My eyes found the altar.
Darius.
My breath caught. My chest tightened.There you are.
He stood beside Alanna in a suit so pink it looked like he'd been dipped in Pepto-Bismol. Ridiculous. Humiliating.
But god, he was handsome. Even dressed like a flamingo, even with shadows under his eyes and defeat carved into his face, he was the most beautiful man I'd ever seen.
“Alice?” His silver eyes found mine. Widened. Filled with something between horror and hope.
He was mine. He belonged to me. He had sacrificed everything to protect me.
And I was here to claim him back.
"The wedding is over," I called out.
Alanna's face twisted—beauty crumbling into pure, venomous rage.
"No." She stepped forward, her pink wedding gown billowing around her like a storm cloud. "Guards! Seize them!" Alanna shrieked. "OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!"
Guards rushed toward us from every direction—a wave of crimson armor and drawn swords.
I lowered my bow.
Grump tensed beside me. "Alice?—"
I held up my palm. My heart hammered. I'd frozen people before. Frozen time itself. But this—choosing who moved and who didn't—I'd never tried anything like this.
Believe in the impossible.
The web bracelet pulsed against my wrist—a cold reminder. Ari. I had to keep him unfrozen. The binding oath demanded it. If I froze him, I'd be breaking our deal.
And I'd die.
But Darius—I needed him free. And Rabbit—his family was in those mines. He deserved to see this.
Six people. Out of hundreds. Could I even do this?
Six impossible things before breakfast.
The gold bracelet flared hot, fighting against the cold of the web bracelet. Light and dark. My magic and Ari's binding. The medallion burned against my skin.
Pain lanced through my skull. My vision blurred. Warmth dripped down my upper lip. I tasted copper.
"Alice!" Grump grabbed my arm.
"Don't." I shook him off. "I can do this."
Love can survive madness.
I pushed harder. Dug deeper. Found something inside me I didn't know existed.
"FREEZE!" The word tore from my throat. "Everyone but Darius, Ari, my father, Chester, Caterpillar, and Rabbit!"
Power exploded out of me like a wave of golden light.
The guards stopped mid-stride—swords raised, frozen in place. Courtiers turned to statues, mouths open in silent screams. Servants. Musicians. Everyone.
