Page 40 of Off with Her Head
I place both hands on the door, drawing on our magic. Blood from my abraded wrists provides the necessary sacrifice while heart magic supplies the creative application. Together, they flow into the door's enchantment.
The door turns to ash beneath my touch. My eyes widen and I gasp as I take in my work, surprised by what I’ve done.
I step through the empty doorway, emerging into the corridor beyond. It's empty for the moment, though I sense Mara’s guards patrolling nearby. The dungeons are dimly lit, shadows gathering in corners where corruption has begun to spread along the walls.
Moving silently, I navigate toward the staff’s stairwell—a secret passage that connects the dungeons directly to the upper levels of the castle. When we built the Castle of Cards, I ensured my domain contained numerous hidden routes, escape paths known only to me and my most trusted subjects. Now, those preparations may save not just my life but my entire kingdom.
The stairwell entrance is concealed behind a section of wall that responds to my touch. I slip inside, sealing it behind me before ascending the narrow steps. Each floor I pass reveals sounds of occupation—creatures moving through my castle.
My castle has become enemy territory. The realization burns like acid, fueling my determination to reclaim what's mine and find Ravenna.
I emerge from the passage into an unused pantry near the kitchens. Pressing my ear to the door, I hear the shuffle of feet, their once-human voices now layered with sickly undertones. I hear no allies here.
Another hidden passage leads me toward the eastern wing. This route is more treacherous, requiring me to cross exposedcorridors at several points. I move cautiously, using my magic before venturing into the open.
The network of transformed roses guides me, their magic calling to mine like beacons in darkness. They lead me toward the garden, suggesting the safest route through increasingly dark territory.
I'm nearly there when I sense a familiar presence ahead—hiding. I follow it to a small antechamber near the garden entrance, where I find the White Rabbit huddled behind a cabinet, his pocket watch clutched to his chest.
"Your Majesty!" he gasps when I reveal myself, his eyes widening in a mixture of fear and hope. "You're alive! We thought—when Queen Mara took the castle—"
"Shh," I caution, keeping my voice low. "I've escaped, but Mara still controls the castle. Who else remains loyal?"
The Rabbit's whiskers twitch nervously. "Many of us, My Queen. The Duchess leads a resistance from the kitchens. The chess pieces hold the west tower. The Mad Hatter and March Hare gather forces in the Wood." He leans closer, dropping his voice further. "And the Cheshire Cat moves among us, coordinating where he can."
Relief floods through me. The situation is dire but not hopeless. "I need to reach the garden," I tell him. "The roses there may help me contact Ravenna."
"Queen Ravenna lives as well?" His expression brightens. "Mara’s soldiers boasted that both queens had fallen."
"Mara lies," I say simply. "Can you create a distraction to clear the corridor to the garden?"
The Rabbit straightens, a determination I've rarely seen overcoming his natural timidity. "For Underland, Your Majesty, I can be brave." He checks his pocket watch, making a quick calculation. "At precisely three minutes past the hour, the patrolwill reach the far corridor. I'll lead them away from the garden entrance."
I squeeze his shoulder in gratitude. "Once I'm safely in the garden, find the Duchess. Tell her I live and fight still. Tell her to prepare her forces for my signal."
"What signal, My Queen?"
I smile grimly. "The roses will bloom as they've never bloomed before."
The Rabbit nods, then scurries toward the corridor, his pocket watch ticking with comforting regularity. I wait the prescribed three minutes, then hear his panicked voice echoing from a distance.
"The Queen escapes! The Queen escapes! This way, quickly!"
The sound of guards rushing to investigate creates my opportunity. I slip into the corridor and race toward the garden entrance, throwing open the heavy doors and stepping into what was once my pride and joy.
The garden has changed dramatically under Mara's occupation. Black crystal growths erupt from the manicured lawns, forming twisted sculptures. The pathways have shifted, no longer following their carefully planned routes but twisting according to Mara's will. Many of the traditional flowers have withered.
But the roses—the roses stand defiant.
Red and black blooms rise from beds untouched, their hybrid nature somehow resistant to Mara's influence. They turn toward me as I enter, petals opening wider, stems reaching as if to welcome their queen's return.
I move to the center of the rose garden, where the largest and most magnificent blooms grow. Here, the resistance is strongest, creating a sanctuary amid the spreading darkness. I kneel among them, placing my hands directly on the soil that nourishes their roots.
"Help me," I whisper, channeling the hybrid magic into the earth. "Help me find her."
The roses respond immediately, their magic recognizing and amplifying mine. Power flows between us, the network expanding beyond the garden to connect with every transformed rose throughout Underland. I sense resistance across my kingdom—subjects who fight against her, places where our magic has created natural barriers to Mara's influence.
And somewhere, distant but unmistakable, I sense Ravenna.
