The Red Queen - (Alice In Wonderland)

Chapter 21 - Rescue Misson

Harrison froze, her name stuck in his throat. "Cat," he breathed, the single word gruff with emotion. For a moment, all he could do was stand there, taking in the sight of her alive, though broken. He was lost in the moment, consumed by the need to protect her, by the fury of what had been done to her.

Cat's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Who are you?" she demanded again, more forceful this time, her body coiled and ready to fight if necessary.

Harrison blinked, coming to his senses. He reached up and tore off the peddler's disguise, revealing his true face. "It's me, Cat," he whispered hoarsely.

Her eyes widened in disbelief, then joy—quickly followed by fear. "Harrison!" she gasped, rushing toward him despite her chains. "You shouldn't be here. It's too dangerous. Lizard—he'll kill you."

Harrison ignored her protests, unlocking the door to the cell with the guard's keys. His gaze flickered between her bruised face and the shackles binding her wrists. "I'm not leaving you," he said, his voice firm. "I would willingly die here with you than leave you in this hell. But that's not going to happen. We're going, and we're going *now*."

Her eyes filled with tears, not just from the pain, but from the overwhelming relief of seeing him. "How... how did you know I was here? How did you—"

She never got to finish her sentence. Harrison grabbed her by the shoulders, his hands steady despite the storm of emotions churning within him, and pulled her to him, silencing her with a fierce, desperate kiss. His lips were rough against hers, filled with both relief and the desire to stop her worrying—because he couldn't bear to hear her panicking when they finally had a moment together.

As they kissed, a spark ignited between them, a jolt of energy that seemed to flow from Harrison into Cat. It was as if their very souls were intertwining, a bond forged in the fires of desperation and longing. Her magic, dormant for so long, began to stir, swirling around them in shades of purple and silver, illuminating the dark cell with ethereal light.

Cat melted into the kiss, the adrenaline coursing through her veins making her dizzy with relief. When they finally broke apart, she stared up at him in a daze, her cheeks flushed with color.

Harrison smirked, his usual confidence slipping back into place despite the chaos around them. "I know you have a thousand questions, but we don't have time for that right now. Put this on," he said, tossing her the peddler's outfit as he began slipping into the unconscious guard's uniform.

Still catching her breath, Cat obeyed, slipping into the disguise with some difficulty due to her injuries. Cat's breath was shallow as she crouched in the corner of the dim room, her heart pounding in her chest. The soft creak of the ancient floorboards beneath her boots was the only sound that broke the oppressive silence. She couldn't afford to waste time. She wasn't about to leave this room without the very thing she had come to get— the map. The one that held all the details about Magdala's army, their placements, strategies, and movements—information they desperately needed if they had any hope of turning the tide.

Her eyes scanned the cluttered room, her gaze settling on the heavy, ornate desk against the far wall. Papers and scrolls were strewn across its surface, but there—half-hidden under a stack of books—was the rolled-up map. The sight of it made her pulse quicken.

There it is.

She moved quickly but carefully, keeping her movements quiet and controlled. The shadows seemed to press in on her from all sides as she reached for the map, her fingers trembling slightly as they touched the worn parchment. She slid it free from the pile, unrolling it just enough to catch a glimpse of the markings.

There were notes scribbled in the margins—Magdala's handwriting, no doubt—detailing troop placements, supply routes, and strategies that hadn't been seen before. It was all there, the kind of information that could tip the scales in their favor. A small, triumphant smile touched her lips. She slipped it into one of the many pockets of the peddler's garb once she had it on, and then glanced at Harrison, her brow furrowing. "What's the plan?"