He shook his head and put his hands on my shoulders. “No, daughter. I can’t lose you like I did your mother.” He glanced at Darius. “Go with Hatter. He’ll protect you.”
I turned to look at Darius. After everything we'd been through, he knew what I was capable of. I flashed him a sly smile. "And I can protect him."
Grump released my shoulders. “I know, but this is more for me than you, daughter.”
I didn’t want to leave them. Go back where I didn’t belong.
Darius turned me gently toward him then lifted my chin, his silver eyes searching mine. “Alice, we have to get out of here.If Alanna catches us, I can’t…” His voice trailed off. Anguish spread across his face. “I can’t watch her hurt you again.”
Two men wanting to keep me safe. I looked between Darius and Grump—the man I loved and the father I’d just found.
And then there was Ari, lurking in the shadows. He wanted to keep me safe too—but only to save his own hide.
I looked up at Grump. “But she’ll find you.”
“Perhaps. But we’ve outwitted her for years and her father before that. Don’t worry. We have allies.”
I wasn’t sure I believed him. Alanna wasn't going to let this go. We'd humiliated her. Stolen her groom. Crashed her wedding. She'd burn down the entire Forgotten Forest to find us.
“If I were to open the portal, how would I open it?”
Grump looked at Darius, then back at me. “You need something from the person you love—a lock of hair. Place it over his heart, and your love will open the way. His desire will take you where you need to go.”
Where we needed to go. I wasn't sure where that was anymore. New Orleans had never felt like home. But here—with Grump, with my people—I'd finally found where I belonged. And now I was about to leave it behind.
“No magic words?” Ari looked intrigued.
“There are,” Grump said.
“And?” Ari drawled.
“I’ll tell Alice when the time is right and we have a plan to get everyone out.” Grump turned his back on Ari and headed for the others that were still gathered around the harpies.
Darius and I held hands and followed him. Ari clicked his tongue. I didn’t look to see if he was coming, but he would want to be in the know.
I squeezed Darius' hand. This was the right choice. Get him to safety. Heal. Come back stronger. But it didn't stop the ache in my chest—the feeling I was leaving a piece of myself behind.
Caterpillar blew a ring of smoke as we approached. “Secrets…whispered in corners.” His dark eyes drifted toward Ari. “Some ears…listen too closely.”
Bunny held her youngest child in her arms, the little one fast asleep against her chest. "Have you made a decision?"
"We're making a plan to leave the Elder Dimension."
The words felt heavy on my tongue. Right and wrong at the same time.
Her face paled. "What about Rabbit? I can't leave him."
Grump clutched her shoulder. "We will watch over Rabbit. As soon as we can, we'll send him to you."
Tears glistened in her eyes. She nodded, pulling her child closer.
Chester's golden eyes appeared first, then his body shimmered into view. His usual grin was gone.
"Bad news." His voice was sharp. Urgent. "She comes."
Doc and Archer emerged from the trees behind him, both out of breath.
"It's true," Doc said. "She's unleashed her army. Whatever we're going to do, we have to do it now."
