Page 27 of Knot My Wonderland: Part Two
Chapter
Eleven
ALICE
Ilooked around, Seth having just left me with Dee and Vee who were watching my movements. I glanced at the two after taking a deep breath, and looked down at my arms, which still had the tint of red along my regular silver and gold markings.
"Is this normal?" I asked, my voice unsteady as I traced a finger along the crimson tinge that lingered beneath my skin. The pattern's silver and gold light pulsed stronger with each passing minute, but the red traces remained, like blood diffusing through water.
"Not entirely," Vee admitted, his devices humming as he scanned the air around me. "The Queen's corruption runs deeper than we anticipated."
"But it's not permanent," Dee added quickly, seeing my expression. "The pattern is fighting it. See how the gold and silver brightens each time it pulses?"
I nodded, watching as another wave of light swept beneath my skin, pushing the crimson tinge further back. Each pulsebrought clarity, washing away the lingering fog from the Queen's tonics. With that clarity came worry—sharp and immediate.
“Is there a way to get rid of them?” I didn’t want anything that reminded me of the Queen, and these marks definitely reminded me of her.
Vee and Dee looked to one another, before Vee spoke, “There is a way, but it will tire you out… and also it may not be something you want yet.”
I tilted my head to the side, taking in his words before a flash of understanding went through me, “A bond…” My eyes flickered between the two, “With one of you? or both?” I knew they were an option for bonds, water and earth, but we had only had one conversation about that possibility.
Dee spoke next, a ghost of a smile coming to his lips, “Yes. Bonding with us could set the bond anew and wash away any residue…but that is your choice. Neither of us want something like this pushed on you unless you are sure of it.”
I considered his words, looking down at the crimson lines that marred the silver and gold of my pattern. Each pulse of light pushed the red back, but not enough—it lingered like a stain. A permanent reminder of what the Queen had done to me.
"How would it work?" I asked, my voice steadier than I expected. "The bonding process, I mean."
The twins exchanged another of their silent communications, a conversation held entirely through microscopic facial expressions and subtle shifts in posture.
"It would be similar to your bonds with Heart and Chi," Vee explained, his devices quieting as he focused on me. "But with certain differences. Our connection to time means the bond would exist partially outside linear progression."
"Which means it could reach backward as well as forward," Dee continued seamlessly. "Potentially erasing the Queen's influence by rewriting your pattern's recent history."
I blinked, trying to process what they were saying. "You can... change what happened to me?"
"Not exactly," Vee clarified, his expression unusually serious. "We can't erase memories or experiences. But we can alter how the pattern itself records magical influences."
"Think of it like a book with water damage," Dee added, gesturing to the crimson lines beneath my skin. "We can't make the book forget it got wet, but we can dry the pages and restore the text."
I closed my eyes, feeling the pattern pulse beneath my skin. The Queen's corruption wasn't just physical—it went deeper, leaving shadows in my mind that the collar's removal hadn't erased. Memories of her voice whispering that I belonged to her, that I was meant to be her daughter. The sensation of crimson fog clouding my thoughts, making me doubt myself and everyone I cared about.
"Would it hurt?" I asked, opening my eyes as I unconsciously rubbed my arms where the red lines were most visible. The twins exchanged another look.
"Not, physically," Vee answered carefully, "But emotionally?" Dee finished, his expression gentling. "The bonding process requires complete vulnerability. All barriers down, all defenses lowered. After what you've endured with the Queen..."
I understood what he meant. The thought of opening myself completely to anyone right now, even the Tweedles whom I trusted implicitly, sent a chill through me. The Queen had violated my mind and magic so thoroughly that the idea of voluntary connection felt terrifying.
"There's no rush," Vee added softly, noting my hesitation. "The pattern is already fighting the corruption naturally. It will take longer, but the crimson traces will fade on their own eventually."
"How long?" I asked, though I suspected I already knew the answer.
"Months," Dee admitted. "Perhaps longer. And during that time, you'll be vulnerable to the Queen's influence if she finds a way to reactivate and manipulate things…which she is very good at doing.”
“And if I do the bond…what would the side effects be?” I wanted to know all angles before I made the choice.
“Bonding with time manipulators can be... overwhelming. You'll experience moments of temporal displacement while the connection establishes itself." Vee spoke, eyes flashing with something before going back to his mask.
"And there's another consideration," Dee added, his expression growing grave. "Once bonded with us, you'll exist partially outside linear time. That means you might occasionally glimpse at potential futures or even remember past events that you never experienced."
