Page 70 of Knot My Wonderland

"Thank you," I said to the twins, who managed synchronized nods despite their obvious strain.

"Patterns must flow," Vee murmured, silver monocle glinting.

"Melodies must continue," Dee finished, their voice barely audible.

I took a deep breath and stepped through the silver doorway, feeling the familiar sensation of reality fracturing around me. Unlike the chaotic transition into the Forgotten Lands, this passage felt controlled, purposeful—as if the path itself recognized my destination and was guiding me there with gentle precision. The silver light enveloped me like warm water, carrying me through spaces between time.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Alice

Istumbled onto solid ground, gasping as the temporal chaos in my mind suddenly... quieted. The constant barrage of visions slowed to a manageable trickle, and the silver patterns beneath my skin settled into a steady, rhythmic pulse instead of their previous frantic flaring.

"Better?" Chi asked, materializing beside me with obvious relief. His form remained completely solid here, more real than I'd ever seen him.

I looked around in wonder. The Sanctuary of Hours rose before us like something from a fever dream—a crystalline palace that existed in multiple states simultaneously. Its spires twisted through different temporal layers, some reaching toward skies that showed dawn while others pierced twilight heavens. The structure itself seemed to breathe, expanding and contracting with a rhythm that matched my own heartbeat.

"Welcome to the center of all time," Varik said softly, his wild green eyes reflecting the palace's shifting luminescence. "The First Queen built this place as an anchor point—somewhere that could exist independently of Wonderland's temporal fluctuations."

Chi materialized beside me, his solid form more stable than it had been since we entered the Forgotten Lands. "The temporal fields here are... remarkable. I can feel every version of myself that has ever existed, but they're not fighting for dominance."

"It's designed to harmonize contradictions," Varik explained, leading us toward the crystalline entrance. "The Sanctuary doesn't force reality to choose a single version—it allows all possibilities to coexist without conflict."

As we approached the palace gates, I noticed the silver patterns beneath my skin responding to our surroundings—not with the painful flaring I'd experienced in the Forgotten Lands, but with a gentle resonance that felt almost like recognition. The ward consciousness stirred within me, curious but no longer overwhelmed by temporal information.

"The pattern knows this place," I murmured, watching as the silver traceries formed intricate designs that matched the crystalline architecture before us.

"Of course it does," Varik replied, removing his hat as we reached the entrance. "The First Queen created both the pattern and the Sanctuary. They're expressions of the same fundamental magic."

The gates opened at our approach without any visible mechanism, recognizing something in my magical signature. Inside, the palace defied architectural logic even more than the exterior suggested. Corridors stretched in impossible directions, some leading upward through floors that existed in different seasons, others spiraling downward through chambers where past and future events played out like theatrical performances.

"Stay close," Varik warned as we entered the main hall. "The Sanctuary responds to intention, but it can be... enthusiastic about showing visitors things they're not ready to see."

The main hall was a vast circular chamber with a domed ceiling displaying the night sky from every possible timeline. Stars wheeled overhead in complex patterns, some forming constellations I recognized while others traced symbols that seemed to shift meaning as I watched. At the center of the room stood a pedestal supporting what looked like a miniature version of Wonderland itself—a living map where tiny figures moved through landscapes that changed with each heartbeat.

"The Observatory," Varik explained, his voice hushed with reverence as he approached the miniature Wonderland. "It shows the realm as it truly is—not as individual courts perceive it."

I stepped closer, fascinated by the tiny figures moving across the living map. I could see the Red Queen's forces spreading like a crimson stain across neutral territories, villages burning in their wake. In another region, the Queen of Clubs' vine soldiers formed a defensive perimeter around her emerald domains, neither advancing nor retreating as the conflict escalated. The King of Diamonds watched from his crystal towers, mechanical observers recording everything for later analysis.

And the King of Spades... I frowned, searching the shadowy territories where his court should be. Unlike the other monarchs, his movements weren't clearly visible on the map.

"Where is he?" I asked, pointing to the dark territories.

Chi leaned closer to the map, his teal eyes narrowing. "That's... unusual. The King of Spades has always been secretive, but the Observatory should still show his movements."

"Unless he doesn't want to be seen," Varik murmured, adjusting his gloves as he studied the shadowy territories. "The King has abilities that even the other monarchs don't fullyunderstand—ways of moving between realities that leave no trace."

I watched as tiny crimson soldiers marched across the miniature landscape, burning villages and forcing civilians to flee toward borders that offered no real sanctuary. Through the Heart Stone, I felt a distant pulse of urgency—Heart and his fighters had reached the Crimson Valley, finding destruction already in progress.

"Heart's people," I whispered, my hand instinctively covering the crystal at my throat. "They're fighting now."

Varik nodded grimly, his eyes fixed on the tiny figures battling across the miniature landscape. "The Observatory shows events in real-time. Your connection to Heart is allowing you to sense what the map already displays."

I focused on the Heart Stone, trying to send support through our bond despite the distance. The crystal warmed beneath my touch, pulsing with a rhythm that matched my heartbeat.

"Will they survive?" I asked, watching the tiny crimson figures swarming through what must be the Crimson Valley outpost.

"That depends on many factors," Chi replied, his tail curling thoughtfully as he studied the living map. "Including whether Heart can overcome his mother's blood magic on her own territory."

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