Different Worlds

Chapter 20

Regina's POV

I can't help but stare in shock as Snow addresses Rainy, her sweet, queen-like demeanor replaced with how I used to be. Her face is hardened with anger, the slightest glimpse of pain hidden behind forest green eyes. It seems I didn't have to protect her after all. She's all too eager to assist in this interrogation and bring Emma home. It's equally parts unsettling and admirable, and I find myself taking a step back, afraid of what she might do.

Snow stands in front of Rainy, putting a finger in under the woman's chin and forcing her to look upon her face. "Talk," she orders, her voice soft yet demanding all at once.

Rainy swallows hard, her eyes flicking toward me. "The queen involved me in her scheme to kill Emma and hurt her own daughter, but she only appointed me to work within Regina's kingdom and follow her instructions she gave me while she went to overthrow Rumplestiltskin."

I jump along with Rainy as Snow strikes her hard across the face, the sound echoing within the dungeon and stunning us all into a deeper silence. "You will address Regina as your queen, not informally. You do not deserve to call her by her name after all you have done!" Snow spits.

"I—I'm sorry!" Rainy cries, her voice cracking in despair.

"Then you will tell me what you know!" Snow snaps her fingers and Red leaps forward, sinking her teeth into the prisoner's leg and causing her to cry out in pain.

"Wait!" I command, prompting all heads to turn toward me. I look to Red, whose eyes still glow bright though she no longer looks ferocious. "Won't biting her turn her into a wolf?"

Belle morphs back into her human form. "The prisoner is immune. She is not a wolf, but someone of her bloodline—an ancestor most likely—carries the blood of an omega. She can't be turned."

I smile brightly at her, slightly bothered that this gem of right hand has been kept hidden from me for so long. "Beauty, you are truly a scholar."

As she usually does when I offer her the slightest praise, Belle blushes. "I do love my books, but my wolf is who knows the information about the prisoner."

I loop my arm through hers, pressing a gentle kiss on her cheek much to the dismay of Red, who whimpers at witnessing the display of affection. "You make me proud." The words cause her eyes to glow a brighter blue hue.

"May we continue with the interrogation, My Queen?" Snow asks, pulling me and Belle out of our shared moment.

I look to Belle. "What do you say?"

Belle shifts back into her beast half and joins Red, nuzzling the other wolf's nose before giving a warning snap of her jaws to Rainy's arm. The woman shrinks back in fear as much as her restraints will allow and winces as the action causes the wound on her leg to ooze fresh blood.

I step forward as Snow goes to speak again, sensing her frustration and just now realizing she is quick to act upon it. It's a valuable tactic to have in such a high status of power (to reinforce the fact to those below you that no acts will go without consequences), but the prisoner seems to be at her breaking point.

"Please," Rainy whimpers, her pitiful brown eyes filling with tears and causing warm tears to spill down her cheeks. "Have mercy."

"Wonderland!" Will shouts, startling all of us.

Robin looks at his lover as if he has grown a second head. "What the bloody hell are you talking about?"

Will looks excited now, as if he has found gold. "I chased Alice down the Rabbit Hole to Wonderland. You!" He points at Rainy. "I've seen you there."