“Please tell me that’s where we’re going?” I panted.
“It sure is,” Dee said through a mouthful of bread. “That’s the beautiful capital of Wonderland Island, and seat of the Red Queen’s court, Heartstown.”
The origin of the city’s name was obvious. Many of the buildings had windows in the shape of hearts. Occasionally, multicolored trees popped up between the structures, also pruned to resemble hearts. And then there was the show-stopper—the castle.
The red and white motif was unmistakable in the sea of browns, tans, and creams. Its turrets and spires soared toward the sky, all topped with gold hearts. Large gardens surrounded one side of the castle, while on the other side of the palace, an ocean spread before us, glimmering a strange green-blue.
“Someone has a thing for hearts.”
“The queen,” Dum said. “The rebels call her the Red Queen because she’s made so many heads roll, but she prefers to be called the Queen of Hearts. The castle is Heart Castle.”
I snorted. “Sounds delusional to me.”
“You have no idea,” Dee replied.
I descended the long hill. Gradually, the trees began to thin, and a sign proclaiming that we’d reached the boundaries of Heartstown appeared where the path split at the bottom, although it didn’t indicate which way would take us to the city gate.
I furrowed my eyebrows at the unhelpful sign. “Which way?”
Dum pointed me in the right direction. “We’ll stop by rebel headquarters first. Most who believe in our cause congregate there—not all together, of course.” Dum added the last bit after I arched my eyebrows at her. “We’ll introduce you.”
“Will my family be there?”
“Almost everyone will be. They’ve been waiting for you.” Dee glanced away quickly, as if she’d heard something in the woods. I checked my other shoulder. Dum seemed to have heard it too.
I listened, but didn’t hear a peep.Maybe they heard an incoming pixie swarm? Whatever.I brushed off the awkward pause and kept on moving.
As we approached the wall of Heartstown, the pixies directed me around the side, away from the main gate. From there, they led me to a hole in the wall not much larger than the window I’d squeezed through to break into the alpha’s home the day before.
I sighed. “There’s not a less guarded gate or something we can go through? I’ll knock out the soldiers.”
Dum’s gaze flicked up to me, and she gestured to my shoes. “Bad idea. Someone might recognize you, and call for help.”
“Yeah, now hurry up before someone spots us,” Dee commanded.
I have to stop climbing through teensy places,I thought as I shoved myself through the hole, pinching my hips and covering my clothes with stone dust in the process.
Once I was on the other side, I tried to wipe my clothes off so as to be presentable when I met my parents. As I did, I scanned my surroundings.
It was clear to me that we’d entered on the sketchy side of town. Buildings looked like they were about to fall over, and rats stared at us like they owned the place. Which they probably thought they did, considering the piles of trash lining the street.
“Won’t be long now!” Dee sang as she soared through the hole. “We’re almost there.”
And she was right. Rebel headquarters, apparently also known as the home of someone named Henri Hatter, turned out to be a derelict, sprawling, two-story house only a few streets away from the city wall.
“So this is it?” I asked as we stood outside the rusted gates.
“Isn’t it the perfect disguise!” Dum exclaimed. “Henri’s father bought it so his son could be close when Hatter was at court. Now, leaders of the resistance live here.”
Dee leapt off one shoulder to join her sister on the other. “You know, Alice hasn’t actually expressed interest in being a rebel. Perhaps you shouldn’t go around spreading insider knowledge?”
I blinked. Of course, she was justified. Ididn’twant to join their resistance. I only wanted to meet my family and get some answers. But the idea that the pixies might not trust me stung.
“Oh! Stop it, Dee!” Dum scowled at her sister. “She won’t say anything. Will you, Alice?”The softer of the pair blinked up at me innocently, waiting for my assurance.
“No,” I decided on the spot. “I won’t.”
“See! Now let’s go inside. Henri is waiting for us.” Dum’s cheeks pinked. “We’re a little later than expected.”
