Page 97 of Knot My Wonderland

Varik's lips curled into a manic grin. "My dear, when you've lived as long as I have in this fractured realm, you develop certain... sensitivities." He twisted a brass dial, causing a crystalline display to flicker with red-tinged energy signatures. "Blood magic has a particular feeling—like fingernails on glass. Most can't hear it, but to me?" He tapped his temple. "Screams like a banshee."

Heart moved closer to the display, golden patterns rippling across his skin as he studied the readings. "Can you isolate the source?"

"Working on it with the help of our resident King," Varik muttered, adjusting another dial. "Blood magic is slippery—it creates echoes, false trails. The Red Queen's specialty is making her influence nearly impossible to trace directly."

Chi's form flickered with agitation. "The King of Spades is involved in this investigation?"

"Involved is a strong word," Varik replied, his wild eyes never leaving the crystalline display. "More like... observing with interest. His shadows can detect things my instruments miss, and vice versa. Complementary capabilities, you might say."

Through both bonds, I felt Heart and Chi's shared unease at the King's involvement, though for different reasons. Heart's distrust ran deeper, while Chi simply preferred to handle threats without the shadowy monarch's input.

"What have you found so far?" I asked, leaning against Chi as another wave of dizziness threatened my balance. The silver and gold patterns beneath my skin pulsed weakly, still recovering from the rapid bond formations.

Varik's expression grew grave as he gestured to the display where red-tinged energy signatures pulsed like infected wounds. "Three potential sources of corruption," he said, his usual manicenergy subdued by the seriousness of the situation. "All within the Sanctuary's inner sanctum."

My blood ran cold. Through both bonds, I felt Chi and Heart's protective instincts flare as they processed the implications. Three people with access to the most secure areas of the Sanctuary—people who would have overheard our plans, our strategies, our weaknesses.

"Can you identify them specifically?" Heart asked, his voice tight with barely controlled fury. The golden patterns on his skin blazed brighter as his strategic mind began calculating threats and countermeasures.

"That's where it gets complicated," Varik replied, adjusting his instruments with frustrated precision. "Blood magic creates a sort of... psychic camouflage. The corruption hides beneath legitimate magical signatures, making it nearly impossible to pinpoint exactly who carries it." He gestured to the three pulsing points on his display. "These could be three separate individuals, or one person moving through different locations, or even passive magical residue left behind deliberately to confuse detection."

Chi's tail lashed with agitation, his form flickering as he processed the information. "So we still don't know who to trust."

"Not entirely true," Varik corrected, twisting another dial that caused one of the red signatures to flare brighter. "This one is stronger than the others—a direct line rather than an echo. Someone who's been in recent contact with the Red Queen herself, not just her blood magic."

Heart moved closer to the display, studying the location where the signature pulsed strongest. "That's near the eastern corridor—where Martha set up the temporary barracks for the new resistance fighters."

I glanced at Heart, the golden bond between us pulsing with his sudden tension. "Martha?" I whispered, unable to hide myhorror at the thought. The scarred resistance leader had been nothing but helpful since my arrival in Wonderland.

"It might not be her," Chi cautioned, his tail curling protectively around my wrist. "The signature could belong to anyone in that section."

Varik adjusted his monocle, wild eyes narrowing with concentration. "Martha has been with the resistance since the beginning. If she were compromised, we'd have fallen years ago."

"Unless she was turned recently," Heart said, his voice hollow with the possibility. Through our bond, I felt his pain at even considering such betrayal. "My mother would target those closest to me first."

I leaned more heavily against Chi as exhaustion and dizziness threatened to overwhelm me. The silver and gold patterns beneath my skin flickered weakly, responding to my distress. Through both bonds, I felt Chi and Heart's immediate concern, their attention shifting from the threat display to my deteriorating condition.

"She needs to rest," Chi said firmly, his form solidifying further to support my weight. "The bonds are still settling, and this discussion isn't helping her recovery."

Heart moved to my other side, golden patterns flaring as he sensed my exhaustion through our connection. "Varik, can you continue investigating without us? Focus on narrowing down that signature in the eastern corridor."

Varik nodded, his wild eyes softening with rare concern as he took in my pale face. "I'll work with the Tweedles to create a detection grid throughout the Sanctuary. Anyone carrying blood magic won't be able to hide for long." He adjusted his hat nervously. "In the meantime, limit who has access to Alice. Only those we're absolutely certain about."

"Who do we trust absolutely?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper as the room continued to spin around me.

"Us three, the Tweedles, and... reluctantly, the King of Spades," Heart replied, his jaw tight with distaste at having to include the shadowy monarch. "Everyone else stays at a distance until we identify the source."

Chi's tail tightened around my waist as he felt my legs begin to give out. "That's enough for now," he said decisively, scooping me up before I could protest. "Alice needs rest before she collapses."

Through our bonds, I felt both Chi and Heart's alarm at how quickly my strength was fading. The silver and gold patterns beneath my skin had dimmed to barely visible threads, the magical strain of forming two bonds while still recovering from yesterday's energy transfer.

"Back to your chambers," Heart said firmly, matching Chi's pace as we left Varik's workshop. "And this time, you're staying in bed until the bonds stabilize properly."

I wanted to argue, but the words wouldn't come as waves of exhaustion crashed over me. The silver and gold patterns beneath my skin flickered like dying embers, and through both bonds I felt Chi and Heart's growing alarm at my deteriorating condition.

"Too much, too fast," Chi murmured, his solid form cradling me against his chest as we moved through the crystalline corridors. "The pattern is trying to integrate two major bonds while you're still depleted from stabilizing me yesterday."

Heart's ruby eyes tracked every shadow, every movement as we walked. "Martha will have to wait," he said grimly. "If she is compromised, she's not going anywhere. But if Alice pushes herself much further..."

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