Page 98 of Knot My Wonderland

Through our bonds, I felt their shared fear—a raw, visceral terror at the thought of losing me. The silver and gold patternsbeneath my skin responded weakly, trying to reassure them even as my consciousness began to fade around the edges.

"Not just Martha," I managed to whisper. "Three signatures... could be anyone..."

"Shh," Chi soothed, his tail wrapping more securely around me. "We'll handle it. Just focus on recovering."

“I’m sick of sleeping” I mutter, as We passed several resistance fighters in the corridors, their expressions curious but respectful as they saw Chi carrying me. Heart walked slightly ahead, his posture radiating authority that brooked no questions. Through our bond, I felt his strategic mind cataloging each face, wondering which might hide the corruption Varik had detected.

The journey back to my chambers passed in a blur of crystalline walls and hushed voices. By the time Chi laid me gently on the bed I was already asleep, letting dreams take me.

Chapter Thirty-Six

King of Spades-Seth

Iwalked into Varik's workshop as he continued adjusting his detection array, his wild eyes fixed on the pulsing red signatures. My shadows flowed ahead of me, tasting the lingering traces of Alice's silver and gold patterns in the air.

"They've just left," Varik said without looking up, his fingers dancing across brass dials with practiced precision. "Alice looked about ready to collapse. The pattern is evolving faster than even you predicted."

"Two bonds in as many days," I replied, my shadows coiling around the detection display to examine the blood magic signatures more closely. "The fire bond manifested sooner than I expected."

Varik shot me a knowing look, his wild eyes momentarily focusing with unsettling clarity. "Disappointed it wasn't your void bond first, Seth?"

I ignored his baiting, concentrating instead on the strongest blood magic signature pulsing in the eastern corridor. My shadows recoiled from the corrupted energy like water from oil, confirming what Varik's instruments suggested—someone with direct exposure to the Red Queen's influence.

"The strongest signature is Martha," I said, allowing a thread of shadow to probe deeper into the corrupted magical resonance. "But the corruption pattern is... wrong."

Varik's hands stilled on his instruments. "Wrong how?"

"Too clean. Too deliberate." My shadows formed brief images in the air—complex magical structures that dissolved as quickly as they appeared. "Blood magic leaves jagged edges when it takes hold of someone. This signature has been... crafted."

"A false trail?" Varik's wild eyes lit up with understanding. "Someone wants us to suspect Martha specifically."

"More than that," I replied, my shadows spreading through the workshop to ensure we weren't overheard. "This level of magical precision is beyond the Red Queen's usual work. Someone is helping her—someone with significant skill in magical forgery."

Varik's eyes narrowed as he twisted a dial, causing the display to shift focus to the other two signatures. "The King of Diamonds," he muttered. "His crystalline magic could create the precision we're seeing. But why would he align with the Red Queen? They've been at odds for centuries."

"Perhaps because they share a common enemy now," I replied, my shadows forming a brief image of Alice with her silver and gold patterns. "The pattern's reemergence threatens all the monarchs equally. If Alice succeeds in reunifying Wonderland's magic..."

"Their individual territories would reintegrate with the whole," Varik finished, adjusting his hat thoughtfully. "Cleverof them to work together, though, I doubt the alliance will last beyond their immediate goal."

"Alliances of convenience rarely do," I agreed, shadows coiling tighter around the detection array. "But they only need to succeed once—either by capturing Alice or by stopping the pattern's completion."

Varik twisted another dial, focusing on the third blood magic signature that pulsed near the Sanctuary's main entrance. "This one's different—weaker but more deeply embedded. Like it's been in place longer."

My shadows flowed toward the signature, testing its resonance with cold precision. "A sleeper agent," I concluded, feeling the subtle differences in the magical corruption. "Someone turned months ago, perhaps years, and positioned carefully within the resistance."

"Heart won't take this well," Varik muttered, his wild eyes momentarily sobering. "He's already struggling with the possibility of Martha's betrayal."

"Martha isn't betraying anyone," I said with certainty, my shadows forming around my feet, “She is one of mine after all.”

Varik's hands froze over his instruments, wild eyes snapping to my face with sudden intensity. "One of yours?" His voice carried a dangerous edge. "You've had a shadow agent in Heart's inner circle this entire time?"

"Not an agent," I corrected, allowing my shadows to form Martha's scarred visage in the air before dissolving it. "A protected asset. The Red Queen's blood magic tried to claim her three years ago—I intervened,and left my own mark to shield her consciousness."

Varik's expression shifted from suspicion to fascination. "Shadow magic as a protective ward against blood corruption. Brilliant, actually. But why didn't you tell Heart?"

"Because he would have seen it as manipulation rather than protection," I replied, shadows coiling with old frustration. "The Prince of Hearts views any involvement from me as scheming, regardless of intent."

"Can you blame him?" Varik chuckled, returning to his calibrations. "Your track record for transparent motivations isn't exactly stellar, Your Majesty."

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