I didn’t know if they heard me but in the next moment, I was running again. Their arguing turned to shouts of my name. My heels slapped the ground as I ran. Each tap of the tile, sounded like a chant in my head.
High Queen.
High Queen.
High Queen.
No. I wasn’t any High Queen. I barely counted as fae. I couldn’t run the whole of the Underground. They had to find someone else. Anyone else.
I found myself before the pool of spirits once more. My breath came out in heavy pants. My hands on my knees as I skidded to a stop. Thankfully, no one chased after me right away, giving me the chance to collect my thoughts.
Of course the universe couldn’t give me that.
“Poor, little Alice,” a familiar taunting voice assaulted my ears. “Once again in a position with no way out. Can’t go home. Can’t stay here. Oh, what ever will you do?”
“Go away,” I grunted, shoving my hair out of my face. “I have nothing to say to you.”
“But I have so much to say to you.” The Shadow Man sauntered across the bridge, his hands in pockets. “You and I have so much in common, Alice. Both of us used and then tossed away.”
“Both things you did to me,” I reminded him, shoving to my feet.
“Semantics.” He shrugged. “You might not know this about me, but I was once the advisor to the past High King. Or at least,parts of me were.” He grinned broadly. “I know all about the trials. I can help you. Help you become what you were always meant to be.”
I stalked across the bridge, the fear I once had for the Shadow Man over compassed by the fear of what was to come. We stopped together in the middle of the bridge, staring each other down.
“You’re missing a big problem with your little speech.” My words came out hard and threatening, each word bit out between gritted teeth. “I. Don’t. Care.”
An amused twinkle sparkled in his eyes. “Fae can’t lie, Alice. Are you sure you’re fae because I’m pretty sure you’re lying. If not, then you’re lying to yourself. You care.” He stepped forward until I could feel the malevolent pulse of his aura pressing against mine. “You care so much that you can’t help yourself.”
He paused for a moment, then shrugged. “Then again maybe I’m wrong. Maybe you really could go back to the Human Realm and just let the fae fend for themselves. This world,” his eyes lifted to the dark sky, the spirits slowly dancing above our heads, “will eventually disappear and then the sickness will not only take those you love but you as well.”
“No, it won’t. We’ll find some other way.” Even I felt like the words were hallow. An impossibility. As impossible as me being High Queen.
“You might.” The Shadow Man nodded. “But will it be in time to save Cheshire? To save Hatter who you’ve now tied your life to. Will it be in enough time to save yourself?”
I didn’t know how he knew what Hatter and I had done but it didn’t matter. Every word he said sank further and further into me. His words rang truer with each moment. I hated to admit it. More than anything, I hated it but he was right.
There was no other option. Not one we could figure out in time before either Hatter or Cheshire succumbed to the sickness.My own life only barely counted on that spectrum. There was nothing I wouldn’t do for them. Nothing I wouldn’t endure.
Being High Queen though? Even if I passed the trials and ascended to the throne. It felt like a life sentence. Something that would control the rest of my life.
Except what was my life?
Before now, life was sitting at home with Hatter watching whatever was on the television after coming home from listening to humans complain all day. Was that something I really wanted to go back to? Something I wanted to do for the rest of my immortal life?
I knew in my heart, the answer would be no.
When I was human, I hadn’t had any ambitions. My sole purpose was to find a wealthy gentleman, marry him, and have his babies. I would take care of the children while running his household. My whole life would have revolved around that one man.
Now I had a chance. A chance to do something more than the mediocre life that my mother had charted for me. More than the paper pushing existence I had now. I could be the difference between an entire race, an entire world, from living or ceasing to exist.
Taking a deep breath, my eyes locked with those deep dark eyes and I knew that more than one being looking back at me and for once, it didn’t scare me.
“What do you need me to do?”
* * *
