Page 71 of Madness Becomes Her

She sighs, seeming to weigh her words, which I don’t appreciate when I’m running out of patience.

“I have complete faith in you. I know that might not mean much to Now Eleanor, but it would’ve meant something to Before Eleanor.”

Even with her given confidence, my hands shake on my lap.

“I’m just one woman; I don’t think it’s quite fair to put so much pressure on me to fix the entire realm of Wonderland.”

“Dear girl, you’ve never been just a girl, nor are you just a woman sitting here before me now. You’re Eleanor. Our Eleanor. You changed the fate of Wonderland the moment you were marked. You’re the reason for everything. Your story is already written. You only need to read it.”

My throat slides with anticipation as a guard runs up, his armor clanking as he fights to breathe.

The queen stands. “What is it? What’s happened?”

“The Bloodhound has returned from his recent trip back to Burrathurth.”

“Good. We’ll meet with him at once.”

“We?” I ask her as the guard nods and strolls back toward the palace.

“Yes. We. You’ve every right to be a part of every meeting from here forward. You’re Eleanor, after all. Put that gigantic head to use, I always say.”

Confusion befuddles me as I follow the queen, watching her white gown swish back and forth as she leads me toward the palace.

The sun is dipping low in the sky, reminding me how close Hatter’s upcoming departure is.

A ball of emotion curls around my vocal cords, choking so tight, my eyes water from its force.

Entering a grand office behind the queen, I try to remain calm and keep the tears at bay at my expense, and they’re all but forgotten when a small pup bounds toward my ankles.

“Is this her, Dad? Is this Eleanor?” it says, getting up on its hind legs and pawing at my shins.

The pup is so tiny, and its long, drooping ears mark it as a bloodhound, much like its father.

“Beau!” Winston shouts. “Get down! Remember your manners.”

Crouching, I scratch Beau behind his ears. “Oh, you’re the cutest thing!”

“Don’t encourage him,” Winston grumbles, turning back toward the queen sitting behind a gold-plated desk.

“She thinks I’m cute, Dad!”

I lift Beau from the ground and curl him into my arms, standing tall to listen to the meeting as he wiggles in my arms.

Hatter stands off to my left, and I hadn’t realized his presence before until Ifeltit.

All the oxygen and sound in the room is swallowed up as I lock eyes with him.

He winks at me, turning his attention back toward the queen.

“The Red Queen is gearing up for a gathering. What, I don’t know. But something is afoot. She’s called for Hatter to come early, which I think I’ve averted for now. She’ll see him now on her regularly scheduled day, but I worry about the state of her mind.”

“With a head that big, one can’t help but worry,” the White Queen says offhandedly.

I snort. “Sorry,” I offer, rubbing my hand over Beau’s belly as he offers it to me, all four paws going into the air.

“Hatter, you’ll leave directly after the garden party. I don’t want my sister to grow suspicious. Cirius,” the queen turns toward the guard, who steps away from the wall on her left and bows his head. “You’ll train Eleanor with the Vorpal Blade. Cram everything you can into that abnormally large head of hers.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” he replies, taking his place on the wall again.