Chapter 23
Twenty-Three
NUANCE
“You can’t do that.”
“I just did.”
“That’s not allowed.”
The argument was coming from downstairs.
I straightened my lab coat over my clothes. Tilting my head to peer out the big windows, I slid my hand along the staircase railing as I descended.
The bright morning sunlight spilled through the Duchess’s enchanted villa. From somewhere beyond the foyer drifted the delicate melody of a piano, its lilting notes floating over the marshland like a spell, mingling with birdsong and the scent of wildflowers carried on the warm air.
“You’re just mad I’m winning,” Chez mewled. He was perched upon a marble table outside on the terrace, sitting across from the king, who was frowning at the chessboard before them. The remnants of morning tea service and honey scones had been pushed to one side.
“No, I’m pissed off that you’re cheating.” Rabb shot the cat a dark look. “This is not how you play a gentleman’s game.”
Chez shrugged, his large yellow eyes swirling. “Well, I suppose I should remind you, I am a cat. Not a gentleman.” He moved his paw. “Oh, also, checkmate.”
With a soft growl, the king pushed his chair back with a screech, his head falling back in exasperation. “Why do I even bother—”
“Breakfast will be ready soon, my dears,” the Duchess’s melodious voice called out over the tinkling keys of her piano.
I broke out in a soft smile. Rabb and Chez bickering over a silly game while the Duchess called out for food was almost a perfect callback to better days in the past. Even if we could never truly go back, it was heartening to have moments like these.
I poked my head through the doorway. “Good morning.”
Chez looked up. “Ah, good morning, Allie!”
When those deep blue eyes met mine, that hint of a smile on that devilishly, devastatingly handsome face, I couldn’t help a thrill shoot up my spine right away.
He still loves me.
I wouldn’t forget about last night’s kiss for as long as I lived. My neck warmed at the mere memory of how he’d held me, his fingers in my hair, the feel of his warm lips sliding against—
“Good morning.”
I was sure I imagined the husky timbre in his simple greeting. Still, I was rendered tongue-tied. I’d forgotten all the words.
The way His Majesty was looking at me was entirely unnerving as well. He had half a look of someone holding a particularly delicious secret, and the other half something red hot waiting to pounce. It felt as if at any moment, he would jump up, pin me against the column, and take me again.
The mere notion was making me breathless.
I shook my head to clear it.
Get a grip, Allie.
“What’s up with you two?” Chez raised a suspicious eyebrow at the prolonged silence.
Self-consciously, I met Rabb’s gaze for a split second before immediately looking away.
The jackass didn’t even flinch. One corner of his mouth turned up in bemusement, his searing gaze remaining steady on me. He was absolutely enjoying my embarrassment. He turned to Chez and responded in possibly the wryest manner ever. “We kissed. And now it’s weird.”
Stifling a gasp, my entire face flamed. Never mind that my stomach was doing somersaults over and over.
Then again, I supposed there was no reason to hide it—at least not from Chez. There was no reason to be embarrassed at all.
I cocked one hip, narrowing my eyes at the king. If he wanted to be a jackass about it, so could I.
I gave Chez a nonchalant look. “It was only okay.”
Chez hid his chuckle behind his paw.
His grin widening, the king’s blue eyes shone with a challenge.
Chidingly, I shook my head. “Have you two merely been playing games all morning?”
Stretching back, the king braced his hands behind his head. The loose white tunic he was wearing highlighted the way the muscles on his chest and arms flexed, sending more butterflies to my stomach. With his dark hair loosely tied back, I wanted to run my fingers through the silky—
Stop it.
As if he could read my mind, he spoke in a somewhat playful tone despite the serious matter. “As a matter of fact, Chez and I were comparing notes on the information we have gathered regarding this ‘general’ the villagers spoke of.”
I forced myself to focus. “And?” My eyebrows rose.
“Nothing much.” Chez flicked his tail. “For some reason, he’s a figure of authority these villagers seem to take orders from.
His goals are unknown. We are not aware of his real name.
He has only ever been referred to as the ‘general’.
” He gave me a look. “Does any of this sound familiar? Is it possible that you used to know him? Here, or perhaps from your own world?”
I felt as useless as a broken furnace. I gave a helpless shrug. “I’ve never met anyone like that here. And I still don’t remember anything about my life before I arrived in Wünder.”
Chez mewled. “Then it is possible this general is someone from your home world?”
My stomach turned at the irony. I had always thought that if I ever found someone else from my world here in Wünder, it would be a relief. But all I felt was dread.
The king clasped his hands, propping them on the table. “I must find this general. I must ensure he stops whatever he’s doing to infect all the villages.”
This is all her doing…
The words kept nagging in my brain.
“If he is from my world, I would like to meet him too.”
He shot me an incredulous look. “He’s trying to kill you. I thought those villagers made that clear?”
“I want to find out what he knows about me. Why he’s threatening me.” I bit my lip. “They are saying I’m responsible for all this. That what’s happening is all my fault. I have to find out the truth.”
He threw his hands up. “How on Wünder could all this possibly be your fault?”
“I don’t know. That’s why I want to ask. I just want to talk to him.”
Groaning, he sank back in his seat. “Here we go again with your pointless pursuits for negotiation.”
I tilted my head. “This general must have a mission himself. What if I can help him instead? What if I can offer a different solution? Perhaps he will leave me alone then.”
The king’s blue eyes were pinned on the table. “What if he’s come here to take you back?”
My shoulders lifted. “What if he is?”
Chez let out a disapproving mewl, his tone nearly aghast. “You would leave Wünder?”
My gaze darted back to the king for a moment.
His face was blank, his jaw clenched. Still staring at the table, he didn’t say anything.
I turned back to give Chez a shrug. “It was always my plan to leave Wünder. I don’t belong here. This was never my world. We all knew that.”
Chez’s purple eyes were wide. “Well, sure, we all knew that. But if I’m being honest here, we all were hoping you would change your mind.”
I kept my tone even. “We don’t have any clues regarding the general’s intentions. It’s all still a bit too early to speculate.”
The king straightened in his seat, his tone brooking no argument. “More importantly, right now, we must get back to my castle. We need to find a way to cross the river again.”
I gave an emphatic nod. “Yes, and I don’t think we should attempt to go through that machine again.” I gestured to him. “At least, definitely not you.”
He shook his head. “If I never have to go through another one of those blasted contraptions again, it will be too soon.”
“Right.” I nodded again. “We already know the only other way to get back to the other side from here is the rabbit hole in the Hatter’s backyard. Even if the Hatter has disappeared, if we’re lucky, perhaps the magical doorways are still there. We know one of them leads straight to my clock tower.”
The king’s eyebrow rose. “You mean my clock tower?”
Another thrill shot up my spine.
Technically, it was our clock tower.
I turned away to hide the flush on my cheeks.
Chez rolled his eyes. “You guys, get a room already.”
“Hello!” The Duchess emerged from the villa with a bright smile. “I hope you are ready for my famous eight-course breakfast, my dears. Cook has prepared his specialty—eight kinds of pepper soup.”
I wrinkled my nose, stifling a chuckle.
Standing up, the king moved to my side. “We truly appreciate your hospitality, Duchess. But we really must get back to my kingdom.”
“What? What about breakfast?” Her eyes widened. “What about morning tea? And then lunch? Second lunch? Supper? Snacks?”
I’d already polished off some fruit from the tea service in my room earlier. Though it seemed if the Duchess had her way, we would be eating throughout the entire day.
“Another time perhaps.” The king inclined his head. “We must be going.”
Noting the king’s arm hovering over the small of my back to steer me away, the Duchess’s eyebrows rose in scandalous delight as she met my gaze. “Oh, I see,” she cooed. Cheeks pink, her tone dripped with sweet suggestion.
I gave her nosy, busybody face a withering look, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. I didn’t bother to correct her. It would have been pointless.
She simply gave me a sly wink before turning to the king with a little pout. Dipping into an effortless, graceful curtsy, she purred, “It was truly my honor, Your Majesty. Do make sure you do not let so much time pass between visits next time.”
To his credit, the king’s response was almost earnest. “I shall try.”
The next warm smile the Duchess gave me rang sincere as she opened her arms for an embrace. “It was so lovely to have you here, my dear.”
Fragrant sandalwood accosted my lungs as I gave her a hug. “Who knows? If we find the Hatter, he might be able to help untangle the mysteries regarding the anomaly blocking the river. That way, we shall have more of these visits.”
“Stay safe, Allie.”
Chez escorted us down the worn lane in the forest beyond the Duchess’s estate, where the road forked three ways before we parted. He couldn’t follow us to the Hatter’s cottage.
The dirt lane turned into a narrow cobblestone path, the Hatter’s quaint gray cottage already peeking between the foliage. Everything was muted, blue with the thick cloud cover, as though a filter overcast the entire house.