“Where is she?” A man’s voice. Cold. Cruel.
“You can’t have her.” My mother’s voice. Defiant.
“She’ll take the king’s crown.”
“None of us want your crown. Leave us alone.”
A laugh—low and terrible. “Your husband is already dead.”
“No!”
A scream. My mother’s scream. Then silence.
Heat flooded the chest. Smoke seeped through the cracks, blinding me. I couldn’t breathe. I wanted Mama. I needed Mama. Why wasn’t she talking anymore?
I pushed the lid open and climbed out. The room was engulfed in flames.
And there she was. On the floor. Not moving.
“Mommy?”
Her eyes fluttered open. She raised a trembling hand toward me.
“Otcetorp.”
White light exploded around me, forming a bubble. It lifted me off the ground, carrying me toward the window.
“No! Mommy!” I pounded against the barrier. “MOMMY!”
The ceiling collapsed. Flames swallowed the room. Swallowed her.
The bubble carried me out into the night, away from the burning house. I screamed until my throat was raw. I screamed until I couldn’t anymore.
Then a strange peace settled over me. My eyes grew heavy.
And I forgot everything.
I woke screaming.
My lungs burned like they were full of smoke.
“Mommy! MOMMY!”
Sobs tore out of me. I couldn’t stop. I couldn’t breathe. The flames were still there behind my eyes, consuming everything. My head felt like it was splitting in two.
The door burst open. Hatter stood in the doorway, sword drawn, eyes wild.
“What happened? Are you hurt?”
I clutched my head, rocking forward. The pain wouldn’t stop. The images wouldn’t stop.
I heard the scrape of his sword returning to its sheath. Footsteps.
The bed dipped as he sat on the edge.
“Alice.” His voice was softer now. “Alice, look at me.”
I looked up at him, tears blurring my vision. “I saw her. I saw my mother die.”
