Page 49 of Knave

A quick flick of the silver male’s hand and the doorway snapped shut with a crack. Whatever the fuck was going on—this was unnatural, even for Wonderland. Ferris stared at the space where the green light had just been, mouth parted. No one could create portals and make them vanish at will. They needed to get back to Ivory to tell Ever and Chess that there might be a more serious problem than the Jabberwocky. He couldn’t risk fighting them, not if they were… What the fuck were they? Sorcerers? It sounded insane, but he would’ve said the same about vampires a little over four years ago.

The pair walked around the lake with slow, cautious steps and examined their surroundings. The silver male shifted his axe as he turned, walking backward for a few paces, while the dark-haired stranger carried no weapon. At least not in his hands. Which made him the more dangerous one, Ferris thought, because he certainly didn’t look like a fool. This male would undoubtedly have another way to defend himself.

“What should we do?” Mouse whispered.

Ferris swallowed. “We need to get back to Ivory.Now.”

“But how? They’ll see us if we run.”

He had no answer. They were trapped between the palace and the lake. Unless the fuckers turned their backs or wandered away from the lake, they were screwed. It would only take a second for Ferris and Mouse to get away with their speed. If these two would just look the hell away… But they seemed focused on the palace. To get there, they would pass right by Ferris and Mouse.

The two males were in no rush, studying the surface of the lake, the dead trees in the distance, the crumbling walls of the palace, with grim expressions. Their booted feet carried them closer and closer by the second.

Bloody hell!Ferris’s mind screamed at him to attack—he and Mouse were strong enough to take down two males—but they were usingmagic. They didn’t stand a chance.

“Looks abandoned.” The silver male paused and lowered his axe a fraction. From this distance, Ferris could see his pointed ears. Was he a fuckingelf? Ferris held his breath, letting the reality sink in. The newcomer turned his head, surveying the sky, and exposed the silver metal snaking over his left cheek. “Did you give me the right coordinates?”

“Do Ilooklike an amateur?” the other male said. Their accents were strange, light and airy. “Of course I’m right.”

“Tik-Tok, I swear to the fucking stars, if you don’t stop being an ass, I will leave you here.”

The dark-haired male—Tik-Tok—laughed, humor lighting his red irises. His right arm caught the faint moonlight. Ferris squinted at the limb, making out gold, mechanical joints.What the fuck?“And tell your daughter that you abandoned me in a world full of blood-thirsty vampires? Nice try, Tin. She’d have your head on a platter.”

Tin grumbled as they rounded the edge of the lake, then stopped short. “Someone’s here.”

Shit, shit, shit.Ferris followed their line of sight to the bags they’d left beside the water. His pulse sped up and he shifted to balance on the balls of his feet. Fighting these two pointy-eared males was a bad fucking plan, but he would do what had to be done, if need be.

Tik-Tok stalked over to the bags and crouched. With his golden arm, he rifled through them. “Water, some clothes…” He pulled out one of their remaining blood pouches and held it up to show his companion. “Whatever the fuck this is.”

“They have to be close. There’s still water on the outside of the canteens,” Tin said. He stood tall as he scanned the area. Ferris yanked Mouse down beside him before they could be found peeking over the wall. They were boxed in, their backs to the lake and too much space to the palace. If they tried, they would be seen.

Tik-Tok sniffed loudly. “Mmhmm.”

There was a long pause and Ferris reached out for Mouse’s hand. They were both fast, but there was no telling if these males were faster. Still, they would need to risk it. With any luck, they could outpace the magic too. Run straight to the edge of Ivory and leap into the portal that had brought them there. Ever and Chess could send guards to figure this shit out.

But before Ferris could inform Mouse of his plan, Tin said, “Do your thing.”

“Mything?” Tik-Tok scoffed.

“Yes, your fucking thing, jackass.”

“Calm your tits,Father.”

Tin growled. “I will never understand what my daughter sees in you.”

“Aw, you love me. Don’t deny it,” Tik-Tok purred. “Stand back.”

Fuck!Whatever thisthingwas, Ferris had no intention of sticking around to find out. “We have to go,” he whispered in Mouse’s ear.

She nodded, then let out a cry. “Ferris!”

Stone crept over her body, encasing her legs. Rising up her thighs to her torso. Panic sliced through him. How could he stop this? How could he save her? What the fuck was happening? Ferris tried to shift to better face her but his own legs were hardening, becoming heavy. Swallowed by stone. He glanced at Mouse and his wild fear reflected on her face. His fangs dropped, his lips pulled back into a snarl.

There wasn’t time to scream, to beg, fight. One moment, the stone was creeping up their chests, the next it had turned them fully into statues. Ferris strained his muscles, trying to break free, but it was impossible. He was trapped. Made of stone, yet aware of his surroundings. Of the crunch of two pairs of boots on the ground. Of Tik-Tok’shmmof intrigue. And the two forms that now loomed over them.

“Interesting,” Tik-Tok said. He leaned down in front of Mouse. “I expected them to be bigger.”

“Didn’t you say they were human once? They’re appropriately sized.” Tin dropped to his knees in front of Ferris and poked at his exposed fang.

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