Page 107 of Knot My Wonderland

"And I'll coordinate with the Spade King," Chi added, his tail curling with focused energy. "He does monitor who is here. The paranoid man that he is.”

Varik clapped his hands with manic glee. "Excellent! I'll continue refining the detector's sensitivity while you organizethe logistics. We want to minimize false positives, after all." He adjusted his hat, which had somehow migrated to an even more precarious angle.

“That leaves you my dear Alice.” His green eyes twinkled, “I am sure the Tweedles would enjoy some time with you while we are about figuring things out.”

I felt the silver and gold patterns beneath my skin stir with interest at the mention of the Tweedles. The potential water and earth bonds had been quietly pulling at my consciousness since our brief encounter earlier, waiting for the right moment to manifest.

"That's probably wise," Heart agreed, though the golden connection between us carried his reluctance to let me out of his sight. "The fewer people who know about our investigation, the better. And spending time with the Tweedles might help stabilize the pattern before adding their bonds."

Chi's ears twitched with agreement. "They exist partially outside normal time—being near them could help your magic settle more naturally rather than forcing integration."

I nodded, already feeling drawn toward the idea of understanding Vee and Dee better. "Where would I find them?"

"Observatory level," Varik replied, bouncing slightly on his heels. "They've converted one of the upper chambers into a calculation center. All sorts of fascinating temporal maps and probability matrices." He adjusted his hat with exaggerated care. "Just follow the corridor with the star-patterned crystal formations—you can't miss it."

"I'll escort you," Heart said immediately, the golden patterns beneath his skin pulsing with protective energy.

Chi's tail flicked once with decision. "And I'll begin coordinating with the King of Spades." His form flickered slightly at the edges, preparing to phase between realities. "The sooner we identify these spies, the safer everyone will be."

I rose from the bed, feeling the silver and gold patterns beneath my skin settle into a steady rhythm. My strength had fully returned during our rest, and the bonds no longer felt chaotic or draining but properly integrated into my magical signature.

"Be careful," I told Chi, reaching out to touch his face before he departed. The silver patterns beneath my skin spiraled outward at the contact, briefly transferring to Chi's cheek where they shimmered with affection.

"Always," he promised, smiling wide as he grinned, his teal eyes meeting mine with quiet intensity before he phased out of reality, his form dissolving like mist between one heartbeat and the next.

Heart's hand found mine, golden light immediately spiraling around our joined fingers. "Ready?" he asked, his ruby eyes scanning my face for any sign of lingering fatigue.

"Ready," I confirmed, feeling the silver and gold patterns stabilize beneath my skin. Through our bond, I sensed his protective instincts already mapping potential threats and escape routes—a habit formed through years of resistance leadership.

Varik adjusted his hat one final time before bouncing toward the door. "I'll be in my workshop if you need anything. Tinkering, refining, possibly creating minor explosions—you know, the usual creative process!" With that, he whirled out the door, his manic energy leaving a wake of chaotic possibility behind him.

Heart led me through the crystalline corridors, his hand warm in mine as the golden patterns flowed freely between us. The Sanctuary hummed with quiet energy around us, resistance fighters nodding respectfully as we passed. Through our bond, I felt Heart cataloging each face, mentally checking them against his growing list of trusted allies.

"You're worried," I observed softly, feeling the tension radiating through our connection.

Heart's ruby eyes met mine briefly, carrying centuries of hard-earned caution. "When you've fought as long as I have, you learn that trust is precious—and easily broken." The golden patterns beneath his skin pulsed with bitter experience. "The thought that someone I've welcomed into the resistance could be working for my mother…it feels like a personal betrayal," he finished, his voice tight with controlled emotion. "These people risk their lives daily for our cause. To think one of them might be deliberately endangering the others..."

I squeezed his hand, feeling the golden patterns flare between us with shared concern. "We don't know their circumstances yet. Your mother's blood magic can be forced on unwilling subjects."

Heart's jaw tightened. "That almost makes it worse. Someone I care about, someone who's fought beside me, being used as a weapon against their will." The golden patterns darkened momentarily with his pain. "I've seen what blood magic does to its victims, Alice. The constant struggle against your own actions, watching yourself betray everything you believe in while powerless to stop it."

We approached a corridor where the crystalline walls shifted into intricate star patterns, each formation catching and refracting light in hypnotic patterns that seemed to shift dimensions as we passed. The air felt different here—thinner somehow, as if we were walking through multiple timelines simultaneously.

"The Tweedles exist differently than the rest of us," Heart explained, noticing my fascination with the star-patterned crystals. "Time flows around them rather than through them. It's why they speak the way they do—they're responding to conversations that haven't happened yet alongside ones that have."

"That sounds... disorienting," I said, watching as the star patterns seemed to move even when we stood still.

Heart's lips curved in a faint smile. "For them, our linear existence is strange. They find it limiting to experience events in sequence rather than as possibilities branching in all directions….it is very close to what talking to the Caterpillar is like.”

We reached a large crystalline door that seemed to shimmer with opalescent light. Unlike the other chambers in the Sanctuary, this door wasn't transparent but translucent, obscuring the contents while allowing light to filter through in prismatic patterns. Heart released my hand, the golden connection between us stretching but maintaining its steady pulse.

"I'll leave you with them," he said, his ruby eyes scanning the corridor one final time. "The Tweedles will keep you safe while we prepare for tonight's investigation."

I nodded, though I felt a flutter of nervousness at the thought of spending extended time with the enigmatic twins. The silver and gold patterns beneath my skin stirred with anticipation, recognizing the potential for deeper connection.

"Be careful," I told Heart, reaching up to touch his face. The golden patterns spiraled from my fingertips to his cheek, carrying my concern through our bond.

Heart leaned into my touch, his eyes darkening briefly. "I will.” He paused for a moment, leaned down and gave me a quick peck on the lips, stepped back with a smirk before leaving me. I stood watching Heart's retreating form, my lips still tingling from his quick kiss, a small smile on my face.

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