Down the Rabbit Hole

Chapter 24 Alice

I don't know how long I've been here. It never gets dark. There no normal flow to a day like back home. The meals that Hunter has been bringing me are bare basics and with no pattern to help me track any kind of schedule. Not that I'd call what he gives me a proper meal. It's always some weird tasting smoothie thing that I can suck down a straw around the stupid gag around my mouth. He always says it has exactly what I need to stay healthy, but with how my body feels I'm starting to doubt it. I'm constantly exhausted from trying to use my magic to reach out to someone, anyone who may help me. I feel like I'm loosing myself mentally at least. I'm sleeping more and more. It's getting harder to keep my eyes open. Even taking breaks from reaching out isn't helping me save my energy.
Hunter took the chains off my ankles after awhile when I started sleeping through his visits. Guess I was becoming less of a threat. I miss my family. I missed the Leo's. I smile as I think of Papa Leo's pizza and Mamma's tiramisu. I think of my friends from my job. I'd give anything to be back in my little shoebox apartment playing with Marmalade and waiting for my take out to be delivered maybe with Hatter on the sofa watching cooking shows. I'd let the world call me crazy. I'd let my family call me insane or ignore me for the rest of my life if it meant I'd be free from this fucking torture. I'm starting to loose my grip on what's really happening and what is just happening in my mind. I may get lost in my madness like some of the others that Cheshire had mentioned.

I was half awake when I heard Hunter returning again though oddly enough he wasn't alone this time. I got used to hearing his footsteps, but there was another set of footsteps with his today. He sounds annoyed with whoever is with him.
"It's time to let her go. She's not even a threat, not even to herself. All she does is sleep and lay there. I'm not loosing my head for your stupid plan. No amount of gold coins is worth what Cheshire will do when he finds her." I can't even crack my eyes open as he speaks. I just don't care. I've accepted that I'll probably die here. Maybe then Cheshire will find me.
"No. Hatter is still in her world. I won't have them in the same world again. He may and try to trace her magic. Once he's home, you can dump her in the trash heap of a world that she calls home. And you won't loose your head if she dies on the other side. Our laws don't apply over there. So once my Hatter is home, dump her. If she dies over there then she dies. And no one will be the wiser. Only you and I know she's here. I laid a circle around here so no one can sense her. It's perfect. Don't go soft on me Hunter." I don't recognize the woman's voice, but from the way she talks I know it's Dina. If only her and Hunter know about what she's done then that means I was wrong about Hare. At least Hatter will still have his friend once I'm gone.
"I don't want royal blood on my hands. This world or the other, the magic will know and it won't take to kindly to loosing another royal line. We're already down one line and the mess Wonderland went through when we lost the Spades was bad enough." Dina scoffs while Hunter talks.
"Our magic doesn't reach the other world so how would it know? We did just fine before she slunk her way back an we'll be fine once she's gone." Hunter sighed and pressed his fingers to my neck checking for my pulse. He brushes my hair back before his touch is gone again.
"You should have some fun with her before she's gone. With how fast the little slut fucked my Hatter I can almost guarantee she'd give it up for you." Her cruel laugh is cut off by his deep growl.
"I may be part animal, but even the animal in me wouldn't take what's not offered. And she's barely conscious these days. You really are an evil cunt. Once she's safely back to her home, I never want to do business with you again. You can find yourself another fixer. I reuse to work with you or your family again." His voice fades away and I hear his footsteps fade, but I can feel her still in the room.
"Tender hearted dodo." She spits the words out like an insult.
"As for you little miss royal. You're lucky our old laws are still honored or I'd have your head. Maybe I'd gift it to Hatter." I suddenly feel pain course down my ribs. She must have kicked me, that bitch. If I ever have my strength back I'm going to kill this cunt. Or I'll settle for haunting her ass from beyond my grave.
"I fail to see the appeal you have to Hatter. You're too short and chubby to even be pretty. Why would he want you when he could have me? I can be a better royal wife to him. I can give him perfect heirs. Heirs that are actually fully from this world. Not some mixed half breeds that you'd give him." She kicks my face and I swear I feel my nose break. Still I can't seem to open my eyes. She scoffs at me before I hear her footsteps fade and leave the room.
Alone again. I don't know if I'll even see Hatter again let alone Cheshire or my family. I want to keep holding onto my anger towards Dina, but it feels so good to slip into the blackness again and stop feeling the pain. Part of me never wants to wake again, but another part wants to see the ones I love one more time.