Page 96 of Madness Becomes Her

Standing under the massive willow that provides privacy, I take a deep breath as I look up at Finlo.

Worry stretches across his sweat-covered face, but his eyes soften as he casts them down at me and realizes I’m staring at him.

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” he asks.

“No.”

“You wait until now to say something?” he asks. “Your head is far too large to have no sense inside it.”

“I wish you’d stop ranting about the size of my head.” I giggle as this breaks his lips into a sinful smile.

“I’ll stop worrying about your massive head when I have a hat to place on it.”

“You and that hat. Give it up. Maybe my head’s too perfect for a hat. Did you ever consider that?”

“Nonsense.”

My retort gets lost in my throat when I hear a loud laugh overhead.

“Was that…”

“Come out, Wrong Eleanor! I only want to talk!” the voice shouts, booming through the grove like a warning.

“The queen,” Finlo breathes. “Dealing with the Chatterwocky is one thing; dealing with her is another. I’m taking you back.”

“It’s too late, Fin.”

“She could hurt you.” His grip on me gets tighter, and my smile, while warm, still feels fake.

“She could.”

“So, see reason. Come back to the Bog with me.”

“And she’ll let me walk out of the grove unharmed? She’s only going to escalate. As long as I’m here, she’s never going to stop. Even if I leave, she’ll make life hell for you.”

“Let her. Go back home, where you’re safe, and I’ll…” I silence him with a kiss.

“I am home.”

Snaking out of the willow, I palm the Vorpal Blade’s hilt as I stand face to face with the Red Queen.

Her enormous head shadows my face, and her dark eyes rake up and down my body. “Where did you get my blade from?”

The shake in her tone has me feeling more confident.

“The same place I was trained to use it.” I lean in. “From your sister’s kingdom.”

She gasps, stepping backward. “Nonsense. Imogene would never help you. She’s too afraid. She’s too… illogical. This is a logical move.”

“Is it?”

“What is it you seek to do to my pet Chatterwocky?” she asks, but I register the step backward she takes toward the beast gaping at her back.

A flicker of movement off to the right of the clearing nearly captures my attention, but I remain steadfast.

“I don’t plan to do a thing to yourpet.”

“Lies. I’ve seen the scrolls. You mean to harm. You mean to ruin Wonderland.”