Hatter's Heart - Erin Bedford Page 0,12

mention of it. There weren't many things that hurt Fae, but iron was one that the human world had in spades.

Changing the subject, I gestured to the full-length mirror on the far wall. "I see you moved it."

Kat's nose wrinkled up. "Yeah, well, after the Fae Council decided to pop in on me one afternoon while Chess and I were having fun times."

Chess smirked and brushed his nose along her shoulder. She shrugged him off with a flick to his nose. "Be good."

Purring deeply, Chess peered up at her innocently. "I'm always good."

Rolling her eyes at him, Kat pushed away from the desk and pointed at the ornate mirror. "Pat's working on finding a way for me to get a warning chime or something before I get a call. In a perfect world I could deny them just like on my cell phone," she shrugged and grinned. "Until then, it stays in the office."

"Understandable. Now can we be gettin' goin'? I got other places to be." Mop shoved passed me to stand before the mirror. He kicked the bottom of the frame making the mirror rock on its axle.

"So impatient." Kat scowled and then smirked. "Got a hot date, do you?"

Mop's tiny arms crossed over his chest. "For ye information, I do."

Kat grabbed her chest in mock surprise. "I'm so disappointed in you. What would your wife say?"

Ears pink, Mop waved her off. "It be with me wife, ye nitwit."

Normally, most Fae wouldn't dream of speaking to Kat in such a manner. Even though half the time she acted more like a toddler than a princess, she was still a scary Fae in her own right. Mop and Kat went way back. When she was a silly human girl without a clue about her Fae heritage.

This, of course, was back when I was still imprisoned in the Hall of Mirrors.

I owed Kat my life.

As did Mop and the rest of the Underground, that was why most of them treated her with respect. Mop treated her like one of his own children. Scolding her when she got out of line and teasing her just as much as she teased him.

"Trip's Petal is waiting too. Yes, Petal is." Trip smacked his tail down on the ground excitedly.

"That is wonderful, Trip. Really it is," I interjected before we got off track again. "But the sooner we get to the Underground, the sooner you can see her. Alright?"

Trip's tail tapped even faster, and I assumed he was consenting.

Turning back to Kat, I gestured to the mirror. "If you don't mind?" Only members of the royal family or those of half-blood, like Chess, could activate the mirror portals or else all of the Fae would have them in their homes.

"Oh, yeah, sure." Kat scuttled across the floor to the mirror and slid her finger down the side of the frame. Sigils glowed all along the frame until the surface of the mirror rippled.

"Thank you," I stepped up to the mirror and reached out a hand. I have always found going in headfirst to be too nerve wracking and would rather feel where I was going.

The portal felt like cold liquid sliding over my skin. A bit like the gelatin Kat had introduced me to. Not quite liquid or solid. It enveloped me and sucked me into the other side and out into a loud pink flowered living room.

"Oh, hello, Alice. What brings you to my home today?"

Chapter 5

Kat's grandmother sat in a large overstuffed white and flower printed chair sipping from a teacup, her knitting needles sitting in her lap.

"Ma’am, sorry to drop in on you like this. Kat was supposed to message and let you know I was coming." I rubbed my arms, the feeling of the portal's magic still making my hairs stand on end.

"Oh, dear, ma’am was my mother in law. Just call me grandma." She sipped from her cup and then sat it down on the table next to her. Just as she dipped her hand into the pocket of her bright orange dressing coat, Mop and Trip came fumbling out of the mirror behind me. "Oh, more visitors."

"Stop ye pushin'" Mop shoved at Trip, putting a few feet between them.

I cleared my throat.

Mop's gaze jerked to Kat's grandmother and he flushed. "Oh. Excuse me, ma'am."

"Bah, I'm used to it." She fiddled with her phone for a moment, lowering her glasses so she could see better. "Now, if my granddaughter would actually give me a heads up before using the mirror.