“Returns you to your normal height,” Dee explained. “Obviously, you can live a fine life at our size. Heck, I have a date with an elf later this week. He doesn’t mind atallthat I’m small. Especially when I—”
“Thanks!” I shouted over her. “I appreciate the help, but I should be going.”
I strode over to the door, intent on getting out of there, nibbling on the cake, and finding Herald again so he could take me where I needed to go.
I had to set the cake down to maneuver the key in the lock, but eventually I got it, and the lock clicked open. I dropped the key, picked up the cake, and marched through the door.
As soon as I stepped foot on the other side of the portal, I gasped.
This place burst with color and life and scents and sounds unlikeanythingI’d ever seen.
“Not many people enter Wonderland Court anymore.”
I twisted to see Dee soar through the small door, and blinked.
In my world, I’d entered a tree, but in Faerie, I’d exited out of a tower at least ten stories tall. The contradiction confused me, but considering all the crazy stuff I’d passed on my way down the rabbit hole, I decided I needed to roll with it.
“But when they do, they always have that reaction,” Dee finished, landing beside me.
A second later, Dum followed.
“I bet. In my world, trees are generally only green, or orange and red in autumn. But they’re definitely never pink or blue or purple,” I told them, taking in the assortment of vegetation in front of me. “And those sounds . . . what am I hearing?”
It sounded like a cross between a cat’s yowl and a dog’s bark. Totally alien to my ear.
“That’s a bandersnatch,” Dum said. “There are only a few left in the wild. You’re lucky to hear one. They rarely make noises because they don’t want to be captured.”
Who does?
“Well, I guess I’d better grow.” I was ready to be back to my normal size and leave the pixies behind.
Keeping in mind how little of the liquid I’d drank and how small it had made me, I took only a tiny nibble of the teacake.
The reaction was instantaneous. My bones extended and thickened by the millisecond as I shot up.
When I stopped growing, I looked around. Everything seemed normal, like it had been before I drank the purple liquid.
Actually, I might’ve gained an inch or two. Go me.I grinned.
Now back to normal height, I noticed a path leading into the woods away from the tower, and made my way over to it. I’d just entered the woods when I felt the slightest weight land on each of my shoulders.
Oh no, this is not happening.
“What are you doing?” I asked Dee and Dum, both of whom were positioning themselves so they could ride with their legs comfortably dangling down the sides of my arms.
“Coming with you,” Dee replied.
“Yeah, except I work alone so . . .”
I didn’t finish before she started laughing. “Oh, right. There was talk that you’d insist on that, considering what you’ve become.”
“And what’s that?” My stomach tightened defensively.
I didn’t want people to gossip about my occupation. Or tell my family before I met them.
“A warrior. One not scared to take back what we need.” Dee crossed her arms over her chest and gave me an impressed look.
All of a sudden, I felt more friendly toward her. Being called a warrior was better, more socially acceptable, than being called an assassin. Still, I didn’t want them tagging along.
