10. Chapter Nine
Chapter Nine
Hatter
I watched Alice's door close, waiting until her breathing settled into the deep rhythm of exhausted sleep before I turned away. The house creaked around me, its wooden bones settling protectively around our newest resident.
"She's stronger than she realizes," Chi's voice came from behind me, though I hadn't heard him approach. Typical.
"And more vulnerable," I replied, adjusting my gloves with a precise movement. "The magic is taking to her quickly. Too quickly, perhaps."
Chi materialized fully, leaning against the wall with that casual grace that always seemed both calculated and effortless. "You worry too much, old friend. Her adaptation is a blessing."
I shot him a sharp look. "It draws attention. The forest already whispers her name."
"The forest has always whispered her name," Chi countered, examining his nails with feigned disinterest. "Since she was a child.”
“And I can tell you are more interested in her than I would like.” I mutter
Chi's eyes flashed, the teal irises briefly brightening with an inner light. "Jealous, Hatter? How unlike you."
"Protective," I corrected, turning away from him to descend the winding staircase. "She's not just another curiosity for you to toy with and discard when you grow bored."
I could feel him following, his presence a shimmer of barely-contained chaos at my back. The house creaked around us, adjusting to our movement like a living thing. In many ways, it was.
"You think so little of me," Chi murmured, materializing at the bottom of the stairs before I'd taken three steps. "I have no intention of toying with your little Alice."
"Don't you?" I reached the landing and brushed past him, heading toward my workshop. The door recognized me instantly, its locks clicking open with soft, mechanical sighs. "You toy with everything, Chi. It's your nature."
Chi followed me into the workshop, his form flickering slightly at the edges as he moved through the doorway.
The room beyond was a testament to ordered chaos—workbenches cluttered with half-finished inventions, walls lined with tools that defied conventional description, jars of strange ingredients glowing softly in the dim light.
"Perhaps," Chi admitted, his voice dropping to that silken purr that always meant trouble. "But even I know when something—someone—deserves more careful handling."
I snorted, moving to the largest workbench where a delicate contraption of silver gears and crystal lay partially assembled. "Since when?"
Chi materialized on the opposite side of the bench, those unsettling eyes studying me with too much perception. "Since I felt the magic respond to her. It wasn't just reaching out, Hatter. It was embracing her. Like an old friend. Like family."
I paused, my fingers hovering over the intricate mechanism I'd been working on. "You noticed that too."
"Hard to miss," Chi replied, idly touching one of the crystal components, making it chime softly. "The currents practically sang when she reached for them. I've never seen anything like it—not even with other Dreamers."
I gently moved his hand away from my work. "Don't touch. And yes, it's... unusual."
"It's more than unusual," Chi said, his form shifting slightly, becoming less solid at the edges. "It's unprecedented. The magic doesn't just recognize her, Hatter. It claims her."
The implications sent a chill down my spine. I'd suspected as much when I first saw the silver light tracing through her veins, but hearing Chi confirm it made the reality of Alice's situation all the more alarming.
"If the magic has claimed her," I said carefully, selecting a tiny silver gear from a nearby dish, "then others will sense it. The Queens. The Duchess. Even the White Rabbit, cautious as he is."
"Undoubtedly," Chi agreed, his tail—which had materialized without warning—swishing behind him in agitation. "The stronger her connection grows, the brighter she'll shine to those with the senses to see it."
I sighed, setting down my tools and removing my hat. I ran a hand through my unruly hair, feeling the weight of responsibility settle more firmly across my shoulders.
"She can't stay hidden forever," I admitted. "Nor should she. Hiding would only delay the inevitable."
Chi's smile returned, sharp and knowing. "So what's your plan, old friend. You must have one. You always do."
Chi circled the workbench, his movements fluid and calculating. "The Caterpillar, perhaps? He's always had a soft spot for riddle-solvers."
"Already approached him," I said, picking up a delicate silver key and turning it between my fingers. "He provided the protective clothing. But his influence only extends to the borders of the Tulgey Wood."
“Maybe the forest guardians.” Chi purred as his eyes narrowed in thought, “Vee and Dee always followed their own rules…so they could be persuaded.”
"The Tweedles?" I considered it, rolling the small silver key between my fingers. "Perhaps. They owe me a favor or two, and they've never particularly cared for the Queens' politics."
Chi's tail flicked thoughtfully behind him. "They're unpredictable, but loyal when properly motivated. And they control the eastern pathways."
"It would give her another safe passage," I acknowledged. "Though their protection only extends to the borders of their territory."
"Better than nothing," Chi said, leaning his hip against the workbench, “That would be a good start…I can see about maybe others as she sleeps. I should have some ideas by tomorrow morning.”
"I appreciate the assistance," I said, placing the silver key back among its counterparts. "Just don't go making promises on her behalf. She'll need to form her own alliances eventually."
Chi's grin widened. "Worried I'll steal your precious dreamer?"
I leveled a steady gaze at him. "No. I'm worried you'll be too charming. You have a way of making terrible ideas sound delightful."
"It's a gift," Chi admitted, not bothering to deny the accusation. His form flickered again, becoming slightly translucent around the edges. "But in this case, our interests align. A powerful Omega dreamer loose in Wonderland? The possibilities are... entertaining."
"This isn't about entertainment," I warned, my voice hardening. "It's about her survival."
"Can't it be both?" Chi asked, his tail curling in amusement.
I rolled my eyes at him, "Some things never change with you, Chi."
His grin widened further, if that was even possible. "Would you want me any other way, Varik?" He used my real name so rarely it made me pause. There was a seriousness beneath his playful demeanor that few ever recognized.
"Go," I said with a dismissive wave. "Do whatever reconnaissance you deem necessary. But Chi—" I fixed him with a stern look, "—be careful. The Queens have grown more paranoid since you last tested their defenses."
Chi's form began to fade, his smile the last thing to disappear. "Paranoia makes them predictable," his voice lingered in the air. "I'll return by morning."
Alone in my workshop, I turned back to the delicate mechanism on my workbench. I would try to distract myself and think of things I too could help the newest resident of Wonderland.