Page 23 of Knot My Wonderland

I sighed, setting down my tools and removing my hat. I ran a hand through my unruly hair, feeling the weight of responsibility settle more firmly across my shoulders.

"She can't stay hidden forever," I admitted. "Nor should she. Hiding would only delay the inevitable."

Chi's smile returned, sharp and knowing. "So what's your plan, old friend. You must have one. You always do."

Chi circled the workbench, his movements fluid and calculating. "The Caterpillar, perhaps? He's always had a soft spot for riddle-solvers."

"Already approached him," I said, picking up a delicate silver key and turning it between my fingers. "He provided the protective clothing. But his influence only extends to the borders of the Tulgey Wood."

“Maybe the forest guardians.” Chi purred as his eyes narrowed in thought, “Vee and Dee always followed their own rules…so they could be persuaded.”

"The Tweedles?" I considered it, rolling the small silver key between my fingers. "Perhaps. They owe me a favor or two, and they've never particularly cared for the Queens' politics."

Chi's tail flicked thoughtfully behind him. "They're unpredictable, but loyal when properly motivated. And they control the eastern pathways."

"It would give her another safe passage," I acknowledged. "Though their protection only extends to the borders of their territory."

"Better than nothing," Chi said, leaning his hip against the workbench, “That would be a good start…I can see about maybe others as she sleeps. I should have some ideas by tomorrow morning.”

"I appreciate the assistance," I said, placing the silver key back among its counterparts. "Just don't go making promises on her behalf. She'll need to form her own alliances eventually."

Chi's grin widened. "Worried I'll steal your precious dreamer?"

I leveled a steady gaze at him. "No. I'm worried you'll be too charming. You have a way of making terrible ideas sound delightful."

"It's a gift," Chi admitted, not bothering to deny the accusation. His form flickered again, becoming slightlytranslucent around the edges. "But in this case, our interests align. A powerful Omega dreamer loose in Wonderland? The possibilities are... entertaining."

"This isn't about entertainment," I warned, my voice hardening. "It's about her survival."

"Can't it be both?" Chi asked, his tail curling in amusement.

I rolled my eyes at him, "Some things never change with you, Chi."

His grin widened further, if that was even possible. "Would you want me any other way, Varik?" He used my real name so rarely it made me pause. There was a seriousness beneath his playful demeanor that few ever recognized.

"Go," I said with a dismissive wave. "Do whatever reconnaissance you deem necessary. But Chi—" I fixed him with a stern look, "—be careful. The Queens have grown more paranoid since you last tested their defenses."

Chi's form began to fade, his smile the last thing to disappear. "Paranoia makes them predictable," his voice lingered in the air. "I'll return by morning."

Alone in my workshop, I turned back to the delicate mechanism on my workbench. I would try to distract myself and think of things I too could help the newest resident of Wonderland.

Chapter Ten

Alice

Iwoke to the sound of rain against unfamiliar windows. For a moment, I lay still, disoriented by the soft nest beneath me and the strange play of shadows across the ceiling. Then memory returned in a rush – Wonderland, the Hatter, Cheshire, the magic humming beneath my skin.

The exhaustion that had claimed me yesterday had receded, replaced by a strange, electric awareness. I could feel every texture against my skin with heightened clarity – the subtle differences between the fabrics in my nest, the weight of air on my exposed arms, even the faint vibration of the house around me, as if it breathed.

I sat up slowly, testing my body. The silver glow beneath my skin had faded, but something else had taken its place – a subtle warmth, like embers banked beneath my sternum.

"You're awake," a voice observed from the window. I startled, my head snapping toward the voice. Chi lounged in the window seat, one leg dangling, his form silhouetted against the misty morning light. He wasn't fully solid—the edges of him seemed to blur into the air itself, like watercolor bleeding into paper.

"How long have you been watching me sleep?" I demanded, pulling the blankets higher.

His grin widened, teeth gleaming. "Only the last hour or so. You make the most fascinating expressions when you dream."

I glared at him, but it seemed to only amuse him further.

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