Hatter's Heart - Erin Bedford Page 0,53

her shoulder. "I'm sure I can find something to entertain myself. Cheshire...you are looking much better since your time in the Shadow Realm."

Jealous sparked in my stomach.

"You can't have him," I stepped in front of Cheshire locking eyes with the queen. "And you know your daughter would rip you a part if you even thought about touching her mate."

Tatiana pretended to pout. "Yes, she is quite mean to her own mother. However, you have no such claim on Cheshire and as I'm the one who freed him, I can claim my price whenever I like."

"Hatter already paid the price." Cheshire reminded her behind me.

The queen's brows furrowed. "Yes, well that only counts if he stayed where he was supposed to, but it seemed my cousin's son is far more resourceful than I expected."

"Who?" Cheshire asked.

"The prince," Chess and I told him at the same time.

"So, you can go into the Bandersnatch and I will take my time with the cat, deal?" Tatiana smiled, turning back to us and taking a few steps forward.

I waited until for her to hit Cheshire's aura and with great satisfaction watched as her eyes widened and her mouth fall open. Her nose scrunched up as she covered her mouth and coughed, quickly backing away.

"What in the world is that smell?"

My lips curled up slowly. "My part of the bargain. Do you recognize that scent? If you were a good queen, you would."

Tatiana glared at me.

The courtiers and servants whispered around us already having guessed where I was going with this.

"The Underground is dying. It's eating away at the magic of its citizens, starting with the weakest," I explained lifting my voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "If you don't wish to catch the sickness you should leave the Underground."

"Leave? The Underground?" Different variations of the question went around the room as Tatiana processed my words.

"Cheshire, you have the sickness?"

Smiling broadly, Cheshire bowed mockingly. "A byproduct of the Shadow Realm, I'm sure."

"And yet you are not sickly and weak?" She cocked her head to the side suspiciously.

"We haven't quite figured out that much yet, but we do know others are quite ill. Seer for one," Chess explained for me so Tatiana didn't try to blow this off.

Tatiana went silent as thoughts churned behind her icy gaze. After a moment, she asked, "Have we found a cure? We cannot stay in the human realm forever. They will destroy us."

I inclined my head. "There's a sprout of the Tree of Life but it is not big enough to help right now."

"And of the High King?"

I narrowed my eyes on her. "We have not found someone as of yet to take that place."

Humming to herself, she said, "I see. Well, then," Turning her back to us, she shouted out to the other occupants in the room. "You heard her! The sickness has come once more. Gather your families and head for the Between. We will have to seek sanctuary with the humans until the Underground can regain its magic..." her gaze slid back to me, "...in whatever way necessary."

The people of the court hustled across the throne room, talking loudly as they moved out of the room. Tatiana moved away, dismissing us with a turn of her back.

I stepped forward. "The Bandersnatch."

Tatiana waved me off. "Can't you see I am in the middle of a crisis?" When I didn't budge, she huffed and waved a servant over. "Lead them to my quarters. Make sure they only touch the portal to the Bandersnatch and nothing more. If you don’t, I will have your head."

The servant jerked his head in understanding and moved to stand before us. He stopped when he got to the sickness and took a step back. "This way."

Glancing to the others, wiped my hands on my skirts. My nerves were getting to me. I was so close to getting Mercury back and yet so far.

The trek through the palace and up to the Seelie Queen's bed chamber seemed to drag on and on. I knew in reality it had only been a few moments before we stopped before the large double doors to Tatiana's bedroom. My heart jumped into my throat as the servant opened the door for us and ushered us inside.

Tatiana's room was much like the rest of the palace. Neat, almost obsessively so, in colors of golden and white. If I had a choice between spending the rest of my life in the queen's bedroom or the endless Between, the Between would win out every time.

"Her majesty has graciously allowed you to access the Bandersnatch, do not abuse her mercy." The servant gave us a pointed look and gestured to a wardrobe.

I frowned, approaching the wardrobe. Pulling the doors open, I found myself staring into an inky black mirror. This one was much different than the one in Mab's bedroom. The moment I saw it my skin prickled, my hairs standing on end, telling me to run away and run now.

Cheshire grabbed my hand, keeping me from touching the surface of the mirror. "Are you sure you want to do this?" His gaze skittered over the mirror, not seeming to like it either. "Hatter may not even be in there anymore. You'd be risking your life for nothing."

I smiled at him and reached out, cupping his cheek with my hand. He leaned into my touch, telling me more about how our relationship had been before now than anything. "Oh, pretty pussycat, if love isn't worth risking your life for, then what is?"

He frowned tightly. "I hate being called that."

Slipping my hand from his, I turned back to the mirror. "I know."

Taking a deep breath, I stepped into the mirror. The inkiness of the mirror surrounding me and making me feel like I was being swallowed whole. When I came out the other side, I knew I had messed up. Mercury wasn't in here. He couldn't be. There was nothing in the space I was in. Not the Bandersnatch, not Hatter, not anything.

Spinning around, I tried to go back out the way I came but the mirror was gone. My heart pounded in my chest as I turned one way and then the other, searching the darkness for an exit.

"Hello?" I called out, knowing that I could be attracting something that wanted to eat me. At this point, it was better than nothing.

Silence answered me. I was alone. Utterly, alone in the darkness.

I collapsed to my knees and screamed. The sounds echoing in the distance. Oh, Alice, what have you done now?