I stole a glance at the couch. She’d slumped down, the blanket pulled to her chin. Her lashes rested against her cheeks, and a soft snore escaped her lips.
The ache in my skull dulled. Strange, how looking at her did that. She looked peaceful. Soft. Nothing like the fierce woman who’d pushed back against me, who’d kissed me like she meant it.
Three kisses. I’d kissed her three times tonight.
The first in the alley—a distraction, I’d told myself. A way to hide from the guards. But the way she’d melted into me had been anything but practical.
The second to apologize for what the hat had done. Soft. Tentative. Begging for forgiveness I didn’t deserve.
The third because her tears had undone me. Because I couldn’t bear to watch her break.
I hadn’t kissed anyone since before the dungeon. Hadn’t wanted to. The queen had stripped everything from me—my memories, my freedom, my ability to feel anything but rage and fear.
But when Alice looked at me, something cracked open.
She made me want to remember. Made me want to be the man I used to be.
And that terrified me more than the queen ever could.
I pushed the thought aside and watched her breathe.
Good. She needed sleep. Real sleep—not the kind haunted by burning houses and screaming mothers.
Hopefully the hat was done with her for tonight.
I turned back to the window. I needed sleep too—my body ached for it—but rest was a luxury I couldn’t afford. Not with my men’s lives on the line.
Movement. Someone slipping through the street, hugging the shadows.
My blood went cold. I recognized that hunched figure. Carpenter.
He ducked into an alley. I pressed closer to the glass, barely breathing.
Someone was waiting for him. Someone with red eyes that glowed in the darkness.
Ari.
Carpenter bowed his head. Subservient. Reporting.
No.
My hands curled into fists, nails biting into my palms.
We’d been betrayed.
Chapter Nine
Alice
“Alice.” The voice was sharp. Urgent. “Wake up.”
My eyes snapped open. Darius stood over me, already wearing the hat.
“Get up. We need to move.”
Sleep still clung to me. “What?—”
“We’ve been betrayed.” His silver eyes were hard. “Carpenter sold us out to Ari.”
