Page 27 of Maddie
“It’s fine. Rav didn’t take advantage of Alice in that way.”
“It’s still notfine. He did this to you, and he did this to my sister. I want to beat his fucking arse.”
“It gets worse,” Maddie said. “While we want to save our sisters, he wants to kill his. The White Queen—Ever—is Rav’s sister. He already turned the Ivory guards against her, sending her into hiding, so for now, Ivory belongs to Rav. He isn’t really the king of Scarlet either. Imogen may say he is but the true heir, if anything were to ever happen to her, is Chess, the male you saw at the portal before we came to Wonderland. Rav isn’t his real father. Ever told me how Imogen and Rav murdered Imogen’s husband, the last king, his father, the same night she turned Chess into a vampire. Then she brought her immortal son to Wonderland after leaving him in England until he was an adult. The king and Imogen had given up their lives and their son to become vampires.”
“Bloody hell.” Noah’s eyes widened. “He wants to murder his own sister? How were Imogen and Rav not arrested or whatever you do here? Though after all I’ve seen so far, I shouldn’t be surprised. But damn…”
“Yeah…”
A tense silence spread throughout the room and her gaze stayed trained on his. So many thoughts slipped into Maddie’s mind. Her sister, what she’d done to Alice, when she’d had her hand around Noah’s hard cock. For once, she had nothing to say. Nothing else to give in that moment.
“What if I offer you a trade,” Noah finally said, breaking the silence.
Maddie arched a brow. “What kind of trade, immortal?”
Noah knelt in front of her, appearing as though he were her knight. “If you help me retrieve the cure for Alice, I’ll help you save your sister.”
“How would you help me save Mouse?” Maddie sighed, her stomach sinking.
“We’ll retrieve Mouse from the palace ourselves.”
Maddie tilted her head to the side and patted his shoulder. “Easier said than done. Imogen has ripped out the heart of everyone who has defied her.”
“What about when you deliver her hat?” He perked up. “She’d mentioned two weeks, right? Since you’ve done this before, she wouldn’t be expecting you to just barge in and take Mouse.”
Maddie mulled it over. When she’d delivered the hats, Rav was always prowling around the mortal world. He would most likely be gone… Even then, it would be difficult. There was always the chance Chess would be there too. But what did she have to lose? If she failed, then Ferris could continue trying to save Mouse. Her sister had waited long enough.
“Perhaps we can try. I’ll help you locate the cure first, but we may not make it back in time to save Alice.” Maddie didn’t know how much longer Alice would last. It would be a few weeks at the most.
“I want to risk it,” Noah said.
“Does this mean you forgive me?” Her mouth curved into a wide grin.
Noah blew out a breath. Then a small smile crossed his face as he lifted her chin. “Would you forgive me if the roles were reversed?”
“Yes,” she whispered, liking the feel of his fingers on her chin a bit too much.
“Liar,” he whispered back. “Alice is safe for now, so yes, I forgive you.” His hands cupped her cheeks. “But I still want to throttle you.”
“You’re doing mighty fine on that threat, immortal.” She waggled a finger at him. Before she ruined the moment by asking if he wanted her to make him come again, she changed the subject. “Go check on Alice. I need to talk to Ferris anyway.”
“All right. I’ll see you soon.” His hands left her cheeks and she missed the light touch, his warmth.
As soon as Noah slipped out from the room, Ferris brushed past him and entered, that scowl still on his face.
Maddie cocked her head and grinned. “Were you hovering at the door,listening?”
“Fuck yes, I was.”
She laughed, louder than she’d intended.
“It’s not funny.” Ferris’s scowl deepened. “You put your life, Mouse’s life, and Alice’s life all in jeopardy. Imogen would’ve killed you all.”
“I knew what I was doing,” she drawled. “A reward was offered for Alice, remember? Besides, Imogen never found out you were connected to me or Mouse, did she?” Maddie purposefully left out that Ferris was included in that reward. She didn’t need him traipsing to the palace and sacrificing himself. He wouldn’t be held in a cell like Mouse—he’d be dead. And that would destroy Mouse if she knew he’d done that for her.
Ferris lowered himself on the mattress beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Your new plan is shitty.”
“It really is.”
