Page 55 of Maddie
“Hey,” Mouse whispered, hugging the stack of artwork to her chest. “Are you conscious?”
“Unfortunately,” he grumbled as blood trailed down his arm from a deep cut.
His entire body hummed with shock, and he felt dull pain that he was positive wouldn’t remain that way once he calmed the fuck down. He shoved himself up, ignoring the bleeding scratches and throbbing in his hip. Glancing over his shoulder, he took in the palace. Red light flickered over the glossy stone walls as figures inside moved past windows. Maddie was still in there…
“We can’t stay,” Mouse said, clutching the caterpillar gently in her hand. “Take me to Maddie and Ferris.”
She was right—they couldn’t stay. Every second they wasted made their capture more likely, but …Maddie.He shook his head. They had to leave her. That was always the plan—to escape and she would catch up to them. He had to trust in Maddie’s own strength and do his part.
He tightened his jaw and nodded. Telling her Maddie was in the castle might make her run back in, and he couldn’t risk it. “Come on then.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Maddie
Ginger?Mint?Hibiscus? Maddie mulled the different teas over in her head before settling on chamomile. “Back in London, this was my favorite tea. Even now, I’ll put a hint of it in the blood I’m drinking while creating a hat. It enhances the flavor. Silkier. Sweeter.” She paused and smiled, staring into Imogen’s raging yellow eyes. “You should try it sometime.”
The queen jerked out of her chair and lunged for Maddie. She easily grasped Imogen by the shoulders, then pushed her back down into her seat.
“Tut, tut,” Maddie sang in a hushed voice. “Do that again, and I may have to take you outside.”
A hard kick came to Maddie’s stomach and she gasped. Her gaze fell to the queen’s freed ankles, the bindings torn and resting on the checkered floor. Imogen rammed her leg forward again, but Maddie stepped around the chair, holding the queen’s shoulders firmly against the velvet back.
“A pity,” Maddie said, observing the shredded cloth on the floor. “But alas, make another move, and I’ll rip your head off after stabbing you in the throat and heart. Understand?” She released Imogen and drew out two switchblade knives from her boot, then shifted back in front of the queen.
Imogen narrowed her eyes but didn’t lift from her seat again. Even though Maddie’s heart pounded ferociously, she held her casual expression as she set her switchblades on the settee beside her. There wasn’t much time left until she needed to go back to the safe house. She’d told Noah she would give him fifteen minutes to retrieve Mouse, then she would meet him there. And if he wasn’t there, then she would return to the palace. But she wouldn’t make it far, not with Imogen still alive, knowing what Maddie had done to her. If Maddie killed her though, it would only make matters worse. She would be hunted harder, and if Mouse was free, her sister and Noah would be as well.
Maddie was about to move on to discuss the dainty flavor of lavender tea when loud stomping stormed down the stairs. She glanced up, stilling as she saw Rine’s hair swishing around her face, the female’s lips curled into a snarl.
“The alarm, my queen,” Rine shouted to the back of Imogen’s chair. “Mouse has escaped.”
Noah did it. Maddie couldn’t contain a grin. He’d gotten her sister out. Relief didn’t wash over her yet though—she was unsure if they were out of the palace and safe.
Maddie grabbed a switchblade from beside her and stood, preparing herself.
“What is this?” Rine’s eyes widened as she stepped farther into the room. Her gaze focused on Imogen, her duct-taped lips, her bound hands. Vicious sounds emanated from the queen’s throat, her words trapped inside her mouth.
Before Rine could attack or free the queen, Maddie hurled herself at the female and thrust the switchblade into her chest, a squishing sound emanating. Maddie grasped the female’s head and twisted hard to the left, tearing it from her body, the crack of her spine filling the room. Rine’s body thumped to the floor, bright crimson pouring out from the gaping hole and pooling near Maddie’s feet. She took a step back, making sure to not get blood on the bottom of her boots—she didn’t want to leave a trail behind. As she dropped the head beside the body, more blood splattered the floor.
“If only this could’ve been done without getting messy.” Maddie shrugged and spun to face Imogen with a grin. “Now, I must apologize about Rine, even though she always was a nasty little thing, but I do have to go. Our time is up. Ta-ta.”
As Maddie’s eyes shifted to the settee to collect her other knife, she froze. It wasgone.
The tear of fabric came and in a split second, Imogen was standing, her hands free, the tape off her mouth.Idiot, Maddie. If Rine hadn’t distracted her…
“You shouldn’t have done that, you crazy bitch,” Imogen seethed. “I’m taking you to the dungeons where you will wait and watch as I kill Mouse, then I will bite the flesh from your bones, piece by piece. You’ll suffer for a long,longtime before I rip your heart out, Hatter.”
Well, that didn’t sound pleasant in the least.
“Not today,” Maddie said, waving her hand in the air. She lunged for the first object she could find, grasping a metal vase from a shelf on the wall, just as Imogen came forward. The queen growled, her fangs sliding out, and knocked the vase from Maddie’s hand.
With a grunt, Maddie whirled to the side and caught the object just as it was about to crash to the floor. She didn’t need the loud sound reverberating. As Imogen swiped again, Maddie struck the queen’s hand with the heavy metal.
“Now now, we were having a much more relaxing time discussing teas.” Maddie darted around the chair and tossed the vase in its seat. All she needed to do was get to the front door, but Imogen blocked it. She patted her dress for a weapon—the gun would be quick but too loud.
“Hatter, I’ve played enough games over the years and I always win.” Imogen hurled the switchblade forward and a sharp pain pierced Maddie’s shoulder.
Maddie held back a scream as she yanked the blade out. She ground her teeth together against the pain while hot blood oozed from the wound. But it would heal quickly, and she didn’t have time to waste. Imogen shot toward her and Maddie dove for the other side of the room. Spinning around, Maddie hurled her knife forward and it lodged in Imogen’s chest, but the queen didn’t falter.
