“Sure thing.” Alice moved to climb out of the car as Nana K kissed Mom’s cheek. “Thanks for taking me out. Gotta escape now and then.”
“Just keeping you outta trouble.” Mom gave her a side hug. “See you, Mom.”
Nana K blew Mom a couple kisses as she shut the door then led the way inside. Ms. Clara wasn’t at the desk, replaced by whoever was on watch tonight, an old white man Nana K greeted with a passing “Hey, Doug.”
He saluted them with a pair of chopsticks he’d just used to shove half an egg roll into his mouth.
Once they were upstairs, Alice set the bags down by the front closet and Nana K wrapped her up in a hug. “Thanks, baby, I had fun today.”
“Me too.” Alice returned the squeeze, smiling. “And thanks for not telling Mom about the kiss.”
“My secret. At least until the next time I see her, so y’all better talk before then, okay?”
Alice winced but nodded.
“Good girl. Oh, lemme grab something I meant to give your momma. Be right back.” Nana K ducked down the short hall that led to her bedroom.
Alice shuffled back and forth while she waited, soaking in the lingering scent of chicken from earlier. On top of that, Nana K’s place always managed to smell just slightly like sugar cookies.
“Alice.”
“Yeah?”
“What’s that, baby?” Nana K shouted from the back.
Alice blinked, glancing down the hall. “Did … did you call me?”
“Uh-uh. Be out there in a second. Where did I put that—”
“Alice.”
She went still. That definitely wasn’t her grandma’s voice. It was softer, pitched slightly higher, and did not come from the back room. Her hands went to her hips, but they were bare, the daggers in her bag in the car. Feeling a sudden rush of vulnerability, she spun in a slow circle. Her head whipped around, her nerves buzzing.
“Alice.” More insistent this time, and from her left.
She turned and nearly fell over backward when she spotted her reflection in the large oval mirror on the wall by the door. Her reflection gazed back at her, but not like how you look at yourself in the mirror. There was an awareness behind her eyes, and her clothes were different. A dress sewn from light fell over her form, the skirts glowing bright white. It was the same dress she’d seen in her dreams, and then at the pub when she’d pulled the Eye from the mirror after Odabeth used a Verse to reform it from the shattered pieces.
“Alice,” Reflection-Alice said. Her voice held the faintest bit of an echo. “You have to free it.”
“F-free…” Alice chanced a glance at the hallway and her grandma’s half-closed door. The last thing she needed was her Nana coming out here and finding her talking to herself. Or worse, talking to … herself. She looked back to the mirror, her breath catching as it started to come quicker. “Free what?”
Reflection-Alice placed her hand against her chest. A spark of red flickered to life beneath her hand. Once, twice more, it spilled out from between her fingers and illuminated her dark face in soft red.
“I—I don’t understand,” Alice whispered.
“It’s trapped. In darkness. In fear.” Reflection-Alice grimaced, her other hand joining the first, both clutching at her glowing chest. “It can’t survive like this. It will give in.”
“Okay, baby,” Nana K called.
Alice glanced in the direction of the bedroom again, then back. Reflection-Alice reached through the mirror, her arm translucent where it hung in the open air. Alice wanted to pull back, but she stood, frozen, as Reflection-Alice’s see-through fingertips touched the center of her chest. The same red light that poured from Reflection-Alice now poured from her.
“W-what!?”
“Free it,” Reflection-Alice whispered before vanishing. So did the light, leaving Alice holding just her chest as Nana Kingston came around the corner.
“Sorry that took so—baby?”
Panting and clutching at her shirt, Alice stared at her grandmother, not sure what to say, or if she could form words at all.
Nana K frowned and moved forward, her hand falling over Alice’s. “You okay? What’s wrong?”
Alice shook her head, swallowing thickly as she glanced to the mirror, then back again. “N-nothing. I saw myself in the—” She gestured at the mirror. “My reflection scared me.” It was true.
Nana K looked to the mirror as well, then to Alice, and arched an eyebrow. “Your reflection.”
Nodding, Alice hoped her grandma couldn’t hear or feel how fast her heart was beating. “You know how you forget a mirror is there, then see yourself and think it’s a whole other person?”
Nana K looked to the mirror one more time. “That happens to me sometimes. C’mere a second.” She set a Target bag by the door. “That’s for your momma, but I got something for you, too.” She took Alice’s hand and led the way toward her bedroom.
Alice stole another glance at the now-regular-looking mirror before following obediently. Nana K’s room looked like something out of a fairy tale. Hunks of stained and painted glass stuck to the walls, forming this sort of Technicolor path that flowed across all four walls. Strings of small, soft lights hung from the ceiling in a web work of illumination. Their glow caught in the reflective surfaces and bounced around, dancing like it was alive. No matter what direction you looked, your face was cast back at you in fractured starlight.
An old, plush burgundy chair sat in the corner, with a fancy footrest in front of it. Two equally old dressers lined the walls, the wood scuffed in a few places and shining with fresh polish in others. One was covered in random pieces of jewelry, the other in palettes of makeup, bottles of perfume, scarves, stuff like that.
Nana K gestured for Alice to take a seat on the high queen bed that sat against the wall, in front of the only window, the flowy curtains drawn closed. The white pipe frame creaked a little when she settled against the mattress. The velvet of the deep purple comforter tickled Alice’s palms. Nana K had always had this bed, and it was forever covered in at least a dozen pillows of varying size and fluffiness and shades of red. Alice used to dive into these pillows when she was little.
“Where did I put that thing?” Nana K started opening and shutting drawers, banging around between them, going back and forth between dressers and sometimes drawers she’d already searched.
“Um.” Alice eyed the large mirror at the back of one of the dressers, half-afraid Reflection-Alice would turn up again. “What’re you looking for? Maybe I can help.”
“No, no, I know I put—aha!” Nana K plucked something free.
Joining Alice on the bed, she held out a small jewelry box. At least, Alice thought it was a jewelry box. It was shaped like a jewelry box, a little purple treasure chest with a ruby on the front, though there was no latch.
“Thanks?” Alice reached for it.
Nana K shook her head. “Open it.”
Alice hesitated, unsure, then gripped the thing and tried to pry it open.
“Push the gem, honey,” Nana K said, peering over the top of her glasses.
“O-oh.” Embarrassed, Alice pressed her fingers to the ruby. It caught the light with a faint twinkle, and the lid popped open.
Inside, nestled against a bed of blue satin, was a black chain. The links glistened in the light, shining like they were coated in oil and sprinkled with diamonds, the night sky poured out and forged into a necklace.
“Wow.”
Nana K nodded and Alice plucked it gently from its resting place. The chain was long but light, the surface warm to the touch. A charm dangled from the end, a single crystal rose. Alice let the necklace pool in her palm, then ran her thumb over the glittering petals.
“I got that from your great-grandmother.” Nana K closed the box and set it aside. “She got it from her mother, and her mother, and so forth. I didn’t have any daughters.” Her voice thickened with emotion, breaking on the last word. She cleared her throat and huffed faintly. “But I was
waiting to be able to pass it to you.” She plucked the chain free and gestured for Alice to turn around.
When the barely-there weight of the chain settled against her chest, right near the center, she laid her hand over it.
“There.” Nana K took Alice’s shoulders and turned her to face her. “Beautiful. The both of you. I would’ve given it to you sooner, but you know how forgetful I can be.”
“I love it.” Alice smiled and leaned in to hug her grandmother, earning a squeeze in return. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, baby. Here, take this with you.” Nana K offered the little jewelry box. “And put the necklace inside whenever you’re not wearing it, okay?” She stressed that last word. “Don’t want it getting scratched or lost. Every time, I say.”
Alice took the box. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Good girl. Now, you better get, before Missy come calling or come up here.” Nana K walked Alice to the door, where she grabbed the Target bag, stole a final side-glance at the mirror, and slipped out.
She couldn’t help looking around for any sign of Chess on her way to the car. He’d turned up out of nowhere before, and part of her hoped he would again. The other part of her balked at the memory of that sludge oozing from his side. What the hell was going on with that? With him? She needed to talk to Hatta, to explain what she’d seen. The Slithe was definitely keeping him alive, or part of what kept him alive, even though that was supposed to be impossible. Then there’s what Chess had said about this … lady. But Alice still didn’t have her phone! She’d have to wait until tomorrow when she could use Courtney’s.
“About time,” Mom complained as Alice slid into the passenger seat. “What took so long?”
“She wanted me to bring you something.” Alice held up the bag, which looked like it held some random article of clothing. Nana K was always giving mom clothes—old clothes, new clothes she bought but never wore, all the clothes. “Then she had to look for something she wanted to give me.” She touched the chain, which shimmered faintly in the dark.
“Mm, pretty.” Mom backed out of the spot and started for the street. “You still took forever and a day.”
“Well, I ain’t got my phone, else I woulda called and told you what was up, but alas.” Alice smirked and glanced sidelong at her mom, who scowled and twisted her lips to the side.
“Uh-huh, don’t get cute, or you’ll never get that thing back.” She guided them out into traffic, which should have been light, considering it was close to nine. “Okay, but seriously, though, what’s this about a boo-thang?”
Six
ENOUGH
After straightening the living room, doing the dishes, cleaning the bathroom, and doing her homework, Alice finally flopped across her bed, even more exhausted and now a little sore. Mom wasn’t kidding about this grounded mess, which meant Alice was going to be doing every chore in the house, when she wasn’t doing homework.
The housework was a nice distraction, for the most part. But now that her hands weren’t busy, her mind was. She couldn’t stop thinking about this lady Chess mentioned. Did she tell him to kidnap Maddi? Why? Was that the only reason she brought him back?
So many questions. Alice sighed and rubbed at her face. Her hands smelled like Lemon Pledge. Hatta and the others needed to know what was going on. And maybe they’d have an answer or two with this new information. But all of that would have to wait until school in the morning.
Groaning, she rolled onto her stomach and pressed her face into the pillow tucked in her arms. This was gonna be a long ass night.
“You never seem to be having an easy time at things, princess.”
Fear jolted down Alice’s spine, and her head jerked up and around. Like before, the Black Knight sat just inside her closed window. His legs folded lotus style beneath him, he rested his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands.
Alice was on her feet in an instant, snatching up her bag and yanking the daggers free in the same movement. She slid into a ready stance, muscles tight, weapons lifted.
The Black Knight watched in silence before heaving a sigh. “It really didn’t have to be like this. All you had to do was hand over the Eye. Instead, you tried to pull a fast one.”
Anger poured through Alice, fresh and hot. It roared in her mind, filled her mouth, then poured free. “You. Killed. My. Friend.”
The Black Knight rolled his shoulders. “He didn’t look dead to me.”
“You killed him.” Alice’s hands and voice shook. “And then used that shit to bring him back.”
“I didn’t do anything, kitt—”
“Then some lady or whoever the hell!”
He sucked in a breath, the air hissing through his teeth. “He told you about her, didn’t he. He wasn’t supposed to. She won’t like that.”
“You weren’t supposed to hurt him! You lying asshole.”
The Black Knight lifted a finger. “Which, if we’re being totally honest, makes two of us. You didn’t bring the Eye.” He waved his hands as he lowered his legs to stand, still midair.
“Save your bullshit. I’m not here for it.” Alice flexed her fingers around the hilts of her daggers. “Where’s Maddi?”
“She’s safe. And thus far, unharmed. I can take you to her, if you like.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you, you backstabbing sonuvabitch.”
He lifted his hands. “Hurtful. But fair. Very well, just give me the Eye and I’ll be on my way.”
“You have five seconds to get the hell out of my house before I put your ass through that wall.” A white-hot fury crawled through Alice. She wanted him to stay, to test her, but that’s just because the only thing she wanted more was to cause him pain. To hurt him the way he hurt Chess. She wanted to make him bleed. That desire poured through her, settling in her limbs. Her head buzzed with it.
The Black Knight sighed. “Look, this … this isn’t what I wanted.” The tone in his voice shifted, dipping lower, heavier. If Alice didn’t know better, he almost sounded sorry. “Not what happened with your friend, not what’s happening now.”
“If you didn’t want this, why the fuck are you doing it?”
“It’s the only way to … to protect you.”
Alice barked a laugh. “Protect me?”
“Exactly.” Gravity took hold of him, and he stepped through the air as if descending stairs until he stood on the ground. “My lady doesn’t care whether you live or die, so long as her plans proceed, but I do. And, despite appearances to the contrary, I don’t want to hurt you, Alice. I never wanted to hurt you. But I had to.” There was an odd catch in his words, and he paused, as if gathering his bearings. “I had to, so she wouldn’t send someone else, or come herself, and do worse. You’d likely be dead, and I—” He bit off the rest of the words, fingers curling into shaking fists in the air. “I couldn’t let that happen. I still can’t let that happen. Please just … give me the Eye, so I can go, and this can be the end of it.”
For a moment, neither of them said anything. Alice stared at him as the urge to punch and kick until she felt flesh give and bone break roiled inside her. It was a foreign feeling, but she gave herself wholly to it.
He pressed his hands together as if in prayer. “I am begging you not to make me do this.”
She shifted her weight in her stance just a tad, and narrowed her eyes. “Fuck you.”
It was like someone cut the strings holding him up. Every part of the Black Knight slumped, his hands and shoulders dropped. His head tipped forward. His very presence seemed to deflate. He reached back to grip the hilt of his sword, drawing it free slowly.
The inky blade came into view. Light seemed to bend around it, folding away, then back again as it moved, like someone had cut away the air and left it open, full of nothingness. “As you wish, princess.”
That was all the warning Alice had before he came at her. She twisted to bring up her daggers, meeting his drive with her own. The sound was like a sonic boom, leaving her ears rin
ging. Alice shifted with the momentum of his attack, guiding him past her and into the door with a bang. She nearly tripped over her feet as she danced around in the small space between her bed and her dresser.
This wasn’t going to work; she needed to get him out in the open. Darting forward, she lashed out with a kick. The Black Knight lifted his arm to block, but her foot connected and drove him backward and through her bedroom door with the thunder of splintering wood.
“What the hell!?” Mom screamed, somewhere to the left.
Shit!
Panic bolted through Alice. This was happening, right here, right now, in her house. Her mother was going to see. But there was no time to worry about that. Alice dove forward, through the remains of the door still clinging to the hinges, striking at the knight in a flurry of blows. She pushed him toward the stairs, or at least tried to.
Mom shouted Alice’s name and something else, but she couldn’t make it out over the sound of weapons clashing and her heart thrashing in her ears.
The Black Knight parried her attack and brought his sword around in a swing Alice barely managed to duck. She kicked out again, sweeping at his legs with her feet. He tried to dodge but caught himself against the railing overlooking the living room. Another kick sent him stumbling down the stairs with a shout. Alice bolted to her feet, backing toward her screaming mother.
“Get in the room!” Alice shouted.
“What is thi— What are you doing!? Alice! ALICE!” Mom snatched at her, trying to pull her back, but Alice shook off her grasping fingers.
She threw out one arm in front of her frantic mother as the Black Knight regained his feet. “Mom! Just go!”
“You shouldn’t use that tone with your elders, princess.” He stalked toward them, dragging the tip of his sword along the pegs of the railing. It bounced against the wood with a heavy thunk-thunk-thunk-thunk.
Mom grabbed Alice again, throwing her off balance just as he darted forward. Alice flung herself to the side, colliding with her mother, and the two of them tumbled into the wall as the knight’s blade cut the air.
A Dream So Dark Page 6