My lips curled up. “It seems that we have a deal.”
The caterpillar thrust out four of his hands. “Hold on tight.”
I was about to ask if this would hurt as much as releasing my aether magic had, but the scoundrel didn’t give me a second.
His power bloomed out of his hands. The aether swirled around us, blinding me.
“Grab my hand!” I screamed, and flung my arm around for Hatter.
A dry, warm palm gripped mine at the same time as the pixies flung themselves inside my hood.
Good, we’re all together.
Suddenly, the ground ceased to exist under me, and everything disappeared.
Chapter 18
When I regained consciousness, my entire body ached something fierce, and even more disturbingly, I had unexpected company.
March Hare had pulled a gold armchair up next to my bed, and was slumped over in it, his black ears flopped over as he snoozed. On his lap, the resident mice, Dormouse and Tim, napped with him.
“What happened?” I whisper-moaned, and eased myself up off the bed.
March’s big ears caught the sound of my voice, and he leapt out of the chair, throwing Tim and Dormouse to the floor with a cry as he scurried over. “Princess! Lie down this instant!”
“But I have to pee,” I said, my brows furrowed. “Why are you guys in here? Was I sick?”
I didn’t feel sick, but then again, with my aether magic swirling about inside me, and the kink in . . . well, all my joints, I didn’t feel like myself either. Even my wings ached; a new sensation for me.
“In a manner of speaking. You really should lie down,” March Hare said, and twisted to the mice. “And you two, go inform Hatter that she’s awake.”
They scurried out of the room as fast as their little legs could carry them.
I had no idea what was going on, but I knew one thing: the longer I stood there, the more I felt like my bladder would burst.
I took two steps toward the restroom.
“Oberon’s ears! Let me help you.” The hare assisted me inside my personal bath, and then just stood in the doorway, waiting.
“Umm, some privacy?”
His dark eyes popped open. “Oh! Of course. So sorry.”
He shut the door, and I shook my head before going about my business.
Something had totally happened, and I needed to figure out what.
After relieving myself, I freshened up. Splashing some water on my face and brushing my teeth made me feel almost like new. For good measure, I did a few stretches and air squats to get the blood moving and wake my brain up.
When I was prepared to face March again, I exited the bathroom to find him standing inches from the door.
“Were you there the whole time?”
March nodded. “What if you fell?”
Why was he treating me like I was some breakable object?
“Why would I fall?”
