Page 80 of Knot My Wonderland: Part Two
"It's never been attempted," Heart cautioned, though I could see hope kindling in his golden patterns.
I could feel Alice stirring through our bond, her consciousness beginning to surface from deep sleep. "She's waking," I murmured, rising from my chair as protective instincts flared. "We should discuss this with her before making any decisions."
"Agreed," Heart said, though his golden patterns remained tense with concern. "This affects her most directly."
Through the silver connection, I felt Alice's gradual awakening—confusion at finding herself alone, then awareness of our completed bond sending warmth cascading through her system. Her emotions shifted from contentment to mild concern as she registered my absence.
"I should go to her," I said, already moving toward the bedroom. "She'll want to know what we've been discussing."
Vee nodded, gathering his calculations. "We'll need to run more theoretical models anyway. The mathematics of networked pattern manipulation are... complex."
As I reached the bedroom I quickly sat on the side of the bed as she started to wake, a smile on my face as I was greeted with sleepy eyes looking into my own.
Chapter
Thirty-Two
ALICE
"Good morning again, beautiful," Chi murmured, his teal eyes warm with affection as I blinked away the last vestiges of sleep. The silver mark on his throat pulsed gently, matching the rhythm of the one he'd left on me. Through our newly completed bond, I felt his contentment mixed with an undercurrent of concern.
"How long was I asleep this time?" I asked, stretching languidly as the pattern beneath my skin responded with steady, harmonious pulses. The chaotic flickering from yesterday's training felt like a distant memory.
"A few hours," Chi replied, his tail curling around my wrist in that familiar gesture of comfort. "The others returned while you were resting. We've been... discussing tomorrow's training."
Something in his tone made the pattern beneath my skin shift uneasily. Through our silver bond, I caught glimpses of complex equations, risk assessments, and muted arguments. "What's wrong?" I asked, sitting up fully. "Did something happen?"
Chi's ears flattened slightly before perking back up in a visible effort to appear casual. "Not wrong, exactly. The Tweedles have been calculating our approach for tomorrow's final training session. With two completed bonds anchoring the pattern, you're significantly more stable magically."
I touched the silver mark on my neck, feeling it pulse with gentle warmth. "That's good, isn't it?"
"Very good," Chi confirmed, his tail tightening reassuringly around my wrist. "But it also means we can attempt more advanced techniques that weren't possible before."
Through our deepened bond, I sensed his carefully concealed worry. "You're not telling me everything," I said, studying his face. "What kind of techniques are we talking about?"
Chi sighed, his silver patterns dimming with reluctant honesty. "Multi-layered pattern manipulation. The kind that requires splitting your consciousness between three different magical workings simultaneously while maintaining perfect control over each one."
My stomach dropped at his words. "That sounds incredibly dangerous."
"It is," Chi admitted, his teal eyes meeting mine with unflinching honesty. "But the Queen's blood magic operates on multiple levels at once. To counter it effectively, the Tweedles believe you'll need to match that complexity."
Through our silver bond, I felt the depth of his concern—not just for the mission's success, but for my safety specifically. The protective instincts that had driven him to claim me were now warring with the practical necessities of our situation.
"What does Heart think?" I asked, though I suspected I already knew the answer.
"He's as reluctant as I am to put you at such risk," Chi said softly. "But the alternatives are limited. Without adequate preparation, our chances against the Queen drop significantly."
I processed this information, feeling the weight of responsibility settle over me once again. The pattern beneath my skin pulsed with steady determination, no longer the erratic flickering of magical exhaustion but something that felt almost eager for the challenge.
"There might be another option," Chi continued, his tail loosening slightly around my wrist. "Heart suggested using the bond network to distribute the magical burden. Instead of you bearing the entire weight alone, we could channel our energy through the connections—you as the focal point while we provide stability and power."
The idea sparked something hopeful within me. Through our silver bond, I felt Chi's cautious optimism mixed with lingering protectiveness. "Has that ever been attempted before?"
"No," Chi admitted, his ears flicking with uncertainty. "Which makes it either brilliant or catastrophically dangerous. The Tweedles are running calculations now, trying to determine if the network can handle that kind of magical distribution without collapsing."
I considered this as I absently traced the silver mark on my neck. The completed bonds with Heart and Chi felt different—more stable, more permanent than the others. Through those connections, I could sense their absolute commitment, their willingness to risk everything to protect me while still acknowledging the larger mission.
"I want to try it," I said finally, meeting Chi's concerned gaze. "The networked approach. If the Tweedles think it's mathematically possible, we should attempt it."
