"What is this garment?" he asked, tracing a finger across the lacy strap of her bra.
"It, uh, supports my...assets."
"It covers your breasts?"
"And holds them up. Like a corset without squeezing my waist like this thing is going to do."
He leaned in close to her ear, and she had the feeling he sneaked a peek down the loose top of her dress. "Had I known you were modestly covered, I would not have turned away."
Oh, hell. She gulped. "Oh."
He took his time with her dress, pulling the strings with swift tugs and then made her wait in suspense for the next to follow. She found it sort of erotic in a way. You know you have it bad when getting dressed is a turn on.
"My, my. I hope I am not interrupting," Devrel said suddenly, causing her to jump and Gareth to utter a curse under his breath. "Again... Mayhap I should come back later."
"Get your shoes on," Gareth said to her and retrieved the slippers he had set down. "We must make haste to the castle."
"Do not cease breathing down her neck on my account," Devrel said pleasantly and trotted ahead of them. "Feel free to release your mighty blade again if you must."
***
The Red Queen's castle was truly a sight to behold. The stones were solid black, stacked in strange patterns only visible up close. Cadence craned her neck all the way back to see to the top of the tallest tower. She started to topple, but Gareth righted her without a word before heading over to the guards to gain them passage through the gates.
Devrel flashed her a knowing grin and then appeared on her shoulder. "You want him. Admit it. There's no shame there. He is the most eligible male in all of Wonderland. And you would be wise to know, the women of the court will try all they can to undermine you to get to him. If you don't stake a claim, it will become brutal. I love it." He returned to the ground and pretended to have interest with a something slithering through the grass when Gareth retrieved them a moment later.
"Stay close to me," he said, placing Cadence's hand into the crook of his elbow. And with a nod to the guards, they passed through the gates and entered the courtyard.
Despite having been warned not to confuse the Red Queen with the Queen of Hearts, Cadence still expected to see red roses and heart-shaped shrubberies. There were neither. The red of the banners hanging over the castle walls and on the flags atop the towers supplied the only bursts of the color the kingdom was named for. The topiaries visible were shaped as chess pieces. Rooks, knights, and even pawns decorated gardens. The guards were not giant cards, but actual medieval knights in full armor. Gareth didn't pause for her to continue observing her surroundings. Instead, he led her straight down the cobbled path in the middle and into the interior of the castle.
Inside, they followed a maze of corridors until coming upon a humungous throne room. Evidently there wasn't a shortage of the color red after all; they had saved it all for decorating that one room. At the far end, two gold and crimson thrones awaited their approach. On the left, a skinny man with russet hair sat with his cheek resting on his fist. He leaned heavily against the arm of his throne and spared them little more than a glance as they came in. To the right, a voluptuous woman with raven black hair shining with ruby droplets smiled at them and rose. The light caused the jewels in the dainty gold crown above her head to twinkle as she moved.
Gareth bowed down to one knee, dragging her with him. Devrel, on her other side, sat on his haunches and lowered his head submissively. It only occurred to her after she’d bowed that women were probably expected to curtsey, but it was too late to amend it.
"You may rise," the queen said as she approached. She curled her lip at Devrel, and the cat hissed in response.
"Behave, Devrel." Gareth took the queen's proffered hand and kissed the ruby ring she wore. "It's been a long time since we met last, Majesty."
"Ah, well. If you would have married amongst my court as I have asked, you would see me all the time. I am unsure why you wish to remain in the bland White Kingdom, but everyone has their reasons." She turned her focus to Cadence, "And who might you be, my dear?"
Cadence followed Gareth's lead by kissing the queen's ring. She gave a brief curtsey as an afterthought and said, "My name is Cadence, Your Majesty. It's an honor to meet you."
The queen pursed her lips and clasped her hands in front of her. "Cadence. Such a pretty, sing-song name. I've never heard of you."
"Well, I..."
"Because I took her from the mortal world," Devrel said. "She was hunting Snarks, and well...Snarks are Boojums, you see? It had to be done."
Cadence shot a triumphant smirk at Gareth—so she wasn't crazy about that statement having been made before—but he merely shrugged. Nevertheless, it would seem they didn't want to pretend she hadn't arrived in Wonderland the day before after all.
The queen considered Devrel's explanation, but shook her head. "The Boojums are no more, Devrel. Why would you bring her here?"
"I wanted Gareth's un-birthday gift to be unlike any other. Besides, she could see me. Only the rare few from her world can see a Boojum if we cross realms, and it means they have potential to stay here. It would have been a cruel to deny her a visit."
"I see." The Red Queen met Cadence's gaze. "You were gifted to the Slayer of the Jabberwock for his un-birthday. And did he accept this gift?" She eyed Gareth with the arch of a delicate brow.
"I did."
Cadence glanced down as he intertwined his fingers with hers, a motion the queen caught and observed with an air of disapproval.
"Do you do this to spite me? Do I deserve your hostility for some unfathomable reason? I, who hunted down the treacherous queen that gave the order to exterminate the entire family of your faithful companion?"
"No, Majesty. But I want her. I have traveled far and wide, and have never looked twice at a woman of any station the way I look at her."
Cadence's cheeks burned under the Red Queen’s scrutiny.
With a sigh, the queen nodded once. "Very well, but before you go, answer me one question."
"Of course."
"Has she undergone her second day in Wonderland?"
Gareth glanced away, his inability to respond told the queen all she needed to know, judging by the sad smile softening her features.
"Should Wonderland reject her, I may get my wish yet. However, should she remain, I shall throw you a frabjous wedding and give my blessing to the man who saved this kingdom, and all of Wonderland, from the wrath of the Jabberwock. You are a true hero, and you deserve to be happy." She paused before adding, "Even if I do not understand your decision."
Gee, thanks.
The queen summoned one of her guards, a short man who suspiciously resembled a canine, and told him to prepare one of the royal suites for her guests of honor. Then she graced Gareth and Cadence with a smile and said, "Go rest from your journey before the ball tonight. I'll see you both half-past brillig."
***
"What is brillig?" Cadence asked after they had been deposited in their suite. Devrel had disappeared the moment they arrived, claiming to have things to do and not wanting to be in their way at the ball. So she was all alone with Gareth...in a bedroom. She swallowed down a lump in her throat and tried to act nonchalant.
"Four in the afternoon, based on a sundial in the wabe," he said as he secured the lock on the doors. Okay. That wasn't slightly off-putting. And what the hell is a wabe? Gareth noticed her staring at the latched door and appeared bashful. "Women of the court have tried to ambush me in my bed. I take precautions now." He picked up one of the tarts left on a table for them and popped it in his mouth. He offered one to her, and she took it. It tasted like strawberries.
After she finished the last bite, she replied, "God forbid women fall into bed with you. However would you survive? Tell me, would the peril be too perilous?"
Gareth squinted at her and pursed his lips, as if he couldn’t quite figure out if she was being sarcastic or not. Whatever the outcome of that internal
argument, he didn’t reveal it. "Everything at court is done with ulterior motives. If I were to be caught in bed with a woman here, a marriage would occur immediately. The Red Queen does not believe in unsanctified unions."
Yet he was locked in with her, but of course...the queen didn't believe Cadence would be around come morning. It was a risk without consequences in her eyes.
"That needs to be a rule in my world. People sleep together and never speak again, and sometimes everyone knows about it due to the lack of privacy with social media and camera phones—don’t ask. It's kind of sad, you know, when there is no meaning behind the act. Wait...so you have, uh, dabbled?"
"I am a man, so of course I have dabbled. The White Queen is not as strict in her kingdom, though none are foolish enough to flaunt partners they have not wed unless they mean to marry them anyway."
"Yet she allows us to share a room..." Cadence understood why, but she wanted to see him squirm as he explained it. He didn't disappoint.
Gareth tugged at the already loose collar of his shirt and laughed nervously. "As for the Red Queen, she has given her blessing. Should you remain, we are wed. Should you return to your world, you are no longer a concern for her." He bit into another tart and his brows furrowed. "You jest about people from your world, surely."
"Unfortunately, it's true."
"Have you...done so?" He popped the rest of the tart into his mouth, but didn’t seem to be enjoying it any longer. “The way you said everyone knew about it after—you were speaking from experience?”
Taking a page from his book of non-answered confirmations, Cadence glanced away. Such was the way of college parties gone wild.
"Whom disrespected you thus?" He drew his sword, clenching his fist around the hilt until his knuckles turned white. "I shall make them pay for their impudence."
She sputtered and held up her hands. "Whoa, there, Sir Lancelot. It's not a crime in my world."
"Your world leaves much to be desired."
Sadly, the longer she remained in Wonderland, the more she thought the same. If Cadence returned home, how would she feel having left the chance of adventure behind? And if she stayed, what of her family and friends—even those that sucked. My heart will decide for me.
Hopefully her heart thought long and hard about things before the time came. But what if my heart and mind are on two different pages?
He lowered the weapon. "Why did you call me Sir Lancelot? Was it an insult?"
She laughed. "Well, no. Not in the sense I used it anyway. He was a famous knight. A little too popular with ladies."
This seemed to appease him until he recalled the original topic. "Someone paraded you about as a conquest, and you are okay with such disrespect?"
Cadence opened and closed her mouth again in quick succession. "Uh, I wouldn’t use the word paraded so much as talked about on a website, but no I am not okay with—"
Gareth sheathed his sword and seized her against his chest. "Should I claim you as mine, I would never walk away to find another, nor would I shame you." And then he kissed her.
Sparks danced behind her eyelids, and her knees went weak. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she became aware that Gareth supported all her weight, but she didn't care. His lips tasted of strawberry tart, and she wanted to lick every inch.
Somewhere, a bell chimed. The ball was beginning. Once more, Wonderland time had sped up against the odds, cutting her remaining time short.
"We don't have to go," she whispered as he pulled back, eyes bright with unbridled lust.
"It would be insulting not to. We shall make an appearance, ensure the Red Queen witnesses us dancing and having a good time, and then we shall softly and suddenly vanish away as Devrel enjoys demonstrating.
Cadence reluctantly allowed Gareth to escort her back through the winding labyrinth of a castle until they arrived at a golden ballroom. Couples twirled in dresses of every shade. The fashion was a confusion of medieval, Victorian, and in some instances, ancient Roman. At one end of the room, a table of refreshments sported several steaming tea kettles and cups of varying sizes and shapes. No Wonderland experience would be complete without tea. And to her utter amazement, the Hatter stood next to the table, sipping delicately from a slanted teacup covered in polka dots.
"The Hatter is here." She pointed him out. "I thought he lived all kinds of ways away in the other direction." She raised a brow, but Gareth didn't comment. He dragged her onto the dance floor instead. At first, Cadence worried she would stand out from not knowing how Wonderland dances went, but she followed his lead and actually found herself enjoying it. Enjoying him, the feel of his hands at her waist, and the way he smiled at her.
Her stomach fluttered, and warmth shot through her. If only it could last.
They sidled over to the tea table when the song ended, and Cadence became distracted by various cakes and cookies. They all looked delicious, and she couldn't decide which to try first. She snickered, as immature as it was, at the ones that said EAT ME on the tops. Don’t mind if I do...
"Be wary of what you eat, my dear. Some things make you grow, others make you shrink. Tea is neutral. Never fear the tea." The Hatter tipped his hat to her before he strolled away.
Frowning, Cadence turned to ask Gareth if any of the sweets were safe to eat, but he wasn't there. She spun on her heel and hunted for him. When she finally found him surrounded by a crowd of women slowly herding him toward the dance floor, she stomped her foot. Devrel had not been exaggerating. Didn't those harlots see him come in with her? The nerve!
With a sigh, she held up the hem of her skirt so she didn't trip, and marched into the gaggle of tramps. She elbowed someone in the gut, and then she might have accidently-on-purpose pulled someone's hair. "Excuse me, pardon me, coming through!" She made it into the middle of them. The women scowled at her like she was a witch they longed to see burned at the stake. Gareth's lips twitched in a half smile as Cadence shoved a woman back when she tried to push between them.
"Listen here, ladies. Gareth is with me." She placed a hand behind his neck possessively and drew him down for another kiss, and he complied with pleasure, sending a wicked thrill down her spine.
Around them, she heard bits of grumbling and a few obscenities, but when they broke the kiss, they were alone. Thankfully, none of the women attempted to ambush him a second time, even when she had to leave his side to use the privy—the least wondrous place in Wonderland.
Night had descended by the time they finally returned to their suite, and Cadence's stomach clinched with worry over what would happen. Would she stay or would she go? She didn't know what her heart wanted. She loved her family and was saddened by the idea of never returning to them, but she also really liked Gareth and wanted stay longer. She'd never have another opportunity like this one to live a life of adventure, not like this. Her world was ordinary and repetitive and dull in comparison. It also didn't have Gareth. Her giddiness from the dancing and kissing soured. She wanted more.
"You worry you will go, but also worry you will stay," he said, as if reading her thoughts.
"I don't know what I want. I want both. Why can't I have both?"
"Ah, my greedy beauty. If we were given everything we wanted without making choices, how could we ever appreciate what we gain and what we have lost?"
"Stop being philosophical. It's annoying."
He cupped her face, all teasing faded as he rubbed his thumb against her cheek, just below her eye. "I don't want you to leave me."
She placed a hand over his and said, "I am not ready to go. But...I never told my parents goodbye. I have an older sister too, and it would be so sad to never see them all again. And yet, if I go back, I won't have you." It wouldn't be fair to lose him as soon as she'd found him. Did he feel the same about her?
He kissed her savagely—a desperate hope to tie her to him with his desire alone. His hand lowered, and she heard a clack as his sword belt dropped to the floor. Gareth maneuvered her to the bed, lifting her skirts,
but not even bothering to remove the dress. He paused at the sight of her lacy underwear, ran a hand over the material, and dragged them down her thighs in a slow, predatory manner. She kicked them off when they reached her ankles, and he unfastened his pants.
Their first time was quick and primal, a warring of two souls at the precipice of fate. Afterward, they undressed fully and learned each other's bodies, memorizing every square inch. The second time was soft and tender, as lovers often are. Tears sprang to her eyes as Gareth brought her back to the heights of passion and he joined her there. Could Wonderland not want them to be together? Would her heart choose for them to part?
The impending unknown became a fathomless abyss which consumed her thoughts, and although she wanted what might be their final moments to be nothing more than the presence of both him and her, she became lost to the fear and dread of returning to a life without adventure. To a life where passion remained a rarity people took for granted more often than not. To a world without the one man who made her feel more alive than ever before.
I don't want to go. Oh, God. I don't want to go.
Out the window, the sky divided into day and night. Both the moon and sun were nearing their full height, and though Cadence tried to stay awake, clinging to Gareth in fear she'd float away if she let go, sleep took hold.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rebekah Lewis holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. She is also an award-winning cover artist for digital publishers and enjoys every minute of it when not immersed into the worlds of satyrs, Greek gods, and Cheshire cats. Always feeling the need to stay productive, she can be found creating something with words, images, or crafts. She currently resides in Savannah, GA with her cat, Bagheera.
Visit her website to stay up to date on recent and upcoming releases and events, and to find links to follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Pinterest. She also has a newsletter to make staying updated even easier!
The Vanishing (Wonderland Book 1) Page 3
