Page 23 of Cheshire’s Smile (The Crimes of Alice #3)

Instead of coming into the room, they waited for us to pull ourselves together. We ambled into the other room, albeit me on shaky legs that had Hatter and Cheshire oozing with male satisfaction.

Morgana still lounged on the couch. This time with a glass of what looked like faerie wine in her hand. She swirled it around in her glass, arching a brow at me but said nothing otherwise.

Coby and Carban stood off to one side, murmuring to each other with concerning glances tossed my way. While Dorian and Eugene sat at the table in a heated discussion. When we approached Dorian paused and lifted his head.

“Now that is out of your systems, can we focus on the task at hand?” He leaned back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other.

I smoothed my hands over my dress and tugged on my tea gloves, my face heating. It would never get easier knowing how little privacy I had now that I was around fae. Even with us rooms away, I had a feeling they had heard every single sound that came from that room.

Pushing my embarrassment down, I inclined my head and stepped forward. Hatter and Cheshire laced their fingers into mine. My eyes met theirs and I didn’t know if the emotion swelling in my heart was mine of Hatter’s and at the moment I didn’t care.

“We have temporarily put a hold on Hatter’s doom,” Eugene began, shifting his weight. “But this isn’t a fix. It’s a band-aide at best. Your magic is sustaining him for now but while it’s made Hatter stronger, it’s has made you vulnerable.”

My brows drew together. “I don’t feel weaker.”

“Not yet,” Eugene explained with a sigh. “But it has put a timeline on finding a solution to this sickness.”

“We have a solution,” Dorian interjected, shooting me a strange look. “We need someone to take the trials.”

My mouth went dry. Licking my lips, I stuttered, “Uh... trials? You mean, we need a High King.”

“Yes.” Dorian’s eyes bore into mine.

“Well, why don’t you do it?” A challenge rang clear in my voice. “You’re strong enough. You take the trials and become High King.”

“I cannot.” Dorian shook his head. “Only someone not royal can become High King.”

“Why?” Coby asked from his place by the wall. “Doesn’t that go against every rule of succession?”

Eugene answered this time. “The High King position doesn’t exist by the same rules. It was meant to be held by a regular citizen. Not just any citizen though. Someone who wouldn’t be biased to one side of the other.”

“So you need a half breed.” Cheshire’s words came out a rough growl. “Like my son.”

“Or Kat,” I added on, squeezing his hand in reassurance. “They’re both unaligned with either side of the courts. One of them could do it.” Then I paused, my eyes closing briefly in realization. “But Kat’s...” I drew out, my eyes landing on Dorian, “... pregnant.”

The UnSeelie prince stiffened but said nothing otherwise.

“Yes,” Eugene continued unaware of his son’s discomfort. “Either one of them would work. However, I don’t see Kat wanting to put herself in danger in her condition. A fae child is a rare thing indeed and I think everyone would be hard pressed to let her do it.”

“My son will not be a pawn,” Cheshire snarled, taking a step forward. I released Hatter’s hand, smoothing my hand up and down Cheshire’s arm. “He’s been used enough.”

“You’re mistaken.” Eugene laced his fingers in his lap.

“High King isn’t a pawn. They’re the judge, jury, and executioner.

He or she,” his eyes darted to me for a moment before continuing, “would be in charge of everyone in the Underground. When there is a conflict between the sides, they would decide on the best path forward and they will have all the power of the Underground to make it happen.”

“Just curious,” Coby began. “But what happened to the last High King. If they’re so all powerful, where are they now?”

Something dark passed over Eugene’s face before his mask of indifference went back into place. “We don’t know. It was a long time ago and we haven’t had a High King since.”

“That’s unsettling.” Coby leaned against the wall, his face pensive.

Not knowing what happened to the previous High King did make things more complicated.

Who knew what would happen to the person who took the job?

If Kat weren’t pregnant and was willing to do the job, I wasn’t sure I wanted her to and I knew without a doubt that she wouldn’t want Chess to do it either.

They weren’t exactly the kind to follow the rules. Then again neither was I.

“I don’t see what we are arguing about.” Morgana swirled the liquid languidly in her glass. “We have a perfectly good candidate right here.”

“What? You.” Dorian laughed. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“No,” Morgana shot him a glare, then something sad passed over her face. “My time as queen has long passed. I’m talking about her.” She jerked her chin toward me.

“What?” I gaped, placing a hand on my chest. “Me? Oh, no. No one wants me to be the High Queen. The fae hate me.”

“In this case,” Dorian’s lips curled up slightly, “That doesn’t matter. It’s not a position that is voted upon. It’s whoever can pass the Underground’s trials. The Underground chooses their ruler and honestly I could think of no better solution for your penance.”

“So I’m to be punished for all eternity?” I almost shrieked. “I paid for my crimes and I’ve kept paying for them every day since. Now you want me to tie myself to the very world that despises and ridicules me?” Magic crackled in my veins. “I’m no one’s hero.”

Dorian shook his head. “No one said you had to be. And in all honesty, that’s not what the Underground needs right now. They don’t need a hero. They need you.”

I laughed darkly. “No. No one needs me.”

“We do.” Hatter’s voice rang in my ears, his voice small. “We need you.” Pulses of longing and hurt ran through me.

Spinning to Hatter, I placed my hands on his chest. “I didn’t mean you.

You know that. I meant,” I sighed and turned back to the room.

“I wouldn’t know the first thing about ruling the Underground.

Besides, what makes you think the Underground would accept me?

Wouldn’t they think I’m biased? My best friend is a Seelie Princess. ”

Morgana chuckled, a throaty sound that sounded more intimate than it was.

“Not necessarily. If anything it will find you to be the perfect candidate. You have no ties to either court. You weren’t born to either of them.

You were human. Not fae. Something the Tree of Life, the very heart of the Underground granted you.

” She ticked each reason off on her fingers.

“I would be surprised if the Underground didn’t just hand you the crown without the fuss of any trials. ”

“No.”

Everyone’s eyes shot to Carban. He leaned against the wall next to his brother with his arms over his chest. He pushed off the wall and walked toward me, his eyes locked on mine.

“The High King has never had a mate,” he stated, the weight of his gaze making my skin itchy.

Hatter’s hand rubbed my back. I leaned into his touch, letting the calm feelings he sent my way soothe me.

“No,” Eugene shot me a look, “they haven’t. But that’s only because it would show favoritism to one court or the other.”

“Exactly,” Morgana shifted on the couch. “And you have mates from both sides. The UnSeelie,” she gave Hatter and Cheshire a pointed look and then slid her gaze over to the twins, “and the Seelie. There is no conflict of interest. In all honesty, you’re the perfect candidate.”

My head shook back and forth, unable to find the words to refute her claims. “No, I... I can’t be our only option. There has to be some other way.”

“Pet,” Cheshire pressed against my side. “I hate to agree with her but I think she’s right.”

“No one is forcing you to do anything,” Carban snapped, rage rolling over his face.

“Right,” Coby jumped off the wall to stand by his brother. “No one will force you. It’s your choice.”

“I... I...” I glanced around the room. All the eyes on me felt suffocated. Pressing down on me until I felt my lungs seize up.

“We’ll find some other way,” Hatter said just as Dorian said, “There is no other way.”

My eyes darted to each of their faces, all of them staring at me. Their voices overlapped each other. But I couldn’t hear them over the pulse pounding in my head. The calm Hatter sent me did nothing to ease it.

Everything was spiraling out of control.

From the day I ran away from Lewis on our wedding day to the moment I followed Watch down that hole in the ground and found myself in this wonderous and volatile world.

A world that had stolen my heart, my human body, even my very sanity. And now it wanted my soul.

“I... I can’t.” I shook my head, my voice coming out a whisper.

I didn’t know if they heard me but in the next moment, I was running again. Their arguing turned to shouts of my name. My heels slapped the ground as I ran. Each tap of the tile, sounded like a chant in my head.

High Queen.

High Queen.

High Queen.

No. I wasn’t any High Queen. I barely counted as fae. I couldn’t run the whole of the Underground. They had to find someone else. Anyone else.

I found myself before the pool of spirits once more. My breath came out in heavy pants. My hands on my knees as I skidded to a stop. Thankfully, no one chased after me right away, giving me the chance to collect my thoughts.

Of course the universe couldn’t give me that.

“Poor, little Alice,” a familiar taunting voice assaulted my ears. “Once again in a position with no way out. Can’t go home. Can’t stay here. Oh, what ever will you do?”

“Go away,” I grunted, shoving my hair out of my face. “I have nothing to say to you.”

“But I have so much to say to you.” The Shadow Man sauntered across the bridge, his hands in pockets. “You and I have so much in common, Alice. Both of us used and then tossed away.”

“Both things you did to me,” I reminded him, shoving to my feet.

“Semantics.” He shrugged. “You might not know this about me, but I was once the advisor to the past High King. Or at least, parts of me were.” He grinned broadly. “I know all about the trials. I can help you. Help you become what you were always meant to be.”

I stalked across the bridge, the fear I once had for the Shadow Man over compassed by the fear of what was to come. We stopped together in the middle of the bridge, staring each other down.

“You’re missing a big problem with your little speech.” My words came out hard and threatening, each word bit out between gritted teeth. “I. Don’t. Care.”

An amused twinkle sparkled in his eyes. “Fae can’t lie, Alice.

Are you sure you’re fae because I’m pretty sure you’re lying.

If not, then you’re lying to yourself. You care.

” He stepped forward until I could feel the malevolent pulse of his aura pressing against mine.

“You care so much that you can’t help yourself. ”

He paused for a moment, then shrugged. “Then again maybe I’m wrong.

Maybe you really could go back to the Human Realm and just let the fae fend for themselves.

This world,” his eyes lifted to the dark sky, the spirits slowly dancing above our heads, “will eventually disappear and then the sickness will not only take those you love but you as well.”

“No, it won’t. We’ll find some other way.” Even I felt like the words were hallow. An impossibility. As impossible as me being High Queen.

“You might.” The Shadow Man nodded. “But will it be in time to save Cheshire? To save Hatter who you’ve now tied your life to. Will it be in enough time to save yourself?”

I didn’t know how he knew what Hatter and I had done but it didn’t matter. Every word he said sank further and further into me. His words rang truer with each moment. I hated to admit it. More than anything, I hated it but he was right.

There was no other option. Not one we could figure out in time before either Hatter or Cheshire succumbed to the sickness. My own life only barely counted on that spectrum. There was nothing I wouldn’t do for them. Nothing I wouldn’t endure.

Being High Queen though? Even if I passed the trials and ascended to the throne. It felt like a life sentence. Something that would control the rest of my life.

Except what was my life?

Before now, life was sitting at home with Hatter watching whatever was on the television after coming home from listening to humans complain all day. Was that something I really wanted to go back to? Something I wanted to do for the rest of my immortal life?

I knew in my heart, the answer would be no.

When I was human, I hadn’t had any ambitions. My sole purpose was to find a wealthy gentleman, marry him, and have his babies. I would take care of the children while running his household. My whole life would have revolved around that one man.

Now I had a chance. A chance to do something more than the mediocre life that my mother had charted for me. More than the paper pushing existence I had now. I could be the difference between an entire race, an entire world, from living or ceasing to exist.

Taking a deep breath, my eyes locked with those deep dark eyes and I knew that more than one being looking back at me and for once, it didn’t scare me.

“What do you need me to do?”

* * *

Continue Alice’s story in the final book, Tweedles Reflection .

While you wait, check out where the story all began with Chasing Rabbits .