's expression softens, and he puts a hand on her shoulder, if not for encouragement, than to hold himself upright, "You're not alone. I meant what I promised my uncle about protecting you." He takes a deep breath and makes himself stand upright, "I'll be fine. Maybe water would help, if we can find some?"

Luna nods. She guides his arm around her shoulders to help him walk without feeling quite so queasy, but quickly stops, "If I'm being honest, I'm used to traveling back and forth between different worlds, but a wilderness explorer I am not."

Conrad raises his eyebrow, and she laughs, "I mean I don't exactly know how to go about finding water without just picking a direction and walking."

"Well I think you're likely to lead us in a better direction than I am. I've never been to..."

"Neverland."

"Neverland, right. So, how do we know when my uncle has closed the book and we can't get out?"

No sooner is the question asked when the sky dims and a loud crack of thunder rumbles the ground under their feet.

"I think that's your answer," Luna whispers, "We had better make the best of this head start."

The two of them walk slowly and clumsily through the underbrush of the forest. With the treetops obstructing a clear view of the sky, neither of them can see a small, green thing flying overhead or the pirate ship miles away making a path to dock on the island they now inhabit.