Chapter 20 #3
The king growled, his narrowed glare searing. “You touch her, you die.” His threat was potent enough that he barely needed to move from his position, still standing across the room.
Seeming to muster up her own courage, Sophie’s eyebrows rose. “Allie?”
She wanted to determine if I was staying of my own volition. That the king wasn’t pulling my strings and keeping me here under threat, that my choices were my own. She was giving me one last opportunity to escape, offering a way out of my indenture with the king. They both were.
I supposed, from their perspectives, I might have seemed truly mad.
I gave them both a warm, rueful smile. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t seriously considering it, but… “Thank you, Sophie, Gregory.” Dropping my gaze, I bit my lip. “But I’m…staying with the king.”
The king huffed in triumph. Leaning against the fresco wall, he folded his arms across his chest.
“Why, Allie?” Gregory’s forehead creased. “You could build a life with us in Lucerne. With my sister and me. Your kindness, your talents, your cleverness, they’re wasted on this monster.”
“Your Highness, the offer is very tempting. But you misunderstand my intentions.” I shook my head.
“Your kingdom is the jewel of this world. I can truly attest to that. However, I do not intend to stay on Wünder at all. I must find the machine, the doorway. It is the only way to find my way home. And I must go home—to my real world. I have a bargain with the king to help me do just that.”
Sophie’s eyes cleared in understanding. She let out another sigh, this time in resignation. “Then, where are you going from here?”
“I must go to the Hatter’s house. I feel he ought to be able to answer many questions. Ghosts happen to be his area of expertise.”
“The Hatter?” Gregory echoed. “No one has seen him in many moons.”
Sophie put a finger to her chin in thought. “Are you thinking he has something to do with these strange anomalies too?”
I raised my shoulders. “To be honest, I cannot think of another being on Wünder who would be capable of understanding these machines. You might have heard the Hatter is a genius—or at least, he used to be, when he was still in touch with reality.”
Concession in his sober gaze, Gregory tilted his head.
“If that is your decision.” He turned to his sister.
“Sophie, we must return to our kingdom. A great many things need our attention for the reconstruction. We must also make our people aware of what is going on, and find out more about this affliction, investigate those villagers.”
“Agreed.” Sophie nodded. “We cannot fight what we do not know.”
My nods were just as eager. “Yes. If there is a way to reverse the effects of the machine, please, someone must find it.”
Gregory’s narrowed gaze slid toward the king for a moment, though his words were for me. “Are you able to give us any assurances that His Majesty will not take any action against our kingdom in the meantime? Give us a week, at least, to investigate this further.”
The king huffed. “In a week, I will have taken care of this issue myself.”
Sophie shook her head. “I believe we shall be doing the citizens of Wünder a great disservice if we do not try our best to first save them from this affliction, before choosing to end their lives.”
Wise words.
I couldn’t have said them better myself.
I tossed a prompting look toward the king.
His eyes shut for a moment, as if he already deeply regretted giving the matter any further thought.
Even with the twitch of annoyance in his cheek, he grumbled his concession, “Fine. I shall continue with my investigation. However, I shall endeavor to kill only hostile ghosts. Not innocent citizens.”
Sophie bowed her head. “Your generosity in this matter reflects your magnanimity, Your Majesty.”
I almost snorted.
Kiss-ass.
Sophie was going to make an incredible monarch.
“Our methods may be different,” she went on, “but I assure you, we both wish for the same thing. The good of all the people of Wünder.” Her declaration rang clear, confident.
“I will personally appoint a committee to monitor this situation further, particularly to determine if the machine’s effects eventually do dissipate.
And if it pleases Your Majesty, we shall keep you apprised of any progress.
If it makes any difference, on behalf of the kingdom of Lucerne, I accept your proposal to work together to resolve this. ”
The king’s eyebrow rose in suspicion. “In exchange for what?”
Sophie shrugged. “Goodwill. Nothing more.” She broke into a serene smile. “It might be difficult for you to accept, Your Majesty, but we are not all your enemies.”
“At least begrudgingly,” Gregory couldn’t help his mumbling, but not quietly enough, apparently.
Gritting his teeth, the king shoved off the wall with a start. “Let me at least kill him—”
Jumping, I caught his arm. “No, no, no, no, no.”
Eyes twinkling with bemusement, Sophie stifled her chuckle behind her hand. “We’d best be going. It was truly an honor to meet you.” She curtsied low once again.
The king waved her away.
But Sophie was looking at me. “My lady, from another world.”