The Alice Games

The Rook

During the course of the next week, Delia had more and more moments like the one when Emile was introduced. When she asked Kyoree (who, it turned out, would be monitering them in between challenges), Delia's newest friend just shrugged.

"Truthfully, you are not supposed to remember anything," Kyoree admitted. "Your mind must be exceptionally strong."

"Aren't you going to report me?" Delia asked.

"Do you want me to?" Kyoree returned. "If I do, you'll be out of the contest. Which means-" she drew a finger across her throat.

"I get the message," Delia replied. "All right, then. Thank you."

"Alice went mad," Kyoree added suddenly. "The return to the surface, specifically those returned by the Red Queen, do not often survive. Alice supplanted the Red Queen. Now, nobody leaves."

"Oh," Delia said. "That's... news."

Kyoree nodded. "I wanted you to know that, if you win. Alice went mad." Then, without another word, she turned and walked away, leaving Delia alone.

Teodora's reign also increased during the week. The girls, terrified of the first challenge's casualties, clung to her as though her rules would bring them back home safely.

Delia really didn't see the point in any of the rules. For example, there was the "If I want it, it's mine" rule. Anything Teodora wanted, Teodora sweet talked, charmed, or stole her way into getting it. And of course, it wasn't technically against the rules of the dorm. Delia didn't really mind it until Teodora set her sights on one of Jorge's books. It was called A Historie of Faeries and Fabled Creatures, and though it looked interesting it was a pretty dry book, mostly comprised of ''perhaps''es and ''most indubedously''s. But when Delia caught Teodora trying to sneak it out from under Jorge's bed, Delia, who had glanced up from one of her own books (Wonderland's History in a Nutshell), flew at her in a rage.

"Don't you dare touch her books!" She yelled, snatching Jorge's book back.

"Excuse me?" Teodora asked haughtily. "Rule number twenty."

"Excuse me?" Delia asked, mimicking her tone. "Human rights? Hello?"

"It's not as if that nerd needs it anyways," Teodora replied nastily. "She's dead."

That was just about the breaking point. Delia was done. She punched the lady-jerk right on the nose. "DON'T! TOUCH! JORGE'S! STUFF!" She screamed. With each word, she punched, kicked, slapped, and scratched at Teodora, who just stood there and took it, dubfounded.

Unfortunately, before Delia could continue, a strong pair of hands caught her fists. Emile had stepped in, his brown eyes deadly serious. "Stop," he commanded.

"She's not dead," Delia whispered intensely. "She's too clever to be dead."

"She'th ded," Teodora retorted through a nosebleed.

Delia ripped her hands out of Emile's and began to walk towards the stupid lying-

-Emile caught her again, swinging her around until she was looking into his eyes again. Scowling at him, she said, "I'll bite you." He rolled his eyes and took out his whip.

"Try it."

Delia's eyes narrowed, but she didn't move.

"Good," Emile said. "Teodora's not going to take any of your stuff, or Jorge's.

"She's alive," Delia insisted.

"Maybe. Now, just go back to your bed. You two are gonna stay away from each other for a while."

"Fide by be," Teodora chimed in.

Delia returned to her bunk, glaring at Emile. As much as she hated it, he was probably doing the right thing. Hopefully she'd get to continue beating dear Teo up later.