“You must be joking,” Kayden shakes his head. “No fucking way—,”
I grab for his hand. “Please, Kayden.”
If there is another game afoot, then I need to find my way through it and fucking fast. Guards push their way into the clearing. One holds another orange bottle in his hand.
Chess pushes his chair back, getting to his feet.
“Chess.” I hold his gaze. “It’s going to be fine. Take it.”
Please don’t let me be wrong about this.
Please don’t let me be wrong about him.
Slowly, Chess lowers himself back into the chair.
He doesn’t fight the guards as they swarm him. As they force his mouth open, and tip the contents of the bottle inside.
His eyes stay on mine. And I don’t look away.
“There,” Red says. Her voice is sharp. “Not so difficult.”
Chess’s eyes dull. They grow vacant as I watch in rising horror. “Chess—,”
His head slumps forward, slamming against the table.
His name is a scream on my lips as I leap to my feet. But the guards are there, forcing me down.
Buck stretches out, his fingers pressing against Chess’s neck. “He’s alive. Unconscious. Steady pulse.”
I slump, shoving off the hands of the guard.
Red laughs, bright and airy. “He’s rather possessive, isn’t he? I wouldn’t want him ruining the show.”
I keep staring at him. “You don’t know him at all.”
My voice picks up, amplified by a hidden microphone.
Red doesn’t bother responding. “So, then. On to the main event, as it were. Since there will be no auction, there will be a show instead.”
We all turn to watch her. Beside Red, Hatter grips the arms of his chair. He turns to her, but she ignores his hissed words.
“A little public exhibition never hurt anybody. And some of our investors are very keen to see our Alyss in action. So if the rest of you would drink up, we can get started.”
The color drains from my face. From all of their faces. Buck. Kayden. Aiden.
So that’s what the sign means.
Eat me.
Not a physical display. No cannibalism required.
Red leans forward. “Drink. And if you’re very good, perhaps I may even give you a chance to leave Wonderland behind.”
37 – Alyss
All of us sit, frozen, at her words.
When I finally reach for my drink, Kayden grabs my hand. “Don’t.”
