Flam smiles. “And yet, you didn’t do the same thing with White, or Hatter, or me, even though you’ve been checking me out since the moment you noticed me.”
“Well, I’m not going to just wrap myself around every hot guy,” I scowl. Flam actually laughs at my words, and I wrinkle my brow in confusion.
“It’s funny, that you pick the one man to ‘wrap around’ as you say, that has no interest in a mate.”
“I never said a thing about mates.” I meet his eyes. “Just because I want to fuck someone doesn’t mean I’m proposing.”
For the first time, I feel Cheshire shift, and I glance over at him. The grin is gone, replaced with a scowl. He straightens from his position and curls his lip up at us.
“I’m tired of this bullshit,” he says. “See you inside.”
He enters the room, leaving me alone with Flam.
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you hurt his feelings, Calypso,” Flam says, staring after Cheshire. “That one has a heart of stone, though.”
“Right. So, that’s impossible.” I stare after Cheshire, too.
Flam laughs.
“This is Wonderland, dear girl. Nothing is impossible.” He straightens his leather jacket. “And if anyone can break through the stone, it would be you.”
I want to ask him what he means, why I have a better chance of that, but instead, I ask, “What are you?”
Flam turns towards the open doorway, before grinning at me. “Haven’t you guessed, love?” He winks. “I’m the Flamingo.”
And then he disappears inside, leaving me in the entryway alone. I stand there for a moment, confused, before I decide to follow him. This time, when I enter the room, many of the people and creatures sitting at the table stop talking and look at me. There’s only one open seat, clear on the other end, and I realize I’ll have to walk in front of all of them in order to reach the chair. That overwhelming feeling crashes down on me, and my heart speeds up, the pressure of my role here really settling in at the looks on their faces.
Down at the other end of the table, Hatter and who I imagine must be Clara, sit in throne-like chairs. White sits next to a woman with bright red-orange hair. She smiles at me, and I try to return it, but my lips don’t respond to my command. Flam winks at me from where he sits next to a woman with rainbow-colored feathers. The empty seat is right next to Cheshire, who meets my eyes for a moment. He doesn’t blink, and I lock onto his gaze, on a good thing, before taking a deep breath and making my way forward. I completely ignore the eyes on me, the hushed whispers as I pass, and keep my eyes locked on the electric-blue beacons. When I finally reach the chair, I sit down in it hurriedly, and set the Vorpal Blade near my feet.
Cheshire looks away from me to sip his tea again, the color of it like ripe blueberries. Attie leans over to me, from where he sits on the other side.
“Hey, Chosen One.”
“Shut up,” I mumble.
On Attie’s other side, sits our mother, delicately sipping yellow-colored tea and making happy noises under her breath. At least she’s enjoying herself. Somehow, her oxygen tank doesn’t seem to be running low, and I chalk it up to the weird Wonderland magic that seems to be in everything.
“Hi, I’m Clara,” the woman beside the Hatter says, giving me a little wave. She seems pretty normal, even if she’s dressed in some sort of military-style coat that mimics the Hatters. “We’ve all been so excited to meet you.”
“And I’m Jupiter,” the redhead adds. Her arm is intertwined with White’s, clear love in her eyes when she looks up at him. Odd, that the members of the triad, ended up pairing off with the Hatter and White.
“Cal,” I say, nodding my head to them. “You can call me Cal.”
“It’s so nice to finally meet you, Cal,” Clara replies. “All of the food in front of you is safe to eat. The tea is safe, too. If you want something a little stronger, the teapot Cheshire has is a bit like whisky.”
I’m so tempted to try it, but the thought of getting drunk and leaving Attie with these people stops me. He’s still my responsibility, and my mom needs constant care. For the first time, I realize we don’t have any of her medicine. I glance over at her, but she seems fine, even without the fifteen pills they prescribed her.
“I’ll pass,” I say, going for the safe food instead. Now isn’t the time to start losing my head.
Clara nods. “Today, let’s just let you three rest, and then we can discuss the prophecy and the story of Wonderland later.”
“Sounds like a plan to me,” I mumble, biting into a croissant when I realize how hungry I actually am.
Something brushes against my leg under the table, and I twitch the slightest bit. I’m almost afraid to look what’s under the table, but I do it anyways. When I lean over, it’s to see Cheshire’s tail twitching back and forth, brushing against my ankle each time it moves. I straighten and look over at him, but he doesn’t meet my eyes, just continues to look down at his teacup.
Instead of ignoring it, or calling him out, I reach over under the table and squeeze his knee gently, letting him know I’m there. He doesn’t react, and I start thinking I’ve overstepped. I start to draw my hand away, but his fingers curl around mine, holding them in place. I don’t react outwardly, not wanting to draw attention to the movement, but it feels good to have his fingers curled around mine.
As I take a sip of my tea and listen to the quiet murmur of the tea party guests, I feel something soft and comforting wrap around my ankle rather than brush against it. It stays there. My lips curl up as the flavor of the tea hits my tongue.
It tastes like woodsmoke and wild honeysuckles.
Chapter 26
Two days later, we still haven’t discussed the prophecy, not really. It’s been mentioned and hinted at, but not a single person has actually told me what the prophecy is, besides that I have a role to save Wonderland. It would be frustrating if I wasn’t so preoccupied with taking care of my mom and Attie.
My mom seems to be moving slower, her energy lower than when we first arrived. I tell myself that it’s just the stress of the environment and the events that have happened. I refuse to think it’s because of something else, or that her time is drawing near.
Attie has embraced Wonderland with a vengeance, and it’s been difficult convincing him that this isn’t just some fun adventure. I still don’t think it’s sunk in. He’s taken to training with the Hatter and White, with a sword. I’d about killed them when I realized they’d given him a real sword to practice with until they pointed out that it’s enchanted, so it doesn’t break skin. It still didn’t make me feel any better to see my fifteen-year-old brother swinging around a gleaming silver sword as if it’s a baseball bat, but it helped a little bit.
I’ve never seen the kid so interested in the history of anything, preferring math and science in school, but he’s taken to learning the history of Wonderland as best as he can. Not everyone wants to talk about it, but the Hatter always looks at him fondly and answers if he’s able to. It seems they’ve all taken a liking to my little brother. Clara and Jupiter have been doting on him like mothers, Jupiter especially when she realized he likes science. Now they’ve been laughing like nerds over some pop culture reference. Turns out they both like the same nerdy things. It’s made for some interesting moments where I stare at them completely lost while they chuckle over some joke.
The tea party is going strong again today, the table full as always. The people at the table are always different save for us and a few others. The Tweedles, who I’ve been warned away from by pretty much everyone, never change out. They just sit in their seats in the middle of the table, making everyone uncomfortable as they drink black tar-like tea. They look at me a lot, and it unnerves me so much, I’ve taken to pretending they aren’t even there. Creepy motherfuckers.
“Where do all the people come from?” I ask Attie softly, wondering if he’s already figured out this answer in his history search.
“Remember when
Cheshire told us he’s the Hands of Justice, like the Punisher?” I nod. “Well, the Hatter is the Soul Escort. Kind of like the Grim Reaper. He escorts the dead to the Here After.”
“What does that have to do with the people at the table?”
“They’re the ones he’s escorting. The Hatter’s Tea Party is the last stop before the Here After.
“They’re all dead?” My voice is a little too loud, and some of the others look over at me.
Attie nods. “Isn’t it trippy? They don’t look dead. They seem just as whole as you and me.”
“It’s an enchantment,” Hatter comments. “Placed on my home by Wonderland herself. Those that have died can walk into my home and can partake in the food and drink on the table one last time, before we cross through the portal to the Here After.”
“So, the Here After is like Heaven?”
“Yes,” Hatter nods. “It would be what you call Heaven in your world. All souls go to one place. The Here After looks different for each person.”
“So,” I start, looking between them all, “Hatter is the Grim Reaper. White is the Time Keeper. And Cheshire is the Punisher.”
“Exactly,” Jupiter answers, smiling. “We all have our roles to play here.”
“What’s your role if you don’t mind me asking?”
“Of course, not. I was the second, so my role was to strip Alice of her immortality, or of her ability to draw power from the Jabberwocky. Past that, we haven’t figured it out yet.” She looks over at White. “Coming to Wonderland awakened powers I never knew I had, so we’ve been practicing with those, to see their full extent.”
“My role was the first of the triad,” Clara continues. “I was prophesied to take out Alice’s Knave, and now I sit beside Hatter for every tea party.”
“Y’all keep saying Alice . . .,” I trail off.
“Ah, yes. An important bit of information, the Red Queen is also Alice,” Hatter adds, as if that’s not the biggest bomb dropped.
“Is she still a little girl?”
Jupiter snorts and shakes her head. “No, she’s definitely not a little girl, not at all.”
“She came to Wonderland as a child,” Clara adds. “But she left. When she came back, she was a woman full of scorn and revenge.”
“She’s a monster,” Jupiter clarifies. “And as the third, your role is to bring her down completely.”
I stare at all of them, shifting on my seat, before my eyes land on Flam and Doe.
“What are y’alls roles?” I ask.
Flam shrugs. “I have no role in Wonderland. Not a specific one. I am just one of her many creatures.” He looks over at Doe. “I doubt we would have been allowed to be together if I’d had an official role.”
“What do you mean? Wonderland deems who can be together and who isn’t?”
“Not exactly.” Doe meets my eyes. “But those who have prophecies written about them rarely get to choose their fate.”
“That’s not true,” Clara interrupts. “Sure, a prophecy encourages you into your role, but any one of us could have chosen to walk away. It’s simply a matter of if Wonderland chose right. The prophecies have known what they’re talking about, and Absalom is always there to give us further direction.”
“There may be a prophecy, but it isn’t set in stone. It could have turned out vastly different.” Jupiter stirs her tea, and everyone falls silent.
“It doesn’t really seem like anyone has tried to fight the prophecy,” I say quietly. “So, how do you know for certain?”
Clara meets my eyes, and I tilt my head, waiting. “Have you heard the full prophecy yet, Cal?” I shake my head no. “Once you’ve heard it, and get to think on everything that happened, and we get to the end of that war, and it’s time for you to go home, ask the question again.” She smiles. “You will know.”
I shrug and look at the table. “Which of these teapots is like the whiskey again?”
Cheshire slides a blue teapot towards me, and I pour it into a cup.
“If I’m going to be led around like a puppet, at least I can have a good time doing it,” I mumble.
I take a sip, and fire burns through my veins. Cheshire leans over towards me as I throw the whole teacup back and pushes a plate of cupcakes in front of me.
“If it’s a good time you’re wanting, try these.” He winks at me.
Taking the challenge for what it is, I pick up the cupcake and take a bite. His lips curl as he watches me.
Someone clears their throat. “Perhaps, slow down a bit.”
“Why?” I ask. “Am I going to war today?”
“No.” Clara answered. “But if you keep eating the food like that, you’re gonna feel pretty intense.”
“Good.” I take another bite.
Wonderland food is not like getting drunk. It’s a completely different feeling than anything I’ve ever had before. At first, I thought it was like the time I tried a joint in high school, but it completely surpassed that. Music started funneling into the room, and I wasn’t sure if it was real or imagined. Still, I felt like I wanted to sway. Attie kept looking at me funny, so I became convinced that I had something on my face, and I constantly tried to wipe it away.
Now, I’m sitting in my chair, chuckling under my breath, all because one of the creatures down the table sneezed, and it sounded like a trumpet. “A fucking trumpet,” I say under my breath, but I’m actually doubled over from laughter. The alligator creature looks incredibly offended, and I don’t know how to apologize even if I could.
Cheshire just lounges beside me, enjoying the show. I’m tempted to give him a real show, but there are too many people in the room. I stand up from my seat, swaying a bit. Flam and Doe watch with amusement as I brush my hair out of my eyes.
I try to think of something to say, some grand gesture to tell them I’m leaving. Instead, I turn into a school child leaving the dinner table.
“May I be excused?”
Clara snorts and gestures to the door. “Go right ahead.”
Then I salute her. Like, actually salute her. Wow. Wonderland food is weird.
I leave them all behind in the tea room and think really hard about where I want to go. Somehow, I end up at a window that leads right out to the roof, and I smile. I’m pushing it open and climbing outside before I even realize what I’m doing.
I don’t go far. My feet are a little unsteady for walking along the whole roof. I just scoot over enough that I can sit comfortably without falling and lay back against the warm shingles.
The sky is dark like it always is. There never seems to be any sun here, even when it’s supposed to be daylight. Jupiter said it was something to do with the Red Queen, that it never used to be bright here, but not so dark. I don’t know if I believe that or not. The darkness seems to fit the world.
There are a few stars that dance around and move, beautiful to watch, but a little trippy when you’re drunk on Wonderland food. In the distance, the sounds of creatures reach my ears, quiet for the most part. If I squint my eyes a bit and pretend, I can imagine I’m back at home, listening to the cicadas and the bullfrogs. But this isn’t home. And I’m reminded of that fact when something knocks on the roof beside me.
I turn my head and meet electric-blue eyes, walking along the roof as if it’s as easy as a trapeze. I suppose for a cat, it probably is. For someone who seems incredibly annoyed by my existence, he never seems too far away. My heart gives a little throb at that, but I ignore it.
“Stalker much?” I ask, turning back to the sky.
“Can’t have you falling off the roof in your drunken condition. You’re important to Wonderland, remember?”
That’s a lame excuse, I think. When he snorts, I realize I said it out loud. Wow. I’ve never done that before while drinking. Granted, I haven’t been wasted in a very long time.
“Just to Wonderland?” I don’t turn and look at him, waiting for his answer. I focus on one particular star that’s going in circles.
There’
s a heavy pause before he finally speaks. “Yes.”
I nod my head. A second passes, before Cheshire sits down next to me and follows my gaze. “My mom used to say that the stars are fireflies that got stuck in the sky, so they put on a show rather than burn out.”
I smile. “That’s actually quite a nice thought.”
I turn my head to look at him and realize he’s much closer than I expected, but I don’t move away. I meet his eyes completely, letting him see whatever is on my face.
“I don’t believe in such fairytales anymore,” Cheshire says, his tail curling around behind me.
“You literally are living a fairy tale. You have cat ears. There are books written about you.”
“But for me, this is normal.” He shrugs. “You’re the odd one out in this world.”
“You’re not wrong.” I bite my lip, and Cheshire watches the movement. “Am I going to die here?”
His eyes jerk back up to mine. “What makes you ask that?”
“This prophecy says I have to take out the Red Queen. What if I’m not that person? I don’t know the first thing about war or killing someone. What if I fail?”
Cheshire studies my eyes for a moment. “The prophecy speaks of you succeeding.”
“And yet, prophecies don’t always come true. There could be a million alternate prophecies, and in only one, I might succeed. What if I’m not strong enough?”
Cheshire lifts his hand and cups my cheek, the touch so gentle, I turn my head into it, even though I know the tender touch won’t last. Cheshire is made of iron and steel, of anger and pain. A tender touch is not something he’s used to.
“You’re plenty strong enough, Little Goddess. All you have to do is believe.”
I snort. “Easier said than done.”
“It’s always easier said than done. Always.”
The air grows still, and my eyes drop to Cheshire’s lips, where they sit tempting me. How easy would it be to give in, to say it was the food that did it and claim a kiss? How easy would it be to taste danger?
“What is it you want, Little Goddess?” Cheshire whispers.
Feral as a Cat (Sons of Wonderland Book 3) Page 11
