Late as a Rabbit (Sons of Wonderland Book 2)

by Kendra Moreno

  Doe nods towards a crack in the wall that I hadn’t paid any attention to. Thank you baby Jesus that there wasn’t some Wonderland Grotesque Spider lying in wait inside the hole for the moment we let our guard down.

  “My paints are in there. I’m certain there’s a notepad and charcoal in there.”

  I don’t comment on the paints even though my brain snags on the image of Doe in bird form painting the pictures on the walls. They’re gorgeous even if they’re horrifying, and she’s clearly an artist.

  I move towards the crack and shift things carefully around until I pull free a notepad with obviously handmade paper and a charcoal pencil. I wink at White as he fastens his leather pants, his face lighting up with a smile at the gesture, before I move away and tuck myself into a corner.

  I begin scribbling away on the paper and tune out the world.

  Look out, Wonderland. The scientist is gonna solve the riddle.

  Chapter Nineteen

  I scribble furiously on the paper the words the Red Queen used for the enchantment. They’re repeated like an essay down the page until they blur together, and I see only a mass of charcoal. No one has told me the exact rules of Wonderland, but I know I shouldn’t discount anything I normally would. Nothing is too outrageous here. I’m currently trying to figure out how to take an enchanted cord from around a giant dodo bird’s neck. That should prove that nothing is as it seems.

  “How long have you worn the cord?” I ask suddenly. My voice echoes around the cavern, causing both Doe and White to look up at me.

  “At least a hundred years now,” Doe replies stiffly.

  “One hundred and two,” White mumbles. I hear him just fine. Doe looks at him, but he doesn’t show any outwards signs besides a small twitch of his ear.

  “Blood of time can set you free,” I mumble, staring between them, my brow furrowed in concentration. “Blood of time. Obviously, it’s not just time because you’ve worn it so long. You need the blood of time, whatever that is. Is there some sort of plant or thing in Wonderland that could be referring to?”

  “Not that I’m aware of.” White shakes his head.

  I stare at White and suddenly, the answers slams into my brain so hard that I drop the paper and nearly fall over in excitement.

  “You’re the Timekeeper of Wonderland!”

  White stares at me as if I’ve grown a second head. I pat my shoulders just in case. I can’t be too sure after everything I’ve seen. I really don’t need another head sprouting.

  “Yes?” White furrows his brow.

  “The answer is you, White!” I nearly shout, and I cringe when the sound bounces on the walls.

  “That’s preposterous,” Doe interjects, shaking her head. “How in Wonder could White be the answer?”

  “White is the Time Keeper. Blood of Time. It means the blood of the Time Keeper!”

  “So, what? My blood can free her? She hates me.” White glances at Doe. She does nothing to suggest otherwise, not disagreeing with the statement.

  “That’s why it’s such a clever enchantment! Don’t you understand?” Both shake their heads. “If Doe hates you, she’ll want nothing to do with you, and therefore, the enchantment would have never been broken. Except here we are at precisely the right time.” I feel my face scrunch up at the notion, but I’ve seen the same concept working on White and I. It feels odd to think that something else, some force, is controlling our destinies.

  “That seems a stretch for a scientist,” White comments. “Isn’t there the mantra that if you can’t see it, you don’t believe it? This borders very close to magic.”

  I shrug my shoulders before striding up to Doe and examining the cord again. It still looks just as simple as before.

  “Magic is just science that hasn’t been explained.”

  Doe’s face stretches into a smile, and I have the sudden urge to step away from her. The grin is grotesque, even more so when she’s missing so many feathers. I swallow my fear and turn to White.

  “Let’s get this cord off.” I turn and grab White’s hand, pulling him close. “The question now is, how much blood will it take?”

  “Let’s find out,” White answers.

  He slides a small dagger from his waist and pricks the tip of his finger. A small drop of bright-red blood wells on his skin. When he reaches forward, Doe tenses but doesn’t pull away. He pressed the drop of blood to the cord. I hold my breath and wait. After a minute, I deflate.

  “Maybe it needs more blood?”

  White slices the dagger across his wrist before I can say a word. I gasp in surprise as blood immediately begins to drip. He presses his arm against Doe’s neck.

  “Why would you do it there!? There are so many better places you could have sliced with less damage.”

  White just winks at me, amused at my reaction. I fight the urge to wallop him over the head.

  “I can’t die, remember? It’ll heal quick enough.”

  Doe stands stock still as White coats her neck with his blood, drenching the cord as much as possible. Still nothing happens, and I have to fight the disappointment that rises in my gut.

  “It isn’t working.” White glances up at Doe in concern.

  I frown and wrack my brain for an answer.

  “I was so sure that it would work.”

  I’m about to turn back to my paper when I suddenly feel like I’m being drenched in ice-cold water. I gasp at the exact moment that an ear-piercing scream rents the air. I cover my ears and look towards Doe. White stumbles away from her as she curls in on herself, in obvious pain, screeching so loudly, it rivals the shrieks of the Bandersnatch.

  Outside the cave, a howling grows, followed by what sounds like a hurricane. The Chimera Storm seems to have begun again.

  “The Red Queen,” White shouts. “It must have been a trigger.”

  I frantically grab his hand as all hell breaks loose.

  Chapter Twenty

  White

  “Do you think she realizes she’s been staring at the same scribbles for over three hours?” I ask Doe from where we sit by the fire. Jupiter is still huddled in the corner, and I’m having a hard time not going over and smoothing the cute wrinkle between her eyebrows. I have to keep reminding myself that throwing everything into this relationship could be dangerous for Jupiter, but my instincts won’t listen. I simultaneously want to take her away for safety and fuck her raw. It’s a maddening conundrum, one that now makes me understand what the Hatter goes through. Jupiter is so bright that I just want to wrap her around me and claim her as mine, no matter the danger.

  “She’s clever, your mate,” Doe whispers. “I like her.”

  I smile as Jupiter frowns in concentration and crosses something out on her paper.

  “You should have seen her working with chemicals. The lab coat is very sexy. I’ve imagined her wearing nothing but the coat.” Doe looks at me, and I chuckle. “Perhaps, when we’re not in danger of dying horrible deaths.”

  “I can hear you, White,” Jupiter says, not even looking up. She continues staring at the paper in front of her.

  “You were meant to,” I reply, grinning. “I need to put the idea out there for the future.”

  She snorts but doesn’t spare me another word. It’s incredibly sexy, watching her brain work through different scenarios. I knew the moment I saw her studying me that there was something special about her.

  “You’re a good match,” Doe whispers, her voice even lower than before. “Don’t fuck it up, White.”

  “You’re talking about before,” I acknowledge, frowning down at the fire as I poke the sticks inside.

  Doe nods.

  “You have a history of freezing like the rabbit you are. She needs you. You cannot freeze when she needs you the most.” I look over towards Jupiter again, my heart clenching at the sight of her, her red hair wild around her shoulders, twirling the charcoal pencil between her fingers. “You want to die, White,” she continues. “You have for a long time. But you are a
Son of Wonderland, and you have a job to do. That woman cannot help save our world if you’re fighting against it being saved.”

  I swallow at her words, dropping the stick I’m holding before running my fingers through my hair.

  “I don’t know if it’s in my nature to be anything else, Doe,” I rasp, my voice thick with emotion. “I will always be just a rabbit.”

  Doe shakes her head.

  “You have to be more, White. For her, you have to be more.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  The Dark Lands come alive, angry, desperate for blood. I hear various creatures outside the cave, still far away but drawing closer. We’re in danger. I don’t know if the cave will protect us as it did in the storm. And if we stay here, I don’t know if the beasts will stop their attack. Whatever enchantment the Red Queen placed on the cord must have sent out a signal to every creature in the vicinity. I try not to let the thought worm into my brain that we’re vastly outnumbered. I force down the fear that’s desperate to get out. Now isn’t the time for panic. I can do that later after we survive.

  I duck on instinct as a huge BOOM rocks the cave, like a bomb going off in the distance. White grabs me and yanks me into his side at the sound, and I can only imagine that it’s a bad sign. I watch as the cord around Doe’s neck floats down to the stone floor soft as a feather, so slowly, I almost think it’s staged. Surely, things aren’t that dramatic normally.

  Doe sighs at the release, and a bright light fills the room, causing me to blink my eyes hard. When I open them again, the woman from my dreams stands in front of me. Her rainbow-colored dress sparkles under the last embers of the fire, sending little spots of light dancing across the walls. Her face is so pale, I worry for a moment that she’s sick until I realize it’s probably how she looks. Her face is just as bird-like as I remember, and her hair seems made from the feathers rather than strands. She’s beautiful in a dangerous way. I’m not sure I would want to run into her in a dark alley, or forest for that matter.

  “We have to go.” Doe looks towards the cave entrance, her voice somehow heard over the commotion outside. “Right now. You’ll have to get on my back.”

  “Are you certain?” White asks, clenching me hard against him. I’m not sure he realizes how strong he is, that or he doesn’t realize how fragile I am compared to him. Either way, I’m certain I will have a few more bruises to add to the collection. It’s one of the downfalls of fair skin.

  Doe frowns and nods her head.

  “It’s the only way we’ll escape,” she replies.

  This time, there isn’t a beam of light to blind me. I watch as Doe’s features seem to blur, like they’re vibrating at a high frequency. Her form expands outwards quickly, and I can hear the distinct snapping of bones with the change. I cringe at the sound.

  When Doe stands in front of us in bird form again, White pushes me forward and hoists me up. Even with his height, I still have to pull myself the rest of the way up onto her back. There isn’t much to hold on to. I’m terrified to grab her feathers after hearing her story. Her skin is itchy and dry, and so rough it feels like sandpaper beneath my fingers.

  “I’m sorry if I’m hurting you,” I tell her, making it high enough to throw my leg over her.

  “You’re fine, Fire Child.”

  White vaults up onto Doe’s back and takes a seat behind me. There’s nothing to hold onto, so I lean forward and wrap my arms around her neck as best as I can. White leans over me, covering my body with his own. His warmth engulfs me, and some of the fear ebbs away.

  “Hold on tight!” Doe shouts as she turns towards the entrance.

  The first creatures poke their heads inside the cave just as White tightens his arms around me. Doe lets out an ear-piercing shriek that makes the Chimera and unknown creatures cover their ears in agony. Somehow, it doesn’t seem to affect our own ears. I need to ask Doe if it’s like blowing a dog whistle, if a certain frequency harms the Dark Lands creatures.

  Doe shoots out of the cave, barreling through the creatures gathering at the entrance and begins to run at a breathtaking speed. I close my eyes as everything begins to blur around us, causing nausea to rise in my throat. We leave the Dark Lands creatures, even the fastest ones trailing behind. I lift my head the barest amount to hazard a glance backwards just as the Dark Lands end, and we burst into lush greenery. I watch the vast amount of beasts stop at the end of the Dark Lands, refusing to step foot onto the green.

  Doe slows down once they’re out of our sight before coming to a gradual stop. White immediately springs from Doe’s back before reaching up to help me down. I stumble off like a klutz, my legs weak from the ride. White catches me with ease, and I smile apologetically at him before getting my feet underneath me.

  Doe immediately transforms back into her human form, fluffing her feathers and sighing.

  “How are you so fast?” I ask in awe. White had barely outrun the Chimera and that was with the help of his watch. Doe hadn’t ever stood a chance of being captured.

  “I may not be much to look at anymore in bird form,” Doe says, grinning, “but I’m still the fastest in Wonderland. The Red Queen couldn’t take that from me.”

  A loud sound reaches our ears through the trees, a mixture between a caw and a honk. I look in confusion at White when Doe perks up. She lifts her face into the wind and closes her eyes, absorbing the sound and breathing deeply. She snaps them open and takes a step towards the sound before stopping abruptly.

  White smiles.

  “Go. I’m sure he’s missed you.” He gestures towards the trees.

  Doe looks at him, agony and desperation in her eyes.

  “Are you sure?”

  White nods his head, and she grins in return. It transforms her face, lighting her up like a star.

  “I’ll meet you at the Hatter’s in a day’s time.” She nods her head before moving through the trees and disappearing between them.

  “Who is it?” I ask once she’s out of sight. I glance up at White, taking in the small smile on his face. He’s obviously happy about whatever just happened.

  When he notices me looking, he grins wider.

  “That would be the flamingo.” He threads his fingers through my own. “Doe’s Husband.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “So, this is Wonderland?” I ask as we move through the dense forest. The roots keep rising up to trip me, but I catch on fast that Wonderland trees are evil bitches. They cackle when they manage to hit my feet, the sound coming from gaping holes in their trunks, beady eyes reflecting my annoyance back at me. I’ve restrained myself from stabbing at them when they do it, reminding myself that I probably can’t take on a massive tree. It doesn’t stop me from growling when another root trips me even though I’m high-stepping through the jungle like an idiot. White doesn’t seem to have the same trouble, the roots avoiding him. He keeps his hand on my arm to keep me from falling over completely.

  “Why the hell aren’t they tripping you?” I growl as another one catches my toe. I grit my teeth at the answering cackle.

  White chuckles at my predicament.

  “I’m a Son of Wonderland. They wouldn’t dare trip me.”

  As if to argue otherwise, a large root rises in front of White in an attempt to fell him. He doesn’t react, not in the face, but his leg stomps down on the root, smashing through the wood and shooting splinters across the forest floor. The tree howls in anger, a mix between the sound of a buzz saw and a crow. The rest of the roots pull away, almost clearing a path.

  “You could have done that an hour ago,” I hiss, relieved to be able to walk normally.

  His eyes crinkle, but he doesn’t respond. I think he secretly likes torturing me. I might have to call him Bunny again later. My cheeks heat when I think about the last time I called him that, and I nearly trip on my own.

  I shudder as we pass more of the talking flowers, smaller than the massive flower that tried to eat me. They make me nervous even if they’re small, so I give t
hem a wide berth. It doesn’t stop me from wanting to rip one up and study it, though.

  “The little ones can’t hurt you,” White laughs when I avoid another one. It hisses at me, the forked tongue tasting the air.

  “I’m not taking any chances. How much further is it to the Hatter’s?” I ask as I swat a bug away from my face. Its creepy leech mouth gives me the heebie jeebies, and I almost gag at the slimy feel of it as it hits my hand.

  “Not far,” he answers. “Maybe a few more hours.”

  I’m just about to sigh in dismay when a stream appears out of the trees in front of us. The sounds of the running water reach my ears and immediately drags me forward.

  “Do we have time for a break?” I take another step towards the stream.

  White’s eyes follow my own, and he registers what I’m moving towards. He looks down at his watch and frowns.

  “We’re already late. But I suppose a few extra minutes won’t hurt.”

  I’m already stalking forward before he finishes his sentence. I kick off my shoes. He doesn’t react until I start unbuttoning my jeans and pressing them down my legs.

  “What are you doing?” he asks, his voice rough as he watches my skin appear.

  “Taking a dip.” I look back at him and smile. “What does it look like I’m doing?”

  “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. We’re wasting time.”

  “Is the water safe?”

  “Nothing is safe in Wonderland.” He glances around us at that statement, as if expecting something to jump out and prove his point. To be honest, it wouldn’t surprise me if it did.

  “Well, then how about you join me, so you can protect me.”

  “I don’t think we have enough time for that.” His voice is strained as he watches me kick my jeans to the side.

  “Come on, Rabbit,” I tease. “Don’t be a party pooper.”

  I pull my shirt over my head and stand in front of him in nothing but mismatched underwear and bra. I try not to be conscious of the fact that I have the element chart on my underwear. The feel of his eyes on me sends a flush across my skin.