“So, it's true?” I gaped at them.
“It's tradition.” Draven held his hands out to his sides like there was nothing he could do about it.
“A tradition that could save Wonderland,” Jaxon said gently. “The magic of Wonderland wants us to be together. Tell me that you don't feel attracted to us; that you don't feel something binding us together.”
“I don't feel ...” I choked on the words, then shook my head, and growled, “I will not be influenced by magic!”
They all burst into laughter.
“What's so damn funny?”
“This isWonderland, darling,” King Draven purred. “Saying that you won't be influenced by magic here is akin to saying that you won't breathe the air. It's impossible.”
“My mother chose her own husband,” I snapped.
“And you see where that got us,” Draven's sensual features hardened suddenly, and his eyes narrowed on me. “I tried to accept Queen Julia's decision, and in the end, I was punished for it. My Lara was taken from me because I went against the magic and married her, instead of waiting for the princess who I was meant to be with.”
“What?” I whispered.
“Your mother's choice sent ripples through the very foundation of Wonderland,” Bevan explained. “Wonderland had to recalculate. Jax and I felt it, and we told the other kings to wait, to be patient, that the land itself would correct the imbalance.”
“But we didn't listen.” Draven shook his head sadly. “We saw the chance to choose our own way, and we took it.”
“A few years later, you were born.” Jaxon's stare warmed on me. “You are Wonderland's gift to us, her way of repairing the rift your mother made.”
“You guys think that I was born to be with you?” I asked in shock.
“We know that you were,” Bevan corrected. “At the moment of your birth, we all felt your magic reach for ours.”
“I don't even have any magic,” I huffed.
“Oh, honey, yes you do.” Draven smirked. “I remember it well; a burst of energy across my skin that soaked into my heart. Even Henry felt it. We think it's the reason Rina killed him.”
“So, you believe the rumors of Rina stealing Henry's magic?”
“We do.” Bevan nodded. “There's no other way that a Duchess could do the things Rina has done. She had to have taken Henry's power.”
“Poor Kyran,” Jaxon whispered. “She probably killed him as well. And he had nothing to do with his brother's choices.”
“We don't know that for certain,” Bevan said. “Kyran could still be alive.”
The other men stared at him until Bevan looked away sadly. The possibility of Rina letting one brother live while killing the other seemed slim.
“And you guys want me to fight this woman?” I asked.
“Alice”–Jaxon took my hand–“you will not be alone; all of us are with you. But I remember the moment you took your first breath and the magic that rushed through our world with it. I swear to you; you have magic more powerful even than your mother's. You just need to find it.”
“And how am I going to do that?”
The men looked at each other and smiled.
Chapter Seven
“I thought you said that this guy was a hookah-smoking hypocrite?” I reminded Jaxon.
“Well, desperate times.” King Jaxon grimaced as he pushed past a low-hanging branch.
A family of rocking-horse flies flew off the branch, whinnying in affront. He frowned after them.
