Chapter 34
I ran my finger along the rim of my goblet. Around me, fae danced, celebrating both their freedom from a tyrant, and the upcoming trial of the Red Queen. Occasionally, someone would come up and thank me or talk. I tried to be polite, but I wasn’t completely there.
“Hey.” Henri laid a hand on my shoulder, and sat down next to me.
Our table was located among a sea of other tables. Although many wanted to honor me and what I’d done, and place me at a head table, I’d refused. Just like I’d refused an official coronation ceremony and requested that people call me Alice. Or if theyabsolutelymust, Princess Alice. Although the godsflame had proclaimed me the winner of the Trial by Aether, that didn’t mean I had toacceptthe title of queen.
I had already felt this way, but the information my aunt gave me the day before had made me even less inclined to be in the spotlight.
“Are you okay?” Hatter asked, his dark eyebrows furrowed in concern.
He looked more handsome than ever, dressed in a regal dark navy tunic and black pants that made his green eyes even more vibrant.
“Fine,” I said. “What makes you think otherwise?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe that you’ve been walking around in a daze since you visited your aunt. And you haven’t celebrated at all since the party started. What did she say to you?”
I shook my head. “Nothing.”
For the millionth time since I arrived in Faerie, I was thankful that the potion Xavier had given me hadn’t worn off. I wasn’t ready to discuss what my aunt had told me. I was barely able to think about it without breaking down.
“You realize that I know you’re lying, right?” Henri placed his hand over mine, and shivers ran down my spine. “But if you won’t tell me, the least I can do is try to cheer you up. How about a dance?”
I rose and took his hand.
I didn’t feel festive, but even a sulky Alice couldn’t pass up this chance. If there was one thing I was certain of, it was that I had feelings for Hatter. That I was even possibly falling for him.
And our time was short.
As soon as I saw to it that my aunt got what was coming to her, and found Elise, I would propose a new sort of leadership. One in which a single person didn’t hold all the power. A style of government not exactly like where I was from, since that wouldn’t be compatible with fae customs. But one that was a little more equal—and I’d suggest that Henri be at the head of it. His talent for leading people was too strong to ignore, and everyone already loved him. It should be easy.
But for now, while he still had his hand pressed against my lower back, I would dance.
We stopped in the center of the dance floor, and Henri took my hands. I fell into step with him as naturally as I breathed, not at all fighting his lead. We floated among the other dancers, though it didn’t take long for me to notice that we were out of time with them. It took only a half-second more to realize why.
Henri was leading me through the dance he’d learned at the age of eight. The one he’d wanted to impress a five-year-old princess with.
“Everyone watching must think that you’re terribly behind the times.”
“Who cares what they think? I’ve wanted to show you my improvement for years. I’m not about to pass up my chance in such a perfect setting.”
Years. . .
My heart began to thud in my chest. For the first time since my aunt had spelled out my potential future, the prophecy no one but her and I knew of, I forgot about the lingering threat.
And yet, as good as it felt to be dancing in Henri’s arms, to have his biceps wrapped around me, and smell his spicy scent, it troubled me too.
“Henri, you know I still don’t plan on staying, right?”
Hatter gulped. “I know,” he said, his voice thick. “But can you blame a guy for wanting to make the most of the time he has? Or hoping that maybe you’ll change your mind?” He offered up a slight smile. “After all, you still have some time here.”
There was no denying that. Even after the trial and the execution of Sela White, I still had to find Elise.
My aunt had claimed that she was in Faerie, with her ‘allies,’ of which there was only one: the Dark Court, the fae court who treated their subjects even worse than the Red Queen had treated those of Wonderland. I’d find Elise there.
If she wasn’t there, I would scour this realm to find my sister. And if I didn’t find her here, I’d do the same in the human world. I wouldn’t stop until we were together.
“I didn’t mean to upset you again,” Hatter whispered, his lips close to my ear.
