The Wrong Alice (Edited Version)

Chapter 32

We took our positions around the queen's room, having already gotten rid of any soldiers nearby. I was nervous about seeing the queen again, but I took deep breaths. I could do this. This wasn't any different than when I almost had her in the courtyard a few weeks prior.

After a nod from Rab, the twins and March stood guard by the door while Rab, Chesh, Mouse, and I entered the room. The queen was bent over a table, her body immediately whipping around at the sound of the door. "Who said you could disturb-" She started to shout in anger, but quickly stopped when she saw us. "A-... Alice. You're back," she said, a nervous squeak in her voice. She had clearly been unprepared for such an event. "H-how was my sister?"

It was obvious my arrival was a shock and had thrown her off her guard. Especially since we had her outnumbered; none of her guards would be allowed to enter her room. I took this lack of readiness to my advantage and held my head high. "She's fine. Her white roses have begun to bloom," I said.

The queen smiled, but it was a cautious smile. "A-ah... That's wonderful. She always did like white roses," she said. "Ghastly things, they have no color."

I glanced at Cheshire and he nodded. I turned back to the queen. "Hand over the crown and I'll let everything go," I said.

She looked surprised and then angry. Everyone around me gaped at me incredulously. "Alice," Rab hissed. "What are you doing?"

I ignored him and repeated myself. "I won't let my mother punish you if you just give up the crown and leave," I said. 

Mouse, who had been watching the event in silence, suddenly spoke up. "It doesn't w-work that way, Alice," he said. "The p-prophecy states that you are supposed to k-kill the queen." 

I looked at him. "A prophecy doesn't decide my future. I do," I said.

Rab and Mouse looked worried, but Chesh was smiling lightly. Suddenly, the queen burst with anger, her nervousness gone completely in favor of her blackened fury. "I'll die before I give up all of my hard work," she growled.

I barely had time to react before she threw herself at me, knocking me over. The sword I'd been holding clattered to the floor and she quickly snatched it up. Everyone around us tried to stop her, but the next thing I knew I had a blade against my throat and was dragged to my feet.

The queen pulled me to her, the sword against my neck. I tried to speak, but the queen cut me off. "Don't come any closer or I'll kill him," she said.

My eyes begged for Cheshire to save me, but he could do nothing as the queen started backing up until she came to the secret passage. Then she pulled me inside and the door closed. I heard everyone shout to get the door open, but the queen smashed the lock before they could try anything.

She grabbed my wrist in a deathly strong grip and jerked me forward so that face came nearly to meet hers. "I'll tell you what. Let's play a game, shall we?"v She shoved me a few feet down the passage. "You run and I'll chase."

"I won't run from you," I said.

She slashed the blade through the air between us, the tip cutting into my arm just slightly. I gasped and stepped back, a hand coming up to cover the bleeding wound. The queen narrowed her eyes at me. "Run or die," she said.

As fear took over my senses, and adrenaline my blood, I turned and started running. I didn't know where I was going, but I didn't stop. The queen's steps echoed behind me and I ran faster, praying I would make it out before she caught me. If only I knew my way out of this maze.

*******

"We have to find him!" Cheshire growled as he stormed back towards the hall.

"Wait! We can't just go stomping through the castle," Rab said, grabbing his arm. "We have to make a plan."

"Like what?" he asked. "Alice is alone with the queen while she does who-knows-what to him. We can't just sit around and waste time!"

"Alice is smart. He'll keep himself alive until we get to him. Until then we need to keep our heads on and not do anything reckless." He took Cheshire by the shoulders and looked him in the eye. "Okay?"

Chesh clenched his teeth and brushed him off. As he started walking down the hall, Rab hurried after. "Where are you going?" he called.

"To save Alice. You're welcome to join me, but don't get in my way," Cheshire said.

He waved everyone to follow and we started running down the hall. We were careful to avoid soldiers and quickly made out way to the courtyard. "There's a passage in the far wall," Hatter said. He went to continue but was interrupted.

"Hey! What're doing over there?" a voice shouted.

We all turned in surprised to see a group of soldiers running at us. Cheshire snarled in annoyance as he jumped back to avoid a sword, slashing his nails down the soldier's back when he stumbled. "Great..." he muttered when he saw even more guards came pouring into the courtyard. He glanced at the passage door. "Wait for me, Alice..."

*******

I ran down identical hallways. Everything looked the same no matter where I turned. I could still hear the footsteps of the red queen, but they weren't behind me anymore. They were to my left, to my right, above me, below me. They were everywhere. Sweat ran down my brow as I desperately tried to find a way out. I had retraced my steps back and forth, but to no avail. Frustrated, fearful tears pulled at my eyes. What if I didn't get out? What if the queen found me and killed me?

I leaned on a wall and tried to catch my breath. The steps got louder and I pushed open a door just to my right, closing it behind me as I entered a small room. There was a torch mounted in of the corners, illuminating the room slightly and showing another door across the room. There were a couple of tables, test tubes and bowls scattered across the tables' surfaces. I walked around the closest table to get a better look. Then my eyes widened at what I saw. As the contents of the table registered in my brain, an idea began formulating. I squared my shoulders. The queen's footsteps drew closer to the door and I grab the item off the table. As I hid it in my waistband, I ran out the opposite door.

*******

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