Wonderland Academy

Book One

Melanie Karsak

Clockpunk Press

Contents

Novel Description

1. Lithium

2. Abbey and the Mermaid

3. Chicken Salad with a Side of What the Hell

4. The Hall of Doors

5. That Rule About Alices

6. Welcome to Orientation. Please Pull Down Your Lap Bar

7. The Orientation Carousel

8. An Alice by Any Other Name

9. Rose Chambers

10. The Irish Guy

11. Nan’s Suitcase

12. Zombies and Caterpillars

13. Bumpalump

14. A Black and White

15. Teamancy

16. Hank Haberdasher

17. Creatures of Wonderland

18. Bread-and-Butter Chips

19. The Golem, the Tiger, and the Vorpal Sword

20. Roses and Thorns in my Side

21. The History of Just Considering Options

22. Not Quite a Happy Meal

23. Blue Cakes and a Missing Prince

24. Blinkers

25. A Bird and a Mushroom

26. What Oona Said

27. The Butterflies

28. Curiosity + Cats =

29. Riddles, Prophecies, and Melting Hearts

30. The Queen of Hearts

31. Snicker-Snack

32. Sailing Through Stars

33. History by Any Other Name

34. High Tea Club

35. We’re All Mad Here, Probably

36. What the Queen Commanded

37. A Minor Insurrection

38. Just Another Tinkerbell

39. Chester

40. The Broken Clock

41. What Lacey Saw

42. What Corbin Knew

Bumpalump Cookie Recipe (*Overthere Edition)

Acknowledgments

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About the Author

Also by Melanie Karsak

Wonderland Academy: Book One ©

Wonderland Academy: Book One © Clockpunk Press 2019

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced without permission from the author. This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed are fictional. Any resemblances to the living or dead are purely coincidental. Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

Published by Clockpunk Press

Editing by Becky Stephens Editing

Cover artwork by Damonza

*Trigger warning: This novel touches on violence in schools and school shootings.

Novel Description

Welcome to Wonderland Academy. Don't lose your head.

Getting into Wonderland Academy is easy:

You must be a little mad.

You must follow the white rabbit.

You must find the key to enter Wonderland.

You must not be named Alice or risk being beheaded by order of the Queen of Hearts.

We might have an issue with that last one.

My name may be Alice, but Wonderland Academy is everything my real life isn't. Who wouldn't want to learn how to ride a jabberwocky, train with a vorpal sword, cast spells using a teacup, or shapeshift into a fairy? As long as no one figures out my real name, I should be fine.

The only problem? Aden, the Queen of Hearts' son, is quickly becoming my best friend. And then there's Corbin. Brooding, surly, tattooed, and definitely not my type, I can't stop thinking about him. But Corbin has secrets of his own, and Wonderland and secrets don't mix.

How I'm going to pass my classes and protect my secret like my life depends on it is beyond me. But I better find a way. Because in Wonderland, no Alice is safe.

For my fellow Alice in Wonderland junkies. We’re all mad here, and we’re totally cool with that.

* * *

1

Lithium

Once again, someone was explaining to me that I was crazy.

“I know you don’t want to hear it, Alice. This is just standard aftercare and discharge paperwork,” Nurse Gilman said, handing me a clipboard loaded down with papers. “You’ll have to follow up with a caseworker later this week.”

I stared across the wide room at the row of beds. On the other end of the room, a woman was hiding under her blankets. She’d cried all night, saying demons were floating around us. Apparently, I was surrounded by them. When I told her I could call the Winchester brothers, she’d screamed bloody murder and had to be tranquilized. Not a Supernatural fan, I guess. Passed out cold in the bed next to her was a junkie coming off a high so bad she was speaking in tongues. She’d been sedated that morning after she’d spit in the orderly’s face. The other beds were empty. Everyone else had already gone to group therapy.

“I’m nineteen. Why do I still have a caseworker?” I took the paperwork from her, then set it on the bed beside me.

“Alice in court-ordered land,” Nurse Gilman said with a wry grin.

Was that supposed to be funny? I frowned at her.

“This is your second suicide attempt. After everything you’ve been through…we know you’re in a hard place. The state will recommend continued follow-up until your doctor gives the all-clear. It’s standard practice. People care about you, Alice. No one wants to see you back in here again.”

“Trust me, I don’t plan to be back. Ever. In fact, I shouldn’t be in here now,” I said, picking at my plastic hospital bracelet.

“Because it was an accident, right?” the nurse said, her tone clearly indicating that she definitely didn’t think so.

“It was an accident,” I retorted, feeling agitated. I knew I had no business taking Nan’s pills, but I couldn’t sleep. Like a time-lapse image, I couldn’t stop imagining Nicholas in his casket, his lips and eyes sewn shut, his body slowly rotting. The image replayed over and over again. I felt like I had rats inside my brain, chewing on the wires. It was too noisy. I just wanted things to be quiet. I wanted to sleep. I wanted to shut out the world for a little while. I wanted to forget. But I was so exhausted that I’d forgotten I’d already taken some of Nan’s pills. Twice. It was the third dose that earned me the ride in the ambulance.

Nurse Gilman raised an eyebrow at me. “You’d be surprised how many accidents we see in here. Was it an accident last time too?”

“No,” I said stiffly. Last time…no. That hadn’t been an accident. But watching someone you loved get murdered right in front of you would leave any normal person feeling decidedly not okay. I’d held on…for a while. Then I didn’t. “But I’m all good now. After all seventy-two hours of playing Uno and coloring with one crayon, I’m all set. And it was an accident this time.”

“If you say so.”

“Nurse Gilman?” a crackly voice called through the intercom. “Miss Crane’s ride is here.”

I looked through the narrow window of the door that led to the waiting area. Still wearing her jeans and black Nan’s Bar and Grill T-shirt with its distinctive pink neon star logo, Mom stood with her arms crossed as she stared at the door between us. She chewed worryingly on her lip.

“Go ahead and sign, please,” Nurse Gilman said, handing me a pen.

“What, no crayon?”

She laughed lightly. “No, I think you’re safe to be trusted with a pen now.”

Flipping through the papers, I signed them all—god only knows what they actually said—then handed them back to her.

“Here are your things.” Nurse Gilman handed me a clear plastic bag. The clothes I’d been wearing when I’d been admitted, the same uniform my mother was sporting, were balled up inside. My bra and underwear were clearly on display. Lovely. Thank god Mom had dropped off some fresh clothes. I hadn’t seen her, but nothing says love like a pair of yoga pants and a T-shirt.

I pulled my sneakers out of the bag and slipped them on.

Nurse Gilman motioned for me to follow her to the door. An orderly, whose job was to give everyone in the room side-eye, stood by the exit. He nodded to me then turned and punched in a code on the keypad by the door. A loud buzzer sounded then the door unlocked with a click. Nurse Gilman pushed the door open, and we headed to the waiting room on the other side.

“Lacey,” Mom said, a look of relief washing over her face. She rushed across the room, pulling me into her arms. Her auburn-colored hair still smelled like French fries.

My stomach growled embarrassingly loud. Hospital Jell-O eaten with a spork could only get you so far—and they wouldn’t give me any pipe cleaners to make a companion Forky. Unfair.

“Lacey?” Nurse Gilman asked.

I pulled back and looked at Mom. I had never been happier to see her in my entire life. “No one calls me Alice,” I told the nurse. “I go by my middle name, Lacey.”

“Oh. You could have told me that,” Nurse Gilman replied as she jotted down a note in my chart.

“Well, now you know for next time,” I retorted sarcastically.

Mom shook her head then smiled gently at me. “You ready? It’s raining. They let me leave the car out front.”

“Ali—Lacey, would you like a wheelchair? I can have an attendant wheel you out,” Nurse Gilman offered.

“As if I’m not mortified enough? No thanks.”

“Here, take your coat,” Mom told me, shoving my old leather jacket my way. She turned to the nurse. “Does she have any new scripts? Anything I need to sign?”

“HIPPA. Sorry, Mrs. Crane. Lacey can tell you herself, if she wants.”

Setting my bag in a chair by the window, I pulled on my coat. It was pouring. Drops rolled down the windowpane, distorting the view of the sidewalk below. As I pulled my jacket on, however, I noticed someone on the sidewalk. He was looking up at the window. I couldn’t make him out clearly, but from what I could see, he was wearing some kind of period costume and a top hat. He had long, pale blond hair that almost looked white.

“You all think I’m a lunatic? There’s some guy standing outside in the rain in a Victorian get-up and top hat.”

“What?” Mom asked. “What are you talking about?”

“I don’t know. Just some rando guy standing in the rain,” I said then turned, zipped up my coat, and grabbed the bag.

Nurse Gilman stepped to the window and looked outside. “It’s really coming down,” she said, eyeing the sky. She then strained her neck to the left and right. “Your mystery man must have gone back inside.”

“He was right there,” I said.

A sick feeling rocked my stomach. No, no, no. He was there. Dammit, he really was there. I edged toward the window and looked outside. I was right. The man was standing right there, looking up at the window.

He waved at me.

“Where?” Nurse Gilman asked, looking up and down the sidewalk.

“There,” I said, motioning hesitantly.

“I must have missed him,” Nurse Gilman said with a shrug.

I stared at the man.

He waved again.

Dammit. Dammit. Dammit.

“Yeah,” I said. “Maybe they’re doing a show in the children’s wing or something,” I muttered then turned from the window.

I didn’t want Nurse Gilman to see my face.

Mom, however, caught my eye. Her eyebrows scrunched together as she gave me a hard look.

I dropped her gaze.

I absolutely, positively, did not want to have that conversation on the way home.

“I’m ready,” I told Mom.

“Good. Let’s get you the hell out of here.”

“Be well,” Nurse Gilman said. She motioned to the nurses’ station. The door to the waiting room unlocked with a click. Nurse Gilman motioned to us that we were free to go.

Mom and I headed down the dim hallway of the fifth-floor psych ward. The narrow hall felt like it was a million miles long. It wasn’t until we were safely inside the elevator that I finally exhaled.

“Your phone,” Mom said, handing it to me.

I had a few missed calls, messages from old friends, but there wasn’t anyone I wanted to talk to anyway. I stared at the screensaver, which had a picture of Nicholas and me. The photo had been taken just before homecoming, before everything went to shit. We’d gone for a hike that day. The autumn leaves in the background were bright orange and burnt red. We were both bundled up, our cheeks red, faces pressed together. We’d spent the entire hike planning a future that would never come to pass.

I turned off my phone and stuck it in my pocket.

Mom punched the elevator button for the ground floor.

I kept my eyes on the lights above the door, praying Mom wouldn’t ask anything.

It wasn’t until we’d passed the second floor that Mom whispered, “Lacey, are you seeing—”

“I’m fine. Really. I’m fine.”

She didn’t answer, which told me she knew well-enough I was not fine.

They’d been popping up in my periphery more frequently for the last two weeks. I almost felt like someone was watching me. People who were there, and then not there. Flickers of light. Shadows that whispered. Otherworldy shapes. Their presence wasn’t anything new to me. While I was more prone to see them during times of stress, they’d been there all my life. I knew that if I really looked, I’d see them. It was better to ignore them.

A mermaid had taught me that.

Mom and I headed to the front of the hospital. I couldn’t wait to get away from the terrible hospital smell. A weird mix of the scents of bleach, chrysanthemums, green beans, and Band-Aids perfumed the place. It was enough to make a person gag.

Raining or not, I was relieved when the hospital doors opened. I inhaled the sweet scent of the rain-soaked air. Mom’s rusted-out Mustang sat waiting just outside.

“Okay. Let‘s run for it,” Mom called, and we sprinted to the car.

Holding my plastic bag above my head, I ran, flinging open the door of the vehicle. But just before I climbed inside, I cast a glance down the sidewalk.

The man was still standing there. He pulled something from his pocket and tapped on it. He waved to me, a broad smile on his face.

“Lacey, you’re letting the rain in,” Mom yelled.

I slipped into the car, slamming the door behind me.

Mom revved the engine then drove off, her nineties rock springing to life. I leaned forward and clicked off the music. The last thing I needed was the dulcet tones of Nirvana shouting at me post suicide watch.

Sighing, I leaned back into the seat and closed my eyes.

Why was I seeing them again?

The white-haired man had been pointing at a pocket watch. A pocket watch.

What in the hell did that mean?

I hadn’t meant to kill myself.

Not this time.

It figured. On the morning I’d been discharged from the psych ward, I was beginning to lose my mind.

2

Abbey and the Mermaid

Mom and I rode in silence. It was fall again, but this year, the leaves were muted tones of rust and rotting pumpkin. It had rained almost every day, the mist coming off Lake Erie casting a heavy blanket of fog. The weather matched my mood. Ever since Nicholas had died, it was like the brightness on the world had been turned down.

As we neared the old metal bridge over Tuxedo Creek, I squeezed my eyes shut. If I kept seeing men with pocket watches, I’d be right back with Nurse Gilman in no time. I felt like I’d been talking to shrinks my whole life. And Tuxedo Creek…well, she was always there. I didn’t want to see her today. The mermaid had been the first, but she was definitely not the last. No one had cared much about my imaginary friends until my over-active imagination got Abby killed.

* * *

I was eight when it had happened.

The sound of crying filled the funeral parlor. The whole room was filled with grown-ups dressed in black. They clutched tissues, their eyes red and wet with tears. I looked around for any of my classmates or Abby’s cousins. I was the only kid there.

“Let me get you a drink,” Mom whispered to Mrs. Lane, Abby’s mom, who’d tucked herself into the corner of the couch in the funeral parlor. She hadn’t moved since we got there. Mostly she sat staring at the floor, nodding when people stopped by to tell her how sorry they were.

“Tea,” she croaked out.

Mom shook her head. “Vodka. No one will know.”

Mrs. Lane nodded.

Mom turned to me. “Stay here, Lacey.”

I was too scared to go anywhere anyway, and all day I’d felt like I was going to throw up.

“Lacey,” Mrs. Lane whispered, reaching out to take my hand.

I smiled at her, not knowing what to say.

I looked out the big picture window. People carrying black umbrellas were still flowing into the funeral home. Everyone was dressed in black, including me. My mother had bought me a new black dress. I hadn’t told her when she got me dressed that morning that she’d forgotten to take off the tag. It itched my back.

“Mrs. Lane,” a man in a dark suit said. “Can you come with me for a moment?”

Abby’s mom squeezed my hand, then let go. “Of course, Father Thomas.”

The room, with its odd, mustard-colored rug and dark blue wallpaper smelled like a mix of cleaning detergent and roses. It was crowded. From my position on the couch, I stared into a sea of legs. Everyone was crying. The noise, smell, and congested feeling made my stomach twist.

I pulled my legs up to my chest and set my head on my knees. Around me, I heard little snippets of conversation.

“Poor Abby.”

“The spring rains were terrible. Tuxedo Creek was so high.”

“Caught in the undertow.”

“Just an accident.”

“A terrible accident.”

“What was she doing out there anyway?”

“Drowned.”

“Drowned.”

“Drowned.”

I stuck my fingers in my ears. I didn’t want to hear. It had been three days since my best friend had fallen into Tuxedo Creek. The policemen had asked me if I knew why she was there. I told them no.

But I had lied.

I didn’t tell them about the mermaid who sits on a rock in the middle of the creek. I didn’t tell them that I’d told Abby that the mermaid sings and combs her long hair. I didn’t tell them that Abby had been jealous that I could see the mermaid and she couldn’t.

Abby had been dying to see the mermaid.

And she had.

She’d gone to the creek, slipped in, and drowned.

And most of all, I didn’t tell them that the mermaid was imaginary. Because she wasn’t. When I looked at Tuxedo Creek, I saw the mermaid. Every time. She was there, sitting on her rock, singing and combing her hair.

My stomach lurched once more.

This time, I was going to be sick.

Bolting up, I dodged through the sea of legs toward the bathroom.

“There’s the Crane girl. She and Abby were friends.”

“Isn’t her mother a bartender?”

“They own Nan’s Bar and Grill.”

“Who is her father?”

“Died in a car crash a few years back.”

I pretended I didn’t hear.

I raced through the maze of hallways looking for the bathroom. Taking a guess, I pushed open the door to find, not the bathroom, but a room with a coffin at the front. It was such a small thing, no longer than me.

Inside that coffin was Abby.

My hands shook, and my stomach rolled again.

I’d never seen a dead body before. They hadn’t let me see Daddy. He was too broken.

Abby was so…still.

My legs shaking, I crossed the room. The coffin was sitting on a tall, antique table. Colorful flower arrangements in every shade of pink stood all around the casket. Someone had put Abby’s favorite teddy bear, Willie Winkie, in her arms.

Abby was wearing the white dress and veil she’d worn to her confirmation at the Catholic church. Mom and I didn’t attend the church, but we’d gone to see Abby’s ceremony. Abby had loved her little white dress and veil that had silk flowers and sparkling gems on the headband. She’d pretended she was a princess, and I’d been jealous.

Tears streamed down my face.

“Abby?” I whispered.

I took one of the roses from the arrangement, then carefully slid up onto the table. I winced when the wood scraped a hole in my tights. Mom was going to kill me. Being extra careful, I pushed down, testing my weight. Sure it would hold me, I scooted onto the table. Holding on the side of the casket, I stared down at my friend.

Someone had curled her hair. Her big golden curls lay on the silky white pillow behind her. The whole inside of the coffin was like a fluffy white bed with a satiny material. She was wearing lipstick, but her face looked very white. She wore the little gold heart necklace I’d given her for her birthday. She looked so pretty, so peaceful, and so still. It was her but not her. She was…missing.

“Abby?”

I wanted to touch her, but my hand shrunk back. How would her skin feel? Would she feel cold? The thought of it made me shiver.

I lay the rose on her chest then cried.

This was my fault.

If her mom knew, or my mom knew, that I was the one who’d told her about the mermaid, they’d be so angry.

“Abby,” I whispered. I leaned forward to whisper into her ear, to tell her I was sorry.

Something underneath the table cracked.

The coffin shuddered, and my weight shifted as the tabletop slid backward.

Gasping, I lost my balance and fell into the coffin as it slid off the back of the table.

I recoiled with repulsion. Abby’s body, which had looked so soft but was hard as a Barbie, lay under me. The tabletop flipped, and the casket, Abby, and I all fell to the floor. The casket lid closed as we landed on the floor upside down, the broken tabletop falling on top of the coffin.

For a second, I was totally disoriented. It was dark, and it smelled strange. Abby’s body was lying on top of mine. Her hair had fallen into my face. I shifted, trying to push the coffin open, but it was jammed shut.

I screamed.

And screamed.

And screamed.

I closed my eyes. They would come. They would come soon.

“Mom! Mom!”

I pushed hard, trying to get the coffin to open, but I was trapped.

Abby’s curls brushed against my cheek.

“Mom! Mrs. Lane! Help!”

Everything was black. I smelled flowers and this strange smell that reminded me of the janitor’s mop bucket.

“Abby,” I whispered, realizing then that her hand had fallen against mine. It was freezing cold, but I clutched it all the same. “Abby, I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. I’m so, so sorry,” I whispered into the darkness, my hand holding the hand of my dead friend. “The mermaid is real. She’s there. I’m sorry you couldn’t see her. I didn’t lie. I swear, she’s there. Abby. Abby, I’m sorry,” I sobbed.

I heard the door to the room bang open and the sound of feet crossing the floor.

“Oh my god! What the hell?” Mom exclaimed. “Lacey? Lacey!”

“Mom! Mom, I’m here!”

“Mr. Frank, Jason,” my mother called. A moment later, I heard wood shifting.

“The table must have broken,” Mr. Frank, the man in charge of the funeral home, said. “We thought it would hold her since she’s so little. It’s an antique, thought it would look nice.”

“Lacey must have crawled up onto the table. Lacey? Can you hear me?”

“Mommy!” I cried.

Don’t be scared. They’re coming.

The coffin rocked as it was tipped back on its bottom, and a moment later, the lid opened.

“Lacey.” My mother gasped, a look of shock and terror on her face.

“Mommy,” I cried. I let go of Abby’s hand and reached out for my mother.

“What happened?”

“The table broke. I fell inside.”

“Oh, my poor baby girl.”

“Quickly,” Mr. Frank told the others who had gathered. “We need to get Abby set back to right before her mother sees.”

My mom lifted me and ushered me out of the room.

“I’m sorry, Mommy.”

“It wasn’t your fault. It’s okay, baby. It was just a bad accident.”

“But it was my fault. The mermaid…”

“Mermaid? What are you talking about? Are you okay? Are you hurt? Oh, Lacey,” she said, pressing my head against hers, comforting me.

As my mom rushed me out of the room, I watched as they repositioned Abby’s coffin, lifting her body and gently setting it back into her resting position.

“Go to the back and bring out the regular table. Get this out of here,” Mr. Frank told the other man who rushed away.

I stared at my friend lying in the coffin, her hair now messy, her pretty dress rumpled.

But more than that, I stared at the figure floating just above the coffin. Inside a ball of silvery light was a tiny woman floating on gossamer wings. Her expression looked so terribly sad. She reached out toward me, as if to comfort me, then a second later, she disappeared.

* * *

“Rain is slowing down,” Mom said absently.

“Yeah.”

“You want me to stop for some drive-through?”

“No. That’s all right.”

“Lacey, are you sure you don’t want to talk about it?”

“It was a big misunderstanding, that’s all. I told everyone that. I was just tired.”

“It’s just…since Nicholas…I know it’s been hard for you. That thing you said about the man in the costume. Lacey, are you seeing—”

“Mom.”

“All right. All right. It’s just… If you need me, I’m here.”

“I know, Mom. I’m going to be fine. I just want to go home.”

“Okay,” Mom said, reaching over to take my hand.

I squeezed her hand. If there was one good thing I still had in my life, it was my mother.

Mom and Nan were all I had left.

Everyone else had just disappeared like they’d slipped under the rapids of Tuxedo Creek.

3

Chicken Salad with a Side of What the Hell

By the time we got home, the rain had stopped. Mom pulled into the driveway of our rickety, two-story house. The gray paint was chipping off in huge patches. The front porch sagged on the left side. It needed repairs we couldn’t afford. The upstairs window still had the slab of wood Nicholas had put there to cover the pane of glass the Henderson’s kids broke playing baseball in the street two summers back. The miserable, sad place had never looked so good.

Mom bounced out of the car and sprinted up the sidewalk to the house.

With a heavy sigh, I followed her.

As I headed toward the steps, my skin turned to goosebumps.

Turning, I looked behind me.

He was there.

Standing at the end of our sidewalk, the man with the white hair pointed at the watch once more. He waved to me.

He was a young man, no older than myself. While he was smiling, he had a somewhat nervous manner about him. He pointed again at the pocket watch.

When I was a kid, I’d called them imaginary friends. But the child psychologist I’d been forced to see called them hallucinations. I learned not to talk about them to anyone I didn’t trust. But still, they were always there, at the edge of my awareness. Nicholas had thought it was cool. He thought I was a medium, that they were ghosts.

Maybe he was right.

But if so, why hadn’t Nicholas come back to me?

I stared at the white-haired man.

He tapped the watch once more then nodded like it meant something.

“Lacey,” Mom called from inside.

My heart thumped in my chest. I headed into the house, slamming the door behind me.

“Lacey, are you sure you’re feeling okay? I should get to the Grill before the lunch rush shows up—Ron is covering for me this morning—but if you aren’t feeling well…”

I stared at the closed door.

Why was this happening?

“Lacey, do you hear me? I need to go the Grill for a little while if you think you’ll be okay. I’ll come back as soon as I can. But if you’re not feeling good, I can stay. I’d just need to make a few calls.”

I inhaled slowly and deeply then blew out my breath. “I’m fine. I’ll be fine—wait, aren’t I on the schedule for today? What day is this? Monday? I should come in with you. It’s my shift, isn’t it?”

“Seriously? You need to rest. Tammy is working for you.”

I frowned. “I’ve been resting for days. Put me back on the schedule for tomorrow.”

“It’s too soon.”

“Mom. I need to not think. Trust me. The last thing I want is to sit here and stare at the wall. I need to be busy.”

“Why? Because you’re seeing—”

“I’m not seeing anything.”

“Just men in top hats.”

With pocket watches.

I sighed. “Just put me back on the schedule for tomorrow. Please.”

Mom frowned at me. “Fine. I’ll be there anyway. Missus Clarke can come sit with Nan. I hate to just leave you like this. Are you sure you’re okay? Do you need me to go get anything for you? Meds or—”

“Ironically, prescribing me more pills after being hospitalized for taking pills seems like unsound logic to me. Doesn’t it to you?”

Mom huffed a laugh in agreement.

“It’s all right. I am all right. Everything was just a huge misunderstanding,” I told her. “Nan’s here. It’s going to be fine. We’ll watch The Price is Right.”

Nan, my grandmother—father’s mother—lived with Mom and me. She and her husband had opened Nan’s Bar and Grill years ago, long before Dad had even been born. But then Grandpa and Dad both died. Now it was just Nan, Mom, and me. Well, at least what was left of Nan. She’d been slipping for years. She’s always been eccentric, but Nan’s symptoms grew worse over the years. She couldn’t run the Grill anymore. People thought Nan was finally going crazy. The doctors diagnosed her with early Alzheimer’s. At least Nan and I had one thing in common. We both saw people who weren’t there. The only difference was, she had a good reason.

After Nan got too sick to work, Mom took over the Grill. It made enough money that the three of us didn’t immediately go into poverty, but not much more than that. I’d been working there since I was fourteen. And for now, working at the Grill was enough for me. After Nicholas died, any desire I had to go to college had vanished. That, and we were flat broke. Mom had pushed me to take a class or two at the community college. I wasn’t sure. Part of me felt like I didn’t even belong in this world. Last time I did a stint in the ward, they told me I had survivor’s guilt. After Nick’s death, everything felt so…empty. Working at the Grill made sense, for now. Mom ran the place and slung drinks at the bar. I worked in the kitchen where it was hectic but away from the crowd and groping barflies.

“Eleanora, is that you?” Nan called from her room.

“It’s Lacey and me,” Mom called.

“I’m hungry,” Nan shouted.

“Go take a shower. I’ll make her something,” I told Mom.

“You sure?”

I nodded. “You’re in a hurry.”

Mom smiled appreciatively then headed upstairs.

I rattled around the kitchen, finding a single can of chicken in the back of the cupboard. Shoving aside the eight hundred to-go containers from the Grill, I finally found the mayo and relish in the fridge. I set everything on the counter then got to work.

Not two seconds after I turned on the can opener, I felt a familiar rub against my legs.

I looked down to find a pair of golden eyes staring up at me.

“Oh, I see how it is. You don’t come out to say hello, but the siren song of the can opener lured you in?”

The black cat placed his front paws on my legs, reaching up to stretch. He meowed in reply.

I set the can aside and bent down to pet him. “Sanderson…did you even notice I was gone?”

The cat meowed once more then purred happily, trying to win me—and anything left over from the chicken—over to his side.

Grabbing the cat food, I headed over to his dish, refilling the bowl and pouring the chicken broth on top. I was forgotten once more as my self-absorbed feline attacked his food with passion.

“I should have gotten a dog,” I told the cat who ignored me completely.

Giving my hands a quick wash, I returned to quickly mixing up some chicken salad and making a sandwich for Nan. Grabbing a bag of chips from the cupboard, I headed to her room in the back of the house.

Since our house was perpetually drafty, Mom and Nan had taken to sleeping on the ground floor to cut the heating costs. Nan’s room, which had once been the dining room, had a bed, dresser, and mismatched loveseat and recliner. Nan was already watching The Price is Right when I arrived.

“Here you go, Nan. How are you today?” I said, moving the jumble of papers off the TV tray beside her so I could set down her lunch.

“I’m going to win ten thousand.”

“Good. We could use ten thousand.”

Absently, she picked up the sandwich and started eating.

I thumbed through the papers. The jumble was a mix of supermarket tabloids—gifts from Missus Clarke who often stayed with Nan—clipped coupons for things we’d never use, and week-old mail, including bills.

“Nan, you should give the bills to Mom. We’re going to get the lights turned off one of these days.”

“I’m going to win ten thousand. And you’re going on a trip.”

“I am?”

“Yes. Your ticket is here.”

I set aside the gas bill, electric bill, and the seven thousand credit card bills. Then I pulled out a large white envelope. To my surprise, it was addressed to me—Lacey Crane. I looked at the return address. Alongside a fancy school crest, I spotted the name, “Wonderland Academy.”

“Your ticket,” Nan told me, gesturing to the envelope with her chin as she chewed. She turned back to the TV. “Come on, John. Get a dollar!” she yelled.

“What the hell is Wonderland Academy? Did Mom send in my application again?”

“Natter said it’s time. Get me a soda before you go.”

“Natter? Who are you talking about?”

“Get me a soda. You forgot my soda.”

Frustrated, I set the envelope down. What was Mom thinking? This was the second time she’d sent in an application for me. And Wonderland Academy? Where even was that? I hadn’t heard of it before. God forbid it was some hinky, online diploma mill. Before I went back to the kitchen, I headed upstairs to grab my phone charger and change my clothes.

Even though it was only September, it was already cold. My bedroom, which looked out onto the backyard, was chilly. I flipped on the light switch, which activated the strings of lights that hung crisscross above my room. My fairy lights. The cutouts of Victorian fairies I’d hung from the ceiling fluttered in the draft. For the first time that day, I smiled.

I slipped off my hospital duds and pulled out a clean pair of jeans and a long-sleeved Batman shirt that had belonged to Nicolas. Pressing the shirt to my nose, I inhaled deeply, trying to catch any scent that might still be hiding inside the fabric. There was nothing left. Sighing, I redressed—slipping my coat back on to stop the shivering—then ran a brush through my long, pin-straight blonde hair. I cast a quick glance in the mirror. I had dark rings under my blue-green eyes. So much for getting rest at the hospital. I looked and felt completely drained.

Maybe that was why I was seeing them again.

I grabbed my phone charger, shoving it into my pocket, and then slipped on my unicorn slippers, which were utterly dorky, but I loved them. Scanning my bookshelves, I searched for something to read to take my mind off everything. My small bedroom, which was hardly larger than an oversized closet, was just above the laundry room below. Nicholas had cut a vent into the floor so some of the heat from below would come into my room and keep me warm. He’d always been good at things like that. He’d even built the bookshelves that lined the walls of my bedroom.

“Lacey Crane’s Funko and Book Emporium,” he’d called the place. He’d been right. There was hardly a spot that wasn’t lined with books, Funkos, or whatever little nerdy trinket I’d found.

“Wait until you see what I do with our house,” I’d warned him.

“House? You mean a library with a kitchen,” he’d joked.

As I looked around my room, memories flooded my mind. Today was not a good day to think about it. Today was a day to pretend the world didn’t exist. Not finding my copy of A Discovery of Witches, I grabbed my tattered but much-loved copy of Outlander. Getting lost in Scotland for a while sounded like a good idea.

I headed back downstairs to the kitchen.

“Lacey?” Nan called me.

“I’m coming, Nan.”

“Better hurry up. You’re getting late.”

I grabbed a soda from the fridge and prepared a glass of ice. I really needed a coffee, but I’d come back. Nan was probably thirsty. I headed back to Nan’s room.

“Here you go,” I told her, setting the cup on the TV table. I popped the tab and poured her drink. “So, did John get a dollar?”

“No. Thirty lousy cents. Your ticket,” Nan said, tapping the envelope for Wonderland Academy.

I shook my head. “Okay, Nan.”

Nan frowned at me. “Open it.”

“Sure. In a minute. I forgot my book in the kitchen. I was going to put on a pot of coff—”

“No. You’re getting late. And grab that,” she told me, pointing to a suitcase sitting beside the loveseat.

I sighed. God knows what she had packed up now. Once, we’d found her with a bag full of her old, formal gowns. “What’s in it?”

“Take it.”

“You packed a suitcase? Nan—”

“Pick it up, Lacey,” she said sternly, her voice tempered with annoyance.

I turned and grabbed the suitcase then set it at my feet.

“Now open this,” she said, handing the envelope to me for Wonderland Academy.

Swallowing my annoyance—Nan didn’t know I’d been in the hospital and was really in no state to be bossed around—I took the envelope from her. I jabbed my finger inside and opened the letter.

Light blasted from the envelope. On the other side of the house, the old grandfather clock, which hadn’t worked for years, started bonging. The sound was so loud, I winced. The walls around me began to bend strangely, the shapes on the TV and the furniture warping. The laughter coming from the television sounded weird and dark, the laughing voices stretching out long. My head was spinning, and there was a strange, sweet smell in the air. It smelled like…orange marmalade. Christ, was I having a stroke? My stomach turned. I felt like I was going to throw up.

I looked down to steady myself. When I did, I spotted a large black dot spreading across the floorboards underneath my feet.

The clock bonged.

My ears started ringing.

“What the hell?” I whispered.

I looked at Nan, who was grinning wildly at me.

She waved. “Don’t tell them your name. And don’t lose your head.”

And then the spot on the floor opened and sucked me down.

I tumbled into the darkness.

4

The Hall of Doors

I landed with a thud, my suitcase crashing onto the ground not far from me. The wind had been knocked out of me. I lay on the floor, staring at the domed ceiling that had been painted to look like a starry sky. Gem-colored paper lamps cast colorful hues about the room.

I rose on shaky legs. My head ached, and I felt nauseous.

I was, no doubt, lying on the floor beside Nan’s chair having some sort of seizure.

Or I was dreaming.

Or I was having some fantastic new episode which was going to send me back to the hospital.

I inhaled slowly and glanced around. I was in a circular room, the walls lined with doors.

What. The. Hell.

Blobs of red, blue, green, purple, and orange-colored light from the lamps cast a kaleidoscope of rainbow colors on the black and white checkerboard floor.

My eyes went from door to door. On each door was a symbol: a heart, a spade, a diamond, a club, and a star. While each of the doors was made of wood and had brass handles, the door with the star symbol looked ancient. Its wood had faded to pale gray. The handle had tarnished green with age.

A weird sense of claustrophobia washed over me. I needed to get out of there.

Rushing around the room, I tried door after door.

They were all locked.

On one section of the wall, I spotted an odd, low curtain. A window? No. Too low. I crossed the room and pushed the curtain aside to find another door. This door, however, was no more than twelve inches high. On it, I saw the sigil of a rose.

“Well, that’s curious,” I muttered under my breath.

Behind me, I heard a clatter.

I turned around to discover a round wooden table sitting at the center of the room. On it, a golden key jiggled as if it had just been dropped on the surface.

“Perfect. I’m having hallucinations in my delusion.”

Crossing the room, I lifted the golden key. The end of the handle was an empty oval with a strange sparkle in the center. I lifted the key and looked at the shimmering light in the middle of the oval. The iridescent sparkle reminded me of an unblown bubble. I touched it with my fingertip. A soft, buzzing feeling zapped my finger.

Open Me was written along one side of the key.

On the other side, it said Find Your Destiny.

A cold feeling washed over me.

This was a very detailed hallucination.

If I woke up with Nurse Gilman staring down at me with that told you so expression on her face, I was going to be very unhappy.

Or maybe I was still at the ward. Had I dreamed of Mom coming to get me? Had they slipped something into my breakfast?

When Nicholas had died, and my mind had turned itself inside out. I had seen things. There had been strange people and noises, apparitions that came and went. For a time, I could have sworn I had been in the ruins of an old castle, wandering through the crumbling halls. They told me I’d had a complete breakdown. I’d been tranquilized into a stupor for days—for my own good, or so they said. But a floor that swallows you whole, spitting you out in a hall full of doors? That’s next level crazy.

Maybe I’d fallen asleep watching The Price is Right.

Maybe I was dreaming.

In super vivid detail.

Something had happened when I’d opened that damned envelope.

I glanced around the room. Undoubtedly, the key was going to work in one of these doors, dream or not.

I went to the first door on which there was a red heart. The key didn’t even fit into the keyhole. I tried the other doors. The key didn’t unlock diamonds, clubs, or spades. Only when I stuck the key into the door with the star insignia did I get anywhere. The key turned the lock. I heard the tumbler inside click. But when I tried to push the door open, it wouldn’t budge. The door was unlocked, but it wouldn’t open. It was as if it had been barred from the other side.

Frustrated, I removed the key. Out of desperation, I knelt and stuck the key into the little door marked with a rose. How the hell it fit, I had no idea, but the key easily slipped into the keyhole. To my great surprise, the door opened.

Warm air perfumed with the rich smell of roses wafted from the tiny, open door.

Bending down, I looked through the doorframe.

On the other side, I spotted a garden and a white rabbit looking back at me.

But it wasn’t just any rabbit.

This rabbit was wearing the same funny suit as the white-haired man I’d seen outside the hospital. And if there was any other doubt in my mind that the rabbit and the man were one and the same, the rabbit was holding a pocket watch. He tapped it impatiently.

“Well, are you coming or not?” the rabbit asked.

“I don’t fit. Open one of the other doors.”

And now I’m talking to rabbits.

“That’s not how this works. You unlocked this door. You need to come through this door.”

“I don’t fit. I’m locked in here. Don’t you get it?”

“No, you aren’t. Your key opened this door.”

“I. Don’t. Fit.”

“But you have to fit.”

“The door with the star unlocked for me, but it’s stuck. Can you give it a tug from your side?”

The rabbit stared at me, his nose twitching. “That door is closed. You need to enter through the rose door.”

I waved my hand through the door, making it evident to the rabbit that it wasn’t happening. “Good morning.”

“Go back to the table.”

“Why?”

“Go back to the table.”

Frowning, I rose and went back to the table. There, I found a small bottle with the words Drink Me written on a tag hanging off the top. That bottle had definitely not been there before, but I decided to go with it, for the moment.

“What does this do?” I shouted toward the door.

“Just drink it,” the rabbit called back. “And don’t forget the suitcase.”

“My delusions are bossy,” I said, grabbing my suitcase. I uncorked the bottle. Inside was a strange blue liquid. I gave it a whiff. It smelled…not bad. “What the hell,” I said then tossed it back. After all, this was just a dream. I couldn’t die from poisoning in a dream, right?

The liquid had an odd flavor that changed on the tongue: first, it tasted like cherry pie, then buffalo chicken pizza, then doughnuts, then fried cheese sticks, then an espresso. In turns, it tasted like all my favorite foods.

But as I drank, I noticed something else.

I was shrinking.

And shrinking.

And shrinking.

A moment later, I was the perfect size for the door.

“We’re getting late. Come on,” the rabbit called.

“I just shrunk. I shrunk!”

“Let’s go. You’re getting late!”

“Late? Late for what?”

“Orientation starts any minute.”

“Orientation for what?”

“Wonderland Academy.”

5

That Rule About Alices

I slipped through the tiny door, emerging in the garden on the other side. The place was a beautiful, wild garden filled with roses, lilies, and toadstools that loomed over me. The rabbit looked down at me, his nose wrinkling nervously.

“The star door unlocked for you?”

“Yes, but it wouldn’t open.”

The rabbit tapped his foot nervously. “Don’t tell anyone about that. Not a soul. Do you understand?”

“All right…”

“I’m serious. Listen, we’re already taking a risk bringing you here. But if anyone learns about the star door, we’re both dead. Dead. Do you understand?”

“Technically, you can’t die in a dream. You wake up first.”

“Dream?”

“Well, either this is a dream, or I’ve been knocked out with Thorazine.”

“Lacey, you are not dreaming. And you aren’t in the hospital either. You are here. In Wonderland.”

“Wonderland. Like the children’s book?”

The rabbit huffed. “Lewis Carroll was a tourist, a man who didn’t understand or belong in our world but used his magic and got a glimpse all the same.”

“Magic?”

“Well, Overthere magic. Mathematics, as you call it. Wonderland magic is different. Think about it, Lacey. You know what I’m saying is true. You’ve seen Wonderlandians all your life.”

I stared up at the rabbit. “What are you talking about?”

“I, along with some others with a vested interest in bringing you here, saw to it you were recruited for Wonderland Academy. But…oh dear,” he said then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small packet and pushed it toward me. “I nearly forgot. One bite. Quick. We really are getting late.”

“What’s this?”

“It will return you to your normal size. Now, hang on to your suitcase. Just a single bite. Don’t forget.”

He handed me the packet. Inside, there was a cake with the words Eat Me written on it with frosting. I could barely hold the thing.

I took a bite.

My body shuddered, and a moment later, I regrew back to my regular size.

“Well, that was fun.” I handed the cake back to the rabbit. “Here. Will this turn you back into a man or something?”

He shook his head. “No. I can only be in humanoid form in Overthere.”

“Overthere?”

He nodded, then pointed behind me. “Your world. Overthere.”

I looked back over my shoulder to see, not a room full of doors, but a single mirror with an ornate frame sitting in the middle of the lush garden.

“Now, come on,” the rabbit said, motioning for me to follow as he lowered himself on all fours, but then he paused and looked back at me. “Lacey,” he said, his whiskers twitching nervously. “I won’t be able to see you much after you begin training in the Academy, but others will be watching out for you.”

“All right,” I said skeptically.

The rabbit frowned. “You will know us by our code phrase: Why is a raven like a writing desk?”

I shook my head. “No idea.”

The rabbit huffed a sigh. “No, no, no. The riddle is the code phrase.”

“Oh, I see. But why is a raven like a writing desk?”

“Obviously, because they both produce notes that are flat. Can you remember the code phrase? It’s the only way you will know if you are talking to someone safe.”

“Why is a raven like a writing desk? Got it. This is getting to be a very detailed, cloak and dagger dream. Is there a Wonderland version of Bond I ought to be on the lookout for?”

The rabbit clicked at me with exasperation. “This is serious. Your life is on the line. Now, there is something else you must know, something very, very important.”

“That I’m dreaming?”

“You are not dreaming.”

“All right. Let me make sure I have everything then. No talking about the star door. I have no idea why or what that even means, but I got it. And I need to remember the code-slash-riddle.”

“Yes…well, right. But there is something more. You must never, ever, tell anyone your real name.”

“My real name? You mean Ali—”

The rabbit kicked me hard with his back foot. “Yes,” he said with a whispered hiss. “Never. Do you understand?”

“No. Not at all.”

“You will. But you must promise. For your own safety.”

“Yes, imaginary white rabbit, I promise.”

He frowned at me. “Lacey,” the rabbit said, an annoyed expression on his face. “You aren’t dreaming. My name is Natter Lapin. You have been recruited to Wonderland Academy. But there is one thing you must know about Wonderland. It is a magical, wonderful, and dangerous world with one important rule. If anyone named Alice sets foot in Wonderland, they are sentenced to death. The Queen of Hearts will behead you. That is no joke. Now, keep your mouth shut and come on.”

6

Welcome to Orientation. Please Pull Down Your Lap Bar

“Natter,” I whispered as I followed behind the rabbit who moved quickly down the garden path ahead of me.

Natter. Wasn’t that the name Nan had said?

“Natter,” I called again, but the rabbit didn’t stop.

As I followed along, I gazed wide-eyed all around me. The garden was amazingly beautiful. The blossoms were the size of my head. I felt the strange sense the flowers were watching me, their petals moving almost like they were peeking out. An eagle-sized hummingbird zipped from blossom to blossom. A bed of flowers turned to face me, their colors changing when they looked from Natter to me, the petals shifting from bright yellow to brilliant pink.

“What are those?” I asked.

Natter looked over his shoulder. “Mood flowers. Hurry along, Lacey.”

“Natter, if I’m not supposed to be here, why did you bring me?”

“That’s…that’s not important right now. We need to get you to orientation.”

Colorful butterflies hovered over the foliage. As I watched, I heard the sound of soft neighing. I stopped and looked more closely. A tiny horse, the size of my palm, was drinking water from the petal of a magnolia. The horse had the gossamer wings of a dragonfly.

“What is that?”

“A horsefly. They look cute, but they have a hard bite. We must hurry, Lacey. If you’re late for orientation, the admissions court won’t even see you.”

“Admissions court?”

“You’ll be fine.”

“I’ll be fine as long as I don’t tell anyone my name is—”

Natter turned around and thumped me with his back foot again.

“Stop that,” I scolded him.

“Lacey, hush,” he said then looked around. “Nature has ears in Wonderland. Now, remember what I told you. Not another word. I need to talk to some people. Until then, just do what everyone else is doing.”

“Which is?”

“Starting their courses at Wonderland Academy, of course. Let’s go.”

Above the looming, blossom-filled trees, I spotted the roofs of buildings. Natter led me out of the garden to a checkerboard path that led to what looked, essentially, like a college campus. The campus was situated on the cliff of a mountain overlooking a broad valley. Colorful balloons held airships aloft, propellers at the back of the ship gondolas, guiding them in as they flew toward a tall tower near the middle of the campus. All around the grounds, I spotted other standing mirrors. I tried not to gape when people inexplicably popped out, most of them clutching a key and a suitcase. A badger, cat, and even a bear rushed alongside other students. Everyone headed toward a massive building with tall windows made of stained glass. The top of the building reminded me of the roof of a carousel. It was sloped with a tall, pointed center. The roof was gold and white. Colorful pennants fluttered in the breeze. On the flags, I noticed the same symbols as on the doors: hearts, diamonds, spades, clubs, and roses. No stars.

“This way. New students, this way to court. Existing students, please proceed to the galleries and sit with your chambers. Guests, in the balconies behind the chambers,” a woman, who was standing on stilts, called. She was wearing an orange and purple uniform.

“Lacey, I will leave you now. Just keep in mind what I told you,” Natter said.

“Natter,” I hissed. “What the hell is happening? I don’t know where I am or what’s going on.”

He smiled. “Don’t worry. We’re all mad here. You’ll figure it out.”

He gave me a wink then disappeared into the crowd.

“New students, this way,” the tall woman said once more, motioning for us to proceed inside.

I fell into line with the other students. Some students were already wearing what appeared to be the school uniform: a white shirt and a plaid skirt or black trousers. Then there were students who were dressed in plain clothes like me. Of course, I was the only person in the group wearing a pair of fluffy unicorn slippers.

Was this real?

This couldn’t be real, could it?

If it wasn’t, I was a very sick woman.

I glanced around the crowd. Some of the others in the assembly had the same look of shock and confusion on their faces. I felt someone’s eyes on me. I turned to find a guy wearing jeans and a hoodie, his backpack slung over his shoulder. He had black hair that had been shaved on the sides, a lock of hair hanging on his brow. He half-smiled, bobbing his chin to me, then turned toward the front.

We were herded into an octagonal shaped room. The audience sat in the gallery above us. There, I spotted other students in uniforms. Many of them were waving to someone in the crowd of students around me. Long banners with the suits of cards hung above each section.

Behind the students sat the general crowd, which included parents, spectators, and more animals.

Gawking, I tripped and stumbled into the guy beside me.

“Watch it,” the girl standing next to him snapped as she glared daggers at me.

The guy I bumped into had dark, reddish-brown hair and sharp blue-gray eyes. He was already dressed in a school uniform. Like the others, he was about my age. He reached out to steady me. “Be nice, Amber,” the guy chided the mouthy girl. “Don’t you see that she’s from Overthere?”

“Great, another one,” the girl grumbled, rolling her eyes at me. She looked me up and down. “Nice slippers.”

At that moment, I wanted the floor to open up once more and swallow me whole. I also wanted to punch the girl in the throat. Twice.

“You okay?” he asked.

I nodded. “Just…disoriented.”

“I bet. It will be all right. Just give it some time to sink in.”

“Thanks.”

“I’m Aden,” he said.

“Lacey.”

“Welcome to Wonderland, Lacey,” he said with a smile.

The girl cast me a sidelong glance then rolled her eyes again.

Fantastic. I’d somehow managed to find the biggest bitch in the whole place already.

The Academy attendants waved us forward. Myself and the other new students filed into the center of the room. Above us was a tall podium. A woman with rainbow-colored hair ascended the steps leading up to the lectern. Her lipstick was a startling shade of hot pink. She was wearing a purple and orange uniform, but she had on long robes like people wore at graduation.

“That’s the Academy vice president,” Aden whispered to me.

The woman slowly surveyed the room. I noticed that her gaze paused when she looked at the boy beside me. She smiled at him, inclining her head, then moved on. “Good afternoon, Wonderland Academy. May I have silence in the chamber?”

While the adults sitting in the back grew silent, the students sitting in the gallery above us chatted on.

“I said mute,” the rainbow-haired woman called. Pulling out what looked like a TV remote, she pressed a button. Instantly, the students seated above us fell silent. I stared at them. Some of them were still talking, but I couldn’t hear their voices.

“Did she just mute those people with a remote?” the girl beside me whispered, her brown eyes wide.

I looked the girl over. White jeans. Sneakers. Black T-shirt. An over-stuffed backpack and a bewildered expression on her face.

“Hey, where are you from?” I whispered to her.

“Philly. You?”

“Western New York.”

“Good. Someone else as confused as me. I thought I was dreaming.”

I nodded. “Same. I’m Lacey.”

“Taye.”

The girl beside Aden scowled at us.

“Really?” I retorted, giving her a hard look. I was in no mood for alpha bitch nonsense today. Or any day.

The girl turned away from us.

Taye shook her head.

We turned back to the rainbow-haired woman at the front of the room.

“Welcome, new students. I am Vice President Whistle. We at Wonderland Academy are delighted to have you join our esteemed ranks. When you arrived at the Academy today, the Hall of Doors selected your school chamber. For those of you from Overthere who are making your first visit to Wonderland today, please be aware that any confusion you might be feeling will soon pass. Once all students are seated with their chambers, we will commence with orientation. Students, please take out your keys and lift them over your heads.

I looked at Taye.

She shrugged then held her key above her head.

Beside me, Aden did the same.

“Very good,” Vice President Whistle called.

I looked at my key. The glowing, magical sparkle had been replaced by a metal rose. The writing on the side of the key had also changed. Now, my name was engraved there: Lacey Crane.

I glanced at Taye’s key. On it, I also saw a rose.

“Little door?” I whispered to her.

She nodded.

“Me too.”

Aden gently bumped my elbow. “Hey, Overthere, what’s your key?”

“Rose. You?” I asked.

The others around him chuckled like I’d asked something stupid.

“Why do we even bring people from Overthere here anymore? Really?” the smart-mouthed girl whispered to one of her friends. They laughed.

“Ignore my sister. She’s a troll,” Aden said, glaring at the girl with annoyance. “Hearts, of course.”

“Why, of course?”

Aden grinned, but before he could answer, the vice president rose, drawing all of our attention. She took out her remote once more. “Students, please raise your keys. Raise them high. Let’s get everyone seated. On the count of three. One, two, three,” she said, then a weird shimmer passed over the room.

From somewhere below me, a million bubbles suddenly floated up, filling the room. They lifted me off my feet. I was moved by the bubbles, redirected toward a set of benches in front of the podium. I floated through the air, as did the other students. Everyone was laughing. My heart raced, half-afraid I was going to fall at any moment, half dizzy with weird delight. The feeling was a little like the same thrill of jumping in a bounce house. It was fun, but you could break your ankle at any second. The entire chamber filled with bubbles. The current below the bubbles, which couldn’t be described as anything but magical, moved me toward the benches then unceremoniously dropped me into my seat.

I watched in fascination as all the students tumbled through the air, some landing more eloquently than others. As I settled in, I noticed that the bench on which I was sitting was engraved with the insignia of a rose. Along with Taye, another girl and one guy sat on the bench for Roses. The seats for the Hearts and Diamonds were full, at least two dozen students in each. Spades and Clubs, with at least a dozen students each, filled the other seats. The black-haired guy in the hoodie had landed in the section marked off for Spades. When I eyed over the crowd, I spotted him looking at me once more.

I gave him a half-smile. He stared at me for a long moment, returned the gesture, then looked away.

“Why are there so many of them and just us four?” Taye whispered.

“It’s always like that,” the boy seated beside her said. He was tall with silver-colored hair and pale blue eyes. “Rose is a small kingdom, and almost no one changes kingdoms in the Hall of Doors. Mostly, the hall just sorts out people from Overthere.”

“You’re from here?” I asked.

He nodded. “I’m Vren.”

“Lacey.”

“Taye.”

The girl beside Vren smiled at us. “I’m Oona,” she whispered quietly. “I’m also from Rose Kingdom.” Oona was a tiny thing with soft pink hair and sparkling hazel, almost yellow-colored, eyes. “Welcome to Wonderland,” she said.

I smiled at her, then turned and scanned the room. Aden was sitting with the other students in Hearts. The rude girl, Amber—as Aden had called her—was seated just behind him. I studied her briefly. It dawned on me then that they really looked a lot alike. Were they twins? I glanced at Aden.

He caught my eye and gave me a reassuring smile.

I returned the gesture then turned back around.

A sharp pang of guilt wracked me. I had zero—none, nada, zilch—interest in any guy. Even smiling at someone else made me feel like I was being unfaithful to Nicholas. And I’d already done it, twice, since I walked into this room.

I was just…nervous.

Smiling at strangers when you’re nervous made sense, right?

Wasn’t there supposed to be something adaptive about that?

My eyes flicked to the black-haired guy in the hoodie once more.

He must have felt my glance because he looked my way.

I turned back.

Pulling out my phone, I activated the screen. The battery was almost dead. The image of Nicholas’s smiling face looked back at me.

“No signal,” Taye whispered. “I tried already.”

Engraving Nicholas’s face on my mind once more, I clicked off my phone and shoved it back into my pocket.

“Students,” the vice president called. I had to give her a double-take. Her formerly bright pink lipstick was now purple, and her hair—no longer rainbow-colored—was a shade of purple to match. “You are all very welcome at Wonderland Academy. I’m sure I will get to know all of you in no time. Today, however, we will begin with a brief orientation. Afterward, you will meet with your academic advisors and begin your educational journey. Wonderland Academy is the home of the elite. Only the best students are offered admission to this academy. Through our rigorous selection process, we have determined that you possess the most talent, intellect, creativity, magical aptitude, and moxie to be a student at this institution. Those of you from Overthere have joined a world like none other. As you acclimate to Wonderland—and Wonderland Academy—you will come to see how truly blessed you are to walk our hallowed halls. But for now, we shall begin the orientation. Students, please place your bags between your feet and stow any loose items you might be holding.”

I shifted my suitcase.

Once it had quieted, the vice president nodded. “Very good. Now, arms up. Attendants, please give them a check.”

There was a nervous titter through the audience. I looked at Taye who shrugged. We lifted our arms, as did the other students seated on the other benches.

Men and women dressed in purple and orange uniforms moved up and down the aisles, checking us all. They gave the vice president a thumbs up.

My seat jolted, and a moment later, the rail that had been in front of me lowered onto my lap. Panels slid from underneath the benches, closing us inside. The bench on which I was sitting rose several inches.

“You will now begin the orientation process,” Vice President Whistle called. “Good luck.”

The platforms under the other students lifted, their lap bars lowering, safety doors on the sides rising from under the platform. The students turned in their seats, waving goodbye to the parents and friends in the audience.

“Students, please stay seated until your orientation is complete. For your safety, once the orientation begins, do not extend your arms, hands, or legs beyond your seat. No flash photography permitted. Enjoy your orientation,” the vice president called.

The platform below us shuddered. On the left side of the room, curtains slung aside to reveal a rail. The platform shifted once more, and the benches began to turn in the direction of what appeared to be a carnival ride.

“What the hell?” Taye whispered. “You sure I’m not dreaming?”

“Well, I thought I was having a schizophrenic breakdown. So unless we’re having one together…”

Vren chuckled. “Hate to tell you both, but Wonderland is very, very real. And nothing here is what you think it is.”

7

The Orientation Carousel

The seats shuddered as the ride began. As we entered the dark chamber, a movie screen—or at least what looked like a movie screen—flicked on. A mildly discolored image appeared. On it was the school crest I’d seen on the Wonderland Academy envelope.

Music sounded, and the placard faded, replaced by a very official-looking gentleman in a purple suit and tie. He was a slim man with a thin mustache and thick black glasses. He was sitting behind a desk.

“Welcome to Wonderland Academy. I am Bartholomew Snark, President of Wonderland Academy. We are delighted to have you begin your education at our esteemed institution. At Wonderland Academy, you will learn skills to help you become leaders in the Wonderland community. Achieving entrance into Wonderland Academy is an honor bestowed on the select few, both from Wonderland and from our sister realm, Overthere. Those of you from Overthere might be feeling a little confused right now,” the man said. He rose from his desk and came around the front. He sat on the corner of the desk, hooking his leg over the edge. “Let me assure you, Wonderland is very real. In the 1800s, a man named Charles Dodgson, you will know him better as Lewis Carroll, visited our world and returned to Overthere with tales of Wonderland. But he was not the first visitor here. People from Overthere have lived in Wonderland since the beginning of memory. In Wonderland, magic is a part of our daily lives. Students from both Overthere and Wonderland are here to refine their skills in magic, learn, and become experts in their chosen vocations. Now, let’s get started,” he said, and with the snap of his fingers, he disappeared.

The carousel shifted, and we moved to the next section. The ride stopped in front of a display that featured a long meeting table that had been set with antique teacups and teapots. The lights flickered on, and with a puff of smoke, the president appeared once more.

“As new students, you might be wondering about the history of our fine institution. More than three hundred years ago, the Kingdoms of Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, Spades, Roses, and Stars joined together in a cooperative spirit to form a singular, elite academy of magic,” the founder said then waved his hand toward the table.

Holograms—or maybe some sort of magical illusions—sprung to life. The kings or queens of each of the kingdoms suddenly appeared in their seats. We couldn’t hear their words, but as they spoke, glimmering golden smoke formed the buildings of the Academy in the center of the table.

“Only the finest students are admitted to Wonderland Academy. That includes you,” President Snark said then came and stood behind the chair of a man wearing long blue and silver robes, a silver diadem with the symbol of a star on his forehead. The president snapped his fingers, and the holograms stilled. “But the construction of the Academy, a common endeavor, was the last time the kingdoms were truly at peace,” the president said then bowed his head. The display went dark.

The platform shuddered, and the ride moved on. When we reached the next scene, the president was standing in one of the airships I had seen flying over the Academy.

“Come with me, students,” he said, waving to us to follow him.

The benches moved forward and a screen—now I wasn’t sure if it really was a screen or if it was some kind of spell—activated. The president’s airship took off, flying through the air above the Academy. Below my feet, the platform pulled back, giving the illusion that we were flying along with the president. The walls all around me suddenly took on the appearance of the sky. The wind blew through my hair.

“Wonderland,” the president said, motioning to the ground below. “A peaceful realm until the Kingdom of Stars rebelled. War ensued. Many perished in the Kingdom of Star’s pursuit of power. Even Wonderland Academy failed to remain unscathed.”

Below me, the campus grounds erupted in war. Blasts of magic shook the buildings, and smoked trailed up from the land below.

Beside me, Vren grunted, his arms folded across his chest.

Oona elbowed him in the side but said nothing.

The president continued, “Seeking dominance over the other kingdoms, the King and Queen of the Kingdom of Stars consulted the Caterpillar, searching for the perfect weapon to use in their war. They found it. An unmatched magic user from Overthere, Alice the Merciless, led the Kingdom of Stars in a war against the other kingdoms of Wonderland.”

Around me, the screen lit up with fire. A woman with startling blonde hair flew past on a dragon. Others dressed in silver and blue followed her. The dragons reigned fire down on the armies below.

“Are those dragons?” I whispered to Vren.

“Jabberwockies.”

“It looked like the end of everything we knew,” the president said. Below us, Wonderland Academy stood in ruins, the buildings on fire. “But the Kingdom of Hearts rallied. The Queen of Hearts led her armies into battle,” he said, motioning to the ground below.

I looked down to see an army wearing red and black engage in battle with the army from the Kingdom of Stars. At the front of the military was a woman with starling black hair. She rode in a chariot pulled by a flaming horse. Screaming, her scepter held before her, she led her army onto the battlefield. I watched as magical explosions rocked the land. The detachment from the Kingdom of Hearts fought the others back.

“And at last, the Kingdom of Stars was defeated,” President Snark said. “Wonderland Academy, and Wonderland herself, was saved.”

The lights around us grew dim.

I could feel the cart moving under me.

A moment later, another screen flickered back on.

We were in a massive courtroom. Tall windows with colorful glass let in light on all sides. On the dais before us were seated five nobles: Roses, Clubs, Diamonds, Spades, and the black-haired warrior Queen of Hearts.

“The kings and queens of Wonderland brought the rulers of the Kingdom of Stars to trial. The rulers of Stars lost their lands. Their kingdom was disbanded. As a punishment, their people were burdened with a curse.”

I watched in horror as the Queen of Hearts turned to the assembled soldiers dressed in the armor of the Kingdom of Stars. She lifted her scepter and spoke—her words were muted. But a wave of red light washed over the army. To my shock, the spell transformed the soldiers, turning them into animals.

“And while the people of Stars were cursed for their treachery, their leaders…”

The Queen of Hearts turned her attention to the defeated King and Queen of Stars. “Off with their heads,” she screamed.

The camera panned to the King and Queen of Stars, both dressed in armor and battle-weary, on their knees before the assembled council. They bowed their heads.

“…were dispatched,” the president said. “If not for the Kingdom of Hearts, Wonderland would have fallen into destruction and disarray. The King and Queen of Stars perished, their line ending with them. Their people were cursed. Alice the Merciless, the Overthereian, was driven back to her homeland, never to return. An accord was drawn in the wake of the Greatest of Disasters, as the rebellion was henceforth known. The remaining kingdoms pledged peace.”

The president sighed. “On the grounds of Wonderland Academy, you will see scarring from war. And you might also stumble across artifacts from the Kingdom of Stars. They remain as a reminder of these dark times in Wonderland. And while the descendants of the Kingdom of Stars still walk among us, they do so as friends.”

Vren huffed but didn’t say anything.

The carousel shifted once more. This time, President Snark was standing in a courtyard somewhere at the Academy. “It is the duty of everyone in Wonderland to maintain peace. You are here to learn Wonderland’s magic, to better yourself, to better your world, and to protect Wonderland at all costs. There is no greater place to learn Wonderland’s magic. It is our honor to have you at Wonderland Academy. This is no ordinary institution. You are here because our world depends on you. You must be ready to fight when the time comes again,” he said, then extended his hand. He waggled his fingers, and a glowing orb appeared. He studied it closely.

“Pause for dramatic effect,” Vren whispered under his breath.

The president turned to the audience. “The Caterpillar foretold that peace in Wonderland was not to last. One day, a new Alice would come to Wonderland. When she arrives, Wonderland will be undone. That is why there is one rule in Wonderland that can never be broken. No one named Alice may ever step foot in Wonderland. Because if she does, it will be our undoing. Which is, of course, why we have decreed that any Alice will be beheaded,” he said with a light chuckle. “But just in case, make sure you study hard. You never know when you might need a little extra magic. Now, off you go. Good luck.”

8

An Alice by Any Other Name

I held onto the lap bar, my hands squeezing the cold metal.

I stared at the screen. Nan’s words rung through my head: “Don’t tell them your name. And don’t lose your head.”

How in the hell would Nan know that? Or the rabbit’s name?

Why would the rabbit bring me here if my very presence broke the one and only law in the land? And was a death sentence.

Surely, none of this was real.

I was dreaming.

The shrill voice of an attendant on a PA system startled me from my thoughts. “Please stay seated until your trolley has come to a complete stop. We at Wonderland Academy hope you had a pleasant orientation. Please proceed down the hallway to your right. You will meet your academic advisor at the conclusion of this ride. From everyone at Wonderland Academy, have a great day.”

The platform shifted.

“Well, that was educational,” Taye said. “Lacey, you all right?”

“I…just a little motion sick,” I said then turned to Vren. “I need to see the rabbit who brought me here. How can I find him?”

“Your recruiter?” Vren said then shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe once we go to Rose Chambers someone there can tell you. Why?”

Oona was looking at me too, a curious expression on her face.

“I…I forgot something,” I said, motioning to the slippers on my feet.

Vren chuckled. “They’re cute. Don’t worry about it. Overthereians are never packed right for this place. They’ll have uniforms waiting for you. And you’ll have a scholarship to cover your books and food and stuff. That’s all set up for people like you.”

The cart came to a stop.

“Welcome, students. Please lift your arms high in the air. The bar is coming up. One, two, three. Bar up,” someone called over the PA system.

The bar lifted, and the doors on the platform opened.

“This way, Rosies,” an attendant dressed in purple and orange called.

We filed out of the cart.

Behind us, the cart from Hearts arrived.

Looking over my shoulder, I spotted Aden in the crowd. He had an exasperated expression on his face. His friends were teasing him about something. His sister was laughing, her cheeks red.

“Hey, what’s the deal with that guy?” I asked Vren.

Vren looked over his shoulder. “There are a lot of guys there, but I’m assuming you mean him,” he said, bobbing his chin toward Aden.

I nodded.

“That is Aden, heir to the Kingdom of Hearts. Our future king.”

“Oh,” I said, an unsettled feeling washing over me.

“That was his grandmother, the Queen of Hearts, calling for the beheading of the queen and king of the Kingdom of Stars in the video,” Oona explained.

“You behead people a lot here?” Taye asked.

“Nowhere is perfect. Every kingdom in Wonderland has problems,” Oona said carefully.

“Especially if you’re a descendant of the Kingdom of Stars,” Vren replied.

“That’s a matter of opinion,” Oona replied.

“Yes, and it’s my opinion the curse should be lifted,” Vren answered.

“I’m not disagreeing,” Oona replied. “But at least I have the sense not to say it in public,” she added, a warning tone in her voice.

Vren shrugged.

“This way, Rosies. Here we go,” the Academy attendant called, motioning for us to follow her down the hallway as she walked backward. We moved down the hall toward a large room filled with offices. “Good. Good. This way. Line up here, please,” she said then pulled out a clipboard. “All right. First up. Vren Willowson?”

“Here.”

“Office eleven, please,” the attendant said, handing him a slip of paper.

“Oona Lightfeather?”

Oona nodded. “Here.”

“Office twelve.”

“Taye Jones?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Office thirteen.”

“And what am I doing in office thirteen?” Taye asked.

“Meeting with your admissions counselor. You need to get your schedule of courses.”

“I’m already in college back home.”

“Yes, well, that’s an issue you can discuss with your advisor.”

Taye shrugged then headed into the big room. I watched her go. The long, narrow room had hardwood floors and walls. Off the hallway on each side was a series of doors. Hanging above the entrance to each office was a wrought iron sign with the office number.

The attendant looked down at her paperwork. Her brow flexed.

“Lacey Crane? It’s Lacey, right? They have your first name in your middle name and nothing in your first name. Weird. Lacey?”

I nodded. “Yep, that’s me.”

“Office twenty-seven, please.” She handed me a slip of paper.

I headed down the hallway. Wooden walls sectioned off each cubicle. Inside, I spotted the other students talking to Academy employees, all of whom wore the orange and purple suits. I cast a glance behind me. The students from Hearts had lined up at the door and were being given their own slips of paper.

I looked down at the paper in my hand. On it was a scant few details about me. My home address. It noted I’d been assigned to Rose Chambers. That my recruiter was…Hank Haberdasher. That wasn’t right. And, of course, my name. Lacey Crane. The attendant was right. Where my first name should have been listed was blank. Only the name Lacey appeared.

Eyeing the numbers above the doors, I went to the end of the hallway. A placard with the number twenty-seven hung above the entryway to a small cubicle. Inside, I found an otter wearing a pair of pearl-rimmed spectacles and an orange blazer with purple trim.

She looked up at me.

“Is this room twenty-seven?”

The otter’s eyes narrowed. “Come in, Lacey. Have a seat.”

Setting my suitcase down, I slipped onto the wooden bench before the massive desk.

“I’m Olivia Brownlow, your academic advisor,” the otter told me.

“Nice to meet you,” I said, trying to wrap my head around the fact that I was talking to an otter.

“We’re here to discuss your course of studies here at Wonderland Academy. As an Overtherian, you won’t know what to register for, so I have taken the liberty of making you a schedule. This is a multi-year institution, the number of years needed depending on your degree and aptitude. I have a summary of your academic and community achievements from your recruiter and enrolled you accordingly,” she said, tapping some paperwork lying on the desk in front of her. “Since this is your first term, I’ll list you as undeclared until you acclimate to Wonderland. Next semester, you can declare a major. Standard procedure for people like you. Now, here is your schedule,” she said, sliding a piece of paper to me.

I picked it up and read it aloud. “Wildcrafting 100, Alchemy of Baking 100, Teamancy 100, Magical Weapons Training 200, Creatures of Wonderland, and History of Wonderland. What, no Quidditch?”

“What’s Quidditch?”

“It’s…never mind. These classes…”

“History is required for all Othertherians. Magical Weapons Training 100 was full, so I put you in the intermediate level. You’ll be fine. The other courses are a good fit for your talents. I have to say, when I read about what happened at your high school… You’re a hero, Lacey. No wonder they recruited you for Wonderland Academy.”

“I’m not a hero. I’m just a survivor.”

“Your recruiter noted that you saved countless students’ lives—”

“But not everyone.”

“Oh. Yes. I saw that note. But still…”

“Ms. Brownlow…these classes. Teamancy? I don’t even know what that is.”

“Things are often not what they seem in Wonderland, Lacey.”

“I’m starting to get the picture. But my family…they’ll be worried about me. I can’t just disappear like this. It’s not right. I need to go back.”

“And you will. At the end of the term.”

“I can’t be gone that long. My mom needs me. She depends on me.”

Opening a drawer in her desk, Ms. Brownlow pulled out a small box and handed it to me.

“What’s this?”

“Open it.”

I pulled off the lid. Inside, I found a pocket watch like the one the rabbit carried.

“You’ll be taught how to use the mirrors to travel. Space and time work differently in Wonderland. At the end of the term, you will be shown how to return to the time you left. No one in Overthere will even realize you’ve been gone.”

I looked at the pocket watch. While it told the time, it also had a dial for the date. Turquoise and golden light shimmered behind the face of the watch.

“Per our policy, you’ve been set up with a scholarship to cover your expenses. You may use your key to make purchases. It will work anywhere in Wonderland, just like—what do they call them in your world?—a credit card. Otherwise, I think we’re done here. You may proceed to the end of the row,” she said, motioning back to the hallway. “An upperclassman will guide you to Rose Chambers. It was nice to meet you, Lacey. If you’re having any problem with your classes, just feel free to stop by.”

I rose, my schedule clutched in one hand, my suitcase in the other.

“But…”

“If you have any questions, just ask the Rose Chambers assistant. Good day.”

I stared at the otter. She’d already closed the file containing my paperwork and pulled out another dossier.

My head swam as I headed toward the exit.

This was all happening too fast.

I hadn’t stepped foot in a school since everything in my life had gone to hell. Not only had I actively avoided going to college, I was not in any mental state to be in the halls of a school. Not after what had happened. Not even in Wonderland. In the blink of an eye, my life had gone from ordinary to a living hell. Not only did I have no business being in Wonderland, but I also had no business in a school, period.

* * *

We were a week out from Thanksgiving Break. Nick and I had been at the sink in the bio lab cleaning off our tools while Nick listed what he wanted me to make for Thanksgiving dinner. His mom, who perpetually worked third shift—when she was sober—thought Thanksgiving dinner via a frozen microwave dinner was perfectly fine. So, Nick usually spent the day with Mom, Nan, and me.

“What is that crunchy stuff you put on the green beans?” Nick asked, handing me a beaker.

“Onion straws.”

“Make sure you have those, okay?”

I laughed. “Of course.”

“And the mini marshmallows on the yams…triple those too.”

“So, basically you want marshmallows with a side of yams?”

“Pretty much. Come on, Lace. You make them so good. How can I resist?”

“Now you’re just sucking up.”

“Are you going to triple the marshmallows?”

“Yes, even though Nan’s going to complain.”

“Sucking up? Never. I just love the way you make those marshmallows. As long as you make it like that, you can call it whatever you want.”

“I’m going to call it diabetes with a side of yams.”

Nick chuckled. “Delicious, delicious diabetes.”

No one even noticed when the door opened. Missus Lancer had been almost face-down grading a heap of essay exams. The other students were cleaning up their own equipment or huddled with their little cliques. Nick and me, standing behind a partition in the wall near the sink, were hidden from view of anyone standing in the doorway.

When the first shot went off, I didn’t even know what was happening.

I turned to see blood burst from Missus Lancer’s neck all over her desk. Her eyes rolled back in her head then she slumped to the floor.

Then the shooter turned on the kids at the front of the room. They weren’t our friends, just some theater kids who never really bothered anybody. Gunshots riddled their bodies.

Everything happened like it was in slow motion.

One by one, my classmates died.

Frozen, I stared at the shooter. He was a wild-looking stranger in patchwork pants and a long red coat. He turned his gun and took aim at another group of students.

I still don’t know what made Nicholas and me act. All I remember was Nicholas looking at me, his eyes meeting mine. In that single moment, we decided. Nick nodded to me, then we turned and rushed the gunman.

Since he hadn’t seen us, we took him by surprise.

Nicholas and I knocked him to the ground.

All around us, people were screaming.

The fire alarm was blaring.

I could hear shouts and yelling in the hallway outside.

The man wriggled to get free.

I held him by his legs while Nick wrestled the gun from his hands.

But then the gun went off.

I froze.

The shooter pushed and fought to get away from me, kicking to get free.

I held on to him, until I saw the spray of blood on my hands. Gasping, I turned and looked at Nicholas. He was holding onto the end of the shotgun. Blood blossomed across his chest, unfolding like the petals of a scarlet-colored flower on his white T-shirt.

I turned to the shooter, who met my gaze.

I would never, ever, forget those dark, amber-colored eyes.

“Lacey,” Nicholas whispered.

I let go of the shooter who scrambled away then rushed out of the room.

“Nick? Nicholas,” I said, grabbing him, laying him on the floor.

The gun clattered to the ground.

“Someone help me. Please. Someone help,” I called to the others, yanking off my sweater and foolishly trying to stop the flow of blood pooling on Nick’s chest. No one came. Too traumatized, no one even moved.

“Lacey,” Nicholas said, lifting his hand to touch my cheek.

“Nicholas,” I whispered.

“I…I really like those marshmallows,” he said, and then the light in his eyes went dim, his hand falling.

I held on to him. “Nick? Nicholas.”

His eyes locked on mine, Nicholas exhaled his last breath.

And with him, any hope for my own future had faded.

* * *

“Lacey? Lacey Crane?”

I looked through eyes wet with unshed tears at the slim girl with blonde hair with blue highlights standing at the end of the hallway. She was wearing the Wonderland Academy uniform. On her lapel was a pin with a rose.

“Oh. Oh, okay,” the girl said, reaching out to take my suitcase. “It’s okay, Lacey. It’s always overwhelming for Overthereians on the first day. Come on. Let’s get you settled in at Rose Chambers.”

Reluctantly, I handed the suitcase to her.

“That’s a cool bracelet,” she said absently as she took the suitcase from me. “I’m Fiore, by the way. Everyone just calls me Fi.”

I stared at my wrist.

Oh. My. God.

Lifting my arm, I gawked at the plastic hospital bracelet. Not only did it list the name of the hospital, but here I was, in the middle of Wonderland, where there was one cardinal rule: anyone named Alice was to be beheaded.

And I was wearing my name on my wrist.

9

Rose Chambers

I walked in silence, trying to shake the horrible memories twisting through my mind as I nonchalantly tugged the plastic hospital bracelet off my wrist. I felt nauseous. The first time I had been on the ward, the shrink had told me to try to breathe through the memories, to let them come and go, to focus on what was happening in the moment. But right now, my heart was slamming in my chest, and I felt like I was going to puke on my fluffy unicorn slippers. I tried to slow my breathing. Panic swelled in me. I knew that if I didn’t get it in hand, I was going to start hyperventilating. If I could just sit down. If I could just go somewhere quiet…

“This is the Quad. Isn’t it pretty?” Fi, the utterly oblivious tour guide who took my swelling panic attack as a case of freshman jitters, rattled on. We walked along one of the cloisters adjacent to the Quad. “There are food and drink carts here. People meet here to study,” she said, waving her hand toward the green space. Picnic benches, gazebos, and vendor stations dotted the square.

I nodded mutely.

Breathe, Lacey. Breathe.

The image of the fading sparkle in Nick’s eyes replayed over and over again in my mind.

In and out.

Breathe.

My head ached. Since Nicholas died, all I wanted to do was find a way to escape. I wanted to check out of life. Everything felt empty in his absence. We’d planned our whole lives together. That life would go unlived. In truth, I hadn’t known how to cope. I wasn’t really living, nor did I much feel like I wanted to live. At least, not the shell of the life I had left. Nicholas was gone. He was never coming back.

But here in Wonderland, I had a chance at something new.

This place was a clean slate.

Assuming any of it was real.

Not to mention, my being here was a death sentence.

I really, really needed to find that rabbit.

“How do I contact my recruiter?” I asked Fi, interrupting whatever she was saying.

“Oh. Sorry?”

“My recruiter. I need to ask him something.”

“I’m not sure. We’ll ask the CA.”

“CA?”

“Chambers Assistant. Pip is the head of Rose Chambers. Maybe she’ll know. Can I see your schedule?”

I handed it to her.

“Wow, this is…different.”

“Different how?” I inhaled then exhaled slowly and deeply. Finally, my heartbeat was slowing.

“Rosies are usually more…artistic. These classes fit Hearts or Diamonds. But you have Alchemy of Baking. That’s a good class.”

Focus on what’s right in front of you. Focus on what’s at hand. Let the rest go.

“What is that class about?”

Fi laughed. “Baking, of course. You’ll start tomorrow with Alchemy of Baking at eight. Then Teamancy. In the afternoon, you’ll have Creatures of Wonderland.”

“How am I ever going to find my way around here?” I said, looking down the endless corridors.

“That’s easy,” Fi said then handed me a small pouch. “This is yours. Take out a small pinch.”

“What is it?”

“Fairy dust.”

“Fairy dust?”

Fi laughed. “Take a pinch, say ‘Rose Chambers,’ then toss it in front of you,” she said.

“All right.” I opened the small bag. Inside, I found glimmering, pinkish gold powder. I took out a little pinch. “Rose Chambers,” I said, casting the dust before me.

A glimmering green vine with red roses appeared. It wound down the corridor, leading me onward.

“See, it’s showing you the way.”

“Can this find anything?”

Fi nodded. “Yes. But it only works for us Rosies. Let’s just say fairy dust is our specialty.”

“And why do we say that?”

“You’ll see. Come on,” Fi said, taking me by the arm.

I exhaled deeply. I’m going to be all right. Everything is going to be all right.

We followed the winding vine down the narrow halls through the corridors and across the campus green until we reached an arching, covered bridge. The bridge crossed a pond filled with water lilies. The horseflies I had noticed earlier zipped around on their incandescent wings. The bridge was covered with rainbow-colored roses. Their sweet perfume—which reminded me of Superman ice cream mixed with a heady floral undertone—filled the air. The arching bridge led to a path that ended at a tall, round building.

As we went, I spotted an odd creature looking out from the flowerbed. The animal had wide, turquoise-colored eyes and startling green fur. But when I looked closer, it disappeared.

Fi led me to the entrance of the rotunda.

The first floor of the building was a massive garden, a glass roof overhead. A balcony on the second floor looked out at the atrium. All around, I spotted flowerbeds, benches, gazebos, fountains, and statuary. It was beautiful. At the center of the garden was a massive tree. It looked like a willow except its leaves were purple and blue. Shimmering veins of gold glimmered on the trunk. Horseflies zipped all around, but something about them seemed different, more luminous.

“Your room will be on the second floor,” Fi said, pointing to the shimmering rose vine trail that led to the second-floor balcony. “Downstairs you will find the Rose Chambers workrooms, private library, supply rooms, kitchenette, and a small lounge. Fridays are Chambers days. You and the other new students will get shifting training.”

“Shifting training? Where are the other students?”

“There,” Fi said, motioning to the tree.

I raised an eyebrow at her.

“Pip?” Fi called.

A moment later, a glimmering ball of light burst from the tree and zipped toward me. All blue and silver, I thought maybe it was a big horsefly, but as the orb grew closer, I realized what I was looking at.

A fairy.

I was looking at a fairy.

The bluish-silver light was so luminescent it made me blink hard. Inside that glowing orb, I made out the silhouette of a girl.

There was a strange popping sound, and a moment later, a student appeared in front of me. She smoothed down her mop of dark blue hair, pushing down the skirt of her uniform, then smiled at me.

“Pip, this is Lacey. Lacey, this is Pip, the CA for Rose Chambers.”

“Welcome to Rose Chambers, Lacey. We were expecting you. Now, I’ve got good news and strange news. Which do you want to hear first?”

“Nothing about my day has been normal. Trust me. Either is fine.”

“Well, the good news is that Rose Chambers is the most beautiful dormitory at Wonderland Academy.”

“That’s true,” Fi agreed.

“And now the strange news. Congratulations, Overthereian, you’ll soon learn how to shapeshift into a fairy.”

“I’m sorry?”

“No one gets into Rose Chambers without having some kind of fairy magic. And most Overthereians have no idea that they have it until they get here. In no time, you’ll be able to do this,” Pip said, motioning to Fi.

Fi winked at me, and a moment later, she blinked into an orb of light. I could still see Fi in the orb, but she was no more than a foot high.

Pip laughed. “Now we just need to teach you how.”

I stared at Pip. “I…”

She laughed. “Don’t worry. It’s not as weird as it sounds. Half the people in Wonderland can shift into something. Rosies—as they call us—just do it more eloquently.”

“So, I’m Tinkerbell.”

“Who’s Tinkerbell?”

“Never mind. I’ll be able to do that?”

“It takes a bit of practice. Even Wonderlandians can’t do it properly until they come to the Academy. Well, let’s get you settled in. I see Fi taught you how to use the fairy dust.”

I nodded.

“Your key will open your room. Why don’t you go check out your place? There will be a party tonight to welcome all the new students. You need to wear your uniform. You’ll find it in your wardrobe. Your advisor gave you a watch, right?”

“Yes.”

“Hang on to it. Wonderland time is…different. But the watch will keep you on track. Okay. Up the steps to the left. Fi and I will be here if you need anything,” Pip told me, motioning to the tree.

“Thank you,” I said, then turned and headed upstairs. I followed the glimmering rose vine, which led me to room 206. I slipped my key into the lock.

As I pushed the door open, something in my periphery caught my attention. For a second, I swore I saw large, yellow eyes and the flash of something cyan-colored. But whatever it was, it was gone. Probably another student—in fairy form.

Yeah, it was going to take some time to wrap my head around that.

I pushed the door open to find myself treated to a breathtaking view. The entire wall opposite the door was a window that looked out on the valley below the Academy. From here, I could make out the massive waterfall at the other end of the cliff. The rushing water fell toward the river below. The fading sunlight shimmered on the waves and formed a rainbow in the mist. It was beyond beautiful.

The room itself was perfectly adorned. On one side of my room was a bed made from bent tree branches. A chair to match, lined with colorful embroidered pillows, sat in the opposite corner near the bookshelf. My bed was neatly made, a simple green coverlet with pink embroidered roses. A wooden wardrobe with hand-painted leaf, flower, and butterfly designs sat in another corner. I felt like I’d been roomed in an Anthropologie display. I opened the wardrobe to find uniforms hanging inside. On my bed sat a pile of books. I set my suitcase down and went to the window. A wide, green valley stretched out below. The river ran through it, and beyond that, there was a forest.

I leaned against the window frame.

Maybe this wasn’t real. And if it was, I was already sentenced to die the moment anyone found out who I really was. Giving my bracelet one final tug, the plastic snapped. I gazed at it.

Alice Crane.

Psych patient.

Wonderland Academy student.

I opened my jacket, feeling for the small hole on the inside lining near the pocket. I’d never bothered to sew the rip. Now I was glad. Jabbing my finger into the opening, I widened it enough that I could shove the hospital bracelet inside. Until I found somewhere to burn or bury the thing, that would have to do for now.

As long as no one found out, maybe I could try a life here.

After all, who could say no to Wonderland?

10

The Irish Guy

I tugged at the hem of my plaid skirt, which was far too short for my liking. “I feel like I’m in some dude’s fantasy role play in this thing,” I whispered to Taye.

She nodded. “If anyone I knew saw me like this…”

I adjusted my tie. The fabric, with lines of pink and cyan, matched the skirt. On my blazer was a bronze lapel pin in the shape of a rose. Even if the uniform was uncomfortable, I was glad they had provided me with a new pair of shoes. If I had to spend the rest of my days walking around Wonderland in slippers, I was bound to become a laughing stock.

Taye and I walked with the other students from Rose Chambers toward a massive tent erected on one of the grassy areas. I could hear music coming from the purple and orange tent as we approached.

“The welcome event is one of the best of the year,” Fi told us. “Wait until you see the food. And we have a huge New Year’s party too.”

Taye nudged me and pointed to Fi’s outfit. On her belt, she was wearing a teacup strapped inside a holster.

I looked around. A lot of the students were similarly equipped.

“What’s up with that?” Taye whispered.

I shook my head. “No idea.”

Taye and I entered behind Fi and Pip; Oona and Vren followed behind us with the other students from Rose Chambers.

The tent was decorated in a kaleidoscope of colors. Teal, orange, lilac, gold, and green paper lanterns floated overhead, casting blobs of colorful light on the tent walls. A few of the Rose Chamber students shifted form into bright fairy orbs and flew up to join the lanterns, zipping all around. A single long table set for hundreds of people ran the length of the tent. Massive flower arrangements that stood at least six feet in height loomed over the tables. Strings of colorful beads hung between the arrangements. There were hundreds of candles in every color, as well as a vast array of antique teapots and teacups, on the long table. Every place was set with beautiful china. It was one massive tea party.

On one side of the room, a brass band was playing. But just the instruments were present. No musicians. The instruments were playing themselves. A black and white tiled floor had been laid out near the band. Some students were already on the dance floor.

“This way,” Pip said, motioning for us to follow her.

She led us to the seats designated for Rose Chambers.

I scanned the room. Everyone was in the same style uniform as me. Only the colors of the stripes on the plaids and the lapel pins were different. Oona, Vren, Taye, Fi, Pip, and I sat down.

“So, all the Wonderland kingdoms have a chamber at the Academy?” Taye asked.

Pip nodded. “That’s right.”

“What about people from our world? Why don’t we have our own place here?” I asked.

“People from Overthere join the Wonderland kingdoms that best fit their interests and skills.”

I scanned around the tent. Many of the students were already seated. Others stood in little groups, chatting with their friends.

“There aren’t any talking animals in student uniforms. Don’t they study here?” I asked.

“Lacey, you’re very observant,” Pip said, her brow arching nervously.

“Thanks, but you didn’t answer my question.”

“It’s complicated and not something people talk about in public. You’ll find out more about that in your History of Wonderland course,” Pip answered. “Oh, look, there’s Vice President Whistle,” she added, changing the subject.

Vren leaned close to me. “The talking animals, as you called them, are the descendants of the Kingdom of Stars. They are not permitted to attend. In fact, unless they have a special license, they aren’t even allowed to do magic.”

“But…” I began, but the room grew silent as the man from the video appeared at the tent opening. He was wearing an orange tuxedo, purple bow tie, and a startlingly tall orange top hat. He surveyed the tent, nodding happily.

“President Snark,” Pip said, grinning excitedly.

Upon seeing the president, the students quickly took their seats. The instruments grew silent. Overhead, the lanterns stopped spinning. Excited murmurs echoed through the space. While it was all fascinating, my mind was stuck on Vren’s words.

I leaned toward Vren. “But in the video, the people from the Kingdom of Stars were human.”

“They were. They were powerful shifters, the most powerful in Wonderland. But they were cursed for rebelling. Everyone from the Kingdom of Stars must remain in their animal form, forever.”

I furrowed my brow. “That’s…”

“Cruel? Unfair? Unethical?” Vren whispered. “I agree. But if you ask the people in charge, the Kingdom of Stars got what they deserved.”

“The people in charge…such as?”

“The Kingdom of Hearts, which rules Wonderland,” Vren said then motioned to the other end of the tent. There, I spotted the students from Hearts. Among them, I spotted Aden and his sister, Amber.

I frowned. “And what do the other kings and queens in Wonderland think about the curse?

“If you ask them, they’ll agree that what happened to the Kingdom of Stars was just and necessary.”

“I didn’t ask what they’d say about the curse, I asked what they thought.”

“Now you’re asking the right question,” Vren replied with a wink.

President Snark moved to the seat at the very head of the table. Before him was an old chrome microphone like something from the fifties. President Snark produced a bell which he rung. The sound echoed throughout the tent.

Everyone grew silent.

“What, no remote?” Taye whispered.

I grinned at her.

The president tapped the microphone which crackled. “Students, welcome one and all to this exciting new year at Wonderland Academy. Tonight, I offer a special welcome to all of the students joining from Overthere. As well, I tip my hat to those students who are in their final year at the Academy. I look forward to seeing you at graduation at the end of the year. Now, I could go on with platitudes, but I’m hungry, so let’s not delay. Tonight, we will enjoy. And tomorrow, you will get to work. So for now, let the tea flow freely, the music play merrily, and the kitchens entice us most deliciously. Enjoy your welcome party. Once again, welcome to this academic year!”

The students clapped and cheered.

A drumroll sounded. Spotlights clicked on and aimed at the long table that covered the right wall of the tent. Vice President Whistle went to the end of the table and grabbed the corner of a purple drape covering it. She grinned at us, building anticipation.

“Are you ready?” she called.

“Yes,” the students yelled loudly.

“Voilà,” the vice president called. She snapped the fabric back.

Cymbals clanged, and the most enormous buffet I had ever seen was revealed. The line of food stretched on forever. The table was three tiers high. Every confection imaginable was on display. Serving dishes frothed with pink foam, one dish flamed like a sparker, and another dish sent up sparks that popped and cracked.

The students cheered.

“That was…dramatic,” Taye said.

President Snark and Vice President Whistle motioned for the students from Hearts to join them as they headed toward the massive buffet. I watched as the president waited for Aden. He patted him good-naturedly on the shoulder.

“Of course,” Vren whispered under his breath, glaring at Aden. “The future of Wonderland.”

“He seems nice enough,” I told Vren. “Can’t say much for the sister though.”

“The whole family…” Vren said then sneered.

Oona nudged him. “Lacey doesn’t know anything about Wonderland politics, Vren. She’s probably just hungry,” she said then turned to me. “Want to get something to eat?”

I watched as the crowd converged on the table. The crush of people made my skin crawl. “I’ll wait. I’m just thirsty.”

“There is the tea station,” Pip said, pointing to the other end of the tent where it was quiet. “You hungry, Taye?”

Taye was eyeing the table. “Yes, but you need to tell me what I’m eating. I don’t want to shrink again.”

Pip laughed. “Don’t worry. There won’t be any of that kind of food here. Let’s go.”

They all rose.

I got up too but moved to go toward the drink station at the back.

“Want me to come with you?” Oona offered. I could see from the expression on her face that she sensed my anxiety.

“Thanks. I’m okay.”

She nodded then turned and went with the others.

Moving away from the crowd, I went to the back of the room where at least a hundred pretty porcelain tea carafes sat waiting, teacups and saucers stacked as tall as me. Apparently, tea was a thing here. I read the labels on each of the pots: Laughing Tea, Snorkdust Blend, Pinkberry Blast, and other odd combinations. No chamomile or anything else remotely recognizable. I frowned.

“Find any Earl Grey?” someone asked.

I turned to find the black-haired guy I’d noticed at orientation. His hoodie was gone. Like me, he’d changed into his uniform. His sleeves were rolled up to reveal tattoos on his arms. He was, decidedly, not from Wonderland. His frown matched my own.

“No,” I said with a shake of the head. “Unless Snorkdust is an adequate substitute.”

“Not bloody likely,” he said, and this time, I caught the slight lilt of an Irish accent in his voice.

“Where are you from?”

“Not here. You?”

“The US—New York State.”

He nodded then poured himself a cup of something labeled Fizzing Leaf Blend. As the tea poured, it both steamed and fizzed like soda.

We stared at his cup in disbelief.

“I’m not drinking that swill,” he said then set the cup down.

We turned and looked back at the room. Students carrying small appetizer plates chatted with one another as they worked their way back to their seats. The band began playing again. Once more, some students started dancing.

“Suppose we’d have any better luck with the food?” I asked.

“Hard pass. I spotted some purple meat and was done for the night. Thought I might be safe with something to drink. Guess not.”

“See any coffee?”

“Negative.”

Frowning, we both looked back at the tea display. Maybe Pinkberry would be worth a try. My stomach was in that odd state of confusion where I felt like I was starving but also nauseous. I couldn’t quite tell if I wanted to eat or throw up.

As we considered, a tall guy with pale blond hair wearing a Diamonds uniform approached me.

“Hi,” he said. “You’re new, right? Rose Chambers?”

No. Just no.

“I—”

“Want to dance?”

“Oh, no thanks.”

“Come on. I don’t bite, I promise. It will be fun. I’ll introduce you to some people.”

“No. That’s okay.”

“Don’t be that way. Come on.”

My temper flared. I opened my mouth to reply, but the guy beside me cut in.

He stepped toward the other student. “She said sod off. So, sod off.”

The boy from Diamonds stared at the guy, an expression on his face like he’d just been slapped. Without another word, he turned and walked away.

“Thanks,” I said.

“Always some tool who pushes his luck,” he said then picked up his teacup once more. It was still fizzing. “Well, this has been an interesting day. Got sucked into a hole. Met a talking rabbit. And I think I saw someone undead today. Not to mention, my dorm was made by dwarves. That’s quite enough for me. Fairly sure I left an energy bar in my backpack, so I’m off. I’ll leave the Fizzing Leaf Blend to you,” he said, gesturing to his teacup.

“If it turns me into a toad or something, I’m coming for you and your energy bar.”

At that, he laughed. Inclining his head to me, he turned and left the tent.

I lifted the tea. It smelled peppery. I took a sip. One little taste was enough to send me into a coughing fit. Some odd mix of liquid black pepper and hibiscus, the drink set my mouth on fire.

“That one’s an acquired taste,” someone said.

I turned to find Oona there.

She held out a small plate. “I picked these for you. And you might want to try cassis and elderflower,” she said, pointing to one of the teapots.

Still coughing lightly, I set down the heady tea and poured myself a cup of the one Oona suggested. The tea was amber-colored with a slight purple tint. I took a sip. The flavor was both fruity and flowery but mild. I cleared my throat.

“Thank you,” I told her, taking the plate. I eyed it over. No purple meat.

She smiled gently at me. “Want to go sit?”

“Yes, please.”

Oona eyed the dance floor, looking at the boy who had asked me to dance. “I saw him talking to you. Girls from Overthere are generally considered… Well, they’re fascinating to Wonderland boys. Just so you know.”

“Wonderful. I already feel like a specimen.”

Oona smiled sympathetically. “What happened to the other guy you were talking to?”

I shrugged. “He left.”

“Do you have a boyfriend back home?”

“Yeah. Well. No.”

Oona looked at me, a puzzled expression on her face. “So yes or no?”

“I did. He died.”

“Oh,” Oona exclaimed sadly. “I’m so sorry.”

I swallowed hard. “Thanks.”

“Come on. Let’s sit,” she said, then set her hand on my arm. The minute she did so, I felt a sense of ease wash over me.

“What was that?” I asked.

Oona smiled. “I’m an empath. I can help others feel better. A lot of us from Rose Kingdom have the skill.”

“Thanks.”

She nodded.

We took our seats once more. As we settled in, I lifted my teacup then looked toward the exit. I realized then I didn’t even catch the guy from Ireland’s name. But as I replayed our conversation, this time, I picked out an important detail. Did he say he’d met a talking rabbit? My rabbit? Could he have had the same recruiter?

Oona followed my gaze. She smiled slightly, then shifted her attention back to my plate. “Eat that,” she said, gesturing to something that looked like a pink cupcake.

“What is it?”

She laughed. “A cupcake.”

Chuckling, I lifted the sweet and took a bite, relieved to taste nothing more than cake and frosting.

Oona set her hand on my shoulder once more. “It will be all right, Lacey. Everything will work out fine.”

And while I knew she was using whatever her magic feel-better skill was to comfort me, at that moment, I really believed her. Maybe, just maybe, things would work out here.

If the tea didn’t kill me first.

11

Nan’s Suitcase

Between the drums, cymbals, and horns, it didn’t take long to get sick of the party. Even when I was in high school, I wasn’t much for the party scene. Nick and I had our friends, but we never bothered with big crowds. When I wasn’t working, I was studying, with Nick, or reading.

“I think I’m going to head back,” I told Oona not long after I’d finished off the food she’d selected for me. The little confections on the plate had all been tasty, but the other food on the buffet was suspect. After a diet of fried everything from the Grill, Wonderland food was going to take getting used to.

Pip, Fi, and Taye had all ended up dancing. Vren had disappeared into the crowd.

Oona nodded. “I’ll go back with you.”

When we rose to leave, I tried to catch Aden’s eye.

The Academy president had cornered him the entire night. I’d met Aden for all of ten seconds, but even I could see that his practiced smile was fading. He must have felt my eyes on him because he looked up at me.

I gave him a little wave.

Motioning to the assembled crowd, Aden excused himself then made his way over to Oona and me.

Oona followed my gaze. “How did you meet him?”

“I tripped and fell into him.”

She chuckled. “Some would call that a lucky accident.”

“Considering I had no idea who he was, I’d just call it clumsy, tripping over the unicorn slippers I was wearing.”

Oona chuckled.

“Hey, Overthere,” Aden said as he joined us. “Leaving already?”

“Yeah. It’s a lot of…trumpets.”

Aden nodded. “It is a lot of everything.”

I turned toward Oona. “Do you know Oona?” I asked Aden.

“No. It’s nice to meet you, Oona,” Aden told her.

“You too, Prince Cerise,” Oona said, giving a little curtsey.

Shit. Well, I had underestimated that one.

“Please, no titles here. I’m just another student. You’re also in Rose Chambers?”

She nodded. “Yes,” she said, rather stiffly.

“Oona helped me survive dinner.”

Aden grinned. “I wish she’d helped me too. I couldn’t get away from President Snark ensuring I’m comfortable. I’m at wit's end with my comfort. I can only imagine how you must be feeling. Anyway, I just wanted to say hi. I won’t keep you. It was nice to meet you, Oona.”

“You too.”

“See you around, Overthere.”

“You too, Your Highness,” I said. While I’d said it to be funny, I’d mostly wanted to see how he would react.

He grinned at me. With a reluctant sigh, he turned back.

Oona and I turned and headed out of the hall.

As we went, Oona was quiet. I could tell she was thinking over the brief encounter. She had been very chilly toward Aden. I wondered why.

“Tell me about Wonderland. In Carroll’s books, the Queen of Hearts seems like a mad tyrant, but the video we watched made her out to be a savior,” I said, throwing out the bait.

“Wonderland is complicated,” Oona said simply.

“Complicated is an understatement, and that was a less than direct answer,” I replied, giving her a knowing glance.

She grinned. “At times, it is safer to be indirect.”

“Well, when you know me better, I hope you’ll feel comfortable saying what’s on your mind.”

She chuckled lightly but didn’t answer.

It was already late as we arrived at Rose Chambers. The moon was high in the sky. I looked up at the starry skyline. It only took me a moment to realize the arrangements of the constellations were completely off.

Oona followed my gaze. “What is it?”

“The stars are different here.”

“Do you read the stars?”

I shrugged. “Just a little. I like astrology.”

“Astrology?”

“Star signs. You know, how the stars influence your life.”

“Oh,” Oona said, looking surprised.

“You don’t have that here?”

“We did—no, we do. We call it Stellasmancy. But no one practices it anymore. It was one of the specialty areas in the Kingdom of Stars. They were stargazers. They could read fortunes in the night’s sky and do astral—and fairy—magic, in addition to being shifters. Now, almost all Kingdom of Stars magic is forbidden.”

“Fairy magic? I thought that was a specialty of Rose Kingdom.”

“The Kingdom of Roses was a client of the Kingdom of Stars. We were under their protection. Because fairy magic is fragile, we played no part in the Greatest of Disasters. It was lucky for us. We were spared the curse.”

I nodded but said nothing more. The idea of the curse didn’t sit well with me. Why would generations of people who had nothing to do with a war have to carry such a burden? It was inhumane. Which seemed to be the point.

As we passed through the garden into Rose Chambers, I heard a rustle in the brush. I looked to find a pair of glowing yellow eyes looking out at me once more. I stopped to look.

Oona followed my gaze. She grinned. “They’re sneaky. Have you ever seen one in their solid form?”

I chuckled. “I don’t even know what I’m looking at.”

“Cheshire cats,” Oona explained. “Devious little buggers, always evaporating. They’re shy creatures, but very, very smart. Some say they can talk, but I’ve never had one talk to me.”

“I’ve seen eyes but no cats.”

Oona nodded. “They used to live in Star Chambers. The Queen of Roses petitioned the Academy to move them here, but they pretty much go wherever they want anyway.”

I knelt and looked into the tall flowerbed. A pair of eyes studied me. “In the mood to talk today? I have a cat back home. I’m fluent in snacks.”

The eyes blinked, but there was nothing else.

I chuckled. “No luck.”

Oona grinned, and we headed into the building. “Do you have everything you need for tomorrow? Your schedule, books?”

I nodded. “I think so.”

“Just try to take it slow. Let me know if you need anything.”

“Thank you, Oona.”

She smiled softly at me. “You’re welcome. Goodnight,” she said, then headed upstairs to her room.

I gazed up at the tall tree in the center of the chamber. The purple and blue leaves shimmered with silvery light under the moon. The veins of gold on the trunk twinkled. As I examined the tree, I noticed for the first time that there were small, birdhouse sized structures on the limbs.

Of course.

That’s where all the other students lived. All the upperclassmen, those who could shift into fairy form, lived in one of those private residences. In the tree.

A moment later, I felt a soft body wind between my lower legs. I looked down to see the same pair of yellow eyes looking up at me.

“You see, I told you I speak snacks. I know what that means. I didn’t bring anything from the party, but maybe Nan packed something. Come on, let’s go have a look,” I said.

To my surprise, the yellow eyes blinked, and a wide, toothy smile appeared.

“Just like in the book,” I whispered. “I guess Lewis Carroll didn’t get it all wrong. Come on, Cheshire cat,” I said then turned and headed up the steps.

Waiting for an invisible cat to enter the room to ensure you didn’t crush it proved challenging. But I watched the yellow eyes as the creature not only entered my chamber but hopped onto my bed. Invisible feet left paw prints on the blanket.

I closed the door behind me then kicked off my shoes. Tossing my jacket into the chair, I sat down on the floor and opened the suitcase Nan packed for me. I was surprised to see that the thing was brimming with clothes, toiletries, books, and even some snacks. Nan had packed the bag just like I was headed to a real college.

“Well, let’s see,” I said, grabbing the plastic bag loaded with snacks. “Crackers, chocolate, nuts, cookies, and—ah, here we go. Jerky. Bar food at its finest.” I opened the bag of turkey jerky only to hear a thump as the invisible cat landed on the floor nearby. A moment later, I felt feet on my leg as the cat waited impatiently for whatever snack I had to share. I pulled out a piece of jerky and held it in the air. A moment later, something snagged it from my hand then moved off.

Closing up the snack, I set it aside then went through the rest of the case. I set out the pairs of jeans and pants, shirts, boots, socks, and undergarments, and even a heavy coat. She’d also packed a black cocktail dress, black jumper, and heels. In the bottom of the case, I found two books. My old, tattered copy of Alice in Wonderland and a copy of Alice Through the Looking Glass which I didn’t recognize. I opened the brittle binding on the old book and was surprised to see that it was signed by Lewis Carroll. Turning the yellowed pages carefully, I noticed that someone had written notes in the margins. They were faded, and the script was difficult to read, but the first note immediately caught my attention. It was a reference to the Kingdom of Roses.

How in the hell had Nan acquired an autographed copy of this book?

A sound, which was reminiscent of a meow but sounded more like someone had cleared their throat, pulled my attention away. The snack bag rustled. Two golden eyes blinked at me.

Reaching out carefully, guessing where the creatures’s head might be, I gave the invisible cat a light pat. The fur was thick and fluffy.

The cat purred then nudged the snack bag once more.

“Okay, okay. I got it,” I said then opened the bag once more and handed the cat another bite of jerky.

Setting aside Carroll’s signed book, I looked into the case to see one last item. Nan had wrapped the framed photo of Nicholas and me from Halloween last year. I pulled the photo out of bubble wrap and stared at Nick’s picture. He was laughing in the photo, smiling at me rather than at the camera. Both of our cheeks were red with cold. I reached out and stroked Nick’s cheek.

“Can you believe this mess I’m in?” I whispered.

There was a scratch on the door.

Setting the photo beside my bed, I rose to let the cat out.

“One more piece before you go?” I asked, grabbing the jerky once more.

I opened the door then knelt, offering the jerky to the cat. I saw its wide eyes. When I stretched out my hand, that toothy smile appeared once more. The eyes looked up at me.

“Thanks,” a low voice said with a purr. The cat then took the treat and headed off. I stared behind the creature. This time, I could just make out the silhouette of the cat. It wasn’t really solid. It was more like the wave of a mirage, there but translucent.

I closed and locked the door.

The cat had talked to me.

The cat had talked.

All her life, Oona had never heard a Cheshire cat speak. But it had spoken to me.

But of course it had.

Because my name was Alice.

12

Zombies and Caterpillars

Exhaustion finally hit me. I had woken up that morning in the psych ward. Now, I was in the mythical world of Wonderland, which was either real or I was delusional. One option didn’t seem better than the other.

I slipped off my uniform then slid into a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt. Sliding into bed, I turned the photo of Nick toward me.

The photo had been taken at the local Harvest Festival. My friend, Maddie, had taken the picture when we were on the hayride before things got weird that night. Of course, if I knew then what I knew now, maybe it would have explained some of what happened.

* * *

The night had started out normal, fun. The annual Harvest Festival was something everyone loved. There was a pumpkin patch, hayrides, bounce houses, food trucks, and even a few rides—Ferris wheel, tilt-a-whirl, or tilt-a-hurl as Nick called it. Nick and Tyler wanted to try the zombie corn maze. Not my idea of fun. I was mostly there for the kettle corn and caramel apples. And while I knew Nick was keen for the maze, I suspected he’d also come along to try pumpkin-spiced everything—his secret inner suburban soccer mom obsession.

The festival was packed. We started out on a hayride, enjoyed a pumpkin-spice funnel cake, then meandered around until it got dark. Then, we headed to the maze. The Mason family had mowed their cornfield into a massive maze. That would be challenging enough to figure out, but someone thought it would be a good idea to infest the maze with fake zombies. So not only did you need to make it out, you needed to make it out without getting slapped with an infected sticker.

The four of us stood at the entrance of the maze. Inside, I heard an odd mix of laughter, terrifying screams, and fake zombie groans.

“You go first.” I grinned at Nick.

“No. You,” Nick replied, smiling.

“This was your idea.”

“Chicken shits,” Maddie said, rolling her eyes playfully before she stepped toward the corn maze. “What’s the worst that could happen? It’s all just pretend anyway.”

“I feel oddly prepared for a zombie apocalypse scenario,” Tyler said with a laugh.

“You’ve seen too many episodes of The Walking Dead,” Nick replied.

“Does anyone still watch that? Whatever. I’ll see you two inside,” Maddie said then flashed her flashlight under her chin. “If you survive.”

With that, she and Tyler headed into the maze.

“Ready?” Nick asked.

A moment later, I heard the groan of a fake zombie followed by Maddie’s scream.

“Promise you’ll protect me, Lace. Don’t leave your man behind.”

I grinned. “Never.”

With that, we turned and headed into the maze. The full moon overhead shimmered on the tall corn stalks. Inside the maze, it was utterly dark save the blue emergency light stands, which were only to be used in case of a real emergency—if the fake zombie apocalypse gave you an actual heart attack. Otherwise, our job was to get to the other end of the maze without being “infected.”

“Let’s run,” Nick said.

I nodded. We’d been shown, albeit quickly, a birds’ eye view of the maze before entering. “Left then two rights,” I said.

“And after that?”

“I didn’t get that far.”

“Great.”

There was a groan as a zombie dressed as a farmer, a faux plastic eyeball dangling from where his real eye should have been, jumped out at us.

Nick yelped, and we ran past, ducking under the farmer’s grasp, evading the first chance of infection.

We made the first left and headed quickly through the maze only to realize that someone was rushing alongside us in the stalks.

“Go right, right,” I called to Nick.

A moment later, another zombie emerged from the corn. This one had a massive neck wound. He lunged at Nick who dodged, and we turned the corner to find ourselves face to face with a zombie bride. Blood dripped down her chin, her wedding gown covered with sticky red liquid. I recognized her. She was a checkout girl at the grocery store.

I looked behind me. The neck-bleeding zombie was ambling toward us.

“You break right, I’ll break left,” Nick said, and we bolted.

Not sure who to tag, the bride went after Nick who rushed her then went into a slide, a move I’d seen him pull on the baseball field many times, evading her grasp. I passed her on the other side and ran ahead.

Nick got up and rushed away from the bride, who was chuckling under her breath.

“Right again,” I said as we rushed ahead in the darkness.

I scanned the corn stalks. From deeper in the maze, I heard people yelling and laughing, and the sound of more zombies groaning. Creepy music was playing over a sound system. The recorded sounds of rattling chains and blood-curdling screams permeated the air.

We headed right, deeper into the maze, but came to a split in the path.

“Which way?” I asked Nick.

He was just about to answer when the rumpled looking scarecrow, which I thought had been made of straw, jumped off his pedestal and lunged at me.

“Shit,” I exclaimed, half-terrified-half-laughing.

“Run!” Nick yelled, both of us laughing as we ran away.

I hated this time of year. From mid-September to the beginning of November, things always felt weird for me. I usually avoided all things creepy, not wanting to stir up my imagination any more than it already stirred itself. But the zombie maze wasn’t that bad. So far, Nick and I had made a pretty kick-butt zombie apocalypse team. After all, we’d outrun a zombie bride/grocery store cashier.

We headed further into the maze, turning left at the next junction, when three tween boys rushed past us.

“Go back,” one of them called.

“Run,” another said.

“Look out!” the third screamed.

Behind them, the local cub scouts, all of whom had been zombified, rushed toward us. Half of them were full-on laughing, the other half of them were groaning in a horrifyingly adorable manner. Their faces illuminated by their glow stick necklaces, they rushed toward us with their infected stickers.

“Zombie Cub Scouts? Only a sick mind could come up with something like that,” Nick said then we turned and ran back toward the last turn we’d made. This time, we went left. But when we made the turn, we found a full zombie assault going on. There were screams and laughs as zombies chased the maze runners back into the maze. Others pushed past us, not knowing that zombie troupe 666 was waiting. We must have been close to the end of the maze. It was like a live-action boss battle.

“Let’s make a break for it,” Nick said. “The end must be close.”

I nodded, and we rushed toward the fray.

Nick broke around the pack. In the distance ahead, I spotted the lights on one of the food trucks, and the scent of kettle corn filled the air. We were so close.

I was following right behind Nick when a zombified clown jumped between us. His bald head, red nose, and bloody slash on the side of his face made me freeze in my tracks.

Clowns.

Not fair.

“Run, Nick,” I called then tried to dodge around the clown. “Save yourself,” I added dramatically.

Laughing, Nick headed out of the maze. No doubt he’d wait for me at the exit.

I grinned at the clown then turned and ran back into the maze, carefully avoiding the zombie cub scouts. The zombie clown chased me down the row until another zombie, the farmer’s wife, popped out. I turned right to dodge out of her way then found myself in an odd circle. Apparently, someone cut a crop circle in the middle of the maze. Just as the word “alien” popped into my head, someone dressed in an alien suit stepped out of the circle toward me. In tandem, someone must have triggered a dry ice machine because the entire place was suddenly surrounded in cold mist.

I laughed then ran down a side path.

Great.

Now I was somewhere back in the middle of the maze.

Alone.

I just needed to get my bearings.

I stood up on my tiptoes and looked around. I spotted the tall blue emergency lights. It looked like I needed to head right to get back onto my path.

I headed through the dark, listening to the sound of others still in the maze screaming and laughing. I took a turn and found myself at the intersection once more. This time, the scarecrow was gone.

We’d gone left, hadn’t we? I stopped a moment to consider.

I hadn’t thought I was actually nervous about being on my own until I realized I was chewing on my fingernail. It had taken me an hour to manicure those nails to look like Jack the Pumpkin King from The Nightmare Before Christmas. Dammit. I headed down the left path, hoping I’d run into some other people.

Stupid dramatic bravado, now I was in the damned place alone.

I was heading toward the intersection where we’d seen the cub scouts when I heard shuffling behind me. I looked back to see the scarecrow rushing toward me.

“Oh shit,” I yelped then took off.

I rushed around the next corner. A moment later, I heard a loud hiss then a strange pop. In the distance, I saw a flash of light and a shower of sparks.

Everything went dark, including the blue emergency lights.

The scary music went silent.

From outside the maze, I heard the sound of disappointed groans.

I froze.

“Everyone, please stay calm. We’ve had a power outage. Give us a few minutes to get the lights back on. If you are in the maze, stay where you are. Zombies, take five until we get the lights on. No infecting,” someone called over through a bullhorn.

This was my chance to make my exit zombie-free.

I turned and headed down the next path. It was even darker now. I hadn’t realized it before, but the nearby streetlights and the blue emergency lights must have been offering more light than I’d thought. It was now pitch black inside the maze with no light save that of the moon. I followed the path only to realize it was looping in circles.

A cool breeze blew, making my skin rise in goosebumps.

The air felt weird, tingly.

I knew the sensation well. I experienced it every time I saw the mermaid.

No. No, no, no. Not now.

My heart beat hard.

When I reached the center of the ring, I found myself face to face with a strange statue. There, in the middle of the maze, someone had constructed a massive mushroom. On top of it was an animatronic caterpillar. The creature’s eyes glowed silver in the moonlight. Even though it was dim, I could see someone had painted the caterpillar blue and green. The animatronic insect lifted a hookah pipe and took a puff.

My heart was beating so hard, I could feel it in my temples.

It was just a statue. Like a Christmas lawn Santa, it was a machine made to sit there and smoke.

“Hello, Alice,” the caterpillar said, his voice deep and rich.

Shit. “You’re not real.”

“Of course, I am real. Are you?”

“What a ridiculous question.”

“On the contrary. Who is real and who is not is an essential question, especially for a girl named Alice.”

I closed my eyes. Only my brain could conjure up the quasi-philosophical musings of a Lewis Carroll inspired caterpillar in the middle of a zombie-infested corn maze.

“I’m going now,” I said.

“Going? Where? To where you belong?”

“Out of this maze,” I replied.

The caterpillar took a long toke of his hookah. “All life is a maze, wouldn’t you say, Alice? But you’re right. You most certainly do not belong here.”

“Then where do I belong?”

“Wonderland, of course.”

I huffed a laugh. “Where the mad things live.”

The caterpillar smiled wide, and then laughed. “Indeed. What better place for you?” He took another puff of his pipe, blowing a massive cloud of smoke around him and his mushroom. When it finally dissipated, he was gone. In his place stood a scarecrow with an illuminated jack-o-lantern head.

My heart slammed in my chest.

Definitely not animatronic.

Dammit. Dammit, dammit, dammit. This is why I never interacted. The caterpillar set out the bait, and I bit. And now… I closed my eyes and pressed the tips of my fingers against my eyelids. The pressure made the throbbing in my head feel better. I hated this time of year. Autumn always riled weird things. If I wasn’t careful, I’d be seeing things everywhere. I knew better than to talk to my delusions. Nothing good ever came of it.

“To hell with this,” I said, then turned started pushing through the cornstalks until I found the outer edge of the field. From there, I walked around the edge of the maze toward the official exit.

“Hey, you can’t do that,” one of the maze organizers called when they spotted me. “That’s cheating. You won’t get a badge.”

“That’s okay,” I told him.

“What happened? Get spooked?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

“Happens to a lot of people. Lights going out probably didn’t help.”

I nodded and headed toward the maze exit. People were huddled around oil-drum bonfires laughing, eating, and drinking. I pushed through the crowd until I spotted Nick. He was waiting nervously outside the exit.

“Sorry. When the lights come back on you can go back in after her,” one of the maze officials was saying. “Our workers are going through the maze now, checking on people. Our actors will keep an eye out for everyone.”

“Nick,” I called.

Turning, he sighed in relief.

“Lace? Hey, there you are. You okay? How’d you get out?”

I shrugged. “I just cut through.”

“You all right? You look…” He pushed my hair behind my ear. “You okay?” he whispered, looking deeply into my eyes.

Very few people knew what I could see. I never dared tell anyone for fear that they would think I was crazy. But Nick knew, and he could see it on my face.

“I’ll be all right,” I said with a shiver.

“Did you see something?”

“Yes, but I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Okay.”

Just then, there was an odd smell of ozone in the air, and the lights came back on. All at once, the haunting music blasted back to life, and the light bulbs on the food trucks shimmered back on, casting a rainbow-colored hue on the festival grounds.

“Lacey,” Maddie called. “Hey, you made it out. We got infected,” she said, pointing to the red stickers on her and Tyler’s coats.

“Sorry,” I said with a grin.

“I, however, am your personal Rick Grimes,” Nick said proudly, patting the green “survivor” sticker on his jacket.

“Where’s your sticker?” Maddie asked.

“I must have dropped it,” I lied. “I got infected too.”

“Oh well,” Maddie said. “Want to eat?”

I nodded.

“Kettle corn,” Maddie said excitedly.

“Cheesesteak. Must have a cheesesteak,” Tyler said, playfully pulling Maddie toward one of the food trucks.

“I owe Lacey a caramel apple,” Nick said, wrapping his arm around me and pulling me close, planting a kiss on the top of my head.

“Meet at the pavilion?” Maddie suggested.

I nodded.

“Come on,” Nick said, lacing his fingers in mine.

We headed over to the food trucks.

“There,” Nick said, pointing. “They have caramel apples, and I’ll get us some hot cider,” He gently touched my chin. “You sure you’re okay?”

I nodded.

“Love you, Alice Lacey Crane,” he whispered. “No matter what. Remember that, okay?”

I smiled up at him. ”I love you too,” I said, then leaned in and set a kiss on his lips.

* * *

Lying in my bed at Wonderland Academy, I set my fingers on my lips. Since Nick had died, I hadn’t gotten close to anyone. I hadn’t even thought about it. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying not to let the swell of misery wash over me. Nick was gone. I would never kiss him again. I would never see, touch, or smell him again. Everything we ever planned together was over. Last week, Mom had gently suggested that maybe I should try to start moving on. She wasn’t wrong, but move on to what?

I sighed heavily, then opened my eyes once more, glancing out my window. I could see the waterfall and the valley below, both illuminated by moonlight.

Move on to Wonderland Academy?

If this was real, what about the caterpillar I had seen. Was he real too? And if he was, he had already told me something very important.

This was where I belonged.

13

Bumpalump

I woke the next morning to the chime of my pocket watch. I rose groggily and got ready for the day. It was chilly in the building. I slipped on my leather jacket and grabbed my pocket watch, backpack stuffed with my books, and the bag of fairy dust.

I had no idea how far away the classroom was. I checked my schedule once more: Alchemy of Baking. Well, at least I knew how to cook.

“Zinnia Building 3-112-A,” I said, tossing a bit of fairy dust in front of me.

At once, the glimmering rose vine grew, leading me through the halls.

It was so strange and worrying to be in school again. After what happened, they’d permitted me to complete my senior year school work online. I hadn’t actually stepped foot in a classroom since the day Nicholas—and everyone else—had died.

But here I was, hurrying to class.

Of course, this wasn’t high school. This wasn’t even the world I knew. This place was magic. No one knew me here. No one knew anything about what had happened. I could make a fresh start of things.

As long as no one ever learned my real name.

The rabbit had said there would be people watching out for me. That meant there were people who knew I was not supposed to be here. But why in the hell would they bring me to Wonderland?

I was no one special.

Just because my name was Alice? What did that matter? There were thousands of Alices in my world.

The fairy dust led me down one flight of steps after another. Very soon, my nose told me I was close to a kitchen. The vine led to the doorway of a classroom. The room had been divided into work stations, two people per station.

“Take a seat anywhere,” the professor called over her shoulder as she assembled materials on the front table.

I scanned the room.

A couple of people looked back at me, giving me heavy side-eye, which clearly told me they didn’t want me sitting beside them. I was relieved when I spotted an empty station. I hurried to it.

There were a pair of girls seated in front of me, both of whom were wearing white and silver striped uniforms. On their lapels, I spotted the diamond insignia.

One of the girls looked back at me. “Hey,” she said.

The girl sitting beside her gave me a smile, then the two started talking once more. I tried not to pay attention. They were gossiping about the other students in Diamonds.

The room started to fill.

I prayed that no one would take a seat beside me.

That prayer wasn’t answered.

There were some mummers in the classroom, and a moment later, someone tossed their backpack onto the table beside me.

I turned to find Aden there.

“Hey, Lacey,” he said. “Almost late. Looks like that was a lucky mistake.”

“Now you’re stuck with the girl from Overthere.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“Well, I do hear we’re exotic.”

Aden chuckled. “That’s stereotyping. But, yeah, that assessment is disturbingly accurate. I have no ill intent, I promise,” he said, raising his hands. “I’m just hoping you know how to cook.”

“And just why are you, of all people, in baking class?”

“My family has a thing for tarts, of course.”

“So I’ve read.”

“Now who’s stereotyping?”

We both laughed.

The two girls from Diamonds in front of us eyed Aden then gave each other knowing, excited glances.

“All right. Welcome, everyone,” the professor called. “I am Professor Banks, and this is Alchemy of Baking. If you’re in the wrong classroom, please feel free to leave. We’ll wait to make fun of you after you’ve gone.”

The students chuckled.

I studied the professor. She was wearing a black chef’s jacket, her long, dark hair pulled back into a ponytail. She folded her arms across her chest, then eyed over the room.

“Very good. Now, you have your textbooks. Go ahead and get those out. You’ll see that the first few chapters cover the fundamentals of Alchemy of Baking. You can read that on your own. Theory is fine, but the best way to learn magical baking is to actually do it. Flip to page thirty-two, please.”

I flipped through the book. As I did so, I started to get a sense of what the class was about. This wasn’t just a cooking class. The foods we were preparing were potions, just like the drink in the Hall of Doors that had made me shrink or the cake the rabbit had given me that made me grow.

On page thirty-two was a recipe for what appeared to be a simple sugar cookie—plus a few ingredients I didn’t recognize—called a Bumpalump.

“How many of you can already bake?” Professor Banks asked.

I scanned around the room. No one raised their hand.

“Not a soul?” the professor asked, looking mildly perturbed.

Timidly, I raised my hand.

When the professor spotted me, she smiled. “Very good. What’s your name?”

“Lacey.”

“Lacey, what can you make?”

“I… A lot, actually. I run a kitchen in a restaurant back home.”

That brought a few murmurs from the crowd. The two girls sitting in front of me looked back.

“Ahh,” Professor Banks said with a nod. “Are you from Overthere?”

“Yes.”

“Anyone else from Overthere in the class this period?”

No one replied.

“My Wonderlandian friends, you may not know it, but most of us from Overthere grow up learning how to cook our own food.”

“We cook our food here too,” someone objected.

“And when was the last time you prepared anything without magical aid?”

No reply.

“You really run a restaurant?” someone in back asked.

The last thing I ever thought anyone would find interesting about me was that I was a short-order fry cook at a bar and grill. “Yeah. My family owns a restaurant. I work in the kitchen.”

“So glad I was almost late,” Aden whispered then gave me a wink.

“A Rosie who can cook. We all better watch ourselves,” Professor Banks said with a chuckle the others joined. “All right, class. This is how it will work. At your station, you’ll find all the ingredients you need to make Bumpalumps.”

“What do they do?” someone asked.

“You’ll see. Now, you have one hour to complete your task. Have at it.”

“But what do we do?” a student called, confusion in their voice.

“You read the recipe and bake,” the professor said with a smirk. “Good luck.”

I scanned through the ingredient list. The required elements were noted, but not the quantities. “Okay, standard stuff. Eggs, baking powder, butter, flour, sugar, and vanilla. And then the weird Wonderland stuff. Primrose elixir. Tumtum syrup. Grapeish crystals.”

Aden laughed. “Weird Wonderland stuff. What is vanilla, anyway?”

“A kind of sweet bean.”

“A sweet bean? In a cookie? Weird Overthere stuff.”

I chuckled.

“Okay, I’ll sort out the weird Wonderland stuff, and maybe you can show me how to do the rest?” Aden said.

“Do people here really not cook?”

Aden pointed at the pouch of fairy dust hanging from my belt. “It’s either something like that, a wand, a teacup, or some other kind of magic. Only alchemists cook with their hands.”

“Who knew I was an alchemist all this time.” I pulled out a bowl, spoon, and whisk and got to work, explaining each step to Aden as I went.

Unabashedly, the girls sitting in front of me paused every now and then to turn around and listen. Professor Banks pretended not to notice.

I looked at their bowl. They definitely needed help. “More flour, and you need to stir it more.” The girls stared at the substance in their bowl like it was potentially dangerous.

As I worked, I smelled each of the Wonderland ingredients. Tumtum syrup smelled distinctly like maple, so I worked it in the same way I would maple syrup. Primrose elixir came in the tiniest of vials. Guessing it would give the cookies a floral flavor, I used only the smallest drop.

“What about these?” Aden asked, shaking the grapeish crystals.

“We’ll form the dough into balls first,” I said, getting the dough ready. The grapeish crystals looked a lot like sprinkles. I lifted one. “Am I going to die if I eat one of these?” I asked Aden.

“Die? No. I don’t think so. But I can’t promise you won’t turn purple or something.”

Mustering my courage, I gave it a taste. It was sour as hell.

“Good lord, that’s awful,” I said, spitting it into a napkin. The tartness made my face screw up.

Aden laughed. “I think it’s mostly used for the cookies we eat on Frabjous Day.”

“Have you ever eaten a Bumpalump before?” I asked, sipping some water to get the awful taste out of my mouth.

Aden shook his head. “No, but the Frabjous Day cookies are sweet and sour.”

“Okay, we’ll add a dusting on after the cookies are done.” Opening the oven, I popped the cookies inside. I then pulled out my phone. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Aden watching me curiously. I set a timer then laid my phone on the work station.

“They don’t work here, do they?”

I shook my head. “No signal, but some of the apps still work.”

Aden smiled. “Was that your boyfriend?” he asked, motioning to the phone. He’d seen my screensaver.

The question always made me ache. Nick was my boyfriend. He would always be my boyfriend. “Yeah.”

“You must be missing him.”

“He… He died.”

Aden’s eyes grew wide, and he got the expression on his face like I’d slapped him. “Oh. I’m…I’m so sorry.”

“It’s all right. You didn’t know.”

Aden smiled sympathetically at me. “Sorry.”

I nodded. “Thanks.”

An awkward silence came between us. How in the hell do you follow up with that?

I glanced around the room. Some of the students were struggling to turn the oven on. At the station in front of us, the two girls from Diamonds had set their oven to five-hundred.

“Hey,” I whispered. “Set it to three hundred fifty, or they’ll burn.”

One of the girls smiled at me. “Oh! Thanks,” she said then adjusted the oven. “I’m Evie, by the way,” she said, then motioned to her station partner. “This is Emerson.”

“Lacey…and Aden.”

Both girls grinned at Aden.

“Your Highness,” Emerson whispered, her cheeks turning red.

“Please, just Aden,” Aden replied.

Emerson nodded, grinningly stupidly.

Evie turned back to me. “So, you’re from Overthere. How do you like Wonderland?”

“Now that I realize I’m not dreaming, and I’m not having some kind of mental breakdown, I’m feeling a lot better,” I replied.

The others chuckled.

“My mom’s best friend is from Overthere. Somewhere called Australia,” Emerson said.

“They brought someone from Australia?”

She shrugged. “I guess so.”

Evie nodded. “Well, we’re all in the same mess here. None of us know how to really use the magic until we’re sent to the Academy. Our parents teach us some, but they don’t know everything. And not all of them came here to study.”

“So, not everyone in Wonderland uses magic?” I asked, confused.

“Yes and no,” Aden clarified. “There is common magic, which everyone knows, but only those recruited to the Academy learn advanced skills.”

“Then what does everyone else do? Your parents…what do they do?” I asked Evie. It suddenly occurred to me that I’d spent the last twenty-four hours trying to wrap my head around the notion of Wonderland Academy. Wonderland itself was still a mystery to me.

“My mother is a law speaker. My father is a clockmaker. Hey, you haven’t seen any of Wonderland, have you? We should take her to Chester on Friday night,” Evie told Emerson.

“What’s Chester?”

“The town closest to here. There are some clubs there, places students from the Academy hang out.”

“That sounds interesting,” I said carefully.

“Let’s do it,” Evie said then turned to Aden. “Want to come?”

“This Friday?” he asked, suddenly looking squeamish.

Evie nodded.

Emerson stared at Aden with such intensity I thought she might faint.

“Yeah. Sure. Lacey will need a Wonderland guide anyway,” Aden said.

Emerson suppressed a million excited emotions, her face screwing up into an excited twist.

“Great,” Evie said.

“Students, clean up your stations while your Bumpalumps are in the oven,” Professor Banks called.

“We put them in the oven?” one of the boys at the station behind us asked his partner.

“I don’t know,” his partner replied.

“Can you see what the girl from Overthere did?” the first boy asked.

“Yeah, hers are in the oven.”

Professor Banks smothered a laugh. “Eyes on your own work, please. But yes, gentlemen, you put them in the oven.”

“Here, let me,” Aden said, grabbing the dirty dishes, getting to work washing them. “You did all the work.”

“Don’t congratulate me yet. I had to guess on the Wonderland ingredients. They may still explode,” I said, grabbing a towel.

“I have faith in you,” Aden replied with a laugh. “At least you knew to put them in the oven.”

I chuckled, but his choice of words softened something inside me. I couldn’t remember the last time anyone had faith in me—including myself.

Aden and I cleaned up the station, clearing off the dirty dishes and putting the ingredients away. I checked the timer on my phone. Almost there. I could just smell the scent of the baking cookies.

“Smell them?” I asked Aden.

“What?”

“The cookies. Can you smell them?”

He inhaled then nodded.

“That’s the first sign they’re almost done,” I said then motioned for him to crouch in front of the oven with me. I clicked the light on. “Second sign, they’re golden around the edges, but not burned. Just another minute more to make sure that gold color spreads a little.”

“I feel stupid that I don’t know any of this,” Aden said in a low voice. “I've been aggressively pampered most of my life.”

I gave him a sympathetic smile. “Well, at least you realize it. That’s the first step to recovery.”

He chuckled softly. “Thanks, Lacey.”

“No problem.” I turned my attention back to the cookies. “Okay, they’re good.”

Grabbing a potholder, I pulled the cookies out of the oven.

“Look,” one of the boys behind me said. “She took hers out. Take ours out.”

“Ours are still wet looking,” his partner answered.

“Take them out,” the boy’s partner hissed.

Evie and Emerson looked at our cookies.

“Wait until they’re golden around the edges,” I told them.

“We should take them off the tray, right?” Aden asked.

“Let them rest a minute.”

“What a funny idea, that the cookies should rest. Maybe you should be teaching this class.”

“Considering I have no idea what half of these ingredients are,” I said, motioning to the pantry nearby, “nor what these dishes do—the more dangerous question—I hardly think so. But thanks.”

As the cookies were resting, I grabbed a mortar and pestle and took out three grapeish crystals. I ground them to a fine powder. “They’re too sour whole. Just a little dusting will work…I think,” I told Aden.

A few moments later, Aden and I placed our cookies on some parchment paper to cool. I gave them a quick egg wash then dusted them with the grapeish crystal powder. Others soon began pulling out their creations. From what I could see, there were varying levels of success. Some were obviously burned. One was bubbling. Another group poured theirs off the pan. Evie and Emerson’s came out of the oven all right, but they were a dangerous purple color at the center, veins of purple creeping across their cookies. The professor circled the room, hiding her smirk as she went. She waited until all the cookies were out before she started lecturing.

“All right, everyone,” she said, returning to the front once more. “Now, let’s discuss. What does a Bumpalump cookie actually do?”

I glanced around the room. No one knew.

The professor slid a covered plate sitting on the front table toward her. Lifting the domed lid, she revealed a stack of golden brown cookies. She lifted one.

“This is a perfect specimen. I baked them this morning. Anyone willing to give it a try?” she said, offering it to the class.

“Me,” one of the boys called.

She motioned for him to come forward then handed him the cookie.

“A single bite should do it,” she told him.

The boy bit the cookie then chewed.

“How does it taste?” someone asked.

“Sweet and a little tart. A little like flowers…and…” the boy said, but as he spoke, he began to shift shape, becoming narrower and narrower. By the time he had finished his sentence, his appearance reminded me a lot of Gumby. He was wiggly like gum and had grown so thin, he looked almost two-dimensional.

“Bumpalump cookies will make you thin as paper,” Professor Banks explained. They give the eater a narrow window of time to make an escape: slip through a passage, slide under a door, even go through the tiniest of keyholes. A single bite will render the eater paper-thin and entirely flexible, but only for a few minutes. Impractical in most cases. But in rare cases, a single cookie could save your life.”

The student held out his arms, which were thin as paper, and waved them like noodles. As he shook his arms, however, his hand popped back into shape. Then his arms. Then legs. Then torso.

We all giggled to see it was his head that was the last to return to normal.

When it finally reformed, he gave it a shake.

“How are you feeling?” the professor asked him.

“Weird. And I kind of have a headache,” he said.

The professor nodded. “That’s normal. You’ll feel better in no time,” she said, then motioned for the student to take his seat.

“Now,” Professor Banks began, turning back to the class. “I spotted two stations that baked passable Bumpalump cookies. Congratulations to Evie and Emerson and Lacey and Aden.”

The professor clapped, most of the class joining her. In a way, I felt proud. I knew nothing about Wonderland, but growing up in the kitchen had taught me how to cook. I could sling some fries and make comfort food. If that was a skill most people in Wonderland didn’t have, I was in good shape.

“I’m very proud of everyone’s efforts today. Alchemy of Baking is a deceptively complex course. By the end of the semester, we’ll bake things that can increase your speed, strength, and intelligence. In Advanced Alchemy of Baking, students can learn even more complex recipes. Some of you may move on, some of you will learn enough here to create helpful rudimentary edibles. But either way, don’t let the perceived simplicity of the class fool you.

“For the next class, please be sure to read over the introductory material in your textbook. At the back of the room, you will find a stack of syllabi outlining all your assigned reading and exam dates. Pick one up on the way out. Oh, and leave your Bumpalump creations on your work station. Some pairs’ cookies could actually kill someone—we won’t say which. Nice to meet you all. See you on Wednesday,” she said, dismissing us.

“Thank you so much,” Evie told me.

Emerson nodded. “You saved us.”

“See you on Wednesday,” Evie said.

“And Friday, you and Aden can both come, right?” Emerson asked.

Aden nodded.

Emerson grinned widely.

I felt sorry for Aden. He was like the Wonderland version of Prince William or Prince Harry.

Professor Banks stopped by our table. “Evie, Emerson, well done. Your cookies look good, but you used too many grapeish crystals. If you eat these, you’ll be flexible for the rest of the month,” she said with a grin.

Evie chuckled. “Thank you, professor.”

“Thank you,” Emerson chimed in.

The girls gave us a wave then headed out.

Professor Banks turned to Aden and me. “The two of you…very well done. Did you grind the grapeish crystals into a powder?”

I nodded.

“It was all Lacey,” Aden said.

“You did your part,” I said.

Professor Banks grabbed a couple pieces of baking parchment. She slipped a single cookie into each, which she handed to each of us. “In case of emergencies. Just…don’t eat them on a windy day.”

“Thank you, professor,” I said.

“Thank you,” Aden told her.

She nodded then stepped to the station behind us, shaking her head as she looked over the cookies resting there.

“My next class is all the way across campus. Don’t want to be late again. I’ll catch you later?” Aden said to me.

I nodded.

“And thanks,” he added, gesturing to the cookie which he slipped into his bag. He headed out.

I packed up my things.

“How are you doing, Lacey?” the professor asked as she lifted one of the cookies from one of the work stations behind me. It was black and purple, like the color of a terrible wound, but so raw in the center that the middle fell out. Shaking her head, she dropped it into the trash.

“Okay, I think. I’m adjusting.”

“I’m also from our world, in case you hadn’t guessed.”

“How long have you been here?”

“Since my Academy days. Ironically, I was studying culinary arts when I was recruited. Seems I found my calling. So, you work in a kitchen?”

I nodded. “Who would have thought that would help me here?”

The professor smiled lightly. “You never know what skills will come in handy in Wonderland. But if you need anything or have questions, don’t be shy. I remember what it’s like. My office is in the corridor outside the classroom.”

“Thank you,” I said, and I honestly meant it. Professor Banks felt like just a regular person. She was one of the few I’d met so far.

“Good luck, Lacey. And welcome to Wonderland.”

I nodded, then headed out of the classroom.

Maybe this place wasn’t going to be so bad after all.

14

A Black and White

Taking out a pinch of fairy dust, I tossed it in front of me and said, “Coffee.”

The glimmering vine reappeared once more. I had no idea where it was going to lead. Maybe they had a Wonderland version of Starbucks. One could only be so lucky.

The vine wound past other classrooms and offices. I glanced inside as I went. Everything seemed so normal. Professors lectured at the front of the rooms, students took notes or worked in groups. Wonderland Academy, aside from the actual curriculum, seemed surprisingly similar to any college back home.

The vine turned, leading me down a set of stairs that led to the Quad. I was about to head out when a name outside one of the faculty offices caught my attention.

Hank Haberdasher.

That was who was listed as my recruiter.

I paused.

Would Professor Haberdasher know the rabbit?

I stopped and knocked on the door.

There was no answer.

I waited a few moments more then knocked again.

Nothing.

A moment later, the office beside Professor Haberdasher’s opened, and a woman appeared, an exasperated expression on her face. She had dark hair and steely eyes. She stared at me with such intensity that it made me shiver.

“Knock, knock, knock. Obviously, he’s not here right now,” the woman said. “What do you want?”

“I…I just had a question.”

“Professor Haberdasher is on sabbatical. I can tell him you stopped by. Who are you?”

“No. That’s okay.”

The professor stepped toward me. “I didn’t catch your name. Miss…”

“Lightfeather. Oona Lightfeather,” I answered then hurried off.

Be calm.

No one knows anything.

I glanced over my shoulder. The professor was glaring at me.

She’s probably just some nasty old relic. She doesn’t know anything about you.

But just in case… I needed to find the rabbit and get some answers. Soon.

The rose vine led me to the Quad. Students lingered at the picnic tables all around the courtyard, chatting or studying. Many were drinking tea from the cups they had holstered on their belts. I still hadn’t figured that one out yet, but most of the upperclassmen wore the teacup holsters.

I went to the first drink cart and studied the menu board. There were at least two hundred different blends of tea. In a tiny corner of the board, I spotted something called Untea. In parenthesis underneath was the word coffee. There were three ways to order coffee: black, white, or black and white. Did that just mean with or without cream—or partial cream? I wasn’t sure.

The boy in line in front of me ordered a cup of tea. He handed the cup and saucer on his belt to the barista who prepared his drink then gave his cup back to him. Suddenly I wondered if I needed my own cup. Was it a recycling thing or a Wonderland thing? I had no idea. All I knew was that I was in desperate need of a coffee, and despite the several hundred tea blends, there were only three coffee options. I stepped up to the cart.

“Yes, dear? What would you like?” the attendant asked.

“What’s a black and white coffee?” I asked the woman.

“It’s black and white.”

I opened my mouth to ask for a better explanation, then thought better of it. “It has caffeine, right?”

She nodded. “That it does.”

“All right, I’ll have that. I use the key to pay?”

The woman nodded. “Just stick it in the keypad,” she said, pointing.

Where one would typically find a credit card swiper was a bronze-colored box. I stuck my key inside and turned it. When I felt the key click, a cash register bell rang.

That was easy enough.

A sense of relief washed over me when I heard the familiar hiss of steam and the smell of rich coffee. I had no idea what a black and white coffee was going to taste like, but at that moment, I didn’t care. I was exhausted, my nerves in a jangled mess. I needed coffee.

A moment later, the woman handed me a to-go cup. “Here you are. Enjoy.”

I took the cup and went to one of the picnic tables. Curious, I opened the lid of the container. Inside, I found a coffee with two heads of foam. Half the coffee was topped with a frothy, mildly chocolate smelling foam that was so black it looked like it had been made with activated charcoal. The other side was topped with white foam that had a blueish tint.

“People from Overthere say it tastes a little like crème brûlée. I’ve never had crème brûlée, so I have no idea if that’s accurate or not,” someone said.

I looked up to find Vren standing there. “Hey. Crème brûlée or not, is it going to help me stay awake?”

He nodded. “Definitely.”

“Good. Then I don’t care how it tastes.”

Vren chuckled. “How are your classes?”

“Only one so far, Alchemy of Baking. It went better than I expected. You?”

“I’m done with classes for the day already. But I have jabberwocky practice this afternoon.”

“Jabberwocky practice?”

Vren nodded. “People race them.”

“There are jabberwockies here, at the Academy?” I took a sip of the coffee, aiming the cup in such a manner to get the tastes of both sides of the foam at once. It did taste a little like crème brûlée, but with a hint of chicory and something slightly salty. Whatever it tasted like, it didn’t taste like coffee, but the texture was the same. Not terrible.

“Look,” Vren said, pointing to the hills high above the Academy. “Do you see the ruins?”

I nodded. High above the valley over which the Academy looked was a mountain range. On the peaks, I spotted the remnants of an old castle.

“The jabberwockies keep their lairs there, but the trainers call them down for practice.”

“They obey?”

“They’re very loyal, intelligent creatures. But they don’t like to live near humans.”

“Well, you did say they were intelligent.”

Vren chuckled. “So what did you do before you got recruited here?”

Got locked in a psych ward, was traumatized with PTSD, slung fries every day of my life.

“I graduated from high school last year. I was taking a year off to decide what I wanted to do.”

“And then you fell into Wonderland.”

“Quite literally.”

Vren chuckled. “People from your world do very well here, acclimate quickly. That’s why the recruitment process is so rigorous. Most people from Overthere already know something about Wonderland, in a way.”

“You mean from Carroll’s books?”

Vren shook his head. “No. Well, yeah, that too, but a lot of people from Overthere see Wonderland before they even know what they’re looking at. My sister has a friend from Overthere. She got lost when she was a kid, spent an hour in Wonderland before she found her way back out. It’s crazy. A lot of people who come here say they thought they were psychic or something. Anything like that happen to you?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe…”

“Well, anyway, I need to go. If you see a jabberwocky flying by, don’t be alarmed. You’re not under attack.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said with a grin then waved goodbye.

I lifted my coffee and took another drink. The flavor was actually growing on me. As I sipped, I thought about his words. It actually made me feel better to know that all the weird stuff I’d seen all my life was actually normal for someone meant to come here.

I pulled out the pocket watch. Fifteen minutes until the next class.

I gathered up my things and rechecked my schedule. Next up was Teamancy. What in the hell was everyone’s obsession with tea around here?

I was about to find out.

15

Teamancy

I could hear the clatter of teacups long before I entered the classroom. The sweet scents of tea leaves and herbs perfumed the hallway outside. But there was something more. Just under the herbal smells, I caught the odd scents of sulfur and something syrupy I couldn’t quite identify.

I arrived at Teamancy class to find a classroom that looked like an English tea shop. The center of the room had been cleared save a very long, ornate rug. Café tables with pretty lace tablecloths and fresh flowers sat all around the carpet. Tiered plates with dainty afternoon tea snacks sat on the tables. The walls, papered in rose brocade, were lined with thousands of sets of teacups and saucers, all precariously stacked to the ceiling. Blends of tea in cylinder tubes hung from the ceiling to the sideboard counters that ran along the walls. Hot water bubbled in tall, ornate glass percolators. But intermixed with those, I also saw jar after jar of colorful flowers, dried herbs, feathers, bones, and sparkling dust.

A woman wearing a very tall hat adorned with a teapot, an apron, and a blue dress fluffed up with so much crinoline she looked like she’d just stepped out of a nineteen-fifties sitcom appeared from the back of the room. Like many others at the Academy, she wore a belt on which she carried a holster with a teacup, saucer, and spoon stored inside.

“I’m just…confused,” someone behind me whispered.

I turned around to find Taye standing there.

“That makes two of us,” I answered.

“In pairs, everyone. Please take a seat,” the professor called in a refined voice, gesturing nicely to the café tables situated around the room.

Taye and I settled in. Taye eyed the tray of sweets on the table hungrily. “I’m starving. Did you find anything to eat around here?

“I made cookies that will turn you thin as paper this morning,” I replied with a grin. “In the center Quad, there are drink and snack carts.”

“I’m too nervous to try anything,” Taye said with a laugh.

I grinned.

“Sit. Sit. Quiet, please. We must allow ourselves to steep in the mystique of Teamancy before we begin. Settle in. Quietly. Quietly. Settle in.”

“So, is this Wonderland hipster class?” Taye whispered to me.

I suppressed a chuckle.

The professor paced the floor until everything had grown so quiet that you could hear the hot water bubbling.

“Students, I am Professor LaMarie. It is my honor and privilege to teach you the refined art of Teamancy. In Wonderland, Teamancy is magic used by many but perfected by few. I assure you that if you pay the proper attention, your skill in Teamancy will rival that of many of the greatest magicians in Wonderland.”

The professor walked down the carpeted space between us, eyeing the students one by one.

“Those of you from Wonderland will have some familiarity with Teamancy, but has anyone actually ever seen it practiced?” Professor LaMarie asked.

Someone in the back raised their hand.

“Go ahead.”

“My mother uses tea leaves to divine the future. That’s a form of Teamancy, isn’t it?”

Professor LaMarie nodded. “Yes. Very good. Tea magic can be used for many different things. Tasseography is one form of Teamancy. Anyone else?”

Another student raised their hand. “My father works for the Queen of Spades in security. He always carries his teacup.”

“Why?” Professor LaMarie asked leadingly.

“Because…because of its magic. He uses it to cast protection shields and things like that. He’s created illusions for my sister and me.”

Professor LaMarie nodded. “Very good. Anyone else?”

A girl at the table beside Taye and me raised her hand.

“Yes?” Professor LaMarie called on her.

“My grandmother mixes tea when we’re sick.”

“Yes, the creation of healing teas is one of the noblest uses of Teamancy. Excellent. Teamancy has many uses, from the whimsical to divination to protection to use in combat.”

The professor returned to the front of the room where she grabbed a stack of pink papers then began handing them out. “On your syllabus, you will see that we will begin with basic Teamancy. We will learn to brew simple, helpful blends. We will then progress to Tasseography by midterm. We will end the semester with tea dueling. I suspect that last bit is what most of you are here for.”

Around the room, the students laughed lightly. I had no idea what they were talking about. I cast a glance at Taye, but she was paying no attention to me or the professor. Her eyes were still roving over the snack tray.

I glanced at the syllabus. Tea dueling—whatever that was—took up the last third of the class.

“Now, in order to give you a proper demonstration of the power of Teamancy, I decided we would have a little tea dueling demonstration. You are in for a treat, dear students. I have asked Professor Haberdasher to join us,” she said, motioning to the door.

At the table beside me, one of the girls gasped.

“Professor Haberdasher,” the girl whispered to her friend, her voice filled with awe.

Straining my neck, I turned to look. A handsome young man, hardly old enough to be a professor, was leaning against the door. He was wearing a green top hat, jeans, a T-shirt, and a blazer. Like Professor LaMarie, he wore a teacup holster on his belt.

“Professor,” he said, giving her a polite nod as he moved to join her on the rug at the center of the room. As he crossed the classroom, he eyed the crowd. When his eyes met mine, he paused for a moment, but moved on.

“Professor Haberdasher and I will demonstrate the proper etiquette for tea dueling. But keep in mind Teamancy’s many uses. This demonstration is simply to provide you with an idea of the most powerful end of the spectrum of Teamancy. Something to strive toward. A word of caution. Students must remain in their seats at all times during our demonstration, unless, of course, you don’t mind if we accidentally turn you into a teapot,” she said then turned to Professor Haberdasher. “Well, Hank. Shall we give them a show?”

“Go easy on me, Tiffin,” Professor Haberdasher said with a grin.

“Let’s show them what we can do,” she replied with a friendly wink. “Five paces?”

“All right.”

The professors met in the center of the room and shook one another’s hands.

“I don’t get it,” Taye whispered.

After that, they turned their backs to one another.

“Begin,” Professor LaMarie called.

The instructors then stepped away from one another, each counting aloud as they went. On the fifth step, they both turned, quickly placed their hands on their holsters, and pulled out their teacups.

Speaking an incantation I didn’t understand, Professor Haberdasher held his teacup in front of him and twirled his hand above the cup. A moment later, a bright ball of fiery purple flame appeared. He lobbed it at Professor LaMarie.

The students gasped.

The purple light was blinding. It drenched the entire room in its violet hue. Around the room, the teacups rattled.

At the same time, Professor LaMarie pulled both of her teacups from their holsters—she wore one on each hip. Her hands outstretched beside her, the cups floated several inches above her hands.

As Professor Haberdasher’s ball of purple light hurled toward her, Professor LaMarie whispered something I couldn’t hear. A moment later, jets of hissing steam blasted out of her cups toward the purple fire.

The two blasts of magic collided, the steam forming a barrier in the shape of a domed shield. The purple magic hit the shield with a deafening bang that rattled the china all around the room. The purple flame diffused with a puff of floral smelling smoke, the scent of which reminded me of burnt marshmallow and roses.

At that, the students clapped.

“I have no idea what the hell just happened, but that was awesome,” Taye said with a laugh, clapping.

Nodding, I joined her.

Professor LaMarie and Professor Haberdasher holstered their teacups then crossed the room to join one another, shaking hands once more.

“Students, let’s give Professor Haberdasher a round of applause for that fine display of the Crocus Fireball.”

We clapped once more.

“And to Professor LaMarie for her use of the Steam Shield,” Professor Haberdasher said, motioning.

Professor LaMarie curtseyed.

“Thank you, Hank,” she said, setting her hand on his arm.

He nodded at her. “Any time, Tiffin.”

“We’ll let Professor Haberdasher return to his research. Let’s give him one last round of applause,” Professor LaMarie said.

The students clapped happily.

“Now, I have a handout. Let me get that for you,” Professor LaMarie said then returned to the front of the classroom.

“That was awesome,” the excited girl beside me said once more.

As he exited the room, Professor Haberdasher caught my eye. This time, he gave me the slightest of nods.

“Do you think she’s going to let us eat these? I mean, she wouldn’t just put frosting in front of a room full of students and not feed us, right?” Taye asked as her gaze returned to the snacks once more.

Professor Haberdasher exited the room.

I turned back to Taye. “I…I’m sure she will. Unless they are part of an experiment. I think there is one thing for certain; you should never eat anything in Wonderland unless you know what it is.”

With a sigh, Taye sat back in her seat, her arms folded across her chest. “Isn’t that the truth.”

I cast a glance around the room. All of the students were talking in excited tones, staring in Professor Haberdasher’s wake.

“Hey, sorry. Overthere person. What’s the big deal about him?” I asked the girl sitting beside me. She was wearing a pin for Clubs on her lapel and looked nice enough.

“Besides the fact that he’s drop-dead gorgeous, Professor Haberdasher is the most famous Teamancer in Wonderland,” she said then leaned close to me. “His grandfather was the Hatter—you know about him, right?”

“Yes and no? I mean, I read Carroll’s books.”

The girl puffed air through her lips dismissively. “Rubbish, those. The Haberdashers sided with Stars during the Greatest of Disasters, but the Queen of Hearts spared the whole family for some reason no one knows about. It’s a huge conspiracy. He’s famous. And powerful. He teaches here, but I guess he’s on a break this semester. I tried to get into his class. No luck. People will even bribe the advisors to get their kids into his class,” she said with a laugh.

“Oh. I see. Thanks.”

The girl grinned. “No worries. Not every day you get to see a celebrity.”

She was right. Frowning, I looked toward the door. Now, the real question was, why was Professor Haberdasher listed as my recruiter when I had never met the famous—and, admittedly handsome—man before.

During the remainder of Teamancy class, Professor LaMarie explained to us—finally—the significance of the teacups many Wonderland Academy students wore.

“At the end of this course, when you achieve your basic competency in Teamancy, you will participate in a ceremony at which you will receive the teacup you will carry with you for the purposes of magic your entire life. We call it the holstering ceremony. Now, many people use Teamancy as an oracle. Others use it for potions—which can be used for more than just healing. Teamancers like Professor Haberdasher can use Teamancy for spells. For those of you from Overthere, you’ll find that Wonderlandians use teacups much like cauldrons or wands. And while you will all complete your tea ceremony, Teamancy may never speak to all of you in an advanced manner. But that’s the way of things. After all, you won’t see me getting on a jabberwocky anytime soon,” she said with a laugh.

“However, I hope the little demonstration with our resident Teamancy master inspired you. I want to show you what is possible before we return to the beginning with tea appreciation,” Professor LaMarie said then clapped her hands.

At that, the teacups sitting on the shelves above us began to slowly twist down toward our tables. Hot water hissed as teapots filled themselves, a pot floating toward each table.

“On the table before you are three tins of tea. Please open the tin marked with the purple label,” Professor LaMarie said. “I think we’ll begin the day with the delicate flavor of lavender butterfly seed and discuss how we pair a tea with the proper edibles. This task is best performed by drinking and eating,” she said with a friendly laugh.

“Thank god,” Taye whispered.

I agreed with her sentiment. My stomach rumbled at the thought of buttercream. But more than that, I was distracted. I glanced toward the door once more. I didn’t have another class until this afternoon. The look in Professor Haberdasher’s eyes confirmed what he suspected. He knew about me.

It was time to find out why, exactly, I’d been brought to Wonderland.

16

Hank Haberdasher

Not wanting to risk another run-in with the grumpy professor who had an office beside Professor Haberdasher, I waited until Teamancy was over to speak to Professor LaMarie to do a little digging.

“Professor,” I said, waiting patiently as she directed, with sparkly, magical soap bubbles, the class’s dirty dishes toward the sinks at the back of the room.

“Yes? Miss…”

“Crane.”

“What can I do for you, Miss Crane?”

“I just wanted to say I really enjoyed the class. I’m from Overthere. It was quite an experience for me.”

She laughed lightly. “I’m delighted to hear you say so.”

“Do you teach other courses?”

The professor smiled. “I teach different levels of Teamancy, Herbalism, some sections of Divination, and I’m also the advisor for the High Tea Club,” she said then turned and rifled through her things, procuring a piece of stationery, which she handed to me. “Why don’t you join us? We’re just getting started for this year.”

I glanced at the paper. On it was the details of the club meeting.

“Thank you so much. I will. I was wondering, is there a master schedule where I can see all the courses offered at the Academy? I’m afraid I’m still trying to wrap my head around everything.”

She nodded. “Outside advising. There is a list posted there.”

“Thank you. Oh, by the way, I was just wondering… What does Professor Haberdasher teach?”

“Wonderland Mythology, but he’s on sabbatical this semester. I could barely get him out of the library to give me a hand, but he’s such a celebrated Teamancer. I twisted his arm,” she said with a chuckle.

“I’m glad you did. It was…amazing. If you hadn’t blocked that spell, what would have happened?”

“I would have turned into a heap of flower petals.”

“Like…permanently?”

She chuckled. “An eloquent way to die. But a way to die, nonetheless.”

“Well, kudos on the steam then,” I said with a grin. Behind me, the students for Professor LaMarie’s next class started filtering in. “Thank you, professor. I’ll see you next class.”

“You too, Miss Crane.”

I pulled out my pocket watch. I had time for a little detour before my Creatures of Wonderland class.

Glancing across the Academy ground, I spotted the tall tower in the distance. No need to fairy dust this time. The library stood at the very center of the campus. A circular building absolutely covered in vines, it was impossible to miss.

I slung my backpack over my shoulder and headed in the direction of the library.

* * *

When I stepped into the library foyer, I was awestruck. The circular building was open in the center. From the floor to the ceiling, I saw nothing but books. Balconies on the upper floors overlooked the open space on the first floor. Students were sitting at tables, many of them already studying. The sight of it evoked some anxiety. I was a good student, but were the classes really going to be so difficult that people were already working? Maybe they were upperclassmen.

I was surprised when I saw something fly past. When I looked more closely, I realized it was a book. Hanging with their spines upward, the covers moving like wings, books were flying back to their shelves or to waiting students.

Light filtered in from the domed glass ceiling. Long rays of sunshine shined down, the rays reflecting on the glimmering gold and silver writing on the books and the brass lamps and detail work on the walls. The image was breathtaking.

“Can I help you?” someone called.

I looked back to see one of the three librarians sitting at the counter studying me carefully.

“Oh. I just… It’s beautiful,” I said, looking up.

She smiled. “It is. I wish I could see it again for the first time. Now, were you looking for something?”

“Someone, actually. Do you know if Professor Haberdasher is here?”

She tapped her finger on the table. “I’m not sure if he’s up there right now or not. If he is, try the eleventh floor, room twenty-three. Elevator to the left.”

“Thank you.”

I was relieved to know there was an elevator. Somehow, I envisioned I’d have to take a broomstick. A bank of elevators, however, sat just around the hall to the left. I took the elevator to the eleventh floor. When I emerged, I realized I was at the very top of the library. I went to the rail and looked over. The soles of my feet got tingling sensations, and I felt dizzy. It wasn’t the first time I’d been caught by vertigo. The same thing had happened to me at the Statue of Liberty on our eleventh-grade field trip to New York City. That tiny, five-second glimpse out the inches-thick window in Lady Liberty’s crown had seemed almost worth the vertigo at the time. Considering I’d been there with Nicholas, who wouldn’t go up without me, it merited the discomfort. At least he’d seen something extraordinary before he’d died. As I gazed down at the flying books and floor after floor of the beautiful library, I chided myself. Here was something else Nicholas would never see. I needed to be more grateful. I was in a magical world. I was being given a chance at a fresh start, a new life in a new place. I just needed to take it.

But first…

Eyeing the brass number plates above the doors, I hunted for room twenty-three. One girl was sitting in a room by herself, a mountain of books surrounding her. She never looked up as I passed. Otherwise, the other study rooms were empty. When I reached room twenty-three, I was surprised to find the door ajar.

“Professor Haberdasher?” I called lightly, rapping on the door.

The door opened, but he wasn’t inside. There was, however, a fresh cup of tea sitting beside a pen and a pile of papers. Steam effervesced from the cup. In it, I spotted the face of a watch. Like a stopwatch, the time was ticking down.

“Professor?” I called again. For all I knew, he was invisible, or had shapeshifted into a pen, or was something else I didn’t expect.

I eyed the room.

On the wall, there were charts and maps. The table was piled high with books, many of which were written in languages I didn’t recognize. I was surprised to see a laptop sitting there. It was open to the internet. The browser had settled onto the webpage for my local newspaper back home. The professor was reading an article about the shooting.

The stopwatch made of tea steam buzzed loudly, making me jump.

“Miss Crane?” a soft voice said.

I turned to find Professor Haberdasher there. Casting a glance over his shoulder, he closed the door behind us.

“Professor Haberdasher, I—”

“Can I help you with something?” he asked. He came around me and closed his laptop.

“I thought you couldn’t get internet in Wonderland,” I said.

“You can. With special permit. Now, what can I help you with?”

“I saw your name on my recruitment papers. The admissions counselor said you were the one who identified me for recruitment.”

“Oh, no. There’s some mistake. I’m on sabbatical—”

“If you are my recruiter, I want to know why you brought me here.”

“As I said, I’m on sabbatical this semester. I’m doing research, not working with students.”

“So I see,” I said, motioning to the laptop.

The professor and I stared at one another.

“I did see what you’re researching,” I told him.

“Miss Crane—”

“And you know my name.”

The professor frowned at me, a look of exasperation on his face. He motioned for me to wait a minute. He then pulled out his teacup and moved closer to me, so close that I could see the flecks of brown in his bright green eyes. Waving his hand over his cup, he whispered something. A moment later, a blue bubble formed around us.

“Lacey, you shouldn’t have come here.”

“Why not?”

“It’s better that we aren’t seen together.”

“Someone needs to tell me what I’m doing here.”

“Studying, like all the other students.”

I huffed with frustration. “That’s not what I mean, and you know it.”

“I do know it. But for now, you just need to attend your classes and learn as much as you can.”

“Why?”

“Because a day is coming when we will need you. You must be ready.”

“We who? Ready for what? If I’m in danger, then you need to send me back before someone figures out I’m not supposed to be here. I didn’t ask for this. Don’t you see what you’ve done? You’ve brought me to a school where I am not safe. Don’t you see the irony in that? I know what you were reading. Isn’t the irony obvious?”

“You are safe here. No one knows who you are.”

“Until they do.”

“No one will know. We’ve gone to great lengths to ensure that no one will know.”

“We who? This place is magic. You can’t keep a secret in a place like this.”

“Do you mean to tell me you want to go back to the life you had? That’s not a better life.”

“Better than dead.”

“Is it?”

I thought about his words. It had been almost a year since Nicholas died. A year wasn’t long to grieve. My whole future had died with Nicholas. All my dreams. Since then, I’d just…drifted. The others had moved on. I just couldn’t. In a way, Professor Haberdasher was right. Wonderland was an escape from that world, that misery. I wasn’t happy there. I wasn’t living. Since I’d arrived in Wonderland, I’d laughed and smiled for the first time in months. But still.

“Look, I admit, we should have warned you. But if someone like me showed up and asked you to come to a magical land, told you that lives were at stake, would you have just wandered off with me?” Professor Haberdasher said.

“I probably would have shared the lithium with you. But whose lives are at stake? Be straight with me. What am I doing here? Why me? I mean, I know my name…but why bother? I’m no one special.”

Professor Haberdasher lifted one of the books off his table. He turned the spine so I could see the emblem of the Kingdom of Stars. “When you came to Wonderland, what happened in the Hall of Doors?”

I looked from him to the book. “The star door unlocked for me, but it wouldn’t open.”

“The door is barred with magic from this side. No one can enter through the star door, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be unlocked. Only someone extraordinary can unlock that door. You. Do you know why?”

“Because my name is Alice.”

“Yes.”

“When the first Alice came to Wonderland, she fought alongside the King and Queen of Star Kingdom. She tried to prevent the Kingdom of Hearts from taking over Wonderland, from subduing the other kingdoms and worse. The Eternity Rose foretold that the Kingdom of Hearts would destroy Wonderland. Alice tried to stop them. She failed. The entire Kingdom of Stars was condemned.

“The Kingdom of Hearts sought ultimate power, and in the rebellion of Stars, they won it. Hearts rule Wonderland. Outside the walls of this Academy, Wonderland is crumbling. The Kingdom of Hearts is taking control. They rule Diamonds and Clubs. They have crushed Roses. Only Spades has the power to stand neutral.”

“I get it. Wonderland politics is a mess. But what does that have to do with me? Why drag me into this mess? I’m no fighter.”

“Not yet. But you will be.”

“Because my name is Alice?”

“Look, this isn’t the time nor place to delve further into this. Right now, study and blend in. Learn what you can, but please don’t seek us out. You put us all at risk when you do so. We will come to you.”

“What if someone finds out who I am?”

“Show me your pocket watch.”

I pulled it out and handed it to him.

“If you must return to Overthere, set your watch like this,” he said, resetting the time to 10:37, and rolling the date back to the day I had left home. “Once the watch is in position, click this button three times, then step through the nearest mirror. That will take you back to Overthere where you will be…safer.” He handed the watch back to me.

“You’ve forgotten something important,” I said.

“That is?”

“Even if I leave Wonderland, if someone discovers my true identity, I won’t be safe at home either.”

“I haven’t forgotten. That is why you need to go study.”

“So, in case someone tries to kill me, I’ll be ready.”

“Yes.”

“Wonderful.”

He smirked. “It is Wonderland.”

“Not comforting.”

“Lacey, you do belong here. Just have a little faith.”

“And don’t get killed.”

“And don’t tell anyone what I’ve told you.”

“Or my name.”

“Especially not that.”

I huffed a laugh.

He nodded. “We’re sorry to throw you into the fire like this. But the more you see, the more you will understand.” He snapped his fingers, and the bubble around us dissipated. “Yes, that was the Crocus Fireball, but as I was saying, it is an advanced spell, and I really must get back to my research. Now, if you join Professor LaMarie’s High Tea Club, you’ll learn more. I highly suggest you join,” he said, giving me a knowing look.

“Thank you, professor. It was impressive. I’m sorry to take up your time.”

“No problem. Nice to meet you, Miss Crane.”

“You too, professor,” I said and then exited the study room.

So, there was a rebellion brewing in Wonderland, and for some reason, I was at the heart of it all. I still had no idea why. After all, what had I done except have the wrong name?

17

Creatures of Wonderland

Hugging my pocket watch to my chest, I wound down the steps of the library. As I went, I tried to wrap my head around what Professor Haberdasher had said. I hated secrets, and the professor wasn’t very forthcoming. They needed me for what? I was here to help. How? I felt frustrated by his obscurity. A line from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland popped into my head, “one can’t believe in impossible things.”

Now I knew why Carroll had written that.

How many impossible things had I already seen since I’d come here? Wonderland itself was impossible. But I let myself believe. I’d grown up with Narnia and Middle Earth. I’d devoured tales of Westeros and imagined disappearing through platform nine and three-quarters. I’d envisioned traveling through time in a phone booth and living in a galaxy far, far away. I wanted to believe in magic. I wanted it to be real. I loved every story or movie that came along that created a world I could get lost in because…because I had always known. There, on the edges of my senses, magic had always lived and breathed. I had felt its power just outside my grasp.

The impossible. Wonderland was real.

My pocket watch chimed.

Dammit.

Only fifteen minutes until my next class.

I cast a glance up at the top floor of the library where Professor Haberdasher was decidedly not working on anything college-sanctioned.

I shoved my watch into my pocket and quickened my step. Dipping into my bag of fairy dust, I said, “Creatures of Wonderland—Tiger Lily Field,” then tossed some dust in front of me.

The vine appeared once more, unfurling across the ground. Gripping my backpack firmly, I headed off. Wonderful. Not only was my life on the line, but now I was late for class.

* * *

When I arrived at the Tiger Lily Field, students were still gathering around a table set up on the green. The professor, a slender woman with green hair, was there welcoming the others.

“That’s right, come in close so you can all see,” she said. “Spread around the table.”

Hoping my lateness had gone unnoticed, I found a spot in the back. I was straining to see what the others were looking at when I realized that I was standing beside the guy with the tattoos I had met at the welcome party. He still had his sleeves rolled up on his forearms, but today he was wearing his tie and waistcoat like the other male students.

I cast a glance at him.

He looked down at me. I hadn’t noticed before, but his eyes were a startling shade of bright blue. “We just started,” he whispered. “You’re good.”

“Thanks.”

“All right. Welcome, everyone. I am Professor Lorekin, and we are here to learn about the creatures of Wonderland. The purpose of this class is, primarily, to teach you about one of the most important creatures in Wonderland—the jabberwocky—so those of you who want to take Jabberwocky Riding 101 next semester are ready. But there are, of course, other important mythical creatures found only in Wonderland: unicorns, dodo birds, griffins, borogoves, momeraths, and the assorted insects like the bread-and-butterfly, each of which we’ll cover in turn.”

“Unicorns,” I whispered.

They actually had unicorns.

“Now, come close and have a look at this table. Here we have some biofacts from the jabberwocky. Can anyone tell me, what is a biofact?”

I eyed the table. There were bones and teeth on display.

“Like an artifact,” someone said.

“Exactly,” the Professor answered, then lifted a bone off the table. “This is a jawbone of an immature jabberwocky,” she said. The bone was as long as her arm. “A bite from the teeth of a living jabberwocky is poisonous. This poor creature did not survive, so no poison remains. I’ll pass it around so everyone can have a look.”

The students took turns examining the bone.

“I’m not touching that,” I heard a female voice hiss. I followed the sound to see Aden’s sister, Amber.

Terrific.

“I assure you, it’s quite sanitary, Princess Cerise.”

The two girls standing in front of me, both dressed in uniforms with the gray, white, and black stripes of Spades, looked at one another and rolled their eyes.

Amber folded her arms across her chest when the jawbone came to her. The other students passed it around her.

The girls in front of me examined the biofact then handed it back to me. The teeth had been filed down, removing the sharp points. But if this was an adolescent, I could only imagine the size of an adult.

Excitement fluttered inside me. This was real. They had real dragons. Grinning at the thought, I handed it to the guy beside me.

He nodded, a hint of a smile on his lips. “That would be a wicked bite.”

Once the jaw bone had passed around the class, the professor sent around other artifacts: a single tooth, a jar with an eyeball inside, a toenail that was as long as the jaw bone, and more, explaining each piece as she went.

I studied the professor, noticing the glimmering green vines that decorated her fingers. The vines almost looked like henna tattoos, except they were sparkling. I had seen the same mark on some students. Eyeing the crowd, I noticed that the students wearing uniforms with green and purple, the color of Clubs, also had that green sparkle on their hands.

“The last biofact I want you to see is this,” she said, lifting a broken shell. The shell shimmered like lapis lazuli under the morning sunlight. “It’s quite fragile. This is a jabberwocky egg. Now, for those of you who want a closer look, step forward. Everyone else, please go have a seat in the bleachers.”

Amber Cerise and her pals headed off. The rest of us stepped forward to examine the eggshell. The deep blue and gold color of the outer shell shimmered in the sunlight. But on the inside, the shell was covered entirely in sapphires.

“How long does it take a jabberwocky egg to hatch?” a student asked.

“A year,” the professor replied. “There are usually a pair of eggs per nest.”

“How long does a jabberwocky live?” I asked.

The professor smiled at me. “Hundreds of years.”

“Any natural predators?” the guy with the ink asked.

“None except us. But it is forbidden to harm a jabberwocky. And I wouldn’t dare try. They are brilliant creatures. They form an almost telepathic connection with their owners.”

“What about the Bandersnatch?” someone asked. “Isn’t it a natural predator?”

The professor’s face went stiff, and the other students turned to look at whoever had asked the question. I was surprised—and also not surprised—to see Vren standing there.

“No one even knows if the Bandersnatch is still alive. But yes, in theory, the Bandersnatch could kill a jabberwocky. Now, why don’t we all have a seat?”

I caught Vren’s gaze. There was a playful sparkle in his eyes.

We went to the bleachers. Losing Vren in the crowd, I sat down beside the guy with the tattoos. I glanced behind me, spotting Amber. To my surprise, she was eyeing the guy beside me with such unapologetic interest that it was embarrassing.

Granted, he was very good looking. He was tall, muscularly built, and had that broody don’t bother me aura about him that appealed to women. But sometimes that aura meant what it said—he didn’t want to be bothered. The only problem was that guys like him inevitably ended up with women like Amber. It was a pity, really.

“Ever find a cup of coffee?” he asked me.

“Yes. But it wasn’t exactly coffee. In fact, they call coffee untea here. I’m Lacey, by the way.”

“Corbin.”

“You’re in Spades?” I asked, eyeing the lapel on his waistcoat.

He nodded. “They won’t let me go home, so I guess I’m going to magic school now. You?”

“Rose Chambers. Apparently, I’m going to learn to shapeshift into a fairy.”

He shook his head and chuckled. “Did you think you were having hallucinations?”

“I suspected I was still in the hospital tranq’ed up on Thorazine.”

“Still? I thought something similar. Now…” he said then spread his hands wide as if he didn’t quite know what to say. When he did so, however, I got a better look at the tattoos on his arms. Amongst the designs, I noticed a Magic Eight Ball.

“So what does the Magic Eight Ball say about this place?” I asked, gently touching the tattoo.

He huffed a laugh. “Ask again later. You wouldn’t believe how much talk the ink has stirred up in Wonderland. Evidently, people don’t tattoo here.”

Grinning, I crossed my legs then pulled down my sock to show my ankle. I tapped the small unicorn tattoo there. A fat little unicorn with a rainbow mane and tail glided over a cloud-covered moon and a starry sky. In a fit of nonsensical rebellion—seriously, Mom squealed with delight and wanted one too when I showed her, hardly a rebellion—Nick and I had dared one another to get tattoos. He’d ended up with a penguin wearing a top hat and a massive gold chain necklace with my name written on it. And if you looked closely at the cloud on my ankle, in the swirls, you could see Nick’s name. Our badass cartoon tattoos.

“Not as biker as yours, but in case it makes you feel better,” I said with a grin.

“Is that a unicorn?” he asked, a bemused expression on his face.

“It is,” I said with a laugh.

“Seen one yet?”

I shook my head.

“Students, you did very well examining the biofacts, but I think it’s time we have a look at the real thing.” The professor blew a whistle, the piercing noise making my ears ring. The sound reverberated on the visible plane. I watched as the waves of sound echoed toward the ruins on the mountaintop in the distance.

The class quieted as everyone watched.

A few moments later, a dark shadow lifted into the skyline and began moving toward us.

I held my breath as the airplane sized beast moved toward the green.

It was as big as the dragons of lore. With broad, leathery wings, a long, whip-like tail, horns, and feet with long claws, the jabberwocky slowed, lowering itself onto the ground in front of us. Its scales were a deep blue color and glistened in the sunshine. The creature gave a soft bellow followed by a series of nickers as Professor Lorekin patted the beast on its neck.

“Students, you may step forward. Keep behind the white line. Taryn will not harm you. She is a gentle beast, but for safety’s sake…”

Corbin and I stepped to the front of the line, both of us staring wide-eyed.

The jabberwocky eyed the students, her green eyes taking us in as she sniffed the wind, catching our scents. Finding something that interested her, she moved toward the class.

The ground shook as the jabberwocky drew close. She eyed us all, sniffing as she looked us over.

My heart slammed in my chest when she stopped before me, turning her giant eye to see me more clearly.

“Find something interesting, Taryn?” Professor Lorekin asked, patting the jabberwocky on her neck. “Your name?” the professor asked me.

“Lacey Crane.”

The professor nodded.

The dragon shifted and eyed Corbin as well, drawing in a deep breath as she neared him.

“And you?” the professor asked.

“Corbin Daniels.”

“Both from Overthere?”

We nodded.

“Must be what got her so interested,” the professor said. “Newcomers, Taryn,” the professor told the jabberwocky.

The dragon huffed at us, blowing our hair back.

“Jabberwockies are widely considered the wisest creatures in Wonderland. Their link to their rider makes them a force to be reckoned with. And, as Wonderlandians already know, jabberwocky racing is a favorite sport in Wonderland. While gentle creatures like Taryn might permit someone to ride them, only someone with the skill to tame a jabberwocky will ever be able to race. In this class, we will learn the fundamentals of magical beasts like the jabberwocky and others. Those of you with the disposition to become a tamer will move on to take my next class on jabberwocky riding and racing.”

“Are they usually wild creatures?” I asked.

The professor bobbed her head from side to side. “Yes and no. Many of the great houses in Wonderland keep jabberwockies. In that instance, the jabberwockies are tame. But in their natural habitat, they roam freely. The jabberwockies looked after by the Academy choose to work with us, choose to help us learn about them.”

“You make it sound like those of us who keep jabberwockies are doing something wrong, like we’re forcing them,” Amber said, frowning hard at the professor.

“Not at all. If the jabberwocky chooses to stay with the family, then there is nothing wrong with that.”

Amber, still looking perturbed, glared at the professor. “Star Kingdom was swarming with jabberwockies.”

“Which was the choice of the jabberwockies,” the professor retorted sharply then turned back to the massive creature in front of me. “Thank you,” she said, setting her hand on the creature’s brow.

The jabberwocky huffed. Pausing one last time, the beast pushed her nose toward Corbin and inhaled deeply.

“What do I do?” Corbin asked the professor.

“She seems to like you. You can touch her. Just go easy.”

Moving carefully, Corbin set his hand on the creature’s brow.

The creature let out a series of clicks.

After a moment, Taryn turned from us, then leaped into the air once more. The draft from her massive wings swooshed toward us. I moved quickly to hold down my ridiculously short skirt.

“Thanks a lot, dragon,” I huffed under my breath.

Corbin chuckled.

“Well, now we know there is at least one future jabberwocky rider in our midst,” Professor Lorekin said, grinning at Corbin. “Why don’t you all take a seat? I have some handouts for you.”

“What did she feel like?” I asked Corbin.

“Bumpy…and surprisingly warm.”

“Hey,” I heard a voice call from behind us. “Spades.”

I glanced back. It was Amber, of course.

Corbin flicked a look over his shoulder but didn’t say anything.

“Good job,” she told him. “Talk to my brother. You should join the team.”

He bobbed his chin at her but didn’t acknowledge her otherwise.

Pretending not to pay any attention to the exchange, I pulled my textbook from my bag.

“Just what I need,” Corbin grumbled under his breath.

“Hmm,” I mused lightly. “She is a princess.”

“Exactly,” he said then turned and dug into his own bag. “I don’t have a problem with princesses per se, but that princess? The Magic Eight Ball says hell no.”

I swallowed a laugh then turned back to my book, feeling unreasonably glad about Corbin’s answer.

18

Bread-and-Butter Chips

After class, I headed back toward the main area of campus. Corbin and I walked together.

“Do you have any other classes today?” I asked him.

He shook his head. “Done. Now I have a million pages to read for classes I didn’t enroll for at a college I didn’t apply to.”

I laughed. “Same.”

“What do you think of this place?” Corbin asked.

We both paused as an airship drifted overhead. The airship’s balloon was black with a red heart. Mixed emotions washed over me. Aden, from what I had seen so far, was a good person. But his family had a dark history, and Amber gave off some not nice vibes.

“I haven’t decided yet,” I replied, my voice filled with apprehension.

“Do you… Do you have a minute?”

“Aside from needing to read a million pages for classes I didn’t enroll for at a college I didn’t apply to? Sure.”

He smiled lightly. “Come on. There’s something you should see.”

Corbin led me across the campus green toward a section of the college I hadn’t visited yet. We followed a flight of stairs that wound along the cliff on which the campus sat. As we went, I smelled the tang of minerals. Glimmering stones that looked like opals were embedded into the rocks. We came to a set of doors over which was the crest for Spades.

“Is this your chambers?” I asked.

He nodded. “They’re underground.”

“That’s…unusual.”

“The entire Kingdom of Spades is underground.”

“Are they dwarves?” I asked with a grin.

Corbin chuckled. “No. Well, I don’t think so. I haven’t met any dwarves yet, but the chambers were built by dwarves, so they must be lurking around somewhere. Come on.”

Rather than going inside, he led me down another set of stairs that emerged into a terrace carved into the cliff. The veranda was very close to the waterfall. We went to the rail. A gentle mist blew all over me. I held out my hand to feel the water.

“Beautiful,” I said.

“Agreed. But that’s not what I wanted to show you,” Corbin said, motioning for me to follow him.

Corbin led me through a narrow cave that led to another terrace. Here, I found a view that overlooked a section of the valley otherwise hidden from sight. Corbin set down his bag and went to the handrail. He studied the ground below, looking from left to right. Spotting something, he motioned for me to join him.

“There,” he said, pointing. “Just at the edge of the forest.”

I stepped beside him and looked. In the high grasses dotted with wildflowers, I spotted the glimmering white coats of a small herd of unicorns. Their manes and tails were silver-toned, but I saw highlights of pastel colors therein. Their horns, silver and gold, glimmered in the sunlight.

I gasped.

“I came out here last night to get some quiet. That’s when I saw them. There is a colt. He’s sleeping now. There, by the red flowers,” Corbin said. “Last night, he was chasing fireflies.”

“I,” I began then paused, unsure what to say. “This place…”

Corbin nodded. “Yeah, this place.”

“Thank you,” I said, smiling at him.

“I figured you’d like them. You know, the tattoo…”

“They’re beautiful.”

Corbin rubbed the back of his neck. “So they are. I was going to study. I don’t think anyone would mind if you stayed. It’s a common area. Unless you have plans…”

I shook my head. “No. Just lots to read.”

Corbin nodded, grabbed his bag, then went over to one of the nearby tables. He unloaded his things while I stood there, watching the unicorns graze. They acted just like horses, moving slowly as they ate. My eyes welled with tears. This place was everything I’d ever dreamed of.

Nick, can you see this?

It was just too bad that I was probably going to die here.

“Ever find anything to eat?” Corbin asked. “I polished off my energy bar, but I bought a bag of something that I think is the Wonderland equivalent of chips.”

I looked over my shoulder at Corbin. In the very least, I’d somehow found another misfit like myself.

“Thanks,” I said then joined him at the table. “I made a cookie this morning that will turn you as thin as paper. Besides that, just the weird coffee.”

He huffed a laugh. “These are Plantato Chips,” he said, offering the open bag to me.

I took a chip.

So did Corbin.

We both paused, then looked at one another.

Shrugging, I tried it.

Corbin stared at me.

“Am I turning blue? Translucent? Shrinking?” I asked.

He shook his head. “How are they?”

“They taste salty…and what I’d imagine butter to taste like if you could fry it solid.”

Corbin tried his. “Not bad.”

Settling into one of the chairs, I pulled out my Alchemy of Baking textbook and flipped to the first chapter. One thing was sure; it would be very helpful to know what to eat in Wonderland. Considering Corbin and I had just taken our lives into our hands trying a bag of chips, this was one class I needed to advance in quickly.

I eyed the textbook he pulled out. The cover was black and had a skull on the cover. “What class is that?”

“Necromancy.”

“No shit?”

“No shit.”

“Dark stuff. Suppose they were profiling?” I asked with a grin then turned back to my book.

“Profiling?”

“Your ink…Maybe they took you for a dark magic rebel.”

“And how do you know I’m not a dark magic rebel?”

“Well, if I assumed that, I’d be profiling.”

He laughed. “And what’s that?” he asked, looking at my book.

“The Alchemy of Baking.”

He shook his head. “Profiling.”

“What, because I’m a girl?”

“Of course.”

“There are guys in the class.”

Corbin nodded slowly, sarcastically. “Sure.”

I grinned. “My family owns a bar and grill. I’m good with a cooking class.”

“Well my family members are not morticians,” Corbin said. “Nonetheless…”

“Profiling,” I whispered again.

“Shh, or I won’t let you have anymore fried butter chips. Didn’t Professor Lorekin say there was something called a bread-and-butterfly? We’re eating dead butterflies.”

I giggled. “Now you’ve gone and ruined it. That’s just mean.”

Corbin laughed then shifted the bag of chips toward me. “More dead butterflies?”

I grabbed a handful. “Yes, thank you,” I said, then got to work.

It was early evening when I decided it was time to head back to Rose Chambers. I packed up my bags and looked down at the valley at the unicorns one last time.

“Thank you for showing me,” I told Corbin, motioning to the unicorns.

Corbin rose and joined me. “What do you have tomorrow?”

I pulled out my schedule. “History of Wonderland, Wildcrafting, and Magical Weapons.”

Corbin pulled out his phone and flipped to his pictures. “What time is your History of Wonderland?”

“At one-thirty.”

He nodded. “Same.”

“Cool. See you there, then.”

“You know your way back?”

“Nope, but I have this,” I said then took a tiny pinch of fairy dust from the pouch on my belt. “Rose Chambers,” I said, tossing it before me. At once, the flower vine twisted off.

“Interesting.”

“Fairy magic.”

“All right, Tinkerbell, see you tomorrow then.”

“Thanks for the view…and the dead butterflies.”

He huffed a soft laugh then stuck his hands into his pocket.

“Bye,” I said then slung my backpack over my shoulder and headed off.

As I went, I could feel Corbin’s eyes on me.

I knew he was waiting to see if I would look back.

And I knew what it meant if I did.

I also knew what it meant for me if I did. Inside my pocket, I squeezed my hand around my phone, imagining the picture of Nicholas there. When I reached the cave, I paused to look down at the valley one last time.

I wouldn’t look back.

I wasn’t ready.

I didn’t want to give Corbin the wrong idea. I couldn’t even think of something like that.

I turned to move on.

But something in my gut tugged at me. Before I knew what I was doing, I cast a glance over my shoulder to find Corbin standing there, gazing back at me.

He inclined his head to me.

I gave him a slight nod then headed off, following the rose vine.

What the hell, Lacey?

Seriously. What the hell?

* * *

When I arrived in Rose Chambers, the other students were milling about. I could hear laughter in the common room, and from the kitchenette, I caught a whiff of food. My stomach growled. Apparently, butterfly wings and crème brûlée coffee weren’t going to hold me.

A bright ball of light zipped out of the tree and appeared at my side, shifting into the full-sized form of Pip. “There you are,” she said with a smile. “I was getting worried.”

“Oh. I was just studying.”

“You can study here if you want. There is lots of space in the commons.”

I shrugged, not wanting to get into it.

“Come on. Let’s see what we have to eat,” she said then we headed to the kitchenette. When we entered, I found another student slathering a piece of bread with more jam than it could reasonably hold.

“You can take anything you want from the pantry,” Pip told me. “We have your standard stock, much of which is the same here as in Overthere, with just slight flavor differences. For example, pinkberry muffins,” she said, pointing to a glass dome with startling pink muffins sitting on the counter. “There is an oven here and a refrigerator, technology we brought over from Overthere. Everything here is fine to eat, nothing magical.”

“Thanks.”

“How were your classes?”

“Good so far. I saw a jabberwocky.”

Pip smiled. “They’re always impressive. Tamers are pretty rare though. Do you have any questions about anything?”

I shook my head. “Oh, wait. There’s no internet here, right…not anywhere? The library?”

Pip frowned. “Well, I think some of the professors have access to Overthere internet, but no, not for the rest of us.”

“So all the schoolwork is handwritten?”

“Most of it. But we do have typewriters. There is one in your room at the bottom of your wardrobe.”

“I see. Thanks.”

“No problem. Okay, then. See you later,” Pip said, then in the blink of an eye, shifted form once more and zipped out of the room.

I grabbed one of the muffins she had pointed out, a bottle of cold tea in the refrigerator, and fruit that looked mostly like an apple except it was purple, and headed back upstairs. At some point, I was going to have to figure out how to get a proper meal—not that I ever ate a proper meal at home either. But I could do with some fries.

Once I was back in my room, I changed into shorts and a T-shirt Nan had packed.

I was exhausted.

And overwhelmed.

And confused.

I lay down on my bed and closed my eyes.

Wonderland was like walking into the books I loved. It was an escape from my world. And today…today I met someone who sparked something inside of me that had no business sparking to life.

But it had.

Butterfly wing chips and tattoos and all.

I pulled out my phone and activated the screen. I smiled when I saw Nicholas looking back at me. But all at once, I was overwhelmed with a deep sense of guilt. After all these months, I had noticed someone. I didn’t need to feel guilty about that. It wasn’t like I had run off and fell in love or kissed a guy or had a one night stand or anything stupid. I had noticed someone who was in the same confusing and amazing situation that I was in. And we felt simpatico in our weirdness.

Nicholas would understand that, right? I mean, there wasn’t anything more to it. Corbin was just being nice and not looking for drama, which was what I was trying to avoid as well.

You know, aside from living under a death sentence.

Nothing to worry about there at all.

But it was worth it.

After all…unicorns.

19

The Golem, the Tiger, and the Vorpal Sword

My pocket watch pinged the following morning, waking me an hour before my first class, which was Magical Weapons Training. My notes for the class advised that I wear an Academy fitness uniform. I was thrilled to get out of my too-short skirt and into a pair of athletic pants and a Rose Chambers T-shirt, but fitness clothes and Wonderland Academy left me with some huge questions. What was I getting into now, wrestling a bandersnatch? Or was it the Bandersnatch. I wasn’t sure. But whatever a bandersnatch was, Vren had silenced the room mentioning it.

After what happened at the high school, Mom had insisted I take a self-defense class at the local community center. Something told me that knowing how to escape a chokehold wasn’t going to be enough. I felt edgy and nervous at the thought of fighting in school. In the end, I convinced myself that this was likely little more than a physical education class.

The rose vine led me to a section of the campus not far from the jabberwocky field. I eyed the ruins on the mountain above, just making out the outline of a jabberwocky coasting in, alighting on a tower.

I slowed as the rose vine led me toward an arena. The place, made entirely of stone, reminded me of a Roman coliseum.

“Hey, Lacey,” a voice called from behind me.

I turned to see Aden there, two other guys from Hearts beside him. He was also dressed in sports clothes.

“Hey,” I said, adjusting my backpack.

Aden stopped, motioning for the others to go on. “You okay? Are you lost?”

“Oh. No, I have class here now,” I said, pointing to the arena.

“They put you in Magical Weapons 200?” he asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

“Yeah. I guess,” I replied.

“That’s weird. They don’t usually put freshmen into the class.”

“Aren’t you a freshman?” I asked.

“Yeah, but…” he said then shifted awkwardly. “I had some personal trainers at home. They thought I should go into the advanced course.”

Of course he did.

Ugh.

Don’t be classist, Lacey. Maybe his family was a mess, but Aden was fine. In fact, he was quickly becoming a friend.

I frowned. “Maybe I shouldn’t be in this class. Should I talk to my advisor?” I asked, suddenly feeling nervous.

“It should be all right. Stay by me. Let’s go,” Aden said.

I didn’t know what to expect when I entered, but there were about a dozen students in the class, most of whom were upperclassmen. Of those, there were only three other girls.

The other students gave Aden some solid side-eye—most were just curious, I guessed—but it was so obvious that it made me feel annoyed for him. Since I wasn’t from Wonderland, I wasn’t awe-struck. In the end, Aden was just a nice guy…from the ruling family who would kill me if they knew my real name.

Awesome.

As I looked around, I realized there wasn’t anyone from Rose Chambers in the class.

One of the girls who was stretching eyed my T-shirt. “Rosie?” she asked, a look of surprise on her face.

I gave a little nod.

“Huh,” she said, then gave her friend a look.

The friend shrugged.

I felt both embarrassed and annoyed. “What’s wrong with that?” I asked.

The girl shook her head. “No offense. Really. Just…Rosies never take this class.”

“Hey, a fairy can be a badass too, Elissa,” one of the boys chided her.

The girl shrugged. “I’m not trying to say anything. It’s just unusual.”

I looked at Aden. “You sure about this?” I whispered to him.

“I’m with them. I want to see a fairy with a sword,” Aden said with a grin.

“You know I have no idea how to shapeshift into a fairy, right?”

Aden chuckled. “You’ll learn.”

It was then that I noticed the other guys from Hearts eyeing me. I remembered what Oona said. But I also got the distinct impression that everyone from Hearts was pretty up on themselves, with the exception of Aden. I really hoped Aden wasn’t trying to make some charity case out of me.

“Ah. There they are,” one of the upperclassmen said, looking toward a gateway that led under the arena seats. A massive man, who was at least seven feet tall and made of muscle, pulled a chest on wheels toward us. Along with him came a snow-white tiger dressed in leather combat gear. He stalked on his rear legs, his stride long and lean. The tiger’s chest was a ripple of muscle.

The big man stopped, setting the chest down beside a long table. He opened it up to reveal armor and weapons which he began setting out.

The tiger stepped forward, eyeing us all over. His glance paused when he saw me, his gaze flicking toward the emblem on my T-shirt, but he continued on.

“Prince Cerise,” he said, eyeing Aden closely. “Your name was not on my roster.”

“I had a schedule change. My advisor moved me into this class, so I had more time for jabberwocky training in the afternoon.”

The tiger nodded slowly, but his nostrils flexed with annoyance. “I’m glad advising was able to accommodate your schedule,” he said flatly.

I looked at Aden out of the corner of my eye. So far, everyone had been kissing his ass. It didn’t surprise me that the first negative attitude I’d noticed had come from someone who was descended from Stars.

Aden’s cheeks flushed red, but he didn’t say anything.

“Very well. Since most of you suffered through my class last year but chose to return, I suppose that says something. Now, there was one other unfamiliar name,” the Professor said, looking at me. “Miss Crane, yes?”

“Yes, professor.”

“Very well. I’m Professor Warg. This is Magical Weapons Training 200. In this class, you will learn by doing. You will pass or fail by doing. Therefore, let us begin. We will start with a basic review,” he said then motioned for us to come to the table where the assistant had set out the armor and weapons.

The professor went to the front of the table. “Last semester, I introduced you to theory, fundamentals, and we began basic combat training. This semester, we will consider a hands-on approach. What are the most important skills any warrior in Wonderland needs to know?”

The girl, Elissa, raised her hand.

Professor Warg nodded to her.

“Battle spells—offensive and defensive—weapons—including wands, staves, or teacups, and hand-to-hand.”

Professor Warg nodded. “Very good,” he said then grabbed a tall staff leaning against the side of the table. “Wands and staves,” he said. Stepping back, he gave the staff a spin then lifted it forcefully in front of him. A blast of something that looked like lightning shot from the staff across the arena, eviscerating one of the straw dummies. “I trust you have all taken Teamancy?”

The other students nodded.

The professor looked at me. “Miss Crane, is it on your schedule?”

“Yes, professor.”

“Very good.”

Aden moved to speak, but the professor ignored him.

“We will work with wands and staves later this term. Teamancy has its place. We will work on incorporating it into your skillset later this semester. For now, let’s sweat out some of that extra plump vacation put on the lot of you,” he said with a good-natured smile.

The students chuckled.

The professor motioned to his assistant. The big man grabbed a small box then moved down the line of students. From within the box, he pulled out a silver bracelet and gave one to each of us.

As he drew near, I got a closer look at the man. He wasn’t actually a man at all. On closer inspection, I realized he was made out of wood.

A golem.

I took the bracelet from his outstretched hand and slipped it on. When I did so, the bracelet glowed bright gold. Shimmering light surrounded me, a warm feeling flushing on my skin. Then the bracelet changed size, squeezing snug on my wrist.

“What is this?” I asked Aden.

“It’s a protective charm,” Aden explained. “It creates a magical field around you to protect you from harm. Good for training, just in case anything goes wrong. We wear them during jabberwocky riding as well.”

I nodded, then eyed Aden over. He looked unnerved. Surely he had to expect that if some people in Wonderland didn’t like his parents’ rule, it would affect him.

Professor Warg motioned to Elissa and one of the guys from Clubs. He handed them both a sword and shield and motioned for them to enter one of the many circles outlined on the ground.

“Elissa and Marq have prepared a demonstration of what you will be learning this semester. Easy, please,” Professor Warg told them with a grin, a slight purr in his voice.

The students saluted one another with their swords then after a moment, advanced on one another. Their swords clanged as they fought, each blocking the other’s advance with their shields. I watched in fascination as they circled one another. Their swords clanged. Elissa ducked and blocked, spinning to counter-attack. Marq parried her offensive moves. Then Elissa stepped back and began whispering under her breath. A moment later, her sword burst into flame.

The students cheered.

“Go, Elissa!” her friend called.

“Come on, Marq,” one of the guys from Spades yelled.

Marq stepped back, then lifted his shield. He too whispered an enchantment.

Elissa moved in to strike.

Marq’s shield turned translucent. It wasn’t until the flaming sword hit the shield with a hiss that I realized what he’d done. He’d cast some sort of water enchantment on the shield which had put out Elissa’s blaze.

“Hold,” Professor Warg called.

The students paused, both of them breathless. They grinned at one another.

“Very well done,” Professor Warg told them, bowing.

They returned the gesture.

Everyone, including Aden and me, clapped for Elissa and Marq. I could hardly believe I was going to learn how to do that.

Professor Warg turned, his tail swishing behind him. He picked up one of the swords from the table. “Elissa and Marq have been practicing elemental spells this summer. Those of you with the skill will learn how to enhance your weapons with the same enchantments. Today, however, we’ll begin with simple sparring to get you warmed up. Everyone grab some gear and a partner.”

“Come on,” Aden said, motioning for me to come with him.

We went to the table and picked up helmets, swords, and shields, then Aden and I headed to one of the sparring rings.

“You do anything like this back home?” Aden asked.

“I took a basic self-defense class.”

“What’s that?”

“Well, if you try to attack me, I know to gouge your eyes out and kick you in the balls.”

Aden winced then chuckled. “Please don’t do any of that.”

I smiled. “As long as you don’t chop me in half.”

“I won’t. The amulet won’t let that happen. See?” he said, then lightly swung his sword toward his arm. The weapon bounced right off.

“These must be handy in a real battle then,” I said, looking at the bracelet.

Aden shook his head. “There are spells to undo the magic.”

“I see,” I said then lifted the sword. “All right. Let’s give this a try.”

Aden nodded then took a spot across the circle from me. “Hold your shield like this,” he said, modeling. “It’s proper etiquette to stand in this manner. Lift and lower your sword in salute to your opponent.”

I followed his movements.

“Good. Now you’re ready,” Aden said.

“Okay, now what?” I asked.

Aden chuckled. “Try to win—disarm me. Let’s go, Overthere.”

Gripping my sword and shield, I firmed up my stance. Channeling my inner Katniss, I moved toward him, my hand wrapped tightly around the pommel of my sword, my shield in front of me.

Aden took the first strike.

I held my ground and blocked with the shield.

“Good,” someone called from behind me.

I recognized Professor Warg’s voice, but I didn’t look back.

Aden, however, glanced toward the professor. When he did so, I advanced, catching Aden off guard. He jumped back, barely blocking in time. Seeing him in retreat, I advanced again. Aden’s sword clanged against mine.

“All right, Overthere,” Aden said with a grin. “Well done,” he said then advanced on me.

When he swung his sword, I threw up my shield then dodged quickly to the side.

“Now the dance begins,” Professor Warg said, a purr in his voice.

I focused on my opponent. A competitive urge splashed up in me. I hated that I was an outsider here. I hated that everyone seemed to have some preconceived notions of who I was and how I would be. I hated that my name made me some kind of target. For what? I had never done anything wrong. I wasn’t going to hurt anyone. Maybe if I did well here, maybe if I showed them who I really was and what I could do, my name wouldn’t matter. Maybe they’d let me stay. But for now, the last thing I wanted to be was the freshman fairy girl from Overthere who didn’t know what she was doing. And, I especially didn’t want the next ruler of Wonderland to take pity on me. I wanted to show them I deserved to be here.

Aden and I moved around the ring, dirt kicking up under our feet.

All around us, the other students fought hard. I could hear both their grunts and their laughs. The sound of metal upon metal clanged throughout the stadium.

I held my ground, not letting Aden get the better of me. But he was good. It was obvious he’d had professional training. I watched how he moved and worked hard to imitate him. We had just gotten into a fray once more when the professor called, “Hold.”

Panting hard, I lowered my sword.

Aden did the same.

“Very good, students. Very good. Weapons down. Helmets off.”

I set the weapons on the ground then pulled off my helmet. I was sweating like hell. But it felt good. I felt strong. I felt strong in a way I hadn’t for a long time. And I liked it.

Aden grinned at me, evoking a dimple in his cheek. “I seriously think you underestimated what you picked up in that self-defense class.”

“Nah. I probably just watched Terminator too many times.”

“What’s Terminator?”

“A movie.”

“Oh. We don’t have that one here. What’s it about?”

“Robots who kill people.”

Aden stared at me. “And you watch that for fun?”

I chuckled. “Of course. How else can one prepare for a robot invasion? Robot movies always end with robots trying to kill people. We need to be ready.”

Grinning, Aden shook his head.

Professor Warg motioned to his assistant who rolled forward another chest. Opening it, the assistant revealed a case of glimmering silver swords.

“Whoa,” Aden whispered.

Professor Warg selected one of the swords from the case then turned to us once more.

“I’m pleased to see you haven’t forgotten what you learned last semester,” he said. “Class is half over, but I’d like to get us started with something new today. Can anyone tell me what this is?” he asked, hoisting the sword so we all could see.

Elissa raised her hand.

He nodded at her.

“It’s a vorpal sword,” she said.

Professor Warg nodded. “And what does a vorpal sword do?”

“It channels the elements of the kingdoms of Wonderland. Fire for Hearts, air for Diamonds, water for Spades, earth for Clubs, fairy flame for Rose, and…well, I guess we don’t channel Stars anymore.”

“And starlight for Stars,” Professor Warg said then looked at the vorpal sword. “The vorpal sword is an elemental blade. It is commonly used in combat due to its ability to imbue the elements. In their demonstration today, Elissa and Marq used primitive weapons that can hold elemental enchantments for a short time only. But a vorpal sword… Properly bespelled, a vorpal sword becomes the element made whole, wieldable. If wielded properly, a vorpal sword will bond to its wielder, making the wielder and the sword one. In a way, the vorpal sword is the most powerful weapon in Wonderland. Aside from words. This semester, you will begin your work with this ancient Wonderland weapon,” he said then motioned for the golem assistant to begin handing out the swords.

“Since I don’t want anyone to catch on fire today, we will begin with a simple water enchantment. Those of you in Spades will find this enchantment comes naturally to you. Others may have more difficulty coaxing the vorpal sword to obey your command. The spell used to imbue your weapon is simple: touched with water,” he said.

Professor Warg passed his hand over the vorpal sword he was holding, speaking in a low voice. A moment later, the sword shifted form then became a blade made of water. It still retained its form, but it was translucent and wet. “The words are simple, but the spell itself comes from a place beyond the mind. You must believe that you can shift the sword into water. You must believe it is possible. You must make it possible,” he said. The professor waved his hand over the sword he was holding, whispering under his breath. The sword became solid once more. He handed the blade to one of the students. “Now, class, you will try.”

The golem came around once more, handing us each a vorpal sword. It was lighter than it looked.

“Can you do it already?” I asked Aden.

He shook his head. “I’ve used a vorpal sword before, but could never get it to enhance with a spell.”

I glanced around the class. Elissa and Marq had already transformed their blades. Both held swords made of water.

Aden followed my gaze. “Elissa’s parents are elite guards for the Kingdom of Spades. Marq’s father is a guard for the Queen of Clubs.”

No wonder.

Aden lifted his sword and began whispering the spell.

I gazed at my vorpal sword. It was long, slim, and had a shivery-blueish sheen. It didn’t look like any metal I’d ever seen before. It shined like chrome. I considered the problem. In theory, all I had to do was speak a spell to the blade, and it would spring to life. Impossible. But how many impossible things had I already seen since I’d come to Wonderland?

I glanced up at Professor Warg who was surveying the class.

“A tiger is my professor,” I whispered to myself then held my sword out in front of me. I envisioned the water sword in my mind. “Touched with water,” I said then motioned my hand above the blade.

The metal shimmered, the blade becoming translucent. A moment later, I felt a chill as the sword shifted to water. Not believing my eyes, I lifted the blade. It was still as solid as ever but made entirely of water.

“Well done,” Professor Warg said, moving to join me.

I moved the blade back and forth, watching as the water shimmered in the sunlight.

Grinning, I smiled at him.

Behind the professor, several students were staring at me in disbelief. Elissa stood with her hand on her hip, grinning at me.

“Good job, Rosie,” she called.

I smiled at her then turned to Aden.

“Well done,” he said, but I saw that strained look of swallowed jealousy on his face. He turned back to his sword, trying his own enchantment once more.

The professor joined me. “Well done, Miss Crane. I am guessing you’ve never used a vorpal sword before?”

I laughed. “I’ve never even seen a real sword before. But I remember the vorpal sword from Carroll’s book—the jabberwocky poem.”

Professor Warg nodded thoughtfully, his clawed paw under his chin. “How did you manage it so quickly?”

“You asked me to do the impossible. Everything about Wonderland is impossible. I mean, I fell through a hole that appeared in the floor of my house and landed here. It wasn’t hard to suspend my disbelief.”

“Tell it, touched by fire,” Professor Warg said.

I looked up at the professor. I hadn’t noticed before, but he had startling green eyes. He stared at me then nodded to the sword.

“Are you sure?” I asked.

He nodded again. “Suspend your disbelief a little more.”

I looked at the sword once again. I inhaled deeply, fixed the idea of a flaming sword in my mind, then moved my hand over the blade. “Touched by fire,” I whispered.

The movement of the water stopped. I heard a hiss of steam. A second later, the blade erupted into fire in my hands. I could feel the heat, but it didn’t burn me. The flame flickered and sparked.

“Professor,” I whispered, looking up at him.

He nodded, a grin on his face. “Well done, Miss Crane. Very well done. Now, when you are done, simply give the element your thanks then dismiss it.”

I looked at the sword. “Thank you,” I said, letting my gratitude flow from me to the weapon. “You are dismissed.”

The flame died, and the sword went back to being only metal once more.

While I was staring at the sword, I could feel the eyes of the other students on me. On the one hand, pride swelled in my chest. But I could also feel jealousy.

“Go, Rosie,” Elissa called with a whoop.

“Guess she showed you,” Marq called to Elissa.

“I love it when a sister can prove me wrong,” Elissa said with a laugh.

I grinned at her.

Professor Warg nodded to me. “Very good. Carry on,” he said then began circling the class once more.

“How did you do it so fast?” Aden asked me.

“I think it helped that everything here is so strange to me. Why wouldn’t it work? I saw someone summon a fireball from a teacup yesterday, the teaching assistant is a golem, and our professor is a tiger. It’s all…mad.”

Aden nodded. “All right. Good point. The impossible.”

“Killer robots?” I suggested with a grin.

“Right. Robots,” Aden said then looked at the sword. “Robots,” he added under his breath then he concentrated.

I watched as he considered his sword. He whispered the spell, but nothing happened. Turning, I looked at the other students. Aside from Elissa, Marq, and me, only one other student—a boy from Clubs—had managed to transform the sword.

I felt sorry for Aden. No matter how hard he tried, the sword would not cooperate.

Professor Warg circled the class once more then returned to the front.

“Students, it’s almost time to depart. If you were able to conjure the water enchantment today, please dismiss the enchantment by thanking the sword. When you’re done, stow your gear. The spa is open if needed.”

“I can’t get it,” Aden said with a shake of the head. His brow was scrunched with frustration.

“It’s all right. It was your first try.”

“It’s just…my mother will be so pissed,” he said in a low voice, quickly eyeing the other students from Hearts.

“Everyone needs time to learn, even future kings,” I said with a sympathetic smile.

He smiled appreciatively. “I need some of your impossible. Next time you go to Overthere, you need to bring me back a copy of your robot movie.”

“I’ll be sure to do that,” I said with a grin.

We returned our equipment to the table. I pulled out my pocket watch. I had an hour and a half before my next class. I grabbed my bag.

“Lacey, right?” Elissa called, jogging up to me.

I nodded.

“Have you found the spa yet?”

“Spa?”

“Yeah, we have showers and stuff.”

“Oh. No,” I said, shaking my head.

“Come on. I’ll show you. Thanks, Professor Warg.”

The professor lifted his paw to wave farewell.

“I need to get cleaned up before my next class,” I told Aden.

“I need to get going too,” Aden said. I could see he was still upset. He gave me a half-smile. “See you later.”

I nodded. “See you.”

Turning, I followed Elissa who led me to the spa.

“Fire and water on your first day. Very well done,” she told me. “Did I hear His Majesty say you were from Overthere?”

“His Majesty?”

“Oh, Aden Cerise,” she said then rolled her eyes. “Like anyone cares about him and his sister. All of Wonderland is over Hearts.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

She shrugged. “Nothing. So, Overthere?”

I nodded.

“A Rosie from Overthere who is a natural at magical weapons. Just wait until you get your fairy flame power. You’ll be able to destroy half of Wonderland if you wanted to,” Elissa said with a laugh.

I smiled nervously.

Elissa led me down a hallway under the arena seats that led to stairs that went underground. We emerged in a large room in which steaming water flowed from a pipe in the wall into a blue-green pool around which stood columns and marble statues.

“It’s a natural hot spring,” Elissa told me. “You’re welcome to take a soak in there. There should be a swimsuit with your uniforms. There are showers, a sauna, changing area,” she said, pointing. “You can come here whenever you like, not just when you’re in the arena. The hot spring is perfection. Anyway, I need to grab a quick shower before my next class. Need anything?”

“No, but thank you,” I said, surprised to find she was actually nice.

She nodded. “You were awesome out there today. No one expects a Rosie to kick ass. Not even me. Sorry about my attitude earlier. I need to learn to keep that shit in check.”

“It’s all right.”

She shook her head. “No, it wasn’t. It’s not like I’m an asshole from Hearts. Why don’t we get together for some sparring? Friday morning?”

“If you’re sure, that would be great. I didn’t even take the first level course. I could use a tutor.”

“Wait, you didn’t even take 100?”

I shook my head.

“Weird. Okay, then I’ll see you Friday morning,” she said with a grin then headed in the direction of the showers.

I set my bag down and went to the end of the hot spring. Pulling off my shoes and socks, I stuck my feet into the water. It was as warm as a hot tub. I eyed the statues circling the bath. Each one depicted a queen wearing a crown. And on each crown was the symbol of the kingdoms. They were all depicted, including the Queen of Stars. I studied the statue. The diadem the Queen of Stars wore included a full moon at the center, two half-moons on the sides, and stars around the circlet. Her eyes looked up. I followed the statue’s gaze to see that the ceiling over the pool had been painted to look like the night’s sky. There, I saw all the constellations.

The Queen of Stars was a stargazer.

Not a warrior.

Not a tyrant.

What in the hell had happened in Wonderland?

20

Roses and Thorns in my Side

The hot-spring infused shower was like something out of a dream. Warm water flowed from an opening overhead, cascading like a waterfall over me. I could smell the soft tang of minerals in the water.

When I was in junior high, my mom’s friend, Becca, got married. Mom was a bridesmaid. Becca invited us to join her for a spa day. That was the one and only time I’d ever sat in a sauna or even got a manicure. I’d felt like a princess. As I let the warm water wash over me, trickling down to the stone floor, I relished the same feeling. Our old shower barely had water pressure, half the jets were clogged, and the bathtub didn’t hold water anymore. Being broke sucked. Being in Wonderland was…wonderful.

Was time really passing differently here?

It felt like it.

Steam filled the shower room.

Elissa had gone, a group of girls who’d been at jabberwocky riding filtered in after her, chatting loudly as they got ready for their next class.

My pocket watch sitting on the stoop just outside my shower stall dinged.

Sighing, I turned off the water, grabbed my towel, and got out. I was drying off when I heard the familiar voice of Amber Cerise.

“Yeah, he’s in Necromancy with me,” she was telling someone.

“He’s hot as hell. No guy in Wonderland looks like that,” another girl replied.

“You get his name?”

“Not yet,” Amber replied.

“He’s not really the Wonderland type.”

“No, thank god.”

They both laughed.

“There is no way Her Majesty would approve of someone from Overthere,” Amber’s friend said.

“Who says she has to know? I’d never bring anyone like that home. To bed, yes. Home, no,” Amber said.

Both girls laughed again.

“And you tease Aden for loving all the strays,” the girl chided Amber playfully.

“Aden-the-pleaser. He wants everyone to like him.”

“Well, that’s good, right? I mean, he will be King of Hearts.”

Amber harrumphed. “I know. But he doesn’t have to be nice to everyone. That girl from Overthere… She’s pretty in that Overthere kind of way, but some people just aren’t on our level, Overthere or Wonderland. Aden doesn’t get it.”

“I hate to tell you, but the hot tattooed guy from Overthere is not on your level.”

Amber laughed. “Which will make him all the more fun when I catch him.”

The two girls laughed, then wandered off.

So, a slutty, stuck-up bitch in Wonderland was the same as a slutty, stuck-up bitch back home. No surprise there. Of course, in this case, Amber was a princess, and not the Disney variety. So, a slutty, stuck-up bitch princess. Lovely.

I had always done a good job steering clear of girls like her back home. I sure as hell wanted nothing to do with someone like that here.

Frowning, I dried off and started redressing. It disgusted me to hear her talk about Corbin like that. Okay, he was rough around the edges, but he was a nice guy. And he’d been thoughtful enough to show me the unicorns. And the jabberwocky had liked him. That meant something, right? Her level. Screw girls like Amber.

I pulled my wet hair into a braid then slipped out of the changing booth. Leaving my spa slippers at the door, I slid on my shoes and headed out.

When I emerged in the arena once more, I saw that Professor Warg was setting up for the next class. Several students had already arrived, including Corbin.

Like he had sensed my gaze, he looked up at me.

I gave him a little wave.

He smiled lightly, gesturing hello.

Professor Warg turned and looked over his shoulder, following Corbin’s gaze. Seeing me there, he inclined his head to me.

At least a few things were going well. The professors seemed to like me, my classes were good so far, and I’d made a few friends.

I smiled at Corbin.

Amber was right. He really was gorgeous.

Okay, Lacey. Really?

I turned and hurried out of the arena. Now, if I could just survive Wildcrafting—whatever the hell that was—I’d be all set.

My pocket watch dinged—twice. I was getting late. I dipped my fingers into the fairy dust and tossed it in front of me. “Wildcrafting, Bread-and-Butterfly Garden,” I said. Moving quickly, I followed the vine across campus. At this point, I was starting to get the layout of the place.

The vine led me back toward the garden where I’d first arrived in Wonderland. I followed the vine to a group of students, many of whom I recognized, including Taye, Vren, Evie from Alchemy of Baking, and Oona. The students were sitting on wooden benches. There was a raised platform at the front, but no professor yet. I joined Taye, Vren, and Oona.

“Hey,” I whispered to them, turning to wave to Evie who was sitting in the back with some other girls from Diamonds.

Evie returned the gesture.

Taye smiled at me. “So, how’s the madness going for you?”

“I made a sword catch on fire this morning. You?”

“History of Wonderland.”

“I have that this afternoon. How was it?”

“Well, nothing about the Mayflower or Abraham Lincoln, that’s for sure. It’s…a lot to take in.”

I leaned toward Oona, who was sitting on the other side of Taye. “What’s this class about?”

Oona smiled, but there was wickedness in her grin. “Flowers.”

I frowned playfully at her. “Sure.”

She laughed.

A moment later, a ball of glimmering light zipped over the class, coming to a stop at the platform at the front. The professor shifted form from a fairy to human-sized.

Was I really going to be able to learn how to do that?

The professor had hot pink hair and was wearing a pair of multi-pocketed pants and a simple pink T-shirt with a bee emblem on it. Like Professor Haberdasher, she looked almost too young to be a teacher.

“Sorry I’m late,” she said. “Got stuck in a meeting. Luckily, I was able to squeeze out of the keyhole with no one noticing,” she said then grinned.

Several students tittered lightly.

“I’m Professor Amaranth. Most people call me Ama. You can call me Professor Amaranth.”

Again, she paused and grinned at us.

Okay, she was the funny one. Taye and I cast one another a quick glance.

The professor chuckled to herself then continued. “So, Wildcrafting 100. What is this class about?”

“Flowers,” I whispered, shooting Oona a knowing glance.

She winked at me.

Vren raised his hand.

“Yes! You,” she said, pointing to him.

“Reagent collection, I think.”

She nodded. “Yes. Yes. That’s exactly right. Good.”

“What in the hell is a reagent?” someone behind me whispered.

“Good question,” Taye echoed in a low voice.

“In this class, we will engage with the natural wonders of Wonderland to acquire the items we need to make magical foods, use in Teamancy, and for other general magical purposes—like healing. Anyone taking Naturopathy?”

I looked behind me. A few students raised their hands. I frowned. I had been handed my schedule without a single question about what I might want to study. Missus Brownlow had said they’d preselected the courses for me based on my personality. That was all well and good, but had they picked the classes for me because of my own interests or because my name was Alice?

“Good, we have healers in the class. You’ll be able to help when the snapdragons bite off our fingers,” she said with a laugh. “Okay, come with me.” The professor turned and motioned for all of us to follow her down a path into the garden. “Oh, and grab your journals and a pen!”

We followed her into the garden.

“This garden is one of the oldest in Wonderland. Many flowers in our world are sentient. Many, but not all. Those flowers and plants that are not sentient offer us basic ingredients—reagents—for food and other uses like making clothing or cleaning products. But in Wonderland, where the roots run deep and thick with magic, many of our flowers genuinely live.

“In Wildcrafting, you will learn about both the nonsentient and the sentient plants in Wonderland. We will learn to identify species, grow plants, and we will learn and converse with the flowers at Wonderland Academy. Now, come along. I want to introduce you to one of the oldest, wisest, and most remarkable beings in Wonderland.”

We headed into the garden behind the professor. To call the place a garden was an understatement. Many of the flowers here were as tall as me. Mushrooms towered over us. A butterfly alighted on one of the flowers. I paused to look at it. The wings of the butterfly looked just like toast, the body of the butterfly a yellow color.

“Bread-and-butterfly,” Oona told me.

“It really does look like toast with butter.”

She chuckled. “Wait until you get your wings. You think Wonderland is interesting now. From fairy size, it’s going to be even more so—or, at least, that’s what my parents tell me.”

I studied Oona. With her pale skin, long lashes, and flowing curly pink hair, I had no doubt that if anyone would be able to turn into a fairy, it was her.

The flowers Natter had called mood flowers changed colors as each of the students passed, turning soft pink for Oona and yellow for me. The professor led us through an arch to a fenced part of the garden. There, a tall orange flower grew.

Professor Amaranth cleared her throat.

The flower, whose petals had been closed, blossomed open. I was surprised to make out a face at the center.

“Lady Tiger Lily,” the professor said with a bow.

The tiger lily yawned tiredly then turned her flowery head from the professor to the class.

“Oh, joy. More students,” she said then turned as if she wanted to go back to sleep.

“Yes, isn’t it wonderful,” Professor Amaranth replied, clapping her hands.

“If by wonderful you mean horrible, then yes,” the lily answered. “My word, what an ugly lot too,” she added, frowning at us.

“That’s rude,” Taye commented under her breath.

“We heard that,” a chorus of voices shouted.

I looked behind me to find a row of daisies glaring down at Taye.

“Well, it was rude,” Taye said, crossing her arms.

“Students, as many of you know, the flower spirits in Wonderland are holders of great magic. Their roots absorb the magic energy of this place, allowing them to converse with us—”

“Or not,” the tiger lily said, scowling at the professor.

“—with Wonderlandians and those from Overthere.”

“Overthere,” another flower, this time a large purple violet, scoffed. “Where they pick flowers without permission. Heathens!”

The daisies shrieked.

“No one from my class will be picking anything without permission,” Professor Amaranth said. “These students have come to learn from you,” she told the tiger lily.

“I’m not teaching this semester. We decided,” the tiger lily told the professor.

At that, the professor looked confused. “No? So, who is?”

“Rose,” the tiger lily answered with a yawn then turned as if she wanted to go back to sleep.

“Wait. What?” Professor Amaranth asked, a hint of alarm in her voice. “Which rose?”

“The Eternity Rose. Now go away,” the tiger lily said then closed up her petals.

Oona gasped.

Wide-eyed, the professor turned to us. “Class…we…something very rare has happened. The Eternity Rose has bloomed once more,” she said, her voice full of awe.

I looked at Oona, who exchanged a glance with Vren.

Behind Taye and me, the other students from Wonderland were chatting among themselves in excited whispers.

“What’s the big deal?” Taye whispered.

“What’s the big deal, Overthere asks,” a flower behind Taye said, the sound of disgust in her voice. “Stupid girl.”

“Rude,” Taye told the flower.

Regaining her composure, the professor said, “There are three eternal beings in Wonderland. The Caterpillar—a powerful oracle, the legendary Bandersnatch, and the Eternity Rose. Wonderland Academy was built here, around the garden of the Eternity Rose, to protect this precious entity. The Eternity Rose guides Wonderland in the darkest times, but it has not woken since The Greatest of Disasters. The re-awakening of the Eternity Rose is said to be a harbinger of—Oh, my giddy aunt! Read chapters one through three for next time. Class dismissed!” Professor Amaranth said then shifted into her fairy form once more and bolted off.

“A harbinger? What’s a harbinger?” Taye asked.

“A sign,” Oona replied.

“Okay, a sign of what?” Taye asked.

Oona looked at Vren.

“Of the return of Alice,” the tiger lily said.

Around us, the flowers shrieked and folded up their petals.

I swallowed hard.

I really needed to find that rabbit.

“Well, that was unexpected,” Oona said.

“And that rose is here at the Academy?” Taye asked.

Oona nodded. “Deep in the garden,” she said, motioning down the path.

“Are we allowed to go see it?” Taye asked.

Oona shook her head. “Not without a professor.” She turned to Vren. “What do you think it means?”

“That maybe some of the injustices in Wonderland are about to come to an end.”

“Vren,” Oona hissed. “The flowers.”

“We aren’t listening,” the daisies said quickly.

“Rebel,” a violet added with a hiss.

“Oh, the Queen of Hearts would have his head for that,” another flower whispered.

“But is he wrong?” one of the daisies asked.

In a loud chorus, the others hushed the daisy.

“You’ll get us all picked,” one of the flowers whispered.

At that, the blossoms closed up their petals and began whispering in low voices to one another.

“Can we please get out of here?” Taye said, eyeing the flowers.

I pulled out my pocket watch. “I have forty-five minutes until my next class, and I’m famished. I’m going to the Quad.”

Taye sighed. “I’m done for the day. I’m headed back to the commons.”

“Me too,” Vren said. “Oona?”

“I’m going to just stay a bit,” Oona said, motioning to a bench not far away.

“See you later,” Taye told me then she and Vren left.

“Oona? You okay?”

She nodded. “I just need to think.”

“All right,” I said, then headed back out of the garden.

So a creature in Wonderland knew I was here. That was either very bad news or a big fat nothing. Neither of which I knew for sure. I looked back at the garden. Would such a creature reveal me? I had no idea. Now, I could only wait. If I was in imminent danger, surely someone would tell me. Someone would let me know. For now, all I could do was pretend nothing was wrong. Pretend I was just another student. After all, would the rose really know it was me or just that there was an Alice in Wonderland? Either way, I needed to keep a close eye on the nearest mirror. Either that, or I needed to learn why I was really in Wonderland. Fast.

21

The History of Just Considering Options

My mother always said there was no problem a cup of coffee couldn’t solve. Of course, she’d never had to endure Wonderland coffee. Making the best of a bad situation, I grabbed another black and white coffee and something called a blinkerberry scone, which I stashed in my backpack. With a few minutes to spare until class, I took a seat at one of the tables on the Quad. I pulled my Wildcrafting textbook from my backpack and flipped to the section on the Eternity Rose. There was a photograph of the flower in the book. The rose towered over the man in the picture. According to my textbook, the rose only bloomed when Wonderland was in times of peril. It would advise the people of Wonderland but often was very particular about who it would see. And, of course, it was cryptic. The Eternity Rose, it seemed, had an attitude much like the rest of the flowers in the garden. That rose would do what it wanted, talk to whomever it wanted when it wanted.

There was a small insert in the textbook about an incident during the Greatest of Disasters wherein the first Alice sought to force the Eternity Rose to answer her by torturing the rose, painting the rose’s white petals red, permanently damaging the magical creature.

I sat back.

That wasn’t right.

In Lewis Carroll’s book, it was the Queen of Hearts, the Red Queen, who had demanded the roses be painted. The queen’s minions had done the painting.

Did Carroll get it wrong?

I was mulling it over when my pocket watch dinged once more.

Time to go. My next and last class was in a building I hadn’t visited yet.

“Slag Hall, Room 521,” I said, tossing the fairy dust.

Quickly finishing off my coffee—as it were—I followed the vine across the green and into the cloisters. The vine led me to the largest, and oldest looking, building on campus. I headed up the steps, following the vine to a very large but traditional style classroom. The room was already half full. Most of the seats in the back had already been taken.

I scanned the room, spotting Corbin on the right. The seat in front of him was open.

“Hey,” I said, slipping into the seat.

He nodded at me.

“How’s your day?”

“Weird,” he said with a shake of the head.

“A flower shushed me today.”

He huffed a laugh. “You win.”

“So, I guess there is a town close to here. Chester. There’s a place where Academy students go, like a bar or something. We’re going on Friday night. Want to come?”

Corbin stared at me for a moment longer than necessary.

Oh shit. Does he think I’m asking him on a date?

“It’s a group of us. We’re meeting at the Quad at seven. Not really my scene. I just wanted to see what the rest of Wonderland looked like.”

“I don’t know. We’ll see…”

And, of course, he fully retreated. I wanted to tell him that I wasn’t after him. He’d been kind to me yesterday. I just wanted to say thanks. I was still trying to find a way to convey all of that and not sound like a hysterical—trying too hard not to look interested when I was actually interested—girl when the professor entered.

Wearing a black suit and red shirt, her hair slicked back, the professor huffed to the front of the room like she was already in a bad mood. She turned and scowled at the class, eyeing each of us carefully, a glint of disdain in her eyes.

She pulled a silver teacup from her belt and waggled her fingers over it. Jets of silver magic zipped from the cup to the stacks of books and papers sitting on the desk at the front of the room. The magical glimmer lifted the items, passing them out to the students. A book landed on the desk before me with a thud, the syllabus floating down after it. The print was so small and thick, the thing looked like a legal document. It was a far cry from Professor LaMarie’s pink and rose-scented syllabus for Teamancy.

“Here are your syllabi and a supplementary textbook. The garbage McHill text the Academy assigned you will only get you so far. This text by Vanity will do the heavy lifting. That said, most of you will not make it to midterm before you go running off to take this course from Professor Yun Ma who gives everyone an A. That’s fine if you don’t want to learn anything. For those of you who do stay in the course, you will find the rigor of this class more difficult than you have ever experienced before. Those of you from Wonderland will learn more about your history than you ever knew. Those from Overthere must expect to spend hours at the library in study and research simply trying to survive. But an understanding of Wonderland history is essential if you expect to get anything out of this Academy. Without an understanding of history, the honors conferred upon you at graduation will be a complete farce. I am Professor Trawller. We have one hour remaining. I will give a quiz in the last fifteen minutes of class. I suggest you take notes,” she said then went to the podium. Dipping into her bag, she pulled out a stack of lecture notes that were so old they had turned yellow.

“We shall begin at the beginning,” she said.

The book the professor had given us flipped open to a map of Wonderland.

“What is Wonderland?” she asked, giving all of us a hard stare.

“A bloody mad mess,” Corbin whispered in a low voice that only I could hear.

I cast him a quick glance over my shoulder.

One of the students at the front of the room tepidly raised her hand.

“It was a rhetorical question,” Professor Trawller said, rolling her eyes at the student who abashedly lowered her hand once more. “Observe,” she said, tapping the textbook.

I looked at my textbook. The map grew sharper. The details of the land structure slowly filled in, identifying groves, rivers, mountain ranges. Then the images on the map got busier, villages and towns penciling in. One town in particular grew and grew until it was the first city on the map.

“And pause,” Professor Trawller called, seemingly to the text. “Calliope,” she said, looking at the textbook. “The birthplace of tyranny.”

I frowned, not understanding. I looked up at the Professor who was glancing around the room, an annoyed expression on her face.

“Those of you from Wonderland already know that Calliope was the capital of the Kingdom of Stars. Those of you from Overthere know nothing. Well, now you know, and you’d be best advised to spend the rest of the night with your textbook getting up to speed. While Calliope was the first city in Wonderland, it was not the last. Though, admittedly, it is the most ancient,” she said then lectured on.

And on.

And on.

As she went, I took notes. My fingers worked furiously just trying to keep up.

I looked over my shoulder at Corbin.

His arms crossed on his chest, he was leaning back in his seat, listening to the lecture.

Just like Nicholas.

Nick never took a note. Everything came easy to him. The only class I could ever safely coast in was literature. Everything sank in. But history? I had to roll facts and dates around in my brain until they were memorized, glued to every surface. This class would be no exception.

But that got me thinking. Did they even have Wonderland literature courses?

“Melpomene, the second city in Wonderland, rose far in the west, on the opposite end of the world from Calliope. Around these two cities, the first two kingdoms of Wonderland formed: red and white. Later they would be known as Hearts and Stars,” the professor said.

I stared at the map. An invisible hand illustrated the details. What had started as a blank page was now filled with countless roads, small villages, and more. But the natural landscape was also marked. On it, I saw the location of the Eternity Rose, the mountain range of the jabberwockies, and an area called the Neverwood. There, I spotted an illustration of a mushroom with a caterpillar sitting on top.

A knot formed in my stomach.

Professor Trawller went on.

And on.

I studied her while I quickly noted down the relevant details. The professor may have hated students, or teaching, or herself—or all of the above—but she knew her subject.

My hand was cramping when she finally stopped.

She took out her pocket watch, nodded to herself, then turned back to us. “Take out a sheet of paper and put your name on the top.”

We did as she asked.

“I have spent the last forty-five minutes discussing with you the birth of the two major rival kingdoms of Wonderland. Now, for your quiz, I want you to explain to me why none of that is relevant to my original question.”

The classroom became so silent, you could hear the professor in the next room lecturing through the wall.

A student raised their hand.

The professor huffed with agitation. “What is Wonderland? That was my question,” she spat with annoyance, anticipating the student’s inquiry. “Begin. You have fourteen minutes to give me some sort of answer. Let’s see how well you can think.”

I stared down at the map. The professor hadn’t said anything about the natural landscape, the magical elements that existed in Wonderland before people built their cities and roads. Wonderland was far more than its cities.

I got to work, trying to articulate that idea as clearly—and in the best handwriting with the best grammar—as I possibly could.

I was startled when the professor called “Time!”

I set my pen down and looked over my shoulder at Corbin. On the paper in front of him, he had written just one sentence.

“Come,” the professor called.

At that, my paper lifted off my desk and floated toward the front of the room.

“Oh, wait,” a student called, his voice filled with despair. “I forgot to put my name on it.”

“Then you failed to follow the first instruction. You will receive a zero.”

“But my answer was—”

“A zero!” Professor Trawller barked then turned to the rest of us. “For the next class, make sure you have read up through chapter seven. I want a typed, five-page essay on the state of Wonderland prior to the emergence of Calliope.”

“By next class?” someone asked, pain in their voice.

“Raise your hand next time. But yes. By the next class. You’re dismissed.”

“Well, that was fun,” the guy sitting beside me said with a roll of the eyes as he packed up his bag. Across the room, I heard several other students complaining as they prepared to go. The professor straightened out the papers then shoved them into her bag. I couldn’t tell if she was ignoring or relishing in the grumbling around the room.

I started packing up my things, trying to organize my notes and books.

Corbin had already slung his bag over his shoulder. He waited beside my desk.

“You didn’t take any notes,” I said.

He shrugged. “I read the first few chapters already.”

“Got it all memorized?” I asked with a grin.

He chuckled. “Don’t you?”

“Yeah, that’s going to take some time to sink in. Have another class?” I asked.

He nodded. “Tinkering, whatever that is.”

Grabbing my bag, I joined him, and the two of us headed out of the classroom.

“And you? Another class?”

“No, thank god. My hand is dead. I guess I’ll be headed back to Rose Chambers to get to work on my History paper.” Corbin and I lingered a moment in the hallway. “Where are you headed?”

“There,” he said, motioning over his shoulder in the opposite direction.

“All right. I’ll see you tomorrow for more jabberwocky fun.”

He nodded. “If I don’t blow my hand off in Tinkering first.”

“Hey…about Friday. It’s just, you know, if you want. No pressure,” I said as nonchalantly as possible. I wanted him to come, but I definitely didn’t want him to think I was chasing him. Guys like him always had girls after him, especially girls like Amber. That wasn’t me.

“Understood,” he replied, a slight smile dancing across his lips.

“All right then,” I said, shifting my backpack. “Oh, I almost forgot,” I said. Reaching into my bag, I pulled out the blinkerberry scone. I handed the paper bag with the confection inside to him. “Blinkerberry scone. From what I can tell, it’s basically a blueberry that blinks in color from blue to red.”

“For me?”

I nodded.

“Thank you,” he said, taking the bag from me. “I tried your black and white coffee.”

“And?”

“Not a fan.”

I grinned. “Me either. If I fail out of the Academy, I could always open a Starbucks.”

He laughed, but then his watched dinged. “Better go,” he said. “See you tomorrow.”

“See you.”

I zipped my bag back up then turned to go, but as I did so, I felt eyes on me. I looked up to see Corbin turning the corner at the end of the corridor. He had looked over his shoulder at me. He smiled, then disappeared.

My stomach twisted. Again, a strange guilty pang rocked my stomach.

Shit.

Lacey, what in the hell are you doing?

I pulled on my bag and headed downstairs.

And for the first time, I gave myself an answer I had never heard before.

I’m just considering options.

Nick is gone.

I’m just considering options.

22

Not Quite a Happy Meal

When I got back to Rose Chambers, I dropped my bag then collapsed on my bed. I was surprised when, a moment later, I felt distinctly feline feet walking up the length of my body.

“How did you get in here?” I asked the invisible Cheshire cat.

Little sneak must have slipped in when I unlocked the door. I reached out, guessing where I might find a body. First, I met a wet nose, but then I found the puff of dense hair. I pet the cat who started purring loudly in thanks.

“Don’t suppose you’d like to write an essay on the history of Wonderland for me.”

“Not really,” a deep voice purred in reply.

“I see. Just here to freeload for more jerky.”

The cat meowed in agreement.

“Fine,” I said with a playful laugh then rose. Digging into my bag, I pulled out the jerky. “Getting down to the last of it though,” I said, holding out a piece, which was snatched from the air by an invisible mouth.

“You’re welcome,” I chided with a grin.

“Thanks.”

I shook my head. Sighing, I set out my books then looked over the work. I had reading for Professor Banks—almost done with that. Nothing for Jabberwockies, Teamancy, or Magical Weapons—those were more hands-on classes, but it wouldn’t hurt to review the textbooks. There was reading for Professor Amaranth, and, of course, the mountain of work for Professor Trawller.

There was a knock on the door.

The happy purring came to an abrupt halt.

“It’s Taye. I’m starving. Want to go with me to the café?”

I opened the door. “Café?”

Taye grinned when she saw me. “Yeah, I checked out the food downstairs. Lots of fruits and veggies, baked stuff. I think the fairies are vegetarians. I need a burger. Or something. A girl I met today told me there is a café, like a cafeteria or something. Want to go check it out?”

I cast an eye at the stack of work on my desk, but my stomach made the decision for me by growling loudly. “Yes, please. Meet you downstairs in a minute?”

Taye nodded, then headed off.

Grabbing my coat, I slipped my key and phone into my pocket then headed toward the door.

“I’m leaving. You better scoot, or you'll get stuck in here. Want to give me a sign or something, let me know when you’re out?”

“No,” a low voice, dripping with sarcasm, called from the balcony outside.

“And to think, I was considering bringing something back for you,” I said then stepped outside, locking the door behind me. A moment later, I heard a purr and felt someone rubbing between my legs. “I see how it is.”

A soft chuckle answered in reply, then the cat disappeared.

And once again, I was talking to creatures that weren’t there. Apparently, back home or in Wonderland, I was determined to appear as crazy as possible. After all, Oona had lived in Wonderland all her life, and a Cheshire cat had never spoken to her. Why me?

I headed down the stairs and joined Taye who was waiting on the bridge outside.

“I’ll say one thing for Wonderland, it’s pretty,” Taye said, motioning to the pond loaded with water lilies. She pulled out her fairy dust. “Brilling Café,” she said, tossing some dust in front of us. “But I have no idea what I’m doing here.”

“Did you ever get a feeling about this place?”

Taye gave me a long look. “My grandma raised me on fairy tales. I don’t know. You?”

“Well,” I began, then paused. Maybe someone from Wonderland would understand when I said I’d seen Wonderlandians all my life. But Taye? Taye might think Nurse Gilman was right about me. “Yeah. Kind of the same thing.”

Taye nodded but didn’t say anything else. But of course, she wouldn’t. If she had seen things too, she’d probably feel as paranoid as me. We headed across the Quad toward a section of the campus I hadn’t yet visited. As we went, we passed an enormous building with intricate wrought-iron balconies and a red door. Worked into the ironwork were hearts. From the uniform of the students lingering outside, I could see we’d found Hearts Chambers.

“What do you think?” Taye asked, motioning as we passed.

“Did you ever read Alice in Wonderland?”

“Saw the Disney movie once or twice.”

I eyed the building. “In Carroll’s story, the Queen of Hearts was…”

“Evil?”

I nodded.

Taye eyed the building. “I don’t know. Something isn’t right here.”

“Which thing? The rude flowers, talking animals, dragons, or fairies?”

Taye laughed. “All of it.”

The rose vine led us to a long building from which I smelled, for the first time, the distinct scent of fried food. Heaven. We entered the building to discover what looked like an average cafeteria. There were tables filled with students who were eating, talking, or studying. Of course, in true Wonderland fashion, all the food looked different—but not unappetizing. There were several food stations at which you could find prepared items or made-to-order foods. No pizza or fries, but there were sandwiches and other things.

“I feel like I’m in an exotic Ikea cafeteria,” Taye said with a laugh. “There. That looks vaguely like pasta.”

I chuckled. “I’m headed for the sandwich.”

We split up.

I selected the most benign-looking dish and a bowl of something chocolate-ish then headed to the cash register. Taye, who had already gone through, had taken a seat by the window.

Using my key, I paid at the cash register then joined Taye once more.

She was chewing thoughtfully when I arrived.

“Well?”

“Like a cross between mac n’ cheese and zucchini.”

I lifted my sandwich. At this point, I’d eat just about anything. But the black, white, or black and white coffee was getting to be an issue. My sandwich was fine, like a BLT. I was relieved to have something more than chips or jerky.

“How are your classes?” I asked Taye.

“Not bad so far. You?”

“I have a paper due on Thursday.”

“For what class?”

“History of Wonderland. The professor seems tough.”

“No papers but lots of reading. But I did get this,” she said, pulling a pamphlet out of her bag. She slid it across the table to me. “It’s a list of majors.”

I flipped through. As far as I could see, Wonderland Academy gave their students the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree—but in Wonderland subjects. I was excited to see there was, in fact, a degree called Literati, which looked a lot like an English degree. I scanned the required courses for the degree. Thus far, of all my courses, only History of Wonderland was even relevant to the Literati major. However, Teamancy was a required course for all students. I frowned.

“What is it?” Taye asked.

“I’m in courses that don’t make sense for me. I guess they just slapped something together, but I’d much rather be in a literature course than Magical Weapons,” I said with a shrug. “I’m a book person.”

“Maybe next semester. I have art appreciation. You’d like that one.”

“They have that?”

Taye nodded then flipped the catalog a few pages ahead where it listed the requirements for a degree in Finest Arts. Under the major, I spotted liberal arts and fine art courses. Nothing that involved getting close up with a jabberwocky or dueling with a vorpal sword.

I was already in over my head just being here. Professor Haberdasher told me the best thing I could do was study hard, come up to speed quickly before…before what? Before someone tried to kill me? Something told me I hadn’t been brought here just for an education.

“There is something about this place though,” Taye said as she looked out the window. On the lawn outside, some students from Hearts had set up a croquet match. They were laughing, teasing one another as they played. “It’s like, everything here feels on edge. It’s right below the surface of everything. Do you feel it too?”

I nodded. “Oona said a lot of people in Rose Chambers are empaths. Maybe you’re just picking up on something.”

Taye shrugged. “I’m a girl from Philly who can tell when shit is about to go down, that’s all,” she said then laughed. “Whatever it is, I just hope I’m close to a mirror when it happens.”

“Same,” I said.

Definitely, same.

“I feel ill when I think about how much reading I have to do,” Taye said with a laugh as we headed back toward Rose Commons.

“You sure it’s the work or the zucchini mac ‘n cheese?”

Taye laughed.

We had just passed Hearts Chambers when I spotted a familiar pair headed toward us, Amber and Aden.

“And here comes the princess,” Taye whispered under her breath. “I overheard a fascinating conversation about her today.”

“Yeah?”

“She may be popular in Hearts, but she doesn’t have the fanbase she thinks she does in other kingdoms.”

I eyed the pair. They were in a deep and heated conversation. It was only when Aden finally said “Fine,” in an exasperated voice that he turned his attention from his sister, who was smiling like the Cheshire cat, to the path in front of him. Spotting me, Aden smiled.

“Lacey,” he said, stopping.

His sister turned and stared at him like he’d lost his mind. She turned and looked at me, her gaze narrowing as she eyed me over. I hoped she’d keep going, but she waited with her brother.

“Hey,” I said, pausing. “How are you? Survive your other classes?”

He nodded. “I lived. You?”

“I strongly suspect History of Wonderland might kill me.”

“Who do you have?” Amber asked unexpectedly.

“Professor Trawller.”

Amber laughed lightly. “Yeah, she scares everyone, but she’s fine once you get to know her. I have her too. She and Mum go way back. Just stay on her good side.”

I eyed Aden who looked decidedly uncertain.

“Thanks. This is Taye, by the way,” I said, introducing Taye to Aden—and Amber. “This is Aden and Amber,” I said then paused. “Sorry, should I introduce you by your titles?”

Amber opened her mouth to answer, but Aden cut in. “No, that’s fine. We’re just students here.”

Amber frowned at her brother.

“I remember you from orientation,” Aden told Taye. “You’re from Overthere too, right?”

Taye nodded.

“Nice to meet you,” Aden told her.

“You too.”

“There aren’t many students from Overthere this year,” Aden said to his sister who shrugged. “That’s unusual.”

“Is it?” I asked.

Aden nodded. “There are usually a lot of—”

“There’s that guy in Creatures of Wonderland. You’re in the class too, aren’t you, Lacey?” Amber asked.

She knew damned well I was. “Yeah.”

“What’s his name, anyway?” she asked leadingly.

Like hell, girl. “No idea.”

Amber shrugged, but a sickly smile spread across her face. “I’m going. Are you coming?”

Aden sighed. “I should probably go too.”

I nodded. “Me too. See you in baking tomorrow.”

“Baking?” Amber asked, turning to her brother. She could barely hide her sneer. “Why are you in that class?”

“Because I asked them to put me in that class,” he retorted sharply.

“It’s so…pleb.”

Aden sighed. “Seriously, Amber?” he said with a shake of the head then turned to me once more. “See you tomorrow. Nice to meet you, Taye.”

“You too,” she told him.

I flicked my eyes toward Amber, but she’d already turned and was looking toward their house. I gave Aden a wave then Taye and I headed off once more.

Behind me, I could hear Amber lay into her brother once more about the baking class.

Taye shook her head. “Some things are the same everywhere.”

“Unfortunately.”

When we finally got back to Rose Commons, Taye and I headed to our own rooms. No sign of the Cheshire cat. Or cats? Was it one or more that had befriended me? I wasn’t sure. I slipped off my boots, pulled on some comfy clothes, then slid onto my bed with my history textbook.

My eyes were already drooping before I had even flipped to the first page. Pushing myself, I pulled out a notebook and got to work.

As I read, however, my mind drifted.

So far, from our world, I’d only met Taye and Corbin. But there were other students from Overthere. I’d have to see if I could find anyone else. It would make sense for all of us to band together a little, help each other. I mean, it seemed like the Academy should have arranged something like that. Or, at least, give us a little more guidance. We’d just been dropped into a world about which we knew almost nothing and had been expected to survive unaided. That was either very rude or by design. Had we been chosen for our resilience?

Certainly, Corbin was the resilient type. My mind called up the image of him once more as he’d looked back at me before heading off to class. He was good-looking by any standard, with a boxer’s body, dark hair, and that ink. But it was those blue eyes I remembered most. In that glance, I had seen a warmth that made something deep inside me spark to life, something that had laid quiet since Nick had gone.

But even the thought of it evoked a sharp pang of guilt.

I focused on my textbook once more.

The chapter covered the early days of Wonderland.

In the beginning, there had only been two kingdoms.

Red and White.

Hearts and Stars.

And from the beginning, they had hated one another.

Taye was right. There was something bubbling just under the placid veneer of Wonderland Academy.

And me, being Alice, had come at precisely the wrong—or right—time.

23

Blue Cakes and a Missing Prince

Having fallen asleep with Professor Trawller’s textbook on my chest, I was grateful when my pocket watch dinged, waking me in time to get ready for classes. Groggily, I got cleaned up, grabbed my things, and then headed out to Alchemy of Baking once more. There were two good things about that class. First, at least I halfway understood what was happening. And second, I would see Aden.

The class was settling in when I arrived, Evie and Emerson at their station in front of me.

“Hey,” Evie said, smiling at me. “How are classes going?”

“Good, I think,” I replied.

I eyed Professor Banks at the front of the room. She was busy adjusting trays on which she had set several ingredients. I suddenly felt like I was in the Wonderland version of The Great British Baking Show. What mysterious thing would I have to cook today? The class was close to starting, but there was no sign of Aden. Late again? The clock ticked down, but he was still a no-show.

“All right, everyone,” Professor Banks called. “One person from each group, please come take a tray.”

Frowning, I looked toward the door. No Aden. And in Wonderland, there was no way to text Aden to remind him to get out of bed to come to class.

I rose and went to get my tray, Emerson joining me.

“Where is Aden?” she asked.

I shook my head. “Don’t know. I saw him last night. He said he’d be here.”

“You saw him last night?” she asked, her voice dripping with curiosity.

“Not like that. I just bumped into him.”

“Oh, too bad,” she said.

We both grabbed trays, then headed back to our stations. I eyed the ingredients. Flour, sugar, butter, salt—maybe, then a bunch of things I didn’t recognize.

“Please turn to page seventy-four of your books,” Professor Banks guided us.

Pulling out my book, I discovered that the recipe was for the cake I had tried when I’d entered Wonderland, the cake that had made me grow tall. Naturally, the confection was called Biggerbatter cake. As I read over the ingredients, I realized that some of the items on the tray were things I had read about in the introductory chapters. I just hadn’t seen them before.

“Now, you have forty-five minutes to work on your creation. I strongly suggest no bites, licks, or tastes on this one. My ceiling may be high, but it’s been repaired more than once over the years. Follow your recipes precisely. Begin.”

Casting a glance over my shoulder once more—still no Aden—I got to work.

As I worked, Professor Banks circled the room. When she got to my station, she stopped to observe me.

“Well done, Lacey,” she said with a nod. “Oh, I got a note this morning. Your station partner had a schedule change. But, if you don’t mind, I think it would be better if we kept you on your own. You’re kind of a ringer,” she said with a light laugh.

“Sure, that’s fine,” I said. Aden had changed his schedule? Why? But then I remembered Amber’s comment. Had she shamed him out of the course?

Professor Banks nodded then moved on.

The class went by quickly. The tiny cakes took very little time to make. As with last class, I coached Evie and Emerson just a little. In no time, the bite-sized cakes were out of the oven and cooling so I could add the blue frosting I’d prepared from a Wonderland ingredient called bluesimmin. Scanning the room, I spotted a variety of shades of blue. Some students were already trying to frost their cakes, which had just come out of the oven, to their failure. Behind me, the boys were fanning off some small cakes that were charred around the edges.

“Frost them,” one boy told the other. “Before we run out of time.”

“How?”

“I don’t know. Pour it on.”

“But it’s all lumpy.”

I cast a glance at their bowl. It was a little lumpy, but it looked like frosting.

“Wait until the cake is cool,” I whispered to them.

They both looked up at me.

“Otherwise, it will crumble,” I told them.

“Thanks,” they said at once.

With a grin, I turned back around and tested my cakes. They were almost ready.

“Professor,” someone called from the back, a hint of urgency in their voice. “Professor Banks. I forgot. I licked my fingers.”

I looked back to see one of the boys at a station in the back had suddenly doubled in size.

Everyone laughed.

Professor Banks grinned. “Here,” she said, pulling a small bottle from her pocket. “I had this ready, just in case. A sip will do,” she told the boy.

After taking a quick sip, he returned to his normal size once more.

After I finished fanning off my cakes, I got to work spreading the blue icing. In no time, I had the dessert—or potion, I wasn’t sure which it was considered, really—ready, and began cleaning up my station.

“She’s done already,” I heard someone behind me whisper.

“Hers is not as blue as ours.”

“Told you that you added too much bluesimmin!”

I smiled as I worked, but my nerves had been rattled since the beginning of class. Of course, students change classes at the beginning of the semester all the time. It’s just…why did I get the feeling Aden had changed the class because of Amber. Or because of me.

“Lacey, you’re coming out with us on Friday night, right?” Emerson asked.

I nodded.

“Do you think Prince Aden will still come?” she whispered in a low voice.

“I have class with him tomorrow. If I don’t see him today, I’ll ask.”

She smiled wide, relief on her face. “Good.”

“Emerson is plotting,” Evie told me.

I raised an eyebrow at her. “Something tells me he’s used to being plotted upon. Maybe not plotting is the better course.”

She looked at me, a confused expression on her face.

Evie chuckled. “Told you so. Be less in love already.”

Emerson’s cheeks turned red.

“All right, students,” Professor Banks called. “Let’s have a look. Please set your Biggerbatter cakes at the end of your stations.” Grabbing a clipboard, the professor worked her way around the room. There were purple cakes, burnt cakes, and some cakes that still looked raw. But I also noticed some of the cakes looked close. The other students, it seemed, were studying.

When she reached my station, the professor eyed my cakes closely. “Well done,” she said, making a note.

A wide smile crossed my face, but I could feel envious eyes on me. I was proud of myself. It was Nan who’d taught me how to cook. And while I did spend most of my time frying cheese sticks, I’d also spent a lot of time in front of the oven baking about a hundred different kinds of Christmas cookies when I was a kid. And later. There wasn’t a s’mores dessert I hadn’t made for Nick. If it had marshmallows, he loved it. Before Nan started to slip, she spent all her time in the kitchen. And I’d been there with her. What skills I had were because of Nan, and I was proud of that.

Professor Banks finished circling the room.

“All right. Stations one, two, seven, eight, and eleven. Well done. You have made passable Biggerbatter cakes.

“Those of you whose cakes are extremely blue or very purple, you added too much bluesimmin. Cakes that are black were, of course, baked too long. Also, cakes should be frosted after baking, not before. Cakes that are still wet… Be sure to check the centers of your cakes to ensure doneness. Review chapter two if this was an issue for you. The rest of you will receive varying marks that I’ll log in the grade book with my comments. Refer to your syllabus if you have any question on grading and for your next section of reading. Leave the cakes at the end of your stations. No sneaking these out unless you’d like to be expelled. I’ll see you next class.”

“So, seven o’clock on Friday night. Meet at the Quad,” Emerson reminded me.

I nodded. “I invited someone. Not sure if he’ll come. We’ll see.”

Emerson grinned. “Nice. And remind Aden when you see him. Okay?”

I chuckled. “All right.”

“Later,” Evie told me with a grin then headed out.

I grabbed my bag and exited. I had a short break before Teamancy. So, before I settled into the mystique of tea once more, I was off to try Wonderland coffee. Again.

Unfortunately.

24

Blinkers

I headed back to the drink stand on the Quad. The same barista was there. She gave me a wry smile. “Ready to try some tea?”

I shook my head. “Let’s try a black coffee today.”

“No, try the white. The black tastes like licorice,” a familiar voice said from behind.

I turned to find Corbin there. I grinned at him then turned to the barista. “Sorry, a white coffee.” I looked at Corbin. “You after coffee too?” I asked him.

He smiled lightly, his blue eyes twinkling mischievously. “I’m after one of those scones you brought me. Bloody delicious.”

I turned back to the barista. “And two blinkerberry scones, please.”

She nodded.

Corbin chuckled. “Thanks.”

“Class this morning?”

He nodded. “Necromancy.”

“What do you do in that class?”

“So far, study magic you can do with dead things. It’s all a bit morbid. What about you?”

“Baking, again. Made a cake that will make you tall.”

“Wouldn’t it be helpful if they taught you something normal first?”

“Seriously.”

“Here you are,” the barista told me.

I slipped my key into the register. I’d have to go through my paperwork again when I had time. Surely, there was going to be some limit to my scholarship. I had no idea who was paying for all of this.

I handed a scone to Corbin.

“Thanks,” he told me, then motioned to a table nearby.

Taking my coffee and scone, I joined Corbin.

As we were settling in, there was a loud whoosh overhead. We both looked up to see a red-scaled jabberwocky fly overhead. The beast’s massive wingspan cast a shadow over the entire Quad.

“You suppose they were in our world once, but we called them dragons?” I mused.

“Don’t know,” Corbin said, gazing up at the creature.

“That jabberwocky in class liked you.”

“I’m a likable guy.”

So I’d noticed. “Is that so?”

“You’re the third girl to buy me a scone today.”

I raised an eyebrow at him.

Grinning, he looked back at the jabberwocky. “Kidding.”

“I was wondering. I actually heard some gossip about you.”

“Gossip about me already? That was quick.”

“The princess has her eye on you.”

He blew his air through his lips. “That one. She’s like a cliché rolled in a cliché. I know exactly how it would go with her.”

As did I. “And?”

“And, no thanks,” he said then took a bite of scone. “You ought to try this,” he said, his mouth full.

I broke off a piece and took a bite. The bread itself tasted as expected. But the berries…which were blinking back and forth from red to blue tasted nothing like I’d ever eaten before. They had a mellow, creamy, custard-like flavor. Not at all tangy. “Whoa.”

“Told you.”

I sipped the pure white coffee. Unlike a coffee laden with cream, giving it a mellow tan color, white coffee was pure white; it had the soft glint of blue like pure white ice or snow. It had an odd aftertaste. “Interesting. A little like pancake syrup.”

“Agreed, but I was awake half the night after drinking one. Hell, even got my history paper typed. Literally, typed. That was fun.”

“I guess I should order another. Need to write mine tonight.”

We both laughed.

My watch chimed. Almost time to go. While Teamancy was interesting, I was surprised when I realized I didn’t want to leave just yet. Class was all well and good, but talking to Corbin was better.

“What do you have next?” he asked me.

“Teamancy.”

“What the hell is that?”

“See all those teacups everyone wears? They’re like wands or cauldrons. People use them to conjure magic.”

“No reading tea leaves?”

“That too.”

“So you’ll be able to read my future?”

I nodded. “And you’ll be able to raise people from the dead.”

Corbin laughed. “Oh, no. That’s the one cardinal rule. No dead people. Dead animals or plants are fine, but not people.”

“Well, that’s no fun. How are you going to start a zombie apocalypse that way?”

“Exactly.”

“What do you have now?”

“Enchantments.”

“You get all the good classes.”

“I’m not sure you’d agree if you were actually in Necromancy. I think I’d prefer a teatime class.”

I grinned.

This time, both mine and Corbin’s watches dinged.

He sighed heavily. “Better go. See you later then?”

I nodded then readjusted my bag, slipping what was left of my scone inside.

“Thanks again,” he told me, lifting the scone. “You didn’t have to.”

“Just hedging my bets in case you have a secret stash of those energy bars.”

“So, you’re trying to bribe my friendship.”

“Is it working?”

At that, Corbin grinned at me. His blue eyes met mine. “I guess we’ll see.”

My stomach twisted. Of course he wouldn’t make it easy. “You’re buying next time.”

“Am I? And what will I be bribing you for?”

“Oh, now, I guess you’ll see,” I said with a grin.

Corbin chuckled.

And with that, I gave him a little wave. “Bye.”

“Bye,” he replied with a smile.

As I turned and headed off to class, I was surprised to find my heart skipping to a happy beat.

25

A Bird and a Mushroom

When I arrived at Teamancy, I discovered that the room had been rearranged. Rather than the two-person café tables, there was a single table that ran the length of the room. Professor LaMarie was sitting at the end of the table talking to the students nearest her. The entire table had been set for tea. This time, however, there were no confections on the table, only cups and teapots.

Taye waved to me.

I took the seat beside her. “You’re early,” I told her.

“I was hoping she’d have snacks. No luck.”

I laughed then pulled out my leftover scone. “Try this.”

“What is it?”

“Blinkerberry scone.”

“I don’t like blueberries. Wait, are those berries changing colors?”

“What do you mean you don’t like blueberries? Everyone likes blueberries. Regardless, eat. It tastes nothing like blueberries.”

Not waiting for me to offer again, Taye ate while I sat sipping the white coffee. I could feel the little zing of something like caffeine working through my body. But still, I missed the taste of an actual coffee. I actually couldn’t remember a day where I didn’t start with coffee. Even on the ward, they’d let me have a cup of some black liquid that tasted like feet—but at least it still had caffeine. Even in high school, I always made coffee for Nick and me, fixing Nick a travel mug. While his coffee was more sugar and cream than actual coffee, I’d made it for him all the same. My basic guy. Who I’d loved more than life.

I looked down at the cup in my hands. The light, happy feeling that had filled my chest suddenly flattened, replaced with a pang of guilt.

Corbin and I were just friends.

Right?

And if…if maybe there was something more to it, that would be okay now, wouldn’t it? It had been almost a year.

No.

It was too soon.

“Lacey,” Taye said, and I could tell from the tone of her voice that it wasn’t the first time she’d said my name.

I looked up.

Taye—and the other students—had pulled out their books.

Moving quickly and quietly, I set my cup aside and grabbed my book.

“Page twenty-three,” Taye whispered.

I quickly flipped open my book and tried to hone in on what Professor LaMarie was saying. Apparently, we were going to start our work on Tasseography, reading tea leaves. While I’d rather skip over the subject and learn how to turn someone into a pile of flower petals with a teacup, I was ready enough.

“Before you, I have already brewed pots of black tea. The most basic of all teas work best when performing Tasseography. You don’t want any playful herbs in there occluding your readings. A simple tea is best. Please go ahead and pour a cup. No add-ins today. Plain tea is necessary.”

Taye and I both lifted a pot—there was one pot situated in front of each student—and poured.

In our textbook, the authors had provided a number of shapes commonly seen in tealeaf reading and their meanings. As we waited for the tea to cool, Professor LaMarie went over each. My mind, however, was distracted. Every time I was with Corbin, I left feeling guilty about Nick. Surely, I was overreacting, wasn’t I? It wasn’t like I was interested in Corbin like that. He was just…nice. And we were both new. And the place was so strange. And he was really handsome in all the right ways.

Shit.

I didn’t like him, did I? I mean, every girl falls for that kind of guy. I wasn’t that girl, was I?

I frowned.

“All right, students. Please go ahead and drink. As you do so, I’d like you to think about a question. Is there something on your mind? What has you distracted? Focus on your question only as you drink. Once there is a teaspoon or so of liquid left in your cup, stop. Quiet, please, as everyone contemplates. What trouble is on your mind?”

“A lack of a decent meal and smart-mouthed flowers,” Taye whispered then took a drink.

“And decent coffee. Don’t forget decent coffee.”

“What’s that then?” Taye asked, pointing to my cup.

“I believe it’s some sort of hot, white, maple tasting energy drink. Definitely not coffee.”

She giggled.

Chuckling, I lifted my teacup then sat back. I blew the liquid as I thought.

Alice.

Being Alice was on my mind.

But as I took a sip, my memory of Corbin’s laughter, immediately followed by the memory of Nick and his soccer mom pumpkin spice coffees, filled my mind.

Nick. Nicholas. Would you forgive me if I…if I noticed someone else?

The room was silent. The hot water percolated in its canisters.

Eventually, Professor LaMarie broke the silence.

“When you come to your last drink, hold your cup in your left hand, swirl the remaining liquid three times, then turn your cup over on your saucer.”

Around the room, we all complied.

A few students exclaimed noisily when they splashed themselves with their tea.

“Less than a teaspoon in the bottom of the cup,” Professor LaMarie reminded us, a bemused smile on her lips. “Now, turn the handle of your cup toward you,” Professor LaMarie said then rose. She began to walk the length of the table behind the students.

I looked inside my cup. The tea leaves had spread across the cup in odd shapes.

“Your cup is like a clock. Those leaves nearest your handle are your present. Across from the handle is the future. Likewise, the rest of the cup is so divided: rim for present, sides for future, bottom for far future. Today we will begin with a simple present and future reading. Please refer to the symbols in the book and see if you can read those leaves closest to your handle and those directly across. What do you see?”

“Any sign of fries in there?” I asked Taye.

“No. Something that looks like a seahorse…on a skateboard. You?”

“A bird, maybe? And a mushroom? I’m not sure.”

“Students, in your notebooks, please note down any symbols you see.”

I pulled out my journal, then referenced my textbook, scanning over the meaning of both the mushroom and the bird.

I sat back.

“Well?” Taye asked.

“Well, either I have an enemy, and I’m going to fall in love, or I’m going to fall in love with an enemy, or an enemy is going to fall in love with me. Either way, I have an enemy and love.”

Taye laughed. “So, fifty-fifty.”

“Yeah,” I said with a nod.

“So, any guesses?”

“On?”

“The enemy or the love?”

I huffed a laugh. “No,” I said, but my heart knew I was lying. One thing about my tea reading was definitely true. In Wonderland, I did have enemies. Any Alice would. But love?

Well.

I wasn’t even sure if I was ready for that.

Sparkly blue eyes or not.

Nick…did you say yes?

26

What Oona Said

After Teamancy, Taye headed off, and I debated what to do. I had Creatures of Wonderland after a little break. It was still nagging at me that Aden hadn’t come to Alchemy of Baking.

While my phone was useless, maybe I had another way.

“Find Aden Cerise,” I said, taking a pinch of fairy dust.

The vine trailed off in the direction of the jabberwocky arena. Maybe he was training?

“All right then. Not very helpful in avoiding unwanted stalkers, but I’ll take it.” I headed off, following behind the vine.

The campus was bustling. Everywhere I looked, students were rushing to or from class. Academy officials and professors also hurried past.

I was beginning to rethink the wisdom of my decision to “check on” the future King of Wonderland when I crossed paths with Oona who looked decidedly distressed.

“Oona? What’s wrong?”

“I…” she began then gave me a long look as if she was deciding whether or not to say anything. “Do you have class?”

“Not for a bit.”

“Come on,” she whispered, then linked her arm with mine.

I looked over my shoulder, watching the vine leading to Aden fade.

“What’s happening?” I whispered.

“The Queen of Hearts is here,” she said in a low voice.

“What? Why?”

“None of the students seem to know for sure, but I have an idea.”

We headed across campus toward the garden where the Eternity Rose grew. We hurried toward the path that led into the garden only to spot a large group of people at the entrance. There, I saw Professor Amaranth, President Snark, Vice President Whistle, several officials in orange and purple, and—surrounded by a circle of guards in red and black uniforms—a woman with long, black hair wearing a red and black gown. She leaned against a tall staff topped with a ruby-shaped heart.

“That’s her,” Oona whispered.

She didn’t need to tell me. While I knew Lewis Carroll hadn’t been writing about this Queen, the woman before me was a picture of the villain from Carroll’s tale.

“Come on. Let’s go there,” Oona said, pulling me toward a gazebo not far away.

We hurried across the lawn, taking a spot that was slightly less in the open but still had a good view.

We couldn’t hear anything, but I could tell that Professor Amaranth was upset. Both the Academy president and vice president were smiling wide—hell, even the Cheshire cats didn’t smile like that. Fake, fake, fake.

“By the Fair Ones, look,” Oona whispered, pointing toward the mirror garden not far away.

Five balls of light floated from one of the mirrors toward the Queen of Hearts. A moment later, a startlingly beautiful woman in a long green dress and a crown of flowers on her head appeared from one of the orbs. Even in full humanoid form, she had her fairy wings.

“Annalise, The Queen of Roses,” Oona said.

The Queen of Roses approached the others, a firm expression on her face. I could tell from her stance that she was there to do battle—verbal or otherwise.

“The Queen of Hearts will try to prevent people from seeing the Eternity Rose,” Oona whispered. “She won’t want people to know the rose is awake, and she definitely won’t want anyone talking to the rose.”

“Why?”

“Fear. It will spark rebellious talk,” Oona said. “Vren has a big mouth, but his opinions are widely shared in Wonderland. The Queen of Roses will try to protect the rights of Wonderland—the right for others to see the rose.”

“Will she succeed?”

“I don’t know. I doubt it.”

The party turned and disappeared down the path.

Oona frowned, chewing her bottom lip, then turned to me. Her bright eyes met mine. She studied my face, considering.

“Oona?”

“Why is a raven like a writing desk?” she whispered.

My stomach flopped hard.

“Because they both make notes that are flat.”

Oona nodded. “The waking of the Eternity Rose complicates things. There is no telling what the rose will say and to whom. The Eternity Rose is wise and always wants what is best for Wonderland. I don’t think she’ll reveal you. But just in case, you must stay on guard,” Oona said then reached into her bag. She pulled out a small vial which she handed to me. “Essence of smallness,” she said. “You drank it to shrink down for the rose door. Keep it on hand.”

“Oona, you…”

“My parents are part of a group of people who want to restore Wonderland, who want the curse lifted. The same group of people who ensured your arrival. Since I was coming to the Academy anyway, they asked me to look out for you.”

“And Vren?”

Oona shook her head. “He doesn’t know anything.”

“Are there other students who know about me?”

“Not that I know of.”

“Professors?”

“Perhaps. But I don’t know who knows what.”

I stared at the path leading into the garden. “What happens to Hearts if there is a rebellion?”

“What do you mean?”

“Will they…will they kill the Queen of Hearts? Her family?”

Oona stared at me. “Right now, the main goal is to remove Hearts from power and undo the curse.”

“Undo the curse…meaning restore the Kingdom of Stars?”

Oona nodded.

“And if they fail?”

Oona shrugged. “Then, as always in Wonderland, off with their heads. And probably yours and mine too, if we’re found out.”

My pocket watch dinged.

“And on that happy note…” I said.

Oona smiled lightly. “Just be careful. Be watchful. And be ready to run if needed.”

“That’s comforting.”

Oona grinned. “It’s Wonderland. Don’t lose your head.”

27

The Butterflies

As I crossed campus back to my Creatures of Wonderland course, I spotted a massive airship docked at the platform. The airship had a red balloon that held aloft a gondola made from black wood. The insignia of Hearts was painted thereon. The ship, which reminded me of an old schooner, had cannon ports along each side. I could see an armed guard waiting on the deck.

The Queen of Roses had come to Wonderland Academy by popping through a mirror. The Queen of Hearts had arrived in what looked like the Wonderland equivalent of a tank. If that didn’t say something…

And Oona knew about me.

That should worry me, but it didn’t. Out of all the people I’d met in Wonderland, Oona had felt like one of the most trustworthy. My gut told me my secret was safe with her.

The entire campus was abuzz.

I headed to the jabberwocky arena. Half the class was already there but no Corbin. Nor was Amber there. I spotted Vren who was looking back toward campus, a frown on his face. I joined him.

“You look glum,” I said.

“Just worried.”

“About?”

He motioned with his chin toward the airship, which was still visible even from this angle. “The Academy is supposed to be independent of politics. It’s the one place in Wonderland where she should have the least power. But there she is.”

“Be optimistic. Maybe she just came to sign some forms for her kids. You know, mom stuff.”

Vren smiled. With a laugh, he shook his head. “Right.”

A loud roar coming from the ruins above the school pulled our attention away. Vren and I looked at the jabberwockies. There were more of them today. They were hopping around and flying to and from the ruins. Clearly, the students were not the only ones concerned by the presence of the Queen of Hearts. The thought that even the beasts were upset made me feel sick to my stomach. If a person created chaos everywhere she went, what kind of parent would she be? My worries for Aden doubled.

“Well, this place turned into a bloody zoo,” a voice said from behind me.

I smiled, recognizing Corbin’s accent.

Vren turned toward him.

“Vren, this is Corbin. Corbin…Vren.”

They did the guy thing where they gave each other a quick nod.

“The Eternity Rose has awoken, and the Queen of Hearts has arrived,” Vren told Corbin. “Unusual even for Wonderland.”

“That’s saying something.”

“How was Enchantments?” I asked Corbin, trying to change the subject.

“Hold out your hand,” Corbin said.

I raised an eyebrow at him but held out my hand.

Cupping his hands around mine, he closed his eyes and muttered something under his breath.

I wanted to pay attention to the incantation, I really did, but it was his touch that grabbed my attention. My stomach fluttered.

Corbin pulled his hand away to reveal a beautiful but translucent butterfly sitting in the palm of my hand. It batted its wings, which shimmered in the sunlight. I could see the butterfly and see through it all at once.

“An illusion,” Corbin said.

The butterfly wagged its wings once more then took off, floating lightly into the air. After a few moments, it disappeared.

“Didn’t take you as the butterfly-conjuring type, mate,” Vren told Corbin.

I stilled for a moment. Vren didn’t know people from Overthere, and Corbin was definitely not the kind of guy you talked to like that. Unless you wanted to lose your front teeth.

Corbin eyed him for a moment then shrugged. “Sure I am. Don’t you see the look on her face?” he told Vren with a grin then leveled his blue eyes on me. He gave me a soft smile then turned toward the front of the class where Professor Lorekin was standing.

Once more, my stomach twisted.

Vren huffed lightly but didn’t say anything.

“Welcome, students. Please have a seat in the bleachers,” Professor Lorekin said. Once we were settled in, she said, “Today, we will continue our exploration of the jabberwocky, starting with the lifecycle. Please turn to page fifteen in your books.”

“Professor,” someone called. “Why are the jabberwockies all worked up?”

We all looked at the ruins.

For a brief moment, Professor Lorekin got a deer in the headlights look on her face. She turned and stared toward the ruins. After a long moment, she turned back to the class.

“Jabberwockies are empathetic creatures. Like many animals, they can sense when bad weather is brewing, they can sense people’s emotions, and they respond to events in our world the same as we do.”

“Is it the Eternity Rose? Is that why?” the same student asked.

I looked back, spotting a girl from Clubs. She was wearing the green and purple pinstripes of her house, and her hair was a pale shade of violet. She had that same glimmer of green on her hands I’d noticed on others from Clubs, including Professor Lorekin.

Professor Lorekin nodded lightly. “Yes, I believe so.”

“Professor, is it really true the rose is awake?” another student called.

“I have not seen it for myself, but that is my understanding from Professor Amaranth and the other faculty in the Herbalism department.”

“Can we go see her?” the violet-haired girl asked.

Professor Lorekin shook her head. “At this time, the rose is off limits to students. And then…well, let’s just say the rose is only seeing who she wants to see. Now, let’s focus on our task at hand. Page fifteen, please.”

I eyed the other students. While Amber’s buddies from Hearts were there, the princess was missing. I breathed a sigh of relief. If both siblings were out of class that meant nothing was wrong with Aden specifically. I suppose when your mother, who happens to rule the land, shows up, it’s a good reason to have other things to do.

But still.

I opened my book and turned to page fifteen where I found a sketch of a baby jabberwocky. No bigger than a small dog, the image of the tiny dragon was most possibly one of the cutest things I had ever seen.

But then, I felt it.

A warm body rubbed against my ankle, circling my feet before settling thereon. Surprised, I reached down to find the warm, fuzzy body of the Cheshire cat.

“Not at all distracting,” I whispered, giving the invisible beast a pat.

I heard a light snicker in reply.

Corbin cast a glance at me as if to question if I was all right.

I gave him a smile.

Fine.

Fine.

I was fine. Just talking to the invisible cat.

Wonderful, mad at home and mad here. Was there nowhere that this Alice was truly sane?

28

Curiosity + Cats =

After class ended, Vren turned to me and said, “I’m headed back to Rose Commons. You going that way?”

I paused. After last class, I had gone with Corbin to study.

“I—”

“You still coming?” Corbin asked me as he rose.

Saved. I turned to Vren. “Not just yet.”

“All right. Taye and I were going to the café to get dinner later if you’re back by then.”

“Thanks.”

Vren nodded, slung his bag over his shoulder, then headed off.

I stuffed my book into my bag.

“So, where are we going, exactly?” I asked Corbin.

I looked up to see he was watching Vren. “He’s trouble. Be wary of him.”

I stared after Vren. “Vren? No. He just talks too much.”

“Which is why he’s trouble.”

He had a point. “So, you didn’t answer me.”

“To see that rose, of course.”

“Professor Lorekin just said students weren’t permitted.”

“And?”

“And… haven’t you ever heard the saying about curiosity and cats.”

At my foot, I heard a soft chuckle.

“Curiosity is my specialty area,” Corbin said with a sly grin.

“Now who’s the one who is trouble?”

“Oh, I never said I wasn’t trouble. But my kind of trouble is obvious. His kind of trouble gets people beheaded.”

“He’s right about that,” the Cheshire cat said.

Corbin stopped cold. “What the hell was that?”

“Are you going to show him or do you want me to tell?” I said, staring down at my feet.

Corbin followed my gaze.

A soft mew answered in reply. For a brief moment, a pair of golden eyes appeared—but only for a moment.

“What is that?” Corbin asked.

“That, my curious friend, is a Cheshire cat. Apparently, the Academy is littered with them, but they’re invisible and only show themselves to whom they want, when they want.”

“And we don’t talk to people,” a deep voice said. A moment later, a broad smile appeared. “Ever.”

“Then why is that one talking to you?” Corbin asked me.

“Excellent question, but I have a better one. Why is that cat talking to us?”

“I…” Corbin began, staring at my feet, a confused expression on his face.

I laughed. “All right, let’s see where curiosity lands us all today. Lead on.”

Corbin and I headed back across campus. The massive airship still hovered in the sky above the Academy.

“Christ,” Corbin said. “Is she here to declare war?”

“Very likely,” a husky little voice said.

Corbin paused, frowning at my feet. “Does he mean that?”

“Damned if I know.”

Corbin and I headed across campus toward the garden. When we got there, we found that a dozen campus security officers were stationed at the entrance of the garden.

“They weren’t there earlier,” I said.

“Earlier?” Corbin asked.

I stiffened. “I had a class here yesterday. There were definitely no guards then.”

Corbin frowned.

“I know another way in,” the Cheshire cat said. “If you really want to see.”

I looked at Corbin who grinned.

“All right. Lead the way,” I told the cat.

For a brief moment, a striped yet translucent tail appeared, leading us away from the garden, directly toward one of the mirrors located nearby. The cat stopped just before the mirror.

“Cat,” I whispered. “Are you mad?”

“Yes. But we’re all mad here. Now, pick me up.”

“It would help if you were visible.”

“Oh no, I’m not going to get caught.”

“But you’re the one who brought us here.”

“Exactly.”

I bent down and picked up the cat.

“Now, take each other’s hands.”

I looked at Corbin then slipped my hand into his.

The expression on his face changed for a moment, softening.

“I don’t know how to use the mirror,” I told the Cheshire cat, trying to pull myself together.

“Easy. Just say where you want to go.”

“And where are we going?” Corbin asked.

“Oh, you’ll see. Now, on the count of three. One, two, three—The Garden Glass,” the Cheshire cat said.

And then we stepped through the mirror.

For a brief moment, I felt like I was being stretched in every direction. My head ached. Feeling like a rubber band that had been snapped across time as space, I was dumped out of another mirror.

I stumbled a little, but Corbin held on to me, steadying me.

We were in an overgrown greenhouse that looked like it hadn’t been used in years. Tables covered in dust littered the place. Nothing, aside from wild vines, grew inside. The windowpanes were coated in dirt. I looked back to see that the mirror through which we’d come was hanging from a chain attached to the rafters above. All around the edge of the mirror was beautiful stained glass. At the top of the mirror was a silver star on a blue background.

“Where are we?” I whispered.

“In a greenhouse,” the Cheshire cat said, pouncing from my arms.

“But what greenhouse?”

“Oh, this greenhouse is on the grounds of Star Chambers, which sits on the far side of the garden.”

“You mean to tell me we’re in the forbidden part of the campus?” Corbin asked.

“Well, at the edge of it. But, yes,” a tail appeared before us. “Come on.”

We followed behind the Cheshire cat, exiting the greenhouse. A stone pathway led from the conservatory. We followed it until we reached a split in the path. There, a directional sign had arrows that pointed in both directions. One toward Star Chambers, the other toward the Mirror Garden and Garden of the Eternity Rose.

“It’s left to go to the garden,” the Cheshire cat said. “Or you could go right through Tewolgow Woods to Star Chambers.”

I looked at Corbin.

“We could go right,” he suggested. “Just to see.”

“Cat, you are going to get us killed.”

“Not if no one sees you,” the cat replied.

“Easy to say if you’re invisible,” I retorted.

I looked at Corbin. Going to look at Star Chambers was a terrible idea. But one I couldn’t resist.

“Well, what do you think? Want to live dangerously?” Corbin asked.

I grinned. “All right.”

“Warned you that my kind of trouble was obvious,” Corbin said.

“Funny, I had a very different interpretation of what that was referring to,” I replied with a grin.

Corbin chuckled, a wicked expression on his face.

He knew very well what I meant.

We turned and headed in the direction of Star Chambers, following the stone path through a thick forest. I looked back to see if I could see the campus grounds but couldn’t make them out clearly. It was silent save the sounds of the forest. The wind rustled through the trees. As we went, I could see there had once been a path here. The cobblestones were still evident in fits and starts. Stone benches lined the way, but they were covered in leaves and lichen. No one had been here for a long time.

The trees began to thin, and at the edge of the forest, I spotted a tall building.

Corbin and I shared a glance then went ahead.

When we reached the edge of the forest, we found a bridge that crossed the river. On the other side was a massive castle. The exterior stones were smooth and heather gray. The windows were all covered in stained glass. Pennants hung from the gas lamps on the bridge, but now they were in tatters.

Moving carefully, we headed across the bridge. We were out in the open now. If there was anyone watching, surely we’d be caught.

Then what?

We could say we were just curious. And that was true. But there was something more to my curiosity. Something was driving me.

As we crossed the bridge, I caught the sound of the waterfall in the distance.

“Do you hear that?” I asked Corbin.

He nodded.

When we arrived at the building, I cast a glance up. It was a massive old place, much like Hearts Chamber. On one side of the building, I spotted an odd, domed roof.

“What’s that?” I asked the cat.

“The observatory.”

“To look at the stars? Is there a telescope in there?”

“Along with a great library and other interesting things.”

“Locked up though,” Corbin said, eyeing the door.

“Oh, yes. Bespelled too,” the cat said. “But…”

“But what?”

“There is always a way,” the cat said.

“Another mirror?” Corbin asked.

“No. They were smart enough to remove those. Forgot the one in the greenhouse though. But if I were an Academy student taking Necromancy, I’d bet I could learn how to make a skeleton key.”

I looked at Corbin.

“I’ll have to check my book. What about the spells?” Corbin asked.

“And I bet, if I studied Teamancy, I could learn a helpful spell or two. But I’m just a cat, so what do I know?”

I looked at Corbin. “Suppose we try to get ourselves expelled the first week?”

He grinned. “What can it hurt?”

“Your necks,” the cat answered.

I looked down to see a wide smile.

“Let’s go,” the Chesire cat said, his tail appearing once more. He gave it a flick then turned.

Corbin and I followed behind the cat. We passed through the forest once more, and this time, I heard something in the woods other than the birds. There was a rustle in the bushes. The cat must have heard it as well, because he paused and partially formed, only his tabby stripes, which were purple in color, appearing.

“What’s that?” Corbin asked.

“Pick me up, Lacey,” the cat said, panic in his voice.

“Are we in trouble?” I asked.

“No. It’s just….momeraths,” the cat said. “So annoying.”

A moment later, a pair of beady eyes poked out from under a fern. A small, furry creature that looked like a cross between a ferret and a squirrel, aside from the tiny golden horn on his head and his green fur, crept out of the brush.

“What the bloody hell is that?” Corbin asked.

“A momerath,” the cat answered.

The little creature sat up on his hind legs like a squirrel then clicked at us, a curious expression on his face. He sniffed the breeze.

“He’s looking for me,” the cat whispered, an edge of panic in his voice.

“Are they predators?”

“Hardly. They’re so, very, very, annoyingly playful.”

“Do they talk too?” I asked.

“I thought you were intelligent. Of course not,” the cat replied.

The little creature clicked at us a few more times, sniffing the wind once more, then disappeared back under the brush.

“Let’s go,” Corbin said.

We headed down the trail back to the greenhouse where the path split. Setting the Cheshire cat down, we followed the footpath toward the garden.

“The garden has ears,” the Cheshire cat cautioned. “Keep that in mind.”

“What does that mean?” Corbin asked.

“Some of the flowers here are sentient, like the Eternity Rose,” I explained.

As we went, we passed under massive toadstools. Bread-and-butterflies clustered on one rock near a shallow pool. Horseflies buzzed past. A tall sunflower turned and looked down at us, scowling with annoyance.

“What? Students? What are you doing here?”

“Lost,” I said.

“I should report you.”

“No, no. We’re just trying to get back to campus. Which way?”

The flower huffed with exasperation. “There. Oh, my roots and stem, they’re just letting any idiot into the Academy these days,” she said, pointing with her leaf. “And watch out for the snapdragons.”

“Snapdragons?” Corbin asked.

The Cheshire chuckled.

The sunflower leaned down to look. “What was that? Was that a Cheshire cat? Oh, no, no, no. No wonder you’re lost. Can’t be trusted, those cats.”

“How very biased,” the Cheshire cat told her.

The flower huffed then turned away.

As we made our way, other flowers turned to look at us, many gasping with shock. Soon, we heard the murmur of gossip among the blossoms.

“Students! Here? In the closed section of the garden!” one of the flowers exclaimed.

“What are they doing here?” another retorted with annoyances.

“Poor dears, they’re lost!”

“Snooping.”

“Spying.”

“We should report them.”

“Tell the snapdragons.”

“Yes, the snapdragons will teach them a lesson.”

“And snapdragons are?” I asked the Cheshire cat.

He chuckled in reply. “You’ll see.”

We rounded a bend in the garden path to discover just what all the fuss was about. There, a flower had bent low onto the path before us. The blossoms on the long shaft of the flower were the shape of dragon heads. They all hissed low and mean at us as they blocked our path. Considering the blooms were more then twice my size, I stopped.

“Shite,” Corbin whispered. “Now what?”

“We need to pass. We’re lost and need to get back to campus,” I told the flowers.

“She’s lying,” one of the flowers nearby whispered.

“Lies.”

“She’s up to no good.”

Taye was right. The flowers were rude.

“I’m not lying.” Mostly. “We do need to pass this way to return, whether you like it or not.”

“Go back the way you came,” a flower hissed.

“No, we’ll pass through there,” I said, pointing to the pathway.

“She’s trying to get to the Eternity Rose,” one of the flowers said.

“They all want to see the Mother Rose,” another answered.

“Well, she is from Rose Chambers. What’s the harm of letting her pass?” a meek voice asked.

“Shut up,” a chorus answered.

But a moment later, a soft breeze blew through the garden. On it, I caught the scent of roses. Under that breeze, I heard a faint whisper. The flowers grew silent.

The snapdragons rose, moving out of our way.

Overhead, one of the massive purple asters huffed uncomfortably. “Our apologies. We have cleared the way. You may proceed,” the flower said.

The Chesire cat beamed a smile up at us. “You heard her. Let’s go.”

29

Riddles, Prophecies, and Melting Hearts

Corbin and I followed the trail only to meet with a massive wall of thorns blocking the path. But as we approached, the thorny vines lifted, making a gateway under which we could enter. We passed through, finding the Eternity Rose on the other side.

The massive white rose turned her head, unfolding her petals to reveal her face at the center. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Like the roses you see in paintings, her petals were full, perfect, and the color of new-fallen snow save a massive red blemish on one petal. Glimmering light shimmered all around her.

“So, here you both are,” she said enigmatically.

I looked at Corbin.

“I…hello,” I said then curtsied. I had no idea how one ought to address a talking rose. But something told me I should try a little courtesy.

The rose giggled.

“Lacey Crane and Corbin Liddle. You have finally come to Wonderland. Now, what will you do?”

I suddenly wished Corbin wasn’t there. Here was a creature who could answer all of my questions, could tell me why, exactly, I was here. Except…asking her would reveal me in front of Corbin, which was something I didn’t want. It was bad enough others knew. I wanted everyone to forget my name was Alice. I wanted to be left in peace to study, to learn Wonderland’s magic, away from all the drama of my real life. Something told me it would be okay for Corbin to know, that I could trust him. I just…I didn’t want him to look at me like I was a freak. I’d had enough of that for one lifetime.

“I’ll do what I was always meant to do,” Corbin told the rose.

She arched an eyebrow at him.

The seriousness of his reply caught me off guard. What did that mean?

“Why?” the Eternity Rose asked him.

“Because people have been telling me my whole life that it’s what I’m supposed to do.”

“And do you always do what you’re told?” the rose asked with a knowing laugh.

He smiled. “No.”

“Then, why?”

Corbin gave me a long, sidelong glance. “Because…because I want to.”

“Didn’t expect that, did you?” the rose said with a snicker.

Corbin shifted uncomfortably. “No.”

What in the hell were they talking about? And what was that look Corbin had given me?

“And you, Miss Crane,” the Eternity Rose said, turning to me. “What will you do now?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. No one is telling me anything.”

The rose smiled once more. “Must you wait to be told? Very well. What do you want to know?”

“I’m not sure. Everything.”

“You are in Wonderland now, where you have always belonged. The land itself wants to help you. Listen to the creatures, the voices of Wonderland. They will move you toward what is right. And listen to the voice inside you. All of the answers are there.”

“I—”

“When the time comes, go see the Caterpillar. Both of you. Together,” the Eternity Rose said.

“When what time comes?” I asked.

“Oh Lacey,” the Eternity Rose said with a laugh. “What did I just tell you? Listen to your instincts, daughter of Wonderland,” she said, then gently reached out and pressed my stomach with the tip of her leaf. “And if they fail you, watch the stars. Now, off with the three of you,” she said, lifting her vines so we could return the way we’d came. “By the way, dear Cheshire cat, I know what you’re up to.”

To my surprise, the Cheshire cat manifested whole. He was a fat tabby cat, just like the illustrations in Lewis Carroll’s books, except his eyes were wide and yellow-colored, his fur a mix of purple and blue. He smiled, his grin taking up the entire width of his face.

“Whatever do you mean?” the Cheshire cat replied.

The rose lifted her leaf to her mouth, laughing daintily. “You are a terrible liar.”

“And you are a very vague prophet,” the Cheshire cat retorted.

“I only say as much as I must. I leave the rest to you to encourage along.”

The cat chuckled.

“Away with you now,” the rose said.

Corbin and I turned to go, but I paused once more.

I turned back to the rose. “May I ask one more question?”

The Eternity Rose raised her eyebrow once more.

“Who painted your petal red?”

She leaned in close to me. “I will tell you this: it wasn’t the Queen of Stars.”

I nodded. “Thank you.”

“Thank you,” Corbin echoed.

We turned to go, but the rose’s green leaf reached out to me once more, wrapping itself around me, making me pause.

“Lacey, Wonderland has been reaching into your life far longer and far deeper than you know. Open your eyes. Question all of it. The answers will come to you, but you must see the truth,” she said with a smile. “And don’t lose your head,” she added, patting her leaf on my head.

I nodded to her, then Corbin and I passed under the vine once more. We headed down the path back toward the greenhouse.

“Prophets. Always riddling,” a snarky, disembodied voice said.

“I don’t suppose there’s anything you’d like to tell me,” I told the Cheshire cat.

“I only know what I know.”

“Which is?”

“Just a little more than you. But I know something you don’t. And I learned it by following my instincts.”

“And that is?”

“Oh, don’t ask me, ask him,” the Cheshire cat said, his long tail forming from the aether just long enough to point at Corbin.

“You know how cats don’t talk in our world? I like that. I’m much more of a dog person, anyway,” Corbin said, frowning at the invisible Cheshire cat.

I looked at Corbin. “The rose… Did what she tell you make sense?”

He nodded. “Most of it.”

I was dying to know what that meant. While most things were unclear, there was one thing that was certain. Whatever the two of us were doing in Wonderland, we were somehow tied together. My instincts were very clear about that.

“Lacey,” Corbin said, pausing mid-path. “I… If there is anything you ever want to tell me or ask…” he said, leaving the sentence unfinished.

“Same,” I said, meeting his eyes.

“Well, I know one thing,” he said, then grinned.

“And that is?”

“Both of us are in deep shit in Wonderland, one way or another. Best we stick together.”

Now what did that mean? “Stick together? Hmm, that’s suspect. How do I know you aren’t just trying to get my secret stash of snacks?”

“Um, the rest of that jerky is mine,” a disembodied voice said, adding “dog lover,” with scorn in his voice.

“And after I shared my butterfly chips with you,” Corbin said, shaking his head.

At that, the flowers near us gasped but silenced themselves once more. Whatever the Eternity Rose had whispered to them had definitely curbed their tongues.

Tepidly, however, I reached out and touched Corbin’s hand. “Sticking together sounds good to me.”

Corbin wrapped his fingers around my hand, making everything inside me want to melt into my shoes.

“Well then, right now, let’s stick together and find that mirror so we can get the hell out of here before we get ourselves beheaded.”

30

The Queen of Hearts

After we reemerged from the mirror, Corbin and I headed back across campus. The Cheshire cat disappeared to who knows where. We were just passing one of the administrative buildings when a large group exited, including the Queen of Hearts, Vice President Whistle, a fleet of guards and attendants dressed in the black and red of Hearts, and Aden.

The Queen’s guard, all of whom were carrying spears, halted us in our path.

Corbin and I gazed at one another, both of us with less-than-impressed expressions on our faces.

The queen, who looked immensely frustrated, was barking something at her assistant who was hurriedly taking notes.

I set my eyes on Aden, who was trailing along behind his mother.

He must have felt me looking at him because he looked up. An expression of relief washed over his features. “Lacey,” he called, leaving the crowd to join us.

Corbin gave me a puzzled look but stayed beside me all the same.

“Aden,” I said, my eyes flicking toward the queen who had not yet noticed her son wasn’t following along behind her. “You weren’t in class this morning.”

“Oh. Yeah. I had another schedule change. I won’t be taking that class anymore.”

“Oh.” My temper flared, remembering Amber’s snarky words to her brother. Apparently, they had amounted to something, as I had feared. Uppity bitch.

“Still in magical weapons though,” he said then turned to Corbin. “I’m Aden,” he told him. “I don’t think we’ve met.”

“I know who you are.”

“Aden!” a shrill voice called.

The hard edge on the voice made my skin crawl. I turned to see the Queen of Hearts headed our way. She was striking. Her long, black hair glimmered with hints of amber in the sunlight. The effect of it made it appear almost like the strands of her hair were aflame. She leveled her dark eyes on Corbin and me, assessing us both. But it was Corbin who drew her attention far more. She eyed his tattoos with obvious disdain.

“Mother, may I introduce two of my fellow students,” Aden said, smiling hopefully at her. There was an odd tremor in the corner of his mouth. I knew that look. Nick used to get the same expression on his face when he talked to his dad who never hesitated to smack Nick around when he felt like it. That was, when Nick’s dad made a rare appearance as he breezed through town.

The Queen of Hearts gripped her staff.

“Your Majesty,” I said, curtseying. I hoped with every fiber of my being that I’d watched enough episodes of Downton Abbey to pull off the semblance of proper etiquette.

“Your Majesty,” Corbin echoed, giving her a bow.

“What’s this all about?” the queen asked her son.

“May I introduce Lacey Crane, a student from Overthere. She’s new to Wonderland this year. And this is Corbin, he’s—”

“In Spades,” Corbin said.

I looked at Corbin out of the corner of my eye but didn’t say anything.

“From Overthere?” the queen asked, her curiosity shifting to me. “And Rose Chambers, is it?” she asked, her eyes roving over my uniform, my face, my everything. My skin crawled. The Eternity Rose had told me to trust my instincts. Right now, they were blaring at me like a submarine alarm. Dive, dive!

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I just had an energetic little chat with Annalise, Queen of Roses. Who knew such gentle souls could be so stubborn. And what do you think of the Queen of Roses?”

“I wouldn’t know, Your Majesty. I’ve barely arrived here. So far, I’ve met just a few people,” I said motioning to Aden and Corbin. “And your son has been very kind.”

The Queen of Hearts rolled her eyes then turned back to Aden. “I told your sister to wait for us on the platform. I’m getting late, and this entire trip has been a waste. In the end, I will have to do things my way,” she said then, without another word to Corbin or me, she turned and headed off.

I tried not to gape.

Aden stepped in his mother’s direction then paused, “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he told me.

I nodded, then gave him a small, sympathetic smile.

Aden hurried off behind the queen.

Corbin and I stood and watched them go.

“Well, that was enlightening,” Corbin said.

“Yes, it was, Corbin from Spades.”

Corbin huffed a laugh but didn’t say anything else.

The bell on the clocktower dinged. It was already six o’clock.

“Crap,” I said. “I didn’t even start my History of Wonderland paper yet.”

Corbin nodded, but his eyes were still on the Queen of Hearts—or were they on Aden? Corbin frowned, shook his head, then turned back to me. “We’re supposed to have a meeting in Spades…now, I guess.” He pulled out his pocket watch, the face of which was red. Yeah, he was definitely late.

I met his eyes. I didn’t want to leave him. I really didn’t. “So, I’ll see you in class tomorrow?”

He nodded. “Thanks, you know, for enduring my curiosity.”

“It was definitely enlightening. And confusing. But I don’t blame you. I blame the cat.”

“And where did he bugger off too?”

“I suppose he knew trouble when he saw it,” I said, gesturing toward the Queen of Hearts.

“Yeah,” Corbin said thoughtfully then rubbed his chin. “That guy, Aden, watch your back.”

“He’s not like the rest of his family.”

“Appearances can be deceiving.”

“Oh, can they?” I asked, stepping closer to him. “And what does the Magic Eight Ball say?” I asked, gently touching the tattoo on his arm.

Corbin grinned at me. “Signs point to yes.”

“Do you have all the eight ball answers memorized?”

“I do, but only because I knew you’d ask.”

“But you never met me until now.”

“Nope. Just preparing for you all my life.”

“Funny, the rose said something like that too.”

“So she did,” he said with a wink. Taking my hand once more, he gave it a soft squeeze then let me go. Turning, he headed back across campus toward his chambers.

As I watched him leave, my heart thundered in my chest.

And what do my instincts say about that?

But even as I thought it, that familiar guilty pang stabbed at my heart.

What do I do, Nicholas?

I could do what the Eternity Rose said, and listen to my heart.

But what about Nick?

What about Nick?

Nick was gone.

I pulled out my cell phone, clicking it to activate the screen.

But the phone was dead.

The screen was blank.

31

Snicker-Snack

Back in my room in Rose Chambers, I pulled out my typewriter, went over my notes, and tried to set aside everything I had seen and heard and tried to write my History of Wonderland essay. Easier said than done. My mind kept slipping away from the rise of the Kingdoms of Hearts and Stars to, well, everything else.

Prophecies and riddles.

Locked, abandoned castles.

Secretive cats.

And bright blue eyes.

I tapped my finger on the desk and gazed outside. It was already dark, the sky full of stars. My mind went to Corbin once more. What in the hell was I thinking? I was a liability here. Being friends with me put Corbin at risk. The idea that someone good could be hurt just because of me made my stomach feel sick.

I closed my eyes.

“Just go to the quiet place in your mind. Breathe in and out, slowly and deeply. Thoughts are not things. Thoughts are not reality. They are just thoughts,” I heard Nurse Gilman say.

The only thing that had ever been special about me was that I was half-crazy.

I breathed deeply, in and out, trying to force the thoughts out.

I wasn’t wrong about being a danger to others here.

That thought was accurate.

It was what I did about it that mattered.

I opened my eyes and shuffled my notes once more.

Setting my fingers on the typewriter, I started.

It began with White and Red…

My watch pinged the next morning, waking me. I rose groggily and got ready for Magical Weapons Training. At some point in the middle of the night, I had finished my history paper. It and my typewriter were still sitting on the end of my bed. I slipped my history paper into a binder then slid it into my bag. My stomach rumbled as I headed out of my room.

“Off so early?” a disembodied voice asked as I headed downstairs.

“Class,” I said in a low voice. Other students from Rose were already milling around. In the massive tree at the center of the chambers, tiny balls of light hurried past.

“And to think, I had a few ideas of other things we could do today.”

“Are you trying to get me killed?”

“Get you killed? No. I’m not the one who brought you here. They are the ones trying to get you killed. I’m trying to help you not die.”

“And what did you have in mind this morning?”

“Oh, now you’re interested?”

“Interested in not dying, yes. But I have class. Why don’t you share your ideas to get me not killed later.”

A furry little body rubbed against my ankle then disappeared without further comment. I hurried to the common kitchen in the hope I could find something to eat before I left. Fi was there, chatting with some upperclassmen.

“Lacey,” she called happily.

I inwardly groaned at her early-morning pep but smiled all the same.

“Good morning.”

“Wow, you look tired. Late night already?”

“I had a paper due today.”

Fi looked confused. “Already? What course?”

“History of Wonderland.”

Fi looked back at the others, all of whom exchanged a glance, then turned back to me. “Don’t tell me they gave you Trawller.”

I nodded.

Fi tittered. “Well, you’ll learn a lot.”

“Only Fi could find a way to spin that one,” one of the other students said.

“I just came to grab something,” I said, trying to drop the conversation.

“Oh, try this,” Fi told me, handing me a bottle of something orange.

“What is it?”

“Nickleberry juice. And one of these,” she added, grabbing a square pastry with some kind of green jelly inside. “It’s a minty jelly square.”

“Thanks.”

“Have a good day. Commons meeting tomorrow.”

“Thanks. I’ll see you then.”

I slipped the bottle of juice into my bag then headed out. The pastry she’d given me smelled good, at least good enough for my rumbling stomach. I took a bite. The dough was light and buttery, not unlike a croissant. The jelly inside had sharp hints of mint, basil, parsley, and other earthy herbs. It reminded me of what I imagined mixed greens salad to taste like if it were turned into a jelly. Weird, but it did the trick.

I headed back across campus. When I arrived, half of the class was already there. I spotted both Elissa and Aden in the crowd. I dropped my bag on the bench.

“The Rosie came back,” she called with a cheer. “There’s my badass fairy.”

I grinned at her. “No wings yet,” I said, pointing to my back.

“Thank god. That’s only going to make you more dangerous.”

I chuckled.

The other students smiled good-naturedly at us. Several students from Hearts circled Aden who looked decidedly less joyful than usual. I caught his attention.

Aden excused himself then moved to join me.

“Good morning,” I told him, eyeing him carefully. He had dark rings under his eyes.

“Hey, Lacey, how are you?” he said, giving me a weak smile.

“All right. You?”

“Yeah, all good.”

And he was lying. I know Corbin had told me to avoid Aden, but Aden’s problem was not in himself; it was his family.

“So, you met my mother yesterday,” Aden said with a forced smile.

“Not a week into Wonderland, and I got to meet the Queen of Hearts.”

He nodded. “I know what people from Overthere think. Everyone comes here thinking the same thing because of Lewis Carroll’s books.”

“And the movie.”

“Movie?”

“The Disney movie.”

“I don’t know that one. Is it bad?”

Bad was definitely a matter of perspective. “I don’t think your mother would care for it.”

“There is a very short list of things she cares for.”

There was a hard edge to his voice. I was sorry my dad was gone, but I wouldn’t trade my mom for anything in the world. I could see how other parents could be. Mom and I were like a broke version of the Gilmore Girls: poor but happy.

I set my hand on his arm. “Sometimes we just have to accept how things are, even if they aren’t how we’d wish them to be. Other times, you have to stir shit up to make it better,” I said with a good-natured grin.

Aden looked at me, staring deeply into my eyes. “Why is it we just met, but I feel like you might be the only person around here who actually sees me, not the Prince of Hearts?”

“Robots.”

“Robots?”

“It’s all robots. I mean…Wonderland barely feels real to me, just like my killer robots feel unreal to you. Why would I let something that feels so unreal bias me? I don’t care what title you have. What matters is who you are. And you were the first person here who was nice to me, even though I was the nerd wearing unicorn slippers,” I said with a shrug.

Aden laughed. “I liked those slippers.”

“Me too.”

“So, robots?”

I nodded.

He smiled lightly, the first real smile I’d seen on his face since I’d arrived.

A moment later, a whistle blew. Professor Warg and his golem appeared on the field, the golem hauling the chests of weapons and armor once more.

“Warm up. Three laps around the arena,” the professor called, motioning for us to begin.

“Ah, running laps. Apparently, all physical education teachers love having students run laps,” I told Aden.

“Yes, we do,” Professor Warg called to me. “Now, get a move on, Rosie,” he said with a smile, his lips pulling to a grin—a curious expression on a tiger’s face.

We ran around the field, which was actually a lot bigger than it looked. When we were done, we collected in front of the professor once more.

I was puffing harder than I should have been. Perhaps all those fried cheese sticks and Dunkin’ Donuts were catching up with me after all.

“Now, some stretching,” Professor Warg said.

The golem stepped in front of us.

“One,” it said, in a voice that sounded scratchy, almost like a recording. The golem modeled the stretches then motioned for us to mimic him.

After we’d completed our warm-ups, the professor signaled for us to join him.

The golem opened the chests to reveal the protective gear and the vorpal swords. Again, the creature took out the case of protective bracelets, handing one to each of us. I slipped mine on, feeling the bracelet squeeze snugly on my wrist.

Out of the corner of my eye, however, I noticed Aden was struggling. “What is it?”

“The spell isn’t activating,” he said then slid the bangle up his wrist. A moment later, it glowed, the spell casting. “There.”

“Glitch?”

“Enchanted items can be temperamental.”

“Get another one.”

He shook his head. “It’s okay now.”

“All right, students. Today, we will continue our work with vorpal sword training. I want two lines, left and right, sparring partners. The line on the left will rotate. The line on the right will stay put. Both sides are to practice the touched by fire enchantment.”

We lined up, spacing ourselves from one another, then faced off from an opponent on the other side. I found myself standing across from a guy from Clubs. When he wrapped his hand around the pommel of his sword, I spotted the tell-tale green finger sparkle.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what’s with the green?” I asked, motioning to his hands.

“Oh, green thumbs, of course. Everyone from Clubs has it.”

“Nice.”

“So, you ready?” he asked me, grinning playfully.

“Yeah. Are you?”

He chuckled. “Pretty brave, rookie.”

“What’s the worst that can happen?”

I held my blade in front of me. “Touched by fire,” I said, dancing my fingers above the blade. In an instant, the sword caught on fire.

Aden, who was standing beside me, looked at his sword. He frowned.

“Robots,” I told him.

He nodded.

“Robots,” he repeated then held his sword in front of him. Again, he tried to call forth the enchantment. Again, he failed.

“It’s all right,” the boy across from Aden told him. “Can’t get mine to come either.”

Aden smiled lightly at him.

I turned back to my partner. His blade was glowing brightly.

“Well done…”

“Darrian.”

“Darrian. I’m Lacey.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“Today,” Professor Warg called, “I want you to focus on blocking. One student advance, the other block then switch. Understood?”

“Yes, professor,” the students called.

The professor blew his whistle.

My partner and I saluted one another, then began. He advanced first, and I did my best to block. And again, we switched. As we worked, I watched Darrian’s footwork. He was very skilled, whereas I looked like I was trying to bowl rather than fence.

“Where did you learn that?” I asked him, motioning to his feet.

“I had a tutor over the summer. Put your feet like this,” he told me, motioning for me to adjust my legs. “Then bend your knees. Move in a partial crouch.”

I watched him carefully then tried to mimic the move.

He grinned. “That’s better.”

“Less like a battering ram?”

He laughed. “Exactly.”

We moved back and forth, blocking and advancing, then Professor Warg called for us to switch. Elissa was my next partner. Darrian moved on to Aden.

“Hey, Rosie,” she said. “You ready?”

“As I’m going to get.”

“Still on for Friday morning?”

“If you are.”

She nodded. “Let me see your grip,” Elissa said, looking at my hand. “Not bad. Try a little more like this,” she said, showing me how she was holding her sword.

“Can you get the vorpal sword to evoke all the elements?” I asked her.

She shook her head. “Fire, water, and air. No earth or fairy, and because I don’t want to get beheaded, no starlight.”

“Air? How does that work?”

“I’ll show you Friday,” she said with a wink. “Now, you got it?” she asked, looking at my handhold.

I nodded.

“All right. Let’s go,” she said then saluted me, and we began. We shifted back and forth. As we moved, I noticed that Elissa’s footwork was a lot like Darrian’s. I began to move like her, modeling her steps. Elissa was patient with me, offering tips as we went.

Beside me, however, Aden was having a slightly rougher time of it. Darrian didn’t seem to care that much that Aden couldn’t get his vorpal sword to cooperate. Green thumbs aside, a game of masculine bravado was underway.

Between bouts with Elissa, I paused to watch Aden and Darrian. It was then that I saw something strange. Aden’s bracelet sparked for a moment then fell slack. At that exact same moment, Darrian advanced, his flaming sword hoisted high.

“Stop,” I yelled, jumping in to block the blow.

Touched by water.

Confused by my sudden appearance, Aden stepped back. My sword, which was suddenly hissing with water, met Darrian’s, extinguishing his flame. The metal clanged, making an odd snicker-snack sound.

Professor Warg’s whistle shrilled.

“Professor,” Elissa called. “Lacey, what happened?”

“What’s happening?” Darrian asked, stepping back. The flame from his sword extinguished.

Lowering my sword, which I’d been holding protectively in front of Aden, I met Aden’s eyes.

“Lacey,” he whispered.

There were murmurs from the other students as they all stopped to look.

Professor Warg joined us, a scowl on his face. “What’s happening here?”

“I…” Darrian began. “I don’t really know, professor.”

“Aden’s protective amulet failed,” I said. “He didn’t realize it. Darrian’s advance was good, but Aden wasn’t ready. With his amulet failing…I don’t know. I just reacted.”

“Let me see that,” Professor Warg told Aden, reaching for the amulet.

Aden pulled it off, then handed it to him.

The professor looked it over. “Defective,” he said then turned to the golem. “Did you check these?”

“Yes, professor.”

“All of them?”

“Yes, professor.”

Professor Warg frowned then turned to Aden. “Are you all right?”

Aden nodded. “It was my fault. I noticed the band wasn’t working properly. I should have told you, but it seemed like it was going to hold.”

The professor eyed the amulet once more then turned to me. “Smart thinking to evoke the water charm, Miss Crane. Prince Cerise, I think Miss Crane may have saved your life.”

“I…” I began, but I didn’t know what to say. I hadn’t actually said the charm—I’d only thought it.

I looked at Elissa. Folding her arms across her chest, she stared at me, nodding her head as she considered. “Badass fairy,” she said.

I turned to Aden. “You all right?”

He nodded. “Thank you.”

“Prince Cerise, I’m so sorry,” Darrian said, a look of panic on his face.

“It was an accident,” Aden reassured him then turned to the professor. “It was just an accident. Please, let’s take it no further than here.”

“It is procedure—” Professor Warg began.

“Professor, can we talk privately, please,” Aden said.

Professor Warg frowned. “Let’s get you a new amulet. The show is over, students. Carry on. Rotate partners.”

“Professor, can I sit one out?” Darrian asked. All the blood had drained from his face.

Professor Warg nodded.

Looking shaken, the boy went and took a seat.

A girl from Diamonds moved into position across from me. “Fast thinking, Rosie. You just saved our future king. They’ll probably give you a medal or something.”

“It just seemed like it might throw off the class if someone died.”

She laughed. “Well, you’re right about that. Shall we?” she asked, lifting her sword in salute.

I glanced back over my shoulder at Aden. He was speaking very animatedly to Professor Warg. If a report went to his mother that he’d almost been hurt in class…well, who knows what she’d do.

The rest of the class passed quickly. We finished our rotations. Aden stayed with Professor Warg, sparring with him as the other students worked together. Eventually, the professor called for us to do our cool-down stretches and stow our gear.

I watched as several other students checked in with Aden, making sure he was okay. Aden looked utterly humiliated by the whole thing.

“Hey, I just wanted to say thank you,” someone said, touching my shoulder.

I turned to find Darrian there. He was still visibly upset.

“It’s all right. It really was just an accident,” I said.

Darrian stared at Aden. “But if his mother learns.” There was a look of terror behind his eyes.

“It was just an accident. It will be okay.”

He turned to me. “You think so?”

I nodded.

“I hope you’re right,” Darrian said then went to stash his gear.

I set my vorpal sword back in the case then went to put my gear away. I found Aden there.

“You have no idea how grateful I am,” he whispered to me.

“Anyone would do the same. I noticed you were in trouble and just acted.”

Aden ran his fingers through his sweaty hair. “Now I just need to pray it doesn’t get back to my mother.”

“He was worried,” I said, looking over my shoulder at Darrian.

Aden followed my gaze, his face twisting with distress, but he said nothing. His lack of response puzzled me.

“Gather around,” Professor Warg called.

We joined him.

“The accident here today is a reminder of the importance of safety in this course. I will be reviewing my own protocols, but this was also a cue to check your equipment. Make sure you report anything off or broken. The incident is also a reminder of something else…the vorpal sword is a powerful weapon. It works in tandem with its wielder, sensing the emotions of the swordsman. Did any of you hear the sound the sword made when Miss Crane stepped between Prince Cerise and Darrian?”

Elissa raised her hand. “I heard it. The snicker-snack.”

Professor Warg nodded. “The sword bonded with Miss Crane, and it acted, sensing her thoughts and emotions. That sound is the telltale sound of a bonded sword. It is a goal you should all work toward. All of you, follow along,” the Professor said. “Miss Crane, with me.”

We returned to the rack where the vorpal swords were hanging.

“Do you remember which one was yours?” Professor Warg asked.

I shook my head. “Not precisely. On this end though.”

“Move your hand over the swords like so,” the professor said, the palm of his paw gently gliding over the pommels of the swords.

I mimicked his movement. I was surprised when one of the swords suddenly took on a pinkish sheen.

Professor Warg let out a low sound like a muffled growl. “That one,” he told me.

I pulled the sword from the rack. It glowed pink for just a moment, then went quiet once more.

“Did you see that?” Elissa asked. “Wasn’t that fairy flame?”

Professor Warg nodded. “Yes, but she will need to practice the art. Miss Crane, that vorpal sword is yours. I will prepare it for you. Please pick it up from my office tomorrow morning.”

“Mine?”

“It is bonded to you.”

I felt the sword in my hand. The sword had read my thoughts. It had shifted to water to help me protect Aden.

“So cool,” someone called.

“Good job, Lacey,” another student shouted.

At that, the others began clapping.

“Not fair having a prodigy in class,” Elissa said with a grin.

At that, Professor Warg chuckled. “You mean, how fortunate,” he told her with a wink.

I handed the blade to Professor Warg. “Thank you, professor.”

He nodded then turned to the others. “Now, that’s enough excitement for the day. Class dismissed.”

A few of the students stopped to pat me on the shoulder, then headed out.

I turned to find Aden, but he had already gone to grab his bag and was headed toward the exit.

“Aden?” I called, crossing the grass toward him.

When he saw me, he smothered a strange expression. Embarrassment? Anger? I wasn’t sure. But I could see that he didn’t want to talk to me.

I slowed my steps, unsure of what to do.

“Hey,” I called lightly, stopping a few steps away from him. “I’ll see you around. You still coming tomorrow night?”

“Um. Yeah. Maybe,” he said then hoisted his bag on his shoulder once more. “Thanks again. See ya,” he said, then turned and left.

Frowning, I went to grab my own gear then headed toward the spa to clean up before my next class. I passed the hot spring, eyeing the Star Kingdom queen as I went. I was glad that no one had removed her. She had been carved with such a serene expression on her face.

I headed to the showers, slipping into a private booth.

I slipped off my sweaty clothes and stepped under the water.

As the liquid trickled over me, my mind tripped over what had happened again and again. It wasn’t like Aden to be rude or distant. Maybe he was just embarrassed. After all, he had lived here all his life, had great tutors, and some rookie from Overthere had stepped in and prevented him from getting hurt. And had out-baked him. God, had I Mary Sue shamed him? If he knew I’d come to Wonderland fresh from the psych ward, maybe he wouldn’t feel that way. Or maybe he was worried word would get back to his mother. Or, well, perhaps he wasn’t as nice as I thought he was.

I remembered Corbin’s warning, but I’d always been good at feeling people out.

I was still mulling it over when another realization hit me.

I had saved him.

I swallowed hard.

Aden had almost died—here, at school—and I had saved him.

Nicholas hadn’t been so lucky.

Nick had died in my arms.

Turning the water off, I inhaled slowly and deeply.

“Nicholas,” I whispered, fighting back the tears that wanted to come.

A swell of misery rose up in me, but I fought it back. If I let it loose, I knew what would happen. I couldn’t save Nick, but I had saved Aden—if not from death, at least from injury. Maybe it didn’t mean anything. Or maybe it meant that my jinx was done. Maybe, in Wonderland, I could finally let go of the guilt that plagued my heart.

32

Sailing Through Stars

After I cleaned up, I headed back across campus to join Taye, Vren, Evie, and Oona in Wildcrafting. With the awakening of the Eternity Rose, I didn’t know what to expect from the class. But I did know one thing, the rose knew who I was. She hadn’t revealed my real name in front of Corbin, but her answers to him had been just as cryptic as her answers to me. Why? What secret had brought him to Wonderland?

My thoughts lingered on Corbin.

And lingered.

And lingered.

Wasn’t Corbin the kind of guy I didn’t like? He exuded trouble. But wasn’t he also kind, funny, and adventurous? Still. What in the hell was I doing hanging around Corbin all the time? And breaking the rules with him? And spending loads of extra alone time with him?

“Lacey,” Taye called with a wave.

Once more, there was no sign of Professor Amaranth, and the class was due to start. I joined the others. We were waiting by the wooden benches at the outdoor classroom.

I met Oona’s gaze. She smiled softly at me.

“So, back home, the professor has fifteen minutes to show then the class is canceled,” Taye said, looking at her pocket watch.

Vren laughed. “Yeah, that won’t work here.”

“Here she comes,” Oona said, looking down the garden path.

A ball of light zipped toward us. With a bright twinkle, the professor appeared. Her large wings fluttered, slowing her pace, then she alighted in front of us. She folded her wings back then they too disappeared. She had a smear of dirt on her cheek and was wearing rubber garden boots, overalls, and a faded Rose Chambers T-shirt.

“Right. Come on,” she said, then motioned for us to follow her into the garden.

“Will we see the Eternity Rose today?” one of the students asked.

A bubble of laughter erupted from the professor, coming out an octave too loud. “No. No. She doesn’t want to be seen today. I just asked her. Maybe another day. Today, we’ll be harvesting—or at least attempting to harvest—princess peas.”

Oona and Vren looked at one another.

“What’s a princess pea?” Taye whispered.

“Oh, wonderful, the students are back,” one of the flowers towering over us said in a voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Have you ever seen an uglier flower?” Taye said, motioning to the sassy blossom.

The flower gasped then closed up her petals. “Well, I never,” she muttered.

Taye grinned, a satisfied glint in her eye.

“Better hope you don’t need a reagent from her to pass a test,” Vren said with a grin.

“Are you saying you wouldn’t help me?” Taye asked innocently, her eyes wide.

Vren grinned at her, his eyes on hers.

And, cue the sparks.

I looked at Oona, who raised her eyebrows but said nothing more.

We followed Professor Amaranth through the winding garden, ignoring the chattering—well, mostly complaining—blossoms. We turned in a direction we had not gone before to eventually emerge before a large, unwieldy vegetable garden.

“Princess pea plants are located on the left, roughly. I planted them there, but they’ve stretched out a bit. Please collect a dozen ripe pods,” she said, lifting a sample. The princess pea pod looked exactly like a pea pod at home, except it was pink, the leaves a golden color that looked like a crown. “Over the weekend, you will remove the peas from the pods and dry them. On Tuesday, you’ll bring your dried peas back with you for our next activity.”

“What’s the catch?” Taye whispered.

“Now, in order to get the peas to cooperate, you must put the plants to sleep—”

“Here we go,” I told Taye who chuckled.

“I suggest a lullaby,” Professor Amaranth said with a grin. “Off you go.”

Taking a wicker basket, gloves, and kneepad, I headed into the garden, picking a spot near the edge. On the other side of the wide vegetable garden was a green space with shaped topiaries. Beyond that, I spotted something that looked like a hedge maze.

I knelt in front of the brilliant pink princess peas. “Good afternoon,” I said.

The leaves twitched.

Beside me, Oona was settling in. She gently stroked the leaves as she spoke in low tones. When she did so, a soft pink glimmer formed around her hands.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Fairy glamour,” she said. “I’m just nudging them along.”

“How do you do that?”

Oona looked thoughtful for a moment. “Convince them they want to do it, that they are bending to your will out of choice.”

“And that will make my hands glow pink?”

“Maybe,” she said with a smile. “If all else fails, sing to them.”

“Got ya. So, what do princess peas actually do?” I asked.

“They’re used in a lot of magical concoctions, including the fairy dust you have in your pouch. Of course, that has a lot of other ingredients added in, but ground princess pea is one.”

I nodded then turned back to the plant. The tendrils were quaking with anxiety.

“No need to be worried,” I said gently. “Remember, you wanted to help me. So, how about a song?”

Beside me, Oona was already singing. Her tone was soft and sweet, but I couldn’t make out the words.

Feeling completely ridiculous, I started singing the standard “Rock-a-bye Baby” lullaby.

Pulling on my gloves, I sang as nicely as I could, then reached in to pick one of the pods. To my surprise, one of the small pink blossoms on the vine nipped my arm.

“Hey!”

Oona chuckled. “They aren’t ready yet. Maybe a different song?”

Sighing, I leaned back then thought about all the soft songs I knew. I tried Silent Night, some Sarah McLaughlin songs that made the whole plant droop and turn blueish, Son of a Preacher Man which made the plant happy, but it still wouldn’t give up the pods.

Grinning at me, Oona rose. “Want help?” she asked. I looked in her basket. Inside, she had her twelve pods.

I shook my head. “I’ll get it. Eventually.”

“Try something soothing,” she suggested.

“Hmmm. There is one song I know,” I said, reaching deep in the recesses of my mind. Nan used to sing me this odd little song about a girl who sailed across a sea of stars. Settling in, I tried once more:

Upon a ribbon made of stars

She glides quickly, travels far

To drink her tea

Beside the sea

On an ocean made of stars

Upon her boat so small and swift

A brilling princess was she

Soon to sleep

A dream so deep

Beside an ocean made of stars

The plants shuddered and became perfectly still.

Oona knelt beside me and watched as I picked the pods. My song had a strange effect on the plant. Not only had it gone still, but so had all the other plants nearby. The flowers turned their faces toward me, swaying gently from side to side.

Professor Amaranth, who’d been working through the class, made her way toward us.

Oona set her hand on my shoulder. “Lacey, you should stop singing.”

“I still need two more,” I said, then picked up the tune once again.

“Lacey, stop singing,” Oona said firmly. She quickly grabbed two pods, dropping them in my basket.

“What is it?” I whispered, but it was at that moment that the professor arrived. Oona and I rose.

“Oh, well done, both of you,” Professor Amaranth said, looking into our baskets. “Why don’t you head to the front and pack those up. You can go when you’re done. Class is almost over anyway,” she said then headed in the direction of Taye and Vren. “Very good, Vren!”

I turned to Oona, who was staring at me. “What’s wrong?”

“Where did you learn that song?”

“My Nan. She used to sing it to me when I was little. Why?”

“It’s a Wonderland song.”

“But…that’s not possible. Maybe it’s both here and Overthere.”

“No. No, it isn’t, especially not that song.”

“What do you mean, that song?”

“The stars song,” one of the flowers whispered.

Another flower quickly shushed her.

Oona linked her arm in mine, and we headed toward the bench. “All kingdoms have their own culture—art, poems, songs, magic. That song is called “Sailing Through Stars.” It’s a lullaby that was sung in the Kingdom of Stars.”

“That’s impossible.”

“Yes, it is. So, how did your Nan know that song?”

“I have no idea.”

“You need to be careful.”

I nodded, but then my watched dinged. History of Wonderland. “Better get these wrapped up,” I told Oona.

Working quickly, we packed up our reagents then headed out of the garden.

“Tomorrow is Chambers work. Don’t forget. We begin at eleven,” Oona said.

“See you,” I told her then headed off to class.

Okay, Nan. How did you learn that song?

33

History by Any Other Name

I headed quickly across campus for History of Wonderland class. I strongly suspected that Professor Trawler would have zero patience for lateness. When I entered the classroom, I found it weirdly silent and half-empty. Corbin wasn’t there yet.

I took my seat and pulled out my things, including my paper. Checking my pocket watch, I realized there were five minutes remaining before class. Where was everyone else? Apparently, I wasn’t the only student thinking that. I noticed the others were looking around as well. Two students exchanged a glance, one of them shrugging.

A warm feeling washed over me, and I looked back to find Corbin.

He slipped into his seat behind me.

“Hey,” I said, turning to greet him.

“Hey. Remember your paper?”

I nodded. “Such as it is.”

“Suppose she’ll give us another?”

“Undoubtedly. How was your day?”

“Made a finger bone twitch. You?”

“Bonded with a vorpal sword.”

“Cool. What’s a vorpal sword?” he asked, then grinned.

“What, you didn’t get to those chapters yet?” I asked, tapping his textbook.

He mock-frowned at me. “No. No, I did not.”

A moment later, Professor Trawller entered. As before, she huffed to the front of the room then set—more slammed—down her bag. She turned to us, eyeing over the classroom. She pulled out her watch then nodded to herself.

“Good. About half. That’s much better. Papers, please,” she said then began working her way through the room.

Good god, she’d scared off half the class on purpose. That was…horrifying.

When she reached my desk, I handed my paper to her. She barely glanced my way. I watched her as she circled the room. She wasn’t really looking at anyone, just taking the papers and moving on.

“You have reviewed White and Red—Stars and Hearts—now we will move on in our exploration of the history of Wonderland with the emergence of the lesser kingdoms.”

Around me, several of the students frowned.

Waggling her fingers over her silver cup, she sent a bolt of blue magic zipping toward the front of the classroom. A giant map of Wonderland descended from somewhere above.

Twisting a new spell with her teacup, she sent sparks of light dancing on the map.

“The Red Kingdom, the Kingdom of Hearts, is the westernmost kingdom. The White Kingdom, the Kingdom of Stars, lies to the northeast. But this is, of course, where things get interesting. New villages emerge and grow in power. Until we have Clubs”— she sent a spark toward the map—“Spades, and Diamonds.” As she said each, magic colored the map. “What do you notice?”

A student at the front, a girl from Hearts raised her hand.

Professor Trawler nodded to her.

“Spades and Diamonds grew inside the White Kingdom. Clubs on the borderlands between Red and White.”

“You forgot Roses,” someone called.

Professor Trawller glared at the student. “You will raise your hand, or you will not speak. I did not forget Roses,” she said, then sent a spark toward the map. In a tiny corner of the White Kingdom, far to the east, pink coloring highlighted the Kingdom of Roses. The professor turned back to the girl from Hearts who’d first spoken. “So what is your final observation, Miss Thorne?”

“That…that the new kingdoms all pretty much came from the White Kingdom. Except for Clubs, which took just a little from each.”

“Which means?”

“I…” the girl began.

“Which means,” the professor said, turning to the class, “that the Kingdom of Stars was weak from the very start. The monarchy over stars permitted the growth of new kingdoms within its very realm, did nothing to stop the advance of new powers. The White Kingdom was always the weakest, from the very beginning. It is no wonder that the Kingdom of Hearts had to take hold of Wonderland, to protect Wonderland from war.

Behind me, I heard Corbin shift.

Professor Trawller’s eyes narrowed.

“What is it, Mister…”

“Mister Daniels,” Corbin said.

Daniels? That was the second time I’d heard him use that surname. But hadn’t the Eternity Rose called him something else? Little—no, Liddle.

“Couldn’t it also mean that Stars was more inclusive? Other kingdoms flourished under a more democratic rather than authoritarian rule. Isn’t it possible that other villages had a similar opportunity to flourish in the Red Kingdom but were subdued by Hearts. Whereas the House of Stars encouraged growth and—”

“Slander. Of course not. It was weakness. You’re from Overthere, aren’t you?”

I looked over my shoulder at Corbin who said nothing.

“Being from Overthere, you do not understand what Stars did to Wonderland.”

I raised my hand. “But didn’t Stars also make it possible for all the other kingdoms to exist? I mean, three-fourths of the students in this Academy wouldn’t be here without the aid of Stars. And didn’t Stars support and protect the smaller kingdoms, such as Roses? In the McHill textbook—”

“The McHill textbook is garbage. I sincerely hope you didn’t write your paper based on that piece of rubbish, Miss…”

“Crane.”

“Miss Crane. What McHill weaves as the birth of new nations is nothing more than agenda-based fabrication. Stars was a fragmented and corrupt power. We all saw evidence of that when they sought to crush Wonderland and subdue all the kingdoms.”

Another student raised her hand. She was from Diamonds. “But my grandmother always told me that Diamonds and Spades supported Stars in their bid to take over Hearts. I mean, some people think that the Red Kingdom was trying to do exactly what you said—but opposite. That they were the oppressors—”

“Enough,” Professor Trawller said, raising her hand. “That talk is sedition, the language of rebellion, and revisionist history. We are here to learn the truth. The truth being, of course, that Stars was always weak. And in the end, they were no more than tyrants.”

Corbin raised his hand. “If that’s true, then why did the other kingdoms rally behind Stars?”

“Lies. Because they believe in lies. Now open your Vanity textbooks to chapter ten. Review the materials there. Then, open McHill to chapter seven. They cover the same historical period. You will note down ten differences between the texts—cite page numbers—and submit your work by the end of class. Do keep in mind as you work that McHill’s history is fiction. Begin.”

I looked over my shoulder at Corbin who rolled his eyes then got to work.

Sighing, I grabbed a sheet of paper and flipped open the Vanity textbook. Apparently, I was going to fail my first assignment. Because from what I could see, the truth in Wonderland was very subjective.

My hand aching with cramps—seriously, Wonderland needed to invest less in tea and more in laptops—I finally finished my comparison just as class was ending. I went to the front of the room to drop off my paper. When I did so, Professor Trawller looked up at me.

“Rose,” she said, eyeing the lapel. “But you’re not from here.”

“No, professor.”

“Then you would be wise to listen to what I have to say. For your own good.”

“Yes, professor. Thank you.”

She smiled.

My skin crawled. I clenched my jaw hard then turned away.

Corbin finished off the last of his work as well and headed to the front. As I was packing up my bag, I heard Professor Trawller talking to him in a low, stern voice. When Corbin turned around, his cheeks were flushed red with anger. I met his eyes. Whatever she’d said to him, it had pissed him off.

We finished packing up our bags then headed out.

Corbin was fuming.

“What did she say?”

“Threats.”

“Threats? What kind of threats?”

“To fail me. And, of course, to report me for sedition.”

“Shit.”

“I could use a real drink. What about you, Miss Crane?”

“I’m not twenty-one.”

“You don’t need to be twenty-one in Wonderland, from what I hear.”

I pulled out my pocket watch. “I…I told Professor LaMarie I’d come to her club meeting. It’s in just a bit.”

Corbin nodded, but I saw a flash of emotion cross his face. Frustration? Disappointment? I wasn’t sure.

“But tomorrow night? Would you be able to come out then?” I asked once more. Strange how so much emotion bubbled up between us since I’d first asked him to come. How was that even possible?

“It’s you…and your other friends, right?”

I nodded.

“I’ll try.”

“You could come with me to tea club,” I said with a grin, which to my relief, made Corbin laugh. “Sling back a few Earl Greys. Maybe a shot of Chamomile?

“Thank you for the offer but pass. I should probably go to Tinkering anyway.”

Looking back at Professor Trawller, I frowned. “She’s just an old grump with a political agenda. Don’t let her bother you,” I whispered.

He nodded, but I could tell he was still perturbed. He sighed. “So, tea club? You’re leaving me to find something to eat on my own?”

“Sorry. I could ask the cat to help.”

“Please don’t. He here?” Corbin said, scanning the ground.

“Not that I’m aware of. I promise to keep my nights free for shenanigans—cat-inspired or otherwise—from now on.”

“That sounds like a plan.”

I grinned at Corbin. “So.”

“So, can’t call you, can’t text. Guess I’ll see you later?”

I nodded. “See you later.”

We both lingered for a moment. A strange urge to do something swelled up in me once more. It had been ages since I’d been here. What now?

Corbin reached out and gently took my hand, stroking his finger over the back. He smiled lightly at me.

“Later, Rosie.”

“Later, Mister Daniels.”

Corbin laughed and headed down the steps away from the classroom.

I went to the balcony and looked out over the campus. Airships floated toward the central tower. Students milled about the Quad below, as did the Academy employees, including a fox and a bear, both dressed in Academy colors. I checked my watch. Just enough time to grab a quick untea before I headed off to the High Tea Club.

But I waited a moment more. Corbin appeared in the Quad below. I watched as he crossed the campus green. Only when he’d gone did I turn to go.

34

High Tea Club

Sipping my black and white coffee, I polished off the last of it before I reached Professor LaMarie’s classroom. I felt guilty, like I’d pigged out on hot dogs before going to a vegetarian dinner. But then again, in Wonderland, tea wasn’t quite the same as back home. That was completely evident when I arrived at Professor LaMarie’s classroom. Once more, the room had been cleared for dueling.

At least a dozen students were there, none of whom I recognized.

I immediately felt awkward. All of the students were wearing their teacup holsters. All upperclassmen. And I was the only one there from Rose Chambers. I took two steps toward the door, thinking very hard about how much I’d rather be having a drink with Corbin, when I felt someone standing behind me. “Going in?”

I turned to find Professor Haberdasher there.

“Professor.”

“Miss Crane,” he said, nodding to me. “And Wonderland’s next generation of the greatest Teamancers,” he added loudly.

The other students stopped what they were doing, then turned and smiled at him.

Scanning the room, I realized that while I might have been the only student from Roses there, there weren’t any students from Hearts.

“Is that you, Hank?” Professor LaMarie called from the back.

“So it is, Tiffin.”

“Pots of Chichocolatammon on if you want to get everyone warmed up.”

“Ah, very nice,” Professor Haberdasher said. “Teacups, everyone,” he called.

The students began unholstering their cups.

“No cup?” a girl from Clubs asked, eyeing me over.

“Oh. No…I’m new.”

“Professor Haberdasher, she doesn’t have a cup.”

Professor Haberdasher turned and looked at me. “Ah, well, we shall see to that. Tiffin, I’m holstering a student, if you don’t mind.”

Something clattered in the back. “Which student, dear?”

“Miss Crane.”

“Oh. Yes. Very well.”

Professor Haberdasher waggled his fingers over his teacup. Jets of steam swirled from the cup, lifting the pots of tea which floated across the room. Hands made of steam gently poured what Professor LaMarie had called Chichocolatammon tea into the students’ waiting cups. While I wasn’t a huge fan of tea, the decidedly chocolate and cinnamon smells coming from the pots intrigued me.

The professor motioned for me to follow him. We went to the wall where teacups were stacked from the counter to the ceiling.

“Now, at the end of the Teamancy class, we have a holstering ceremony. It’s a nice little event. The student receives their teacup and saucer. But I think it might be prudent to hurry you along a bit,” Professor Haberdasher said.

“What do I do? Just pick one?”

Professor Haberdasher laughed. “Heavens, no. You must cast a spell. Now, hold your hand like this,” he said, holding out his hand, his palm flat, modeling the move he wanted me to make. “Since time is of the essence, let’s cut to the chase.”

“Easy for you to say,” a voice said.

The Cheshire cat.

Professor Haberdasher grinned then looked down. “Now, what mischief have you been up to?”

“Nothing more than what you’re up to.”

I shook my head. “Both of you are trying to get me into a problem.”

“Weren’t you in a problem before you got here?” Professor Haberdasher retorted.

“She hardly knows,” the invisible Cheshire cat said.

“But she almost knows, which will have to be good enough for now,” Professor Haberdasher said.

“Maybe, but I’d be quick if I were you. Or haven’t you heard? Our Lacey saved the Prince of Hearts’ life,” the Cheshire cat said.

Professor Haberdasher turned and looked at me, his green eyes peering deeply into mine. “Did you really?”

“Well. I mean, I guess so. But—”

“Whatever did you do that for?”

“Because…wait, what in the hell kind of question is that? Why wouldn’t I save Aden’s life?”

“You see,” the Cheshire cat said.

Professor Haberdasher sighed. “Right. Right. All right then. Hand like this,” he said, pulling my hand up and pressing it flat. “Now, repeat after me: Twinkle, twinkle little tea. Won’t you come to my palmsie?”

“You have to be joking.”

“Oh, not at all.”

“In Wonderland, the madder something is, the better it works,” the Cheshire cat said. “Which is, of course, why you fit in very well.”

“Is that supposed to be a compliment?” I asked. “Granted, I’m mad in my world. But here, I feel very ordinary.”

Both the cat and the professor laughed.

Professor Haberdasher cleared his throat. “Close your eyes and repeat the spell. You’ll see.”

“Not with my eyes closed,” I told him with a wink.

The professor laughed. “You see. She almost knows.”

Shaking my head, I closed my eyes. “I feel totally ridiculous.”

“Just say it,” Professor Haberdasher said.

“Twinkle, twinkle little tea. Won’t you come to my palmsie?”

Ridiculous.

I opened my eyes. To my great surprise, the cups on the wall were glowing.

I watched as the teacups floated off the shelves. Moving in a torrent, they swirled around above us. One cup and saucer among the hundreds began to glow. The others moved aside, and slowly, the cup and saucer floated down to my hand.

It was a pretty thing, white porcelain with navy-blue paint with silver trim. The designs looped in flower and starburst patterns. A warm feeling washed over me as the cup settled in my hand.

The students behind me clapped.

“Well done.”

“Kaloo-Kalay.”

“She’s armed for battle.”

“Good job.”

Professor Haberdasher grinned. “Now,” he said, reaching into a drawer below the tea cabinet. “Let me see.” Inside, I spotted dozens of leather holsters like the other students wore. The professor pulled out a black belt and leather holster.

Overhead, the other teacups stacked themselves once more.

“Here you go,” Professor Haberdasher said. Taking the cup and saucer from my hand, he holstered it. “Like this,” he said, laying the saucer flat, placing the cup over the top, and strapping the whole thing in. He then looped it on a belt.

“Here you are,” he said, handing the belt to me. “Always wear it on your side. If you need it in a hurry, it must be close at hand so you can quickly unlatch it.”

“Thanks,” I said, pulling it on.

“I am serious. You must always wear it. Do you understand?”

“Got it. Always be armed for tea.”

Professor Haberdasher tittered.

“One step accomplished,” the Cheshire cat said.

“One thing at a time,” the professor replied.

The cat harrumphed in such a manner to suggest he did not agree.

“We’re all set here, Tiffin,” Professor Haberdasher called to Professor LaMarie.

“Excellent,” Professor LaMarie said then waved for us to join her. She handed me a slip of paper. On it, she had written a protection spell.

“All right, students. Let’s get into dueling pairs. We’ll start off this year’s High Tea Club with some practice. Everyone has the protection spell I handed out? Yes? Good. Now, get a partner.”

“Come with me,” Professor Haberdasher said, motioning for me to take a position across from him.

The students lined up across from one another in pairs.

“I know most of you were in the club last year, but let’s recap to basics. No tasseography in this club and edibles will only be earned once you blast an opponent to the floor. Which is, of course, why you must first soak yourselves in protection. Please take out your cups,” Professor LaMarie said.

I removed my cup from the holster. Mad. The whole idea of it was mad. But still. I linked my finger around the handle.

“Like this,” Professor Haberdasher told me, motioning for me to swirl my fingers over my cup like I was stirring it.

“Now, evoke your protection spell,” Professor LaMarie called.

I quickly read the spell the professor had given me. There wasn’t much to it. Like the spells used in Magical Weapons, the words themselves meant very little. It was the intention behind them that was everything. I moved my fingers above my cup. “Shield of steam.”

A swirl of silver-colored steam shot out like a jet from my cup and clouded around me. I could feel the dew on my skin. The spell finished with a metallic clank, and suddenly, my skin felt tight, like I’d had a good facial.

“How do you feel?” Professor Haberdasher asked me.

“Damp.”

The student beside me chuckled. “You’re going to go easy on her, aren’t you, professor?”

“Why ever would I do that?”

The student grinned at me. “You’ve got some guts taking on the best dueler in Wonderland.”

“Oh, I’m the one with guts for taking on her,” Professor Haberdasher replied with a wink.

I frowned at him.

From somewhere not far away, I heard a soft chuckle.

“Not helpful,” I whispered to the invisible Cheshire cat.

“Now, tonight, Professor Haberdasher and I have decided we’d like you to practice the Eclipse spell. Can anyone tell me what that is?” Professor LaMarie asked.

“It blocks your opponent’s vision,” one of the students replied.

“Exactly. Now, students on the left, please dissipate your protection spells.”

I watched as Professor Haberdasher waggled his fingers over his cup once more. With a whoosh, the steam twisted up and over his body as he undid the spell.

“Students on the right, you will call forth the Eclipse spell. It is listed second on your paper.”

I cast a glance at the pink paper once more. There, Professor LaMarie had written the spell.

I held my teacup in front of me.

“Stir widdershins,” Professor Haberdasher told us. “Once the spell takes hold, just stand still. It will wear off. In the meantime, you’ll feel like you’ve been drinking Tangerine Uplifted.”

The students giggled.

“What’s Tangerine Uplifted?” I asked.

“A drink,” the student beside me said. “A very strong drink.”

I nodded then read the spell once more. Stuffing the paper into my pocket, I began swirling my fingers above the teacup.

“All right, students. On the count of three. One, two, three…” Professor LaMarie called.

“Cloaked in night,” I said firmly, swirling my finger above the cup. A dark cloud, which looked like it was full of stars, lifted off the surface of my teacup.

“Throw it at me,” Professor Haberdasher said.

I gently held the magical orb in my hand, then hurled it across the room toward the professor.

Out of instinct, a few students tried to duck. But it was no use. The magic rushed toward our opponents, wrapping them in a cloud of stars. The sparkling black clouds seemed to seep into their very being. When it was done, the students—and Professor Haberdasher’s—eyes looked like a starry sky.

“Holy hell, I’m blind,” one of the students said.

“Be still, students. On both sides, be perfectly still,” Professor LaMarie called. “Now, Suzanne, tell me how you feel.”

“I don’t feel bad. I just can’t see anything. I’m not totally in the dark either, but all I see is a sky full of stars. Nothing else.”

“Anyone else?” Professor LaMarie called.

“Professor, I can see out of my right eye but not my left.”

Professor LaMarie turned to the student who cast the spell. “Did you turn the spell clockwise or counter?”

“I…I’m not sure.”

“If you turn your spell clockwise, this particular enchantment will fail. Your opponent will be able to see you—partially. Always remember, widdershins with this spell.”

“This is some advanced stuff,” one of the students said.

“Yes, it is. Handy in a battle. Or sneaking about. Good for all sorts of bad things you shouldn’t be doing,” Professor Haberdasher said with a laugh. “Which is, of course, why it’s the most fun.”

The students chuckled.

After a few moments, the spells finally dissipated.

“Now, time for revenge,” Professor Haberdasher said, rubbing his hands together in jest.

The others laughed.

“Yes, we shall switch. Students, please remove your protection spells,” Professor LaMarie called, motioning to the students in my row.

I did as she asked.

Once more, Professor LaMarie counted down.

I met Professor Haberdasher’s gaze as he evoked the spell. The last thing I saw before everything went dark was his wild grin. Then, I was enveloped by night. The effect of it was strange. I wasn’t blinded, per se. I could see a full moon and sky full of stars. In fact, what I could see was actually very beautiful. Stars streaked across the skyline. But the fact that I couldn’t turn away from the view unnerved me. As pretty as it was, I couldn’t escape it. I felt claustrophobic.

“Remember to breathe deeply, in and out. You are safe here. But in battle…the unsettling feeling will paralyze your victims, immobilizing them,” Professor Haberdasher said.

“Is there a spell to free us from it if we are unable to resist in the first place?” someone asked.

“A spell, no. But a food? Yes. If you happen to have some granorly bites with you, they will dissolve the spell,” Professor LaMarie answered.

Making a mental note of the food, I waited until the enchantment passed. Soon, my vision began to clear, and I could see once more.

One by one, each of the students shook off the enchantment. Professor LaMarie studied us all, her hands on her hips as she considered. When she was satisfied we were all back, she slapped her hands together then grinned.

“Good, good. Now, hopefully, the Chichocolatammon tea gave you the endurance to manage our first High Tea Club spell. But you could probably all do with something real to eat. Very good. All right now, service please,” she called as she waggled her fingers above her cup. Sparks flew from her cup. From all around the room, dishes descended to the side café tables. Tiered plates with sweets and savories joined them.

“Have a seat, everyone. Professor Banks was kind enough to make us some petit twelves. I can’t wait to have a taste!”

Professor Haberdasher motioned for me to join him at one of the tables. Two other students were seated there.

“Lacey, come and meet Jacks and Margot.”

I slipped into the seat across from the two students, both of whom were from Clubs. Their thumbs also had what looked like a bright green vine tattooed all around it. The leaves on the tattoo shimmered liked they’d been made from glitter.

“Hey,” I said, feeling decidedly out of my element.

“Congrats on your holstering. Professor Haberdasher holstered us last year. Why aren’t you teaching this year, professor?” Margot asked.

“On sabbatical. Some research to attend to,” Professor Haberdasher said.

Margot let out a soft “hum,” but didn’t say anything more.

“So you’re from Rose Kingdom?” Jacks asked.

“I…no. I’m in Rose Chambers, but I’m from Overthere.”

“Oh,” Margot exclaimed. “Not many students from Overthere this year. Only two in all of Clubs,” she told Professor Haberdasher.

“Only six in all,” Professor Haberdasher replied.

“So few?” Jacks said. “There were more than twenty in our freshman class.”

Professor Haberdasher frowned. “Yes, so few.” There was a dark tone to his voice, but he said nothing more.

“Then I hope your research is coming along well,” Margot said, reaching for the pot of tea at the center of the table. She motioned for me to pull out my cup. “You always said the answers to Wonderland’s problems were in Overthere. Tea, professor?”

He nodded.

She poured us both a cup then poured for herself and Jacks as well.

Professor Haberdasher lifted his cup. “A toast?”

We all nodded.

“To answers to problems,” Margot said.

“Chin-chin,” Professor Haberdasher replied, then we all gently clicked out teacups together.

As I sipped, I gazed around the room.

No one from Hearts here.

And almost no students from Overthere at Wonderland Academy this year.

I felt like I was on the edge of learning something about Wonderland. I looked at Professor Haberdasher, who was studying me. Something told me there were a lot of answers behind those emerald green eyes.

35

We’re All Mad Here, Probably

After High Tea Club wrapped up, I headed back across campus to Rose Chambers. It was late, and I was tired. My mind felt like it was swimming in a pool of intrigue. No, not swimming, drowning. It was all too much. I could barely wrap my head around Wonderland in general, but everything seemed so on edge. There was a strange energy in the air, as if everything was about to burst. And being Alice, I knew that I was at the heart of it all. Maybe it would be better if I just went home.

If this wasn’t all just a massive hallucination.

Which it very well could have been.

It wouldn’t have been the first time.

Everyone thought I’d made up the mermaid. And then there were all my other little playmates along the way. The tiny little dormouse who told me jokes. Then there were the twin boys who would play tag with me in Nan’s backyard. But Nan had seen them too, hadn’t she? And then there was the castle. Sometimes I would play hide and seek, hiding from Mom in the ruins of an old castle. I could always hear her calling me, but she could never find me. I remembered her being red-faced and angry the last time I hid there. I could see her, but she could never see me.

The castle was on the other side of our bathroom mirror.

I stopped cold.

“I didn’t trip you,” a voice said defensively.

“Trip me? No one tripped me.”

“Then why did you stop?”

“I think I remembered something.”

“Oh, do tell.”

“Can someone enter Wonderland without even knowing it’s here?”

“Of course. That’s how blabbermouth Carroll found his way in. And the first Alice. She wasn’t supposed to be here either.”

“Then it’s feasible that I found my way here before—and found my way back—without knowing it?”

“How could you not know it?”

“I was just a child. I was always playing pretend. Maybe…maybe it had always been real, after all.”

“Or you just have an excellent imagination.”

“I’m talking to an invisible cat. Of course I have a good imagination. Either that, or Nurse Gilman has laid me out with some very nice pharmaceuticals, and I’m having a splendid dream about a land where I’m important, magic is real, cats talk, green-eyed professors are leading a secret rebellion, and there is a far too handsome Irishman I can’t get out of my mind.”

“You need to watch those green eyes. They got the last Alice too.”

“What do you mean?”

“Alice and the Hatter. It’s a wonder they let the Hatter live. Of course, they didn’t know what we all knew.”

“Who is we?”

A pair of glowing yellow eyes appeared before me. “We cats, of course. Well, us and a select few in Stars.”

“Wait, that was years ago. How would you know anything about that?”

“Cheshire cats are immortal, of course.”

“So you can never die?”

“I didn’t say invincible. We’re ageless. I cannot die of old age, but I suppose someone could take off my head.”

“You were here when it all happened the first time?”

“I was.”

“So what didn’t they know about Alice and the Hatter? And who are they?”

“They, meaning Hearts. And what, meaning they were in love. Alice left Wonderland, but not alone,” the cat said, appearing just enough to show his stripes. He patted his belly then faded once more.

“Pregnant? If Alice was such a threat, why didn’t they pursue her in Overthere?”

“Oh, but they did. They still do. They just couldn’t find her.”

“What do you mean, they still do. She’s dead now, isn’t she?”

“She is, yes.”

“You’re maddening to talk to. If she’s dead, what’s to pursue?”

“You know, you’re finally starting to ask the right questions.”

“Good. So who are they pursuing in Overthere?”

The Cheshire cat’s yellow eyes widened. “Everyone. Everyone who ever left here to go to Overthere. Everyone who was ever connected to Wonderland and Alice and Stars. All of them. Many people fled when Stars fell. They went to Overthere and didn’t come back. Wonderland Academy is just one entryway. But it’s just a school. It is the last place the Queen expects anyone to hide. Otherwise, she’d never have sent her offspring here.”

“Which is why they brought me here,” I whispered.

“I’d like to say it was my idea.”

“And was it?”

“No.”

“Whose, then?”

“Haberdasher, Natter, and some other important people I probably shouldn’t name.”

“You’re making my head hurt.”

“Then you better go to bed.”

“Like I’ll ever be able to sleep now. My head is busy, thanks to you.”

“I thought it was busy with the Irishman.”

I frowned. “Mind your own business.”

“I am.”

I shook my head and resumed my steps once more, lost in quiet contemplation. So some people had fled from Wonderland to Overthere. Did that explain why Nan knew the Wonderland song? And about Wonderland itself? If Nan had been here, she would have been just a small girl.

“Where did you go?” the cat asked.

“I was just thinking.”

“That’s obvious. I didn’t mean where did your thoughts go. When you came here before as a child, where were you?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I just imagined it.”

“Unlikely.”

“All right…it was a castle ruin.”

“A castle ruin.”

I nodded.

“Not so many of those around here. Did you happen to notice any jabberwockies?”

“No.”

“Then that narrows it.”

“To?”

“I think you know where.”

I knew what he meant. Stars. The Kingdom of Stars. “Not possible.”

“Why not?”

“Because the implications of it are too big.”

“You are named Alice, aren’t you?”

I frowned. “Seriously, you’re giving me a headache.”

“Then it must be true, since you said it twice. I guess I best be off. I’ll leave you to enjoy your denial,” he said.

“Everyone’s a shrink.”

At that, the cat laughed then disappeared.

Sighing, I headed back to my room in Rose Chambers.

I dropped my bag and kicked off my shoes. I pulled my phone from my pocket and set it on the charger. I held the phone in my hand, a blank screen staring back at me. I was on my own here. No Nick. No Mom. No one to help me, just an invisible cat full of riddles and a world with more questions than answers.

Maddening.

No wonder they were all mad here.

I closed my eyes. No wonder I fit right in.

36

What the Queen Commanded

The next morning, I headed across campus to meet Elissa for vorpal sword training. I wasn’t surprised to find she was already there, running laps around the arena.

“You’re late, Rosie,” she called.

“Am not,” I replied with a grin.

She laughed then motioned for me to join her. “Come on. Three laps.”

If there was one thing I had always hated about school, it was PE. And here I was, running again. But this time, I was also learning how to use a sword. My inner Eowyn approved. I cast a glance toward Professor Warg’s office. There was a light on inside, but I couldn’t see more than that. I’d stop by to see him afterward.

I fell into step with Elissa, jogging around the track. As we were running, I heard a loud roar, and a jabberwocky flew low overhead. Followed by another. And another.

“What the hell?”

“Jabberwocky practice,” Elissa said.

“You don’t ride?”

Elissa laughed. “No. That’s for Reds…Hearts. I mean, some people from Diamonds participate if they are deemed special enough, and a few others. But for the most part, not the rest of us.”

As I ran, I looked up, trying to catch sight of Aden. I spotted him on the back of an obsidian-colored jabberwocky. He turned the dragon then swooped over the Quad. He and another student flew side-by-side as they circled around the library.

Elissa followed my gaze, gave an annoyed huff, then kept running. As we neared the entrance to the arena, after our third lap, Elissa slowed to a walk. Both of us huffing, we stopped to catch our breath.

“Come on,” Elissa said. “Professor Warg let me get out some equipment this morning. He said to remind you to stop by his office when we’re done.”

“Do you have a vorpal sword?” I asked her.

She nodded. “First year, like you. But because of my mom, I’ve been messing with that stuff all my life. I’d have been embarrassed not to have a vorpal. Let’s gear up.”

I slipped on the protective leather gear then grabbed one of the practice swords sitting there.

“Right, let’s practice some footwork. First, salute,” Elissa said.

I modeled her movements.

“Now, I want to duel but let’s go in slow motion. I’ll advance, you block. I’m going to explain what I’m doing as I go. We’ll learn all the basic movements. That’s how my mom taught me. Sound good?”

“Anything you want to teach me is good for me. And thank you, Elissa.”

“Don’t sweat it. Besides, once you figure out fairy flame, you’re going to teach me.”

“If I can figure it out.”

“Oh, you will. All right. Ready?” she said, and then we began. We moved quickly back and forth across the training circle. I tried to focus—and not get distracted by the dragons swooping overhead. But luckily for me, jabberwocky practice must have ended because everything simmered down soon enough.

Elissa worked me hard, taking me through all the basic movements. My arms and legs ached. I never knew I could sweat so much.

We took a break to drink some water then got ready to start again.

“Let’s try some shields,” Elissa was saying when a commotion at the entrance of the arena caught our attention.

To my shock, a small battalion of soldiers entered. They wore black uniforms trimmed with red. On their backs were the deep red insignia of Hearts. I swallowed hard and stepped back. Did they know? Had they come for me?

Elissa and I both stared wide-eyed as they went to Professor Warg’s door.

“Alexandrum Warg, you are under arrest. By royal decree, you will appear before the Queen of Hearts. Come out without a fight, and no one will be harmed.”

“Holy shit,” Elissa whispered. “Holy shit.”

“What’s happening?”

“That’s the Queen of Hearts militia.”

“What do they want with the professor?”

The door to Professor Warg’s office opened. His maw full of teeth bared, he snarled at the soldiers. “What’s this about?” he asked.

“Where is the golem Rumold? You are both under arrest,” the officer at the front said.

Elissa threw down her gear, snatched up a real sword, and headed across the green toward the officers.

“Elissa,” I called after her.

“On what charge?” Professor Warg demanded.

I hesitated for a moment then went after her.

“Attempted murder of the Prince of Hearts,” the officer answered.

“That’s bullshit,” Elissa yelled at the officer. “That’s bullshit. You’re arresting him because he’s Stars.”

“Elissa,” Professor Warg cautioned, motioning for her to be calm.

“And when, presumably, did I attempt to murder Prince Cerise?” Professor Warg asked.

“You and the golem Rumold provided the prince with a faulty amulet and plotted with Darrian Plain to commit regicide.”

“That’s a lie. It was an accident. Where is Darrian?” Elissa said hotly.

Professor Warg frowned at her. “Elissa. Enough.”

“I strongly suggest you tie your tongue, student, or I’ll bring you along for interference and conspiracy,” the officer told Elissa. He flicked his eyes at me, looking me over. Deciding I was of no importance, he turned back to Professor Warg. “Will you be coming along quietly, or do we need to make other arrangements?”

“Professor,” Elissa said, but this time, her voice was a broken whisper.

“Rumold,” Professor Warg called toward the back of his office.

A moment later, the massive golem appeared at the door.

“We are arrested. Say nothing,” Professor Warg told him. He turned to Elissa. “Get word to your mother and the Queen of Spades,” he told her.

She nodded, but I could see tears welling in her eyes.

I stared in shock as the officer placed handcuffs on both the professor and his assistant. Even from here, I could see the magical sparkles all around the cuffs, which were clearly enchanted.

The officer tugged on Professor Warg’s handcuffs.

The professor let out a low, mean growl. “Your reckoning is at hand, Hearts. The Eternity Rose is awake.”

“We shall see about that.”

Elissa moved forward once more, but I reached out and held her arm.

As he was led away, the professor looked over his shoulder at me. He bobbed his chin toward his office.

I nodded, letting him know I understood.

He inclined his head toward me, then he and the golem were led off.

“There’s a mirror in the spa. I need to go,” Elissa told me.

I nodded. “Elissa…”

“I’m sorry, Lacey. I’ll be back… You’ve come to Wonderland at the worst possible time. I’m afraid war will break out any minute. I…I need to go,” she said then turned and raced away.

Suddenly, I found myself alone in the arena.

Inhaling deeply, I headed to Professor Warg’s office. There, lying on his desk, I spotted the vorpal sword I had wielded. While the swords were generally very similar, this particular sword had a blue-green gem on the pommel and some swirling rose and vine designs on the blade. I pulled the sword from the sheathe. When I did so, a piece of paper fluttered out.

I picked it up off the floor. On the paper, Professor Warg had left me a very simple note: “Touched by starlight.”

I inhaled deeply.

Did Professor Warg know? Or had he just guessed?

Either way, there was no way he was responsible for Aden’s near miss. It had been an accident. But accident or not, Professor Warg was in trouble. Taking the vorpel sword, I rushed out of the office and grabbed my gear. I slid the sword onto my belt along with my teacup then left the arena.

Marching across the Quad, I spotted the officers with Professor Warg and Rumold. Another contingent of officers joined their group. With them, I saw Darrian. His hands were cuffed behind his back. President Snark accompanied the group with Darrian.

My heart beat hard in my chest.

If anyone ever found out who I was, I’d be dragged off just like that.

Furious, I turned and headed across campus. Someone had to put a stop to this. Someone had to make it right. But first, I needed to drag that someone off a jabberwocky.

37

A Minor Insurrection

“Jabberwocky practice…Aden Cerise,” I said, tossing some fairy dust in front of me. The vine wound quickly across the campus toward the stadium where Creatures of Wonderland class was held. Maybe it was just my imagination, but the vine was also blinking slightly, as if to make me hurry.

Groups of students were stopping to watch the terrible scene unfolding. Fury washed up in me. It had all been an accident. All of it. No one had intended to harm Aden. I mean, Professor Warg certainly wouldn’t have tried to do that. Right?

But even as I posed the question to myself, I felt a snag around the edges.

Someone—or a group of someones—had brought me here on purpose. I had been sucked into Wonderland because some Caterpillar had prophesied my arrival would undo Wonderland. And if someone would move to bring me, what else might they try?

No.

I wouldn’t believe it.

Even if Professor Warg had written me a note, letting me know how to cast an illegal spell, that didn’t mean he was capable of murder. Surely, Darrian had no hand in it. The lining up of students had been totally random. Anyone could have been dueling Aden when his amulet died.

I emerged onto the green of the stadium to find at least a dozen students there, all of them with their jabberwockies saddled for practice. As Elissa had noted, most of the students were from Hearts. I spotted one student from Clubs, two from Diamonds, and Vren, who was staring wide-eyed at me. I scanned the bleachers. In the crowd, I spotted Amber and a mob of girls. They were laughing and eyeing up the boys.

Ignoring her, I headed toward Aden, who was on the other side of the stadium. But between us, there were a lot of jabberwockies, many of whom had already turned to look at me.

I swallowed buckets of awkwardness and nerves and pushed past them.

A few of the students looked my way, confused to see me there.

An emerald green jabberwocky eyed me carefully, breathing in deeply as I passed.

“Good dragon. Please don’t eat me,” I whispered to him.

The dragon blinked then turned away, but it let out a soft sound that reminded me of a horse’s knicker.

Aden’s black jabberwocky looked my way then snorted at the green beast who’d called.

Aden was busy with his gear, but he realized something had distracted his jabberwocky. He turned and looked at me, a confused expression on his face.

“Lacey?”

“Aden,” I called, coming close to him. “You need to come right away.”

“Come where? Why?”

“People from Hearts have come and arrested Professor Warg, the golem, and Darrian.”

“Wait, what?” he frowned hard, looking behind me. “When?”

“Now. Right now. They are with President Snark. The soldiers put the professor, Rumold, and Darrian in handcuffs. They are leading them across the Quad right now.”

“I…” he stammered, looking behind me. His cheeks grew pale. “There’s nothing I can do.”

“That’s bullshit. You can go tell the officers that it was an accident. We both know that Darrian had nothing to do with any of it, let alone the others.”

“Lacey, it’s not that simple.”

“Yes, it is. You are the prince.”

“Lacey, I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“My mother… I can’t defy her.”

“Or what? She’s not going to behead you.”

From the look on Aden’s face, however, I could see he wasn’t so sure.

“They’ll hold a trial,” Aden said.

“Yeah, I read Lewis Carroll. I know how trials go here.”

“Lacey,” he said, surprise in his voice. He looked behind him.

I turned to see a number of the students were watching, including his sister who had gotten up and was making her way toward us.

From the other side of the field, Vren was approaching as well.

The ebony jabberwocky turned and nudged Aden with its nose again and again. Aden looked from the beast toward the others, including his sister, headed our way. Again, the jabberwocky nudged him, this time extending its wing to Aden.

“Come on,” Aden said, taking my hand. He pulled me toward the jabberwocky.

“Wait. What?”

“Get on in front of me. Sab will go easy. Right, Sab?”

The jabberwocky huffed.

“Aden, I…”

“You’ve half convinced me, so before I change my mind, get on.”

Just like riding a horse, Lacey. Just like riding a horse.

Aden crawled up the side of the dragon then mounted. He pulled me up, settling me on the jabberwocky in front of him.

“Hold on to the handles,” Aden told me, setting my hands onto the handholds on each side of the saddle. His hands were just behind mine.

“Go, Sab,” he told the jabberwocky.

I tried not to completely freak out as the massive beast, a dragon the size of two elephants, took two steps then lifted off into the air. Casting a glance below us, I saw Amber stop midstep as she glared at her brother. Several of the other students also watched, confused by the sight.

“Lacey,” Vren called.

“Lacey, I don’t know why the hell you’re in Wonderland, but you’re throwing a serious wrench into my life,” Aden told me.

“Sorry. I’ll buy you a drink tonight.”

He laughed. “A drink?”

“Aren’t you coming out with us?”

“Seriously? Don’t you realize that everyone is going to hate me if I get another student, and the professor and his assistant, beheaded?”

“Then I guess you better sweep in on your dragon and save the day like a real prince.”

“And if I do that, do you have any idea what my mother will do to me?”

“What will she do? Seriously, what can she do?” I looked over my shoulder at him.

“She could pass the crown to Amber instead of me.”

“Don’t let that happen.”

“And how am I supposed to stop it?”

“I don’t know. But you will find a way.”

We flew over the campus. The officers had taken Professor Warg and the others to the mirror garden. At this point, campus security was everywhere, keeping the students back. But even from here, I could hear the protests of the other students. They turned and looked as the massive jabberwocky flew by.

“You’re right,” Aden whispered. “I need to stop this.”

The jabberwocky alighted in the green before the mirrors, blocking the officers’ path.

Aden slipped off Sab then turned to help me down.

Once I was safely on the ground, he approached the officers.

“Hold, Hearts,” he called to them.

Unsure what to do, I held back.

It was only then that I noticed that in the contingent of Academy officials trailing the officers was Professor Haberdasher. He was staring at me, a bewildered expression on his face.

“My prince,” the head officer called, inclining his head to Aden.

The other officers followed suit.

I spotted Darrian among the crowd. He looked pale and shaken.

“Release these men,” Aden ordered.

I felt a soft nudge on my shoulder.

I turned to find Aden’s jabberwocky looking at me. The beast leaned closer toward me, sniffing my hair.

“They say jabberwockies are very smart. I hope you know I’m trying to do the right thing…no matter all the other details about me.”

The jabberwocky blinked then and looked away.

In the very least, if the beast suspected that I was Alice, at least it couldn’t tell on me.

“You will release these men. I will return with you to the Queen to explain,” Aden told the officers.

“You are very generous, Prince Cerise. I will come with you,” Professor Warg told Aden.

“No, professor—”

“Her Majesty has asked for an accounting of events, and I will provide it. That is right. That is fair and just. But I will not go in chains,” Professor Warg said, and then, surprising all of us, he easily broke the cuffs that held him.

The officers gasped.

“I will go as well,” President Snark said. “This unfortunate accident happened under my watch.”

“But no one was hurt,” Vice President Whistle exclaimed, an exasperated tone in her voice. “It was an accident, that was all. An unfortunate accident. But no one was hurt.”

“Precisely,” Aden told her.

To my surprise, the jabberwocky bumped me with his snout once more. He extended his wing.

“Are you serious?” I whispered.

The jabberwocky tilted his head, encouraging me to mount.

I looked back to see the officers unchaining Darrian and the golem. Vice President Whistle hurried to Darrian’s side, taking him gently by the arm. Darrian looked like he might faint.

Again, the jabberwocky bumped me. Something told me the beast was right, it was time to go. I climbed on.

Aden motioned for the officers to follow him. Professor Warg walked at his side as the pair moved toward the mirror garden.

I watched as they disappeared through the mirror.

I scanned the crowd. Professor Haberdasher approached the golem, Rumold.

Narrowing my gaze, I tried to make out what I was seeing. Was he talking to the golem or casting a spell? What if…

The jabberwocky below me moved to take off.

I turned back to the beast, gripping the handles on the saddle tightly. “Newbie rider, Sab. I’ve only ever ridden a pony at a fair. Easy, please,” I told the jabberwocky who turned and flew away.

38

Just Another Tinkerbell

Sab flew back to the jabberwocky field. Most of the other riders had already dispersed, including Vren. But Amber was still there. An enraged expression on her face, she thundered across the green toward me.

“Where is my brother?” she demanded.

Moving carefully, I climbed off the jabberwocky. “Thank you, Sab.”

The jabberwocky gently puffed air at me, nudging my arm.

I turned to face Amber. “He just left with some officers from Hearts.”

“Why? And what in the hell are you doing with Sab?”

“Riding him.”

“And who told you that you could do that? Sab belongs to my family.”

“Sab told me that.”

Amber frowned hard at me. “Listen, Overthere, I don’t know who you think you are or what you’re playing at, but my brother is off-limits to—”

“Excuse me,” Professor Lorekin called, coming up behind Amber. “It’s Miss Crane, isn’t it?”

“Yes, professor. I’m sorry, but Aden had an emergency and had to leave. Can you help with the jabberwocky?” I asked, turning back toward Sab who was still saddled.

“I’ll take it from here. Thank you for returning him,” Professor Lorekin said, moving forward to remove the saddle.

Sab turned once more and nudged my arm. I gave the beast a soft pat on the nose then turned and walked past Amber toward the arena exit.

“I wasn’t done talking to you,” Amber told me, following along behind me.

Most of the arena had cleared, but there were still a few jabberwocky riders there. Naturally, everyone had stopped to stare.

A terrible fury gripped me. There was no way I was going to let this girl dress me down. Not now. Not ever. I turned on my heel then marched back toward her.

Apparently, no one had ever done that before.

Amber stopped cold, a look of surprise on her face. She took a step back.

My heart beat hard in my chest.

“I am done talking to you,” I hissed, meeting her eyes. I really, really wanted to punch her. It took everything in me not to punch her. But I wouldn’t let her bring me down to her level. She was, after all, Aden’s sister. I held her gaze for a few moments, then turned and left.

This time, she kept her mouth shut.

At my side, I felt a strange flash of heat.

The vorpal sword.

A glimmer of silvery magic circled the pommel.

“Trust me, I know what you’re thinking. That is not a solution,” I said, setting my hand on the pommel. “But I have to say, I don’t totally disagree with the sentiment,” I added, then made my way back to Rose Chambers.

In the middle of all this drama, I was now late for fairy training.

* * *

The moment I entered Rose Chambers, a bright ball of light zipped toward me. Seconds later, Fi emerged. “Lacey! Oh, there you are. We were wondering where you went this morning.”

Vren hadn’t told them.

“I…I had some studying to do.”

“Come on. Pip and the others are ready to begin. Down by the tree,” Fi said then waved for me to follow her.

At the base of the willow tree, I spotted Oona, Vren, and Taye waiting with Pip, the CA of Rose Chambers.

“Found her.”

I met Vren’s gaze. He gave me a knowing look.

“Sorry I’m late. There was some…excitement. I got distracted.”

“Excitement? What kind of excitement?” Pip asked.

I waved my hand dismissively. The last thing I wanted was for Pip to learn I had somehow stumbled into the heart of a political dispute and arrest. But honestly, that is what had happened. Maybe Amber was right. Who the hell did I think I was butting into everything? But I couldn’t stand the injustice of it. And if what they said was true, if the Queen of Hearts was really the shoot then ask questions type, then I’d be damned if I’d see innocent people go into the line of fire, especially when there was someone who could stop it. Someone, who from what I could tell, just needed a little…nudge.

Ugh. What happened to the Lacey who minded her own business?

But that had never really been me.

Introverted? Yes. Anxious? You bet. But when it came to seeing something wrong, something I could stop, well…

That was how Nicholas got killed.

We were both quick to act.

But it was Nick who’d ended up dead.

Amber was right. I really needed to mind my own damned business. After all, my neck was already on the chopping block, thanks to Natter and Professor Haberdasher. What the hell had I been thinking?

I was thinking I didn’t want Darrian to die for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“Lacey? Did you hear me?” Pip asked.

“Oh. Sorry. My mind wandered.”

“We were just about to get started,” Pip told me then eyed me over. “Everything all right?” she asked, looking at the vorpal sword hanging from my belt. I realized then that I was still dressed in my fitness gear. Vren, Taye, and Oona were all in their standard uniform.

“Yeah.”

I could feel Vren’s and Oona’s eyes on me.

If Oona was right, most people in Rose Chambers were empaths. There would be no hiding my feelings from anyone. But right now, I hardly knew what I was feeling beyond some odd mix of relief, anger, and worry.

I settled in beside Oona who gave me a sidelong glance but didn’t say anything.

Fi took a seat at another bench nearby.

“All right,” Pip said. “Now, apart from the classes here at Wonderland Academy, it’s our responsibility to ensure you learn magic specific to your chamber. Vren and Oona, since you grew up in Rose Kingdom, a lot of this will come naturally to you. Do your parents shift?” she asked them.

Both Vren and Oona nodded.

“And have either of you ever shifted?”

Vren cocked his head and looked at her. “But that magic doesn’t even open up to us until our eighteenth birthday.”

Pip smiled lightly. “I know, but…”

“When I was a child, I wanted some sweets that were kept on a high shelf. My parents swear I shifted long enough to get the sweets,” Oona said with a soft smile. “But I have no recollection of the event.”

Pip giggled, her voice ringing like a bell. “Many in Rose Kingdom share similar stories. One of my friend’s wings came out when she got mad, and it took her a week to figure out how to make them grow back.”

“So, you can make yourself small. But you can also have wings at full size?” Taye asked.

“Yes. We are fairies. That is the heart of it. But when you’re this size…well, outside of Rose Kingdom, the world really isn’t meant to accommodate wings, so most of us shift them away,” Pip said.

Fi nodded in agreement. “But they’re handy if you need to get somewhere in a hurry.”

I tried to focus, but my mind kept replaying the events of the morning. Mostly, I was worried about Aden. If what he said was true, he was risking himself to defend the others. But Darrian was innocent. And the others… I just couldn’t see Professor Warg doing something like that. And the golem was little more than a Wonderland version of a robot. I chewed the inside of my cheek as I worried it over. Was Aden right? Would his mother really pass him over in favor of Amber as the next monarch if he showed weakness? If so, had I just pushed him on a path toward ruin? Oh my god, maybe that was how I undid Wonderland.

“Lacey?” Pip called.

“Lacey?” Fi echoed.

Oona set her hand on my arm.

“Sorry.”

Pip narrowed her gaze and looked closely at me. “You sure you’re all right?”

I nodded. “I’m sorry. What did you ask me?”

“I was asking you and Taye if you ever had any inkling that there was something unique about yourself? Or, you know, any call toward the fairy world.”

“My room was decorated with fairy stuff when I was a kid,” Taye said with a shrug. “I was kind of obsessed. I dressed up as a fairy for Halloween once.”

“Good,” Pip said with a nod.

Well, I was half-mad and saw weird shit from Wonderland all my life. People thought I was schizophrenic. “I read a lot of fantasy books with fairies in them, big and small. And I have fairies hanging from my ceiling at home. Paper ones.”

“Glad you clarified the paper part,” Pip added with a wink.

For the first time since I’d gotten there, I smiled.

“Right. Now, as Vren said, no Rosie can shift form into a fairy until their eighteenth year. And learning how to shift at Academy is kind of a rite of passage. We teach you how to do it safely. Otherwise, there can be complications,” Pip said.

“Like…birds. Or rain. Or not knowing how to stop yourself from going too fast and running into something. I might have some experience with that last one,” Fi said with a grin.

Pip smiled at her. “But Fi is right. There are many natural predators in Wonderland who don’t differentiate between tasty bug and fairy. You must learn to shift in a safe environment and know how to return back to full height on command. But today, let’s just work on those wings. Everyone up.”

We all rose.

“Now, your wings aren’t really something that is part of you, like an arm. They manifest with magic. Otherwise, we’d all have to go around with our clothes having holes in the back. Our wings are magic. That’s why all fairies’ wings look so different. They are a magical extension of who we are. The challenge is to learn how to call forth the magic.

“Fairy magic comes to us as a song or poem or something lyrical that only you can hear. It sings to you from your inner voice. I have something that helps that magic come along more quickly. A gift from the Queen of Roses to our chambers, this is flutter dust. It’s a rare, magical powder that helps us hear the fairy song. I will sprinkle you with just a little, then you will close your eyes and listen. If you hear the song, try to memorize it. That’s the most important part. Memorize it then recite.”

At that, Pip moved before each of us, a purple and blue clay pot in her hand. Inside the container was glimmering, rainbow-colored dust. She gently tossed a small amount of the dust on each of us.

The moment the dust covered me, I felt…strange.

“Whoa,” Taye whispered.

“Eyes closed and listen,” Pip said.

I exhaled deeply and closed my eyes.

Almost instantly, the drunken mix-master in my brain started belting out AC-DC’s “Back in Black.”

Oh my god, my mom’s rock music was not helping.

I willed my brain to be silent, to try to listen.

But instead of listening for some sweet fairy music—which I imagined to sound angelic and full of bells—my brains started yammering on once again with its anxious talk.

You’re going to get Aden in trouble and yourself killed. You aren’t supposed to be here anyway. You’re just going to ruin everything for everyone. Why in the hell did they bring you here? And what will Corbin think when he hears? He’s going to believe you're falling in love with Aden, which is not true at all. And then what? The first man you’ve even noticed since Nick is going to walk. What in the hell is happening in Wonderland?

“Oh. Oh my goodness,” I heard Oona whisper.

I opened my eyes, as did Vren and Taye.

Shimmering rose-gold light surrounded Oona. From her back had sprouted the loveliest golden wings with intricate lace designs.

Oona looked back at her wings, an awed expression on her face.

“Well done,” Pip called.

“Nice work,” Fi joined in.

“Now, just give them a little flutter,” Pip said, modeling with her own wings which protruded like dragonfly wings from her back.

“Not too much or you’ll bash your head on the ceiling,” Fi cautioned.

Oona fluttered her wings. And then, she floated a few feet above the ground.

Oona giggled with happiness.

We all smiled at her.

“Now, try to go forward a bit,” Pip told her.

Oona wagged her wings more quickly. Moving carefully, she edged forward.

“It’s just like swimming,” Pip told us. “You’ll learn to control the speed and tempo to go up or down, forward or back, or even to hold steady aloft.”

I grinned at Oona, unsurprised by the fact that she was the first of us to master the trick.

We all watched in fascination, but I was suddenly distracted by the presence of someone else nearby.

I felt a rub on my ankle just as Pip said, “Oh, Professor Haberdasher. This is a surprise.”

I turned to find the professor there. He was smiling at Oona.

“Well done, Oona,” he told her.

“Thank you, professor,” she said, slowly lowering once more.

“Did you need something, professor?” Pip asked, a confused expression on her face.

“Just a word with Miss Crane, if you don’t mind,” he replied.

“Of course. Well done, Oona. Now, let’s see if we can get Taye and Vren sprouting their wings,” Pip said.

A sick feeling rocked my stomach. Somehow, I knew I was in for a lecture.

Professor Haberdasher motioned for me to follow him. He headed out of the Rose Chambers rotunda toward the arched bridge over the pond.

“Don’t suppose you know what he wants?” I whispered to the invisible cat.

“Doesn’t take much imagination to guess,” the Cheshire cat replied with a tired sigh. “But you did the right thing.”

“How do you know what I did?”

“Cheshire cats are incredible gossips.”

I joined Professor Haberdasher, who was leaning on the rail of the bridge. “I think Rose Chambers is my favorite place on campus,” he said, looking out at the water lilies. Dragonflies danced across the surface of the water, shooting tiny balls of fire at their prey.

Uncertain where this was going, I stayed silent.

“Lacey, you’re drawing too much attention to yourself,” he whispered.

“I’m not trying. I just… I keep ending up in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“Highly unlikely,” the Cheshire cat said.

“It’s not my fault these things keep happening around me.”

“I didn’t say it was your fault. I just said it was unlikely,” the Cheshire cat replied.

“Which means?”

“It means you are already upsetting the balance of things. And not in the way or on the timeline anyone intended,” Professor Haberdasher said.

“Well, maybe next time I’ll just let Aden Cerise get sliced in half. Or, I don’t know, let an innocent student have his head taken off for no good reason.”

Professor Haberdasher sighed. “I know you have good reasons, it’s just… It would be better for all of us if the Cerise family didn’t even know you exist.”

“I was introduced to Her Majesty this week. Trust me, she doesn’t care whether or not I exist.”

“She will once she learns you saved her son’s life. You must distance yourself from Aden Cerise.”

“Why?”

“Because he is the enemy,” Professor Haberdasher hissed. “All of that family—”

“Aden isn’t like—”

“I understand you’re kind-hearted, Lacey. But this isn’t Overthere. The prince will do as he is told, as he has been groomed to do.”

“You’re wrong. The answer to your problem is right in front of you. The next ruler of Wonderland isn’t like his mother. Don’t demonize him, or, mark my words, you will turn him into the very thing you hate.”

Professor Haberdasher frowned.

“She has a point,” the Cheshire cat whispered.

“Just stay out of trouble. You’ve upset everything now,” Professor Haberdasher said, wringing his hands in frustration.

“What does that mean?”

“Nothing. Now, why don’t you go see about some wings,” he said, pulling on what I could see was a false smile.

I met his green eyes. “You didn’t tell me what that means.”

“Lacey…don't worry. We’ll talk more soon,” he said, then narrowed his gaze and looked toward my feet. “Why don’t you take her to see the Eternity Rose?”

I looked from Professor Haberdasher to the grin forming at my feet. Professor Haberdasher didn’t know that the cat had, in fact, already done so.

“What a novel idea,” the Cheshire cat replied.

“Then see to it.”

“Humph,” the cat replied simply, but said no more. But I could feel him rubbing against my lower leg. Meddlesome cat. What was his angle?

“Very well, then,” Professor Haberdasher said, removing his hat. He gave me a little bow then headed off.

I turned and headed back inside.

“You didn’t tell him we went already,” I told the Cheshire cat.

“Why would I do that?”

“Because it seems like the professor is in charge of whatever little coup you all are dreaming up.”

“Is he?” the cat replied. I couldn’t see his smirk, but I could hear it.

And despite the fact that I knew that Cheshire cat was a prankster and a sneak, my instincts sounded a soft alarm. Of the two, why did the cat’s intentions feel so much cleaner?

39

Chester

After fairy practice, during which Taye, Vren, and I failed to hear our fairy song and conjure wings—though Vren did get extra sparkly for a few minutes—I spent the rest of the afternoon holed up in my room. While I was interested in learning about fairy magic, I couldn’t concentrate. Worry wracked me. What was going to happen to Aden? Had I set him up for problems I couldn’t even comprehend? I was beyond frustrated with Professor Haberdasher. The secrecy was grating on my last nerve.

I tried to block everything out. Picking up my Alchemy of Baking textbook, I tried to read, but my thoughts kept drifting.

It was almost six when Taye knocked on my door.

“Lacey?” she called.

I went to the door. “Hey.”

“You still going out tonight?” she asked.

“Oh, shit. I completely forgot.”

Taye smiled at me. “No doubt. Vren told me about you riding a dragon with the prince. And I also heard about it at the café. No wonder you were so distracted. Sounds…romantic. I’d forget too.”

“It wasn’t like that.”

“Not what the rumor mill has to say about it.”

Lovely. “Given the circumstances, maybe I should stay in.”

“Come. It will take your mind off of things. And we’ll get a chance to actually see the real Wonderland, you know?”

I was dying to see what it was like outside these walls. And I really wanted to talk to Corbin. I hated the idea that people were gossiping about me. But worse, I hated the idea that Corbin might hear it and get the wrong impression. If I went, maybe I’d have a chance to explain things to him.

“All right,” I acquiesced.

“Good, now what are we going to wear?”

Still not feeling sure if I was doing the right thing by going, I tucked my hair behind my ears and checked myself in the mirror. The black jumper Nan had packed worked. It wasn’t too flashy, and it was easy to move in. I was already sick of my too-short Academy skirt. For a girl who spent most of her life in jeans or yoga pants, I was glad to have something comfortable to wear. I grabbed my purse, a knock-off of a designer bag that Mom had bought online. At least here, no one would know it was a fake. I slipped some supplies, including my phone, key, and, after a moment of consideration, teacup into it.

I headed out of my room. Taye and Vren were waiting for me on the bridge.

“So, how do you get around in Wonderland?” Taye was asking as I approached. “I mean, I haven’t seen any cars. Hot air balloons and mirrors, yes. Cars? No.”

Vren, who was stylishly dressed in tan pants, a white shirt, and a brocade waistcoat grinned at her. “Well, there’s the automatic-motor and horse and buggy. We could walk. It’s only a couple of miles.”

Taye pointed to her feet. She was wearing heels. “No,” she told him then grinned at me. “Hey, Lacey.”

“Hey.”

“Evie said to meet her at the Quad. You ready?” Taye asked.

I nodded but then looked around. “Oona’s not coming?”

Vren shook his head. “No. Not Oona’s scene.”

It was hardly mine either, but my curiosity was getting the better of me. That, and I really hoped Corbin would come.

“Let’s go,” Vren said.

We headed out.

“You were very brave today,” Vren told me.

I shook my head. “Not brave, just rash. Someone had to do something.”

“Like hop on a jabberwocky?” Taye asked.

“I was in a hurry, and I didn’t want to walk,” I replied, giving Taye a wink.

“But still. I saw what you did. Taye and I heard the rumors. Leave it to Wonderland to turn it into a romance. But I saw what you did,” Vren said.

“I only hope Aden was able to convince his mother to listen.”

Vren shook his head. “Doubtful. But maybe…”

We hurried to the Quad where I spotted Evie, Emerson, and six other students from Diamonds. Evie and Emerson were both wearing dresses. I suddenly felt less sure about my black jumper.

“Lacey,” Emerson called, motioning for me to join them. “Over here.”

I scanned the Quad.

No Corbin.

We joined the others.

Emerson looked around. “Is this everyone? Lacey, is Aden coming?”

“I…I don’t think so. He had some other things to attend to.”

Some of the other students exchanged knowing glances.

“Oh, all right,” Emerson said, looking defeated. “Let’s go.”

Evie and Emerson led us to a big room at the end of the Quad. Once inside, I discovered it was full of mirrors. There was a single large mirror at the end of the hall.

“Big mirrors can comfortably transport groups,” Vren explained to Taye and me. “The smaller mirrors can comfortably transport a couple or one person at a time.”

“And the mirrors can take you anywhere?” Taye asked.

“Anywhere, including Overthere. But then you have the time thing. They told you about that, right?”

“Kind of,” Taye said.

“Overthereians have to return to their last entry point. Very inconvenient,” Vren said.

Emerson stopped and looked back at all of us. “All right, people. Line up. Hand in hand, please.”

On one side of me, I took Taye’s hand. On the other, I took Evie’s.

“Everyone say Chester,” Emerson called happily.

“Chester,” we called.

I looked over my shoulder one last time.

No Corbin.

Maybe he was running late.

Maybe he was going to meet up later.

Or maybe he hadn’t wanted to come.

The thought made my heart ache.

Then we all stepped through the mirror.

As when I had arrived in Wonderland, I experienced a strange sensation of falling. One moment we were on the Academy grounds, then I felt that peculiar tug, like I was being stretched and squeezed. The next moment, we were standing on the street of a village.

Steadying myself, I quelled the momentary rush of nausea.

We arrived at what looked like a bus terminal. There was a small wooden pavilion covering a large mirror.

“Mirror station,” Vren explained, pointing behind us. “They’re all over Wonderland.”

I looked back at the mirror. The glass wavered then became still once more.

“The mirrors. Do they have to be full-body sized?” I asked.

From inside his pocket, Vren pulled out a small hand mirror. “You can use small mirrors. You touch it with your finger. It will suck you in, but it will feel about a hundred times worse. Good in a pinch, but not without consequences.”

“Onward,” Emerson called, and the group set off.

We headed down the cobblestone street of Chester, which reminded me of quaint New England villages. The sidewalks and streets were illuminated with gas lamps, all of which were decorated with the white and silver crest of the Kingdom of Diamonds. Along the road were dozens of little shops, cafés, and restaurants. For the first time, I was getting a look at the way people in Wonderland lived. There was a distinct charm to the place. The people’s dress was an odd mix of Victorian and modern. I’d almost call it steampunk, but it was more colorful, whimsical. One gentleman was wearing pocketed, patchwork trousers and boots along with a long, purple velvet coat trimmed in lace. A lady passed by wearing a jade green jacket embroidered with a dragon. But under that, she had on brown leather pants, a corset, and a long-sleeved shirt. Almost everyone was wearing a hat: top hats, fascinators, derby caps, mini top hats, fedoras.

“What’s with the hats?” Taye asked.

“What do you mean? Don’t you wear hats?” Vren replied.

“Yeah, but not everyone wears a hat,” she replied.

“It’s fashion,” he said, motioning to some of the others in our group who were all wearing hats. Vren pulled off his own cap and moved to set it on Taye’s head.

She blocked him. “Do you know how long it took to get my hair like this?”

Grinning, Vren set it on my head. “See, now Lacey fits right in.”

I chuckled. “Thanks.”

As we went, I spotted what Vren had referred to as automatic-motors. Vehicles, which reminded me of old Model T buggies, passed by—without drivers.

“Clockwork and magic mixed,” Vren said. “They have classes in tinkering at the Academy. Technomancy.”

As we walked, we passed a bookstore. I stopped to look at the books displayed in the window. Novels I had never heard of by authors with very Wonderland sounding names were on display. Looking past the display, I eyed the two-story bookstore. The sweet perfume of pages and coffee—real coffee—effervesced from the place.

“What is it?” Taye asked.

“Books,” I said simply. “And coffee.”

Taye laughed. “You do know we’re headed to a club.”

“I know, but books! And coffee.”

“Hey,” Emerson called. “We’re turning.” The others had reached an intersection. Emerson pointed down the next street.

I cast a glance at the bookstore, noting it was open until ten, then hurried to catch up with the others.

“So if you’re the bookish type, school must come naturally to you,” Vren said.

“I don’t know. I’ve been out of school for a year. I’m readjusting.”

“Out of school a year?”

I nodded. “I took a year off.”

“Why?”

Because watching the person you love die in your arms in school derails your academic motivations. “I lost someone. It’s taken me a little while to get back on track.”

“I’m sorry,” Vren said.

“Thanks. Nick…Nicholas. My boyfriend.”

“What happened?” Vren asked.

I sucked in a slow, deep breath. “He was murdered. Someone came to our school. There was a shooting. Nick and I tried to stop the shooter. Nick died.”

Taye stopped in her tracks and stared at me. “Are you serious?”

I nodded.

“And people say Wonderland is dangerous,” Vren said.

“It’s been…hard.”

“I’m sorry. Really,” Vren told me.

“Me too,” Taye added.

“Thanks.”

“We’re here,” Emerson called.

She and the others had stopped outside a place that was booming with an odd mix of carousel calliope and heavy techno music. I glanced up at the sign above the door: The Broken Clock.

Now it was time to see what it was like to party Wonderland style.

I looked down the street behind me. No Corbin. A sad, disappointed feeling swept over me. Why hadn’t he come? Following behind Taye and Vren, I headed inside.

40

The Broken Clock

We wound down a narrow hallway into the club. Once we were inside, I found three levels. There was a pit for the dancers, an upper level for the bars—of which there were three—and a balcony above. Between the flashing strobe lights and blasting music, my temples started to ache. A nightclub was probably the last place for a girl who’d been in the psych ward this week.

“This way,” Emerson called, leading us toward an empty booth in the back.

As we settled in, I eyed the place. The place was filled with Academy students, everyone dancing or drinking strange colored drinks.

A server wearing peacock feathers came to our table.

“Drinks?”

The Wonderlandians ordered drinks I had never heard of. When the waitress got to Vren, he said, “Floatsome for the three of us.”

The girl took the order then left.

“What’s Floatsome?” Taye asked.

“You’ll see,” Vren told her with a grin.

“Lacey,” Emerson, who was sitting on the other side of Evie to my left, called.

I turned to her.

“So I heard something today,” Emerson said with a grin.

“Whatever you heard, it probably isn’t true,” I replied.

“Did you really ride a jabberwocky with Prince Cerise?”

“Yes, but—”

“I swear on the Bandersnatch, I thought I saw something in the way he was looking at her,” Emerson told Evie. “I’m too late.”

“It’s not like that,” I said.

“I heard there was an incident with Professor Warg. Someone told me that officers from Hearts tried to arrest him, but Aden flew down on his jabberwocky to prevent them from taking the professor. Were you there for that?” a boy from Diamonds asked.

“Yes. You see, nothing romantic,” I told Emerson.

“Then…do you think he’s still available?” she asked.

“Why would you ever bother with someone from Hearts? Especially him?” another boy from Diamonds asked her.

“Good question,” Vren echoed.

“Yeah, it would be terrible if someone from Diamonds became queen, right?” Emerson said. “Probably wouldn’t help things at all.”

“She has a point,” Evie said.

“Here we go,” the waitress called, setting down the drinks. Among them, I spotted bright orange drinks, three-layer pink drinks, something that reminded me of beer except it was blue, and then the waitress set flutes with a rainbow-colored liquid inside in front of Vren, Taye, and me.

“What is that?” Taye asked.

“Floatsome,” Vren answered.

Taye frowned. “Pretty, but is it alcoholic?”

Vren shook his head. “This is Wonderland. Alcohol is the least troublesome drink you can get into here.”

“What do we toast?” Emerson asked.

“The Academy,” Evie suggested.

“The Academy!”

I gave the drink a whiff. It smelled like strawberries. And bananas. And blueberries. I took a sip. Yep, fruit salad in a cup with heavy hits of something Wonderlandian I didn’t recognize.

I really wished Corbin was there. He’d have a funny analysis of this mess.

“Fruity,” Taye said.

“Don’t drink it too fast. It’s Floatsome. And it literally does what it says. Look,” Vren said, pointing to a pair on the dance floor. They were dancing six inches above the ground.

“Whoa!” Taye said then took a big drink, her laughing eyes on Vren who grinned then drank as well.

“I’m totally rude,” Emerson said. “Names,” she added then introduced the other students from Diamonds as Mariayn, Lynk, Netta, Zeck, Des, and Thom.

Everyone finished up their drinks then headed onto the dance floor.

“Come on, Lacey,” Taye said, pulling me.

Taye, I noticed, had polished off her drink. As had Vren. I hadn’t had more than a sip. I was still dreaming of the café in the bookshop. I had mainly come in the hope Corbin would join me, but he was nowhere to be seen. At the very least, if Aden had been here, I would have felt a little less like a third wheel to whatever sparks were flying between Vren and Taye. And then there was the growing throbbing in my head. What in the hell was I doing here?

Regardless, I joined the others on the dance floor. Wonderland music was weird. I felt like I was at a carnival rave.

Watching the others, I did my best to keep up. Once on the dance floor, everyone got lost. Taye and Vren, both of whom were floating several inches off the floor, paired up. I stuck with Evie and Emerson for a while, but eventually, they found some good-looking dance partners.

“Want to dance?” the boy Emerson had introduced as Des asked me when the music changed.

“That’s okay. I was going to take a break. Thanks, though.”

The boy smiled good-naturedly at me then went in search of someone else.

I headed off the dance floor to one of the bars. I was dying of thirst and definitely didn’t want to drink anything that was going to make me float.

“What can I get you?” the bartender asked.

“Do you have any Overthere drinks? Something not alcoholic or bespelled?”

He laughed then dipped below the bar, returning with a glass filled with ice and a can of soda.

“Thanks,” I said with a grin, handing him my key.

“Just so you know, that’s going to be expensive. All Overthere stuff is.”

“Maybe I should leave the Academy and get into the food importing business.”

He chuckled. “If you do, hit me up. Hard to get stuff back and forth from Overthere these days.”

“Why?”

The bartender rolled his eyes. “I can tell you’re new here. Hearts, of course,” he said then slid my key back.

I nodded but didn’t say anything more. Just thankful to have my soda, I sipped the drink and watched the shenanigans. I could feel the thumping music behind my eyes. I could imagine Nurse Gilman frowning at me. What was I doing here? This really, really wasn’t my scene. Vren and Taye, who were so busy with one another, hadn’t even realized I’d gone. Same for Evie and Emerson. Without Corbin, why stay?

I finished off the drink then slipped back onto the dance floor, finding Taye and Vren who looked like they were disappointed to see me coming.

“Hey, I’m heading back,” I told them.

Taye frowned. “Already?”

“I have a headache.”

“We can walk you to the mirror station,” Vren offered.

“No. That’s okay. I’m going to make a stop along the way.”

“You sure, Lacey? Everything okay?” Taye asked.

I nodded. “I’m fine. The music is giving me a headache.”

She nodded. “Okay. Be safe.”

“Tell Evie and Emerson. Have fun,” I said with a wave then left.

Heading out of the club, I had never been more relieved to step into the chilly night air in all my life. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, trying to shake off the over-stimulation that had my nerves pinging like a pinball machine.

I exhaled deeply then turned and headed back down the street.

Now, about that bookstore.

41

What Lacey Saw

The sign above the bookstore wagged in the breeze. I hadn’t noticed the name before. The Olde Quill Bookshoppe and Café. Café. Yes, that’s what I was talking about.

The neurons in my brain lit up at the mere thought of caffeine.

I stopped outside the window once more, looking at the books on display. The colors on the covers were so vibrant. Had they been created with magical touches? The colors were rich and deep.

As I was looking at the books, a reflection in the glass caught my attention.

Behind me, I spotted a white rabbit.

I turned to see Natter standing there, a decidedly nervous expression on his face. He checked the street twice then dodged into a narrow alleyway between the buildings on the other side of the road.

He hadn’t seen me.

A moment later, I noticed something odd. A top hat was floating down the street in the direction of the same alleyway. I knew that top hat. It belonged to Professor Haberdasher. The top hat turned and disappeared down the alley.

Frowning, I stuffed my hands in my pocket, pulled Vren’s cap low over my face, then crossed the street. I made my way slowly toward the alley.

I was surprised when, a moment later, the golem, Rumold, turned the corner at the other end of the block.

“Shit,” I whispered then stepped into the foyer of a clothing shop, looking at the window display. Through the glass, I watched as the golem turned down the same alleyway.

Someone tapped on the glass from inside the shop.

“Hello. Hello there. Sorry. We’re closed,” an older gentleman told me.

I nodded, gave the man a wave, then headed off.

What in the hell were they up to?

I turned down the alley.

The space was very narrow. Dim gas lamps lit the doors that dotted the alleyway. I spotted Rumold ahead of me. He stopped outside one of the doors.

I ducked into another doorway, hiding in the darkness.

I heard low voices then a magical sizzle.

Then, everything went quiet.

I stepped back into the alley to find Rumold gone.

Looking down the alley, I could see it let out to the street on the other side. There, on the other side of the block, was a mouse leaning against the wall. He wouldn’t have been noticeable except for the fact that he was smoking. A trail of smoke twisted up from his tiny frame.

Staying close to the wall, I paused outside the door Rumold had entered.

What to do?

I was trying to decide whether or not to go knock on the door when I heard a strange pop then a ruckus at the other end of the alley.

The mouse squeaked then turned and raced toward the door.

I stepped back into the shadows.

A moment later, a fleet of officers from Hearts appeared at the other end of the alley.

“Arrest anyone you find,” the lead officer said. “Go.”

The soldiers flooded into the alleyway.

Someone grabbed my arm.

Gasping, I turned to find Corbin there. “You need to get out of here. Come on,” he said, pulling me toward the other end of the alleyway.

“Corbin,” the mouse called to him.

“I’ve got her,” he called back to the mouse who nodded then slipped through a crack in the door.

“Run, Lacey,” Corbin said, and we turned and sprinted toward the other end of the alley. Crossing the street, we raced toward a dark alcove not far from the bookstore.

“Corbin, what in the hell is going on?”

There was another strange pop, and another contingent of officers from Hearts appeared, this time from the end of the alley through which we’d just escaped.

All at once, there was commotion on the streets. What pedestrians there were ran for cover. From the alleyway, I heard what sounded like blasts…not of gunfire, but of magic. People were screaming.

A top hat flew from the alleyway, Professor Haberdasher manifesting underneath it. The moment he was whole, he pulled out his teacup and sent a spell flying toward the officers. Green light blasted them off their feet. Rumold appeared right behind him.

He turned to the golem.

“Away,” he called, blasting blue light toward Rumold. The golem turned into a bird that quickly flew off.

Behind the professor, one of the officers took aim.

“Watch out,” I yelled.

Professor Haberdasher turned in time to block the spell.

“Lacey, are you mad?” Corbin said, pulling me back into the shadows.

Natter turned the corner and ran, two officers chasing after him. Along with him, a number of others I didn’t recognize took off in a sprint.

“Arrest anyone on the street,” one of the officers barked.

Professor Haberdasher turned to face me. He looked at Corbin, nodded, then his body disappeared once more. The professor’s hat took off in a rush.

“Shite,” Corbin swore. “We need to get out of here.”

I looked down the street toward the mirror station.

“Maybe we can make it,” I whispered, pointing.

Corbin and I snuck out of the alleyway.

There was commotion in the street. Everyone was screaming and running in different directions. For a moment, I remembered the scene at the high school in the aftermath of the shooting. There had been panic then too. The fire alarm blaring. People running. Students and teachers screaming. In the chaos, the shooter had gotten away. Later, they said it was like he had disappeared off the face of the Earth. They couldn’t even find him on the security cameras to get an image of his face.

I could still hear the sounds of the gunshots.

And the screaming.

And I remembered all the blood.

All over me.

All over Nick.

“Lacey?” Corbin said, worry in his voice.

I had stopped mid-step.

I remembered the smell of the gunpowder.

“Lacey?” Corbin said again.

We were halfway to the mirrors.

A second later, officers emerged from one of the mirrors.

“Seal off this exit. No one gets out this way,” one of the officers said.

“No good,” Corbin said. “Come on.” Taking my hand, Corbin led me toward another alleyway.

“You two. Hold,” an officer shouted. He pulled a wand from his vest and aimed it at Corbin.

“No,” I gasped.

Working quickly, I dipped into my purse, pulling out my teacup. Holding my cup, I waggled my fingers above it and cast the spell. “Cloak in night,” I called, sending the orb of magical starlight toward the officer.

The man stumbled to a stop.

I turned to Corbin. “A mirror. We need a mirror. Do you have anything?”

He shook his head.

I dug into my purse once more and pulled out my cellphone. I clicked the phone on. Nick’s face was there, smiling at me. I pulled up the camera display then turned it backward, so it reflected Corbin and me. “Any mirror works. That’s what Vren said. Just put your finger into it.”

“Greenhouse?” Corbin said.

I nodded. “On three. One, two, three,” I said, and Corbin and I both touched the screen of my phone. To my shock, it reacted just like the surface of a mirror, and then I felt the tug as we were sucked away.

42

What Corbin Knew

If I ever thought that slipping through a regular-sized mirror felt bad, nothing prepared me for the excruciating pain of zipping through a tiny mirror. It was nothing short of hell. I woke up, having blacked out for a moment, on the ground of the greenhouse lying on Corbin’s chest.

My stomach rocked, and I thought I might throw up.

I moved, not wanting to puke on Corbin, but he gently held on to me.

“It’s better if you lie still for a moment,” he told me.

“Is that just a ploy to get me to stay like this?”

“Yeah, because I don’t want you throwing up on me.”

“And how do you know it’s better if I stay like this?”

He was silent for a moment.

“Corbin.”

“Because this isn’t my first go-around in Wonderland.”

I let his words sink in.

I lay there, listening to the beating of his heart, and bracing myself for whatever truth was going to come next.

After a few moments, Corbin slowly sat up, lifting me with him.

“You’d better start explaining,” I told him.

“I’ve been in and out of Wonderland for the last year.”

“Why? And if that’s true, why are you at the Academy?”

“Before, I was busy with something. Now that you’re here, it was time for me to come to the Academy.”

“What in the hell does that mean?”

“It means, I know who you are, Alice,” he said, whispering my name.

I stared at him.

“Come on,” Corbin said. “They’ve been keeping you in the dark for too long.”

I said nothing but took Corbin’s hand as he led me away from the greenhouse and down the path to the Eternity Rose. At this time of night, all the other flowers were closed. But as we approached the rose, the thorny vines lifted, allowing us safe passage.

Corbin and I stepped into the space before the Eternity Rose who opened her petals to look down at us.

“Ahh,” she said with a soft sigh. “Back again.”

“Tell her,” Corbin told the rose.

“Tell me what?”

“Tell her,” Corbin repeated.

“Why don’t you tell her?” the Eternity Rose said.

“Because it will mean more coming from you.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that. Something tells me it will mean more coming from you,” the Rose said, gently poking Corbin in his stomach. At that, she turned her face from us and closed up her petals once more.

“Corbin?” I whispered. My heart was beating hard in my chest. “You know my name?”

He nodded. “And more. Lacey, they didn’t bring you here just because of your name. Your name… It’s almost irrelevant.”

“But the prophecy. They said that when Alice comes again, she will undo everything. I’m Alice.”

“But you are not Alice the Merciless reborn or any other rubbish that they have you thinking. I should know. I’m that Alice’s grandson. You are Alice. And you will undo this place.”

“Why? How?”

“When you entered Wonderland, what door opened for you?”

“Roses.”

“And…” the Eternity Rose whispered from behind her petals.

“And Stars.”

“Do you know why?” Corbin asked.

I shook my head.

“When my grandmother left Wonderland, she didn’t leave alone. She left with the King and Queen of Star’s daughter who she hid away.”

I stared at Corbin.

“The royal line of Stars lives. That little girl, the Princess of Stars, her name was Nanette.”

I swallowed hard.

“Nanette’s royal son died, but her son had a daughter, a daughter they named Alice after the woman who saved Nanette’s life.”

“Are you telling me Nan—my Nan—is the Princess of Stars.”

“Yes,” the Eternity Rose whispered.

Corbin frowned at the rose who was peeking out from behind one petal.

“Sorry,” the Eternity Rose said. “I just had to see the expression on her face when she found out.”

“Alice has returned to Wonderland to undo everything—everything wrong, everything that has gone bad since Hearts took control. You, Alice, are the heir of the Kingdom of Stars. That’s why you were brought here. And you’re the reason I’m here too. It is my duty to keep you safe. To stay close to you. To look out for you. To make sure nothing bad happens to you. And that’s what I’ve done—or, at least, what I’ve tried to do.”

“Because they told you to.”

“Yes, but I also wanted to.”

“Why? Because your blood saved mine.”

“No.”

“Because I’m some prophesied savior of this place?”

Corbin stepped close to me. “No. Because you are you,” he said then touched my cheek, his thumb stroking my skin. “Because ever since I saw you, I can’t think of anyone or anything else,” he whispered then leaned in and set a soft kiss on my lips.

The whole world felt like it was spinning off its axis. The feel of Corbin’s soft lips on mine, the scent of sandalwood and vanilla that clouded around him, and the sweetness of his lips. I could even feel the soft scruff of his unshaven face. I fell into his kiss, drowning out protests screaming at me about dangers, and prophecies, and pangs of guilt whispering Nicholas’s name.

A moment later, I pulled back.

I stared at Corbin.

“I told you I didn’t have a problem with princesses,” he said.

“Oh, a little inside joke?”

Corbin grinned.

Around us, I heard a flutter of leaves and whispering voices. The flowers were talking to one another, their voices full of alarm.

“You must go,” the Eternity Rose said, lifting her vines so we could escape the way we’d come. “Corbin, no matter what, remember your sworn duty. Above all, protect the princess. Now, go.”

“What’s happening?” I asked.

“Please, Lacey. You must leave now,” the Eternity Rose said. “Corbin…”

“Come on,” Corbin said, taking my hand. We hurried away from the rose and back into the darkness.

“Fire,” one of the flowers whispered.

“They’ve come with fire,” another said, panic in her voice.

“Who? Who is it?” Corbin asked the flowers.

“We cannot see. Bespelled. We are all bespelled. Only blurs and flames,” one of the flowers answered.

Anxious whispers rustled through the breeze.

A moment later, the Cheshire cat appeared before us in full corporeal form. “Time to move, unless you’d like to be murdered too.”

“Murdered too? What’s happening?” I asked.

“Where can we go?” Corbin asked the cat. “Hearts are everywhere.”

“Wait, what’s happening? Who is being murdered? Cat?”

“Hearts are not everywhere,” the Cheshire cat said. “But they are here.”

“You aren’t answering me. Murdered? Who? What are you talking about?”

The Cheshire cat and Corbin, both of whom ignored me, rushed into the greenhouse.

“Take one another’s hands…not that you need any encouragement in that department,” the Cheshire cat said.

“Not helping,” I told the cat then turned to Corbin. “We can’t just leave. Someone is in trouble.”

“You must go. Now. Both of you,” the Cheshire cat told us.

“We need to lay low for a few hours, somewhere away from here,” Corbin told the cat.

“Pick me up,” the cat said.

“I don’t like that expression on your face,” I told him.

“But you’re going to love this,” the cat said with a grin. “Step into the mirror.”

Moving tepidly, Corbin and I complied.

“Hand in hand, we three. To the Kingdom of Stars,” the Cheshire cat said.

I had only a moment to turn and look at Corbin before the mirror pulled us away.

To be continued…

* * *

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* * *

Bumpalump Cookie Recipe (*Overthere Edition)

Perfecting a Bumpalump cookie with standard Overthere ingredients proved challenging, but if you would like to make your own batch, try the below recipe.

Ingredients for Bumpalump cookies:

2 ¾ cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp baking powder

1 cup butter (softened)

½ cup sugar

¼ cup maple (Tumtum) syrup. Note: this will make your cookie slightly browner.

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

Dash of salt

2 Tbs. rose syrup. *If you use rose syrup, reduce the maple syrup to compensate for the wetness. If you have an extract, use drops. This ingredient can be omitted.

Ingredients for Grapeish crystal topping:

Purple sugar cookie crystal sprinkles

3 Tbs lemon juice.

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup milk

* * *

Cookie Preparation:

Oven to 375f degrees (190c degrees)

Mix dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt) and set aside.

Cream butter, sugar, and maple syrup. Add in egg, vanilla, and rose syrup.

Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture.

Refrigerate until firm.

Spoon drop or roll into balls and bake on a greased cookie sheet.

Depending on the thickness of your maple syrup, your dough might be a bit wet. Feel free to add additional flour if needed.

Bake 8 – 10 minutes. Keep in mind the maple syrup will darken the cookies. Depending on the brand of rose syrup used, you may have additional coloration.

Topping Preparation:

While cookies are baking, prepare the grapeish topping (aka lemon glaze with sprinkles)

Whisk sugar and milk until smooth

Add lemon juice

Spoon over cool cookies.

Shake sugar crystals on top. If your cookies are very warm, the sprinkles might melt, causing discoloration. Trust me on that one.

We can’t all be Lacey:

I’ve made this recipe about a dozen times with different syrups—maple and rose—and different proportions of flour and sugar. In the end, I’ve had flat cookies, soft cookies, hard cookies, almost perfect cookies, and everything in between. The brand of ingredients change the recipe drastically. But in the end, no matter how yours turn out, you will have a flavor-enhanced sugar cookie.

Some tips!

Make sure your butter is very soft.

If your dough is too wet, pop it into the fridge for a bit.

Go easy on the lemon drizzle or you’ll soak the cookie and it will crumble.

In the end, it’s a cookie. I’m pretty sure I’d earn a solid B from Professor Banks!

No guarantee these will turn you as flat as paper, but I hope you’ll enjoy the unique floral and lemony flavors of this cookie.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to my ARC team for their feedback and help!

Thank you to my readers, Erin, Katja, Mary S., and Star, for sending me ideas for Wonderland teas. I loved your zany, cool concepts. I hope you found your ideas in the book.

As always, thank you to my wonderful editor, Becky Stephens.

Thank you to my family for their endless support.

Thank you to my kids for trying several versions of my Bumpalump cookie recipe. Way to take one for the team!

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About the Author

Melanie Karsak is the author of The Airship Racing Chronicles, The Harvesting Series, Steampunk Red Riding Hood, The Celtic Blood Series, and the Steampunk Fairy Tales Series. A steampunk connoisseur, zombie whisperer, and Alice in Wonderland junkie, the author currently lives in Florida with her husband and two children.

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Also by Melanie Karsak

The Celtic Blood Series:

Highland Raven

Highland Blood

Highland Vengeance

Highland Queen

The Harvesting Series:

The Harvesting

Midway

The Shadow Aspect

Witch Wood

The Torn World

Steampunk Fairy Tales:

Curiouser and Curiouser: Steampunk Alice in Wonderland

Ice and Embers: Steampunk Snow Queen

Beauty and Beastly: Steampunk Beauty and the Beast

Golden Braids and Dragon Blades: Steampunk Rapunzel

Steampunk Red Riding Hood:

Wolves and Daggers

Alphas and Airships

Peppermint and Pentacles

Bitches and Brawlers

Howls and Hallows

Lycans and Legends

The Airship Racing Chronicles:

Chasing the Star Garden

Chasing the Green Fairy

Chasing the Fog (Forthcoming)

The Chancellor Fairy Tales:

The Glass Mermaid

The Cupcake Witch

The Fairy Godfather