Page 90 of Madness Becomes Her

And I’m the one who must achieve it for them.

It feels so heavy.

For hours, we plan.

Most of it is over my head, and the locations and names of creatures I don’t know get tossed back and forth. Lewis holds my hand beneath the table, all the while Finlo gives me weighted looks between conversations.

Once everyone has their marching orders, the table clears.

Even the Fettersnatch says goodnight and leaves, promising to be here in the morning to lead me into battle.

Battle.

To think about where I came from only weeks ago, and who I was in the woods, crying over a man, when this was my destiny all along, is insane.

I fell through a hole in the world, only to find myself.

Finlo helps me out of my chair, and my back feels stiff from hours of planning.

His face is still black and blue, but Sable healed some of the worst abrasions. I learned earlier that her tongue possesses healing properties.

She’ll be a great asset on the battlefield.

“Are you alright? You barely spoke during the meeting,” Finlo says, holding the house door open to allow me inside ahead of him.

Ariadne is already on the couch, knitting something with a smile as she looks up at us.

“I’m fine.”

“It’s a shame, you know?” he sighs, leading me back to his bedroom, where he shuts the door behind us.

“What is?”

Finlo turns to me, his hands firm on my shoulders. His big green eyes hold my gaze. “That I never finished your hat.”

“We have time for that. I’m not worried about a hat right now, Fin.”

“I’m new to this feeling,” he says, pulling me closer. His hands cup my face, and I feel like the most cherished creature in all of Wonderland to be in the Mad Hatter’s capable hands.

“What feeling?” I whisper.

His lips dust over mine, and my exhale is shaky and reserved.

“I lost my mind without you.”

A moan escapes me unbidden. “I know the feeling.”

“I’m never letting you out of my sight again.” His lips capture mine in a gruelling kiss, every ounce of emotion we’ve both felt in the past two weeks overflowing as our tongues lash together in battle.

Finlo pulls at my clothes, and I break our kiss, panting. “Ariadne is in the living room.”

“So.”

“She’ll hear.”

His hand wafts through the air. “She won’t. Take your clothes off. I’m dying to be inside you.”

The reality that Finlo was a virgin, and he’s now saying things like that has me feeling prideful and also wondering if I created a monster.