wrapped around my chest and waist, cinching it tight, but not so much that I could not breath.
My mother would have been so disappointed. Not only for the lack of a tiny waist, but for the fact that I wore my corset on the outside of my clothes rather than inside. I didn't know why I had started wearing it exactly, I only knew that it would protect me. Another thing I lost in the Hall of Mirrors.
Pushing the thought aside, I adjusted the small blue hat on the side of my head and primped the fat curls surrounding my heart shaped face. Lastly, I made sure the kid gloves on my hands were in place before turning for the door.
My hand hadn't more than touched the handle before I stopped and strode over to the bed. Snatching up mine and Mercury's cell phones, I tucked them into a little magical air pocket. Couldn't yell at him for forgetting if I did the same, now could I?
Dressed and ready to go, I marched down the stairs and found Mop and Trip waiting for me in the living room. Trip dragged the fluff on his tail between his paws over and over, his nervous gaze skittering to Mop and back. Mop, on the other hand, had his arms crossed over his chest and a stern frown on his face.
"Ye ain't goin'."
I arched a brow at him. "And who would stop me? You?" I laughed haughtily. "You're nothing but a brownie. You don't have any magic that doesn't involve cleaning." I turned to Trip and smiled gently. "And Trip here wouldn't want to make Alice upset, now would Trip?"
Trip shook his head venomously. "No, Trip wouldn't. No. No."
"Then it's settled." I moved toward the door, the two of them on my heels.
"No, it be not," Mop snipped, putting himself in my way. "Ye donna want to be goin' back down this road, Alice. Ye know what happens when ye go off on ye own."
My eyes narrowed on the little man. "What exactly happens, Mop? Huh?" I placed my hands on my hips and leaned toward him. "Do you think I'm going to make another deal with a malevolent manifestation of dead Fae so that I could be more than human only to put all of the Underground in jeopardy? Is that what you think I will do?"
Mop snorted. "Nah, ye just tend ta stir up trouble where there be none. So, we be escorting ye."
I sighed in irritation. "Fine. Have it your way. Let's go."
Chapter 4
A year ago, walking down the street with Mop and Trip at my sides would have gotten me strange looks and people taking photographs. Today, though, I only received a few curious looks, but for the most part no one commented or stared.
We did have to stop a few times. Why they made Opalaughts ears so long and their feet so big was a mystery. I never remembered the March Hare having so many issues tripping over his own ears.
“Do ye have a plan, lass?” Mop grunted as we came into view of Kat’s home. “Or will ye just wander aimlessly ‘round the Underground like ye did as a child?”
“No, I’m not going to wander around like a child,” I sneered back at him. “I do have a half a -”
“Oodle in yer noodle?” Mop filled in for me with a smirk.
A smirking brownie was not something one wishes to see often. It was like watching a carriage crash. It was horrible when it happened and yet you couldn’t look away.
“You have spent too much time with Trip.” I glanced down at Trip with a small smile. “My apologies.”
Mop shrugged. “I donna tolerate many an’ I be used to this one.” He pointed a thumb at Trip.
“What about Kat?” I asked, making sure to walk extra hard on the front steps and raise my voice. “Do you just tolerate her?”
His onyx colored eyes narrowed on me, his lips pressed tight together. “’Course, I more than tolerate, Kat. She be one of me best friends.”
“Ah, Mop. I didn’t know you cared so much.” Kat leaned against the doorway of the open front door. “So, what brings you all to my doorstep at this god forsaken time of day?”
I arched a brow and glanced at my phone. “It’s only nine o’clock.”
“Exactly,” Kat shot back and handed out a glass of yellow liquid. “Mimosa?”
Rolling my eyes, I ignored her glass and pushed my way inside. “I do not understand how