Page 38 of Knot My Wonderland: Part Two
Vee's silver eyes gleamed with approval. "Now you're beginning to understand. The pattern isn't something you carry—it's something you partner with."
I watched as the light beneath my skin formed new configurations, intricate spirals and geometric forms that moved with purpose rather than just pulsing rhythmically. The pattern wasn't just responding to me; it was communicating.
"What happens now?" I asked, carefully setting the crystalline flower on the silver grass where it took root immediately, sending tendrils of opalescent light spiraling into the soil.
"Now," Chi said, his tail lashing with anticipation, "we teach you the language of the pattern. How to listen fully, how to speak clearly, and how to dance with it rather than direct it."
Heart extended his hand, golden light flowing from his fingertips to interact with the silver and gold emanating from mine. "We'll start with the basics—intention versus command."
I watched, fascinated, as his golden light wove through mine, creating harmonies of power that made the air around us shimmer. The pattern responded eagerly, reaching toward his energy like a plant seeking sunlight.
"Close your eyes," Vee instructed, his voice gentle but firm. "Forget everything you've been taught about controlling magic. Imagine instead that you're having a conversation with an old friend."
I did as he asked, letting my eyelids close, focusing on the sensation of the pattern pulsing beneath my skin. Instead of trying to shape it with my will, I simply acknowledged its presence—a silent greeting.
"Now," Dee's voice came from somewhere to my left, "ask it to show you something beautiful."
Not commanding, not forcing—just a gentle request, like asking a friend to share a cherished memory. The pattern stirred beneath my skin, silver and gold light flowing with newfound eagerness. I felt it respond, not to my will but to my curiosity, unfurling possibilities like opening a gift.
When I opened my eyes, I gasped. Floating above my outstretched palms was a miniature galaxy of silver and gold stars, swirling in perfect harmony. Each tiny point of light pulsed with life, creating constellations that told stories I somehow understood without words—tales of worlds beyond Wonderland, of connections forged across impossible distances, of love that transcended the boundaries between realities.
"It's magnificent," I breathed, watching the tiny galaxy spin above my hands. The stars weren't just light—they were memories, moments of joy and wonder from across all the realms the pattern had touched. I could feel the consciousness behind them, ancient and vast but somehow gentle.
"This is the pattern's true nature," Heart said softly, his ruby eyes reflecting the miniature constellation. "Creation, not destruction. Beauty, not dominance." The tiny galaxy pulsed once more before dissolving into streams of light that flowed back beneath my skin, leaving me with a sense of profound connection—not just to the magic itself, but to something far greater.
Chapter
Fifteen
ALICE
It has been three days since we entered the pocket, during that time I was just getting to know the pattern and how it feels to use it. The pattern and I had developed something resembling a friendship during those first three days. Instead of forcing silver and gold light to bend to my will, I found myself having wordless conversations with the ancient consciousness that lived beneath my skin. It would show me glimpses of other pattern bearers throughout history—moments of triumph and sorrow, creation and healing—while I shared my own memories of Earth, of the ordinary world I'd left behind. Though, with each bearer of the pattern I glimpsed…none were able to fully grasp it and ended up either dead….or something else entirely.
Today, Vee had announced we would move beyond simple communication to actual partnership—letting the pattern guide my movements instead of me directing its energy.
"The difference is subtle but profound," he explained as we stood in the center of the meadow, silver grass rippling around our feet. "Instead of telling the pattern what to do, you allow it to show you what's possible."
I nodded, though uncertainty flickered through me. The past few days had been revelatory—learning to listen to the ancient consciousness that flowed beneath my skin, understanding its preferences and moods. But actively surrendering control still felt terrifying after everything the Red Queen had done to strip away my agency.
"I can feel your hesitation," Chi observed, his form solidifying beside me. "The fear of losing control is natural after what you endured."
"But this is different," Heart added, his golden patterns pulsing gently as he approached. "My mother tried to control you completely. The pattern wants to work with you." His ruby eyes met mine with understanding. "Trust isn't rebuilt overnight, Alice. Even trust in yourself."
I took a deep breath, feeling the silver and gold light beneath my skin respond to my emotional state with gentle warmth. The pattern had been nothing but supportive these past days, never pushing, never demanding—simply offering possibilities when I was ready to see them.
"What do I need to do?" I asked, looking between the four faces surrounding me.
"Start small," Dee suggested, his temporal devices humming softly as he monitored the pocket's stability. "Ask the pattern to show you how to create something useful. Not commanding it to make what you want, but letting it suggest what might be needed."
I closed my eyes, centering myself within the silver meadow. The pattern's presence felt warm and attentive, like a friend waiting patiently for conversation. Instead of visualizing what I wanted to create, I opened my awareness to what might be useful in this moment.
"Show me what would serve us now," I whispered, not a command but an invitation.
The response was immediate—silver and gold light flowing up my arms in spiraling patterns that felt both familiar and new. Unlike previous times when I'd directed the energy, this time I surrendered to its guidance, letting my hands move as the pattern suggested rather than as I dictated.
My fingers traced intricate geometries in the air, weaving light into substance with movements I'd never consciously learned. The pattern's joy was palpable, its consciousness practically singing with pleasure at being truly partnered with rather than merely wielded.
When I opened my eyes, floating before me was a crystal sphere filled with swirling mist that showed glimpses of the outside world. Through its surface, I could see Martha and Varik maintaining their vigil, Seth's shadows monitoring the sanctuary's perimeter, and disturbingly, groups of card soldiers searching the surrounding forests.
