Behind My Shadow - Book Three

14. Like Trying to Solve a Crossword

Today is my fourth Labor and guess what? More soul soothing. Only these souls aren't mine, they are the souls of the former Alices.

I am crazy nervous.

I mean, okay sure, there are only five of them, but all of these women are my ancestors and maybe even...my biological mother. What am I supposed to say? How can I convince them that I am going to be a worthy Alice? Even though I am related to all of them, I doubt they are going to go easy on me...

Not being able to stand my solitary agony anymore, I hurry down the winding flight of stairs from my bedroom and just get to the main door of my tower when the talking doorknob head tells me there is someone right outside.

"Oh? Who?"

"The Princess of Hearts," the doorknob informs me. "She has asked to speak with you."

"Um...yeah, okay," I shrug. Why not? I open the door to find the Princess pretending to look busy, messing with some knickknacks on the fire mantel. The guards posted around my Alice Tower are eying her cagily.

She brightens when she sees me. "Darie! There you are!"

"Where else would I be?" I cross my arms. "This is my Tower, Adisonia."

"Right, right," she chuckles and briefly glances at all of the guards. "So," she clears her throat. "I guess you'll let me up to your room and we can finally talk without -"

"Here's fine," I close the door that leads up to my bedroom behind me. "Whatever it is you wanna say can be said in front of my knights. They don't judge. In fact, they are only here for my protection," I narrow my eyes. "So unless you want me to stand in front of a window where a Black Hearts' arrow can assassinate me," she flinches. "We won't have a problem."

"Right..." She swallows hard.

Ever since last night after I completed my Labor, I've had this new awakening with my powers. It's like now with my control of element spirit, I am able to sense things about people I never used to.

For instance, I can sense how guilty yet determined Adisonia is. It's almost like her emotions are visible to me now and I can read her -and everybody else- like an open book. It's an incredible power and one I'll never fully get used to obtaining either, I'm sure.

"Look, I don't...understand my mother all of the time," she cautiously admits. "I mean, she's bloody mad, I know that much, but she's cunning too. She's..." She hesitates as she looks around again. She steps closer. Some of my guards turn to face us but I hold up my hand for them to stop. "She's desperate, Darie," Adisonia warns me under her breath. "She never imagined you'd be so powerful. You're breezing through your Labors -"

"They've hardly been a breeze," I confess with a faint chuckle.

"Still," she rolls her eyes. "My mother hates it when things don't go according to her plans...and you? You haven't stopped klupping up her plans since you got here."

"Yeah," I cross my arms. "Speaking of plans, do you know what she's planning next?"

I instantly sense unease from the Princess of Hearts. She shrugs nonchalantly nevertheless. "We aren't exactly close, so she really doesn't waste words on me unless she wants me to do something." I bristle. "Which..." she trails off painfully for a moment before forcing herself to go on. "I wanted to tell you that I had no idea what she had planned that night. She just told me to get you by the Maze of White Roses and that was it. I swear," she insists, and with spirit I can sense that she isn't lying.

I sigh wearily. "Fine. So are we done here? You what? Came here to tell me that you're a puppet for your mother to control and even though you don't mean it, you'll do it anyway?"

"No!" She snaps with a glare. "Look, I came to tell you that -" she abruptly cuts herself off and cagily looks around once more. Now she drops her voice to a low whisper. "If you can see through walls, I'd fill the holes before the snakes come through." She quickly spins on her heel and marches away, her head high and graceful like a queen.

I frown with bafflement. What was that supposed to mean? Was it a riddle or just her crazy way of talking? Was it an analogy? If so I don't get it. See through the walls...fill in the holes...? Snakes?

I still don't get it.

♣ ♦ ♥ ♠

For my fourth Labor, my dressers have put me in this absolutely stunning gown. The top fits like a second skin and is the same nude color as my skin, it goes up around my neck and covers my arms in three-quarter sleeves. The skirt stiffly juts out around my hips and the rest of the creamy white chiffon falls away like a waterfall. A spiraling pattern of crystals and pearls wind over my torso and arms in a bewitching design, my lips are nude and my eyes are smokey. My hair has yet again been straightened and honestly, I'm really kinda loving it like this.

I wish my mom could see me looking so beautiful, I think with a twinge of pain in my heart as I lovingly smooth my hands over the crystals covering my dress. Mom and Vyndren...I wish they were both here to watch me compete in the Labors.

"Are you ready, My Alice?" Dad asks as I lace my arm with his. We're on the fringes of the Royal Gardens where my spectators are being kept entertained by music and dancing. I'll be expected to give a little speech before I alone go to the Shrine of the Alices on the far side of the garden for my fourth Labor.

"Ready...?" I swallow hard but now bring a bright, brave smile to my face. "Yeah, I'm ready. There's no turning back anymore."