The Heart of Wonderland

Chapter 19

"I can't believe we made it!" Alison stopped to celebrate only when the guards were out of earshot.

"I know! I thought for sure that one knight was going to catch me," Maddox said. "Way to pull off that climb. That was awesome."

Alison felt a dopey grin spread across her face, so she cleared her throat and looked away before Maddox could see it. "You were pretty awesome yourself. Um, which way did you say we should go to find the Mad Hatter?" she asked to change the subject.

"This way." Maddox pointed toward the centre of town and quickly walked away, taking the lead.

Alison stared at his back as she followed him. Had he been...blushing? Under his tan, it was hard to tell, but the idea made her smile with pleasure and embarrassment at the same time. It was hardly the time to develop a crush on her partner in crime, but it was nice to know Maddox wasn't completely unaware of her as a girl, too.

They kept to the shadows and back alleys of the village until they reached an open town square, bustling with market day activity. "The Hatter's shop is across the square." Maddox pointed out a two-story building that leaned precariously to one side. It was painted in several different eye-popping colors and there seemed to be no rhyme or reason to the design. "The outside of the shop looks about the same as the way the Mad Hatter dresses," he added dryly.

Alison's heart sank when she saw the crowd gathered at the market. "There's no way we can get to his shop without someone spotting us. What if they report us to the Queen's Guard?" Alison and Maddox obviously didn't fit in with the townspeople, who wore homespun clothing and elaborate hairstyles. "Can we circle around the village and approach from the other side?"

Maddox shook his head. "The other side of the village is too close to the castle walls. The Queen's sentries would spot us from the watchtowers."

Alison frowned. "What are we going to do?" She'd come so far and now that the Hatter's shop was within sight, she couldn't reach it.

There had to be a way, if only she could see it.

She watched the movement of people through the square. Armored guards stood at attention in each corner of the market and two or three others watched the main streets of the village. At first glance, the townspeople seemed to be enjoying themselves, haggling over prices and gossiping with friends and neighbors, but as Alison studied them, she noticed that something was wrong.

"They seem scared," she whispered to Maddox. "See how that woman keeps stealing glances at the guards? Like she's worried he might arrest her or something? It's like everyone's only pretending to be happy."

Maddox's eyes narrowed as he followed her gaze. "You're right. The mood in the village is way more tense than last time I was here." He paused to glance at her. "How did you see that, anyway? Is it some Keeper skill I don't know about?"

Alison flushed. "I spend a lot of time people-watching. I'm...really into art." For some reason, she felt shy as she revealed her hobby to Maddox. "I like to sketch people, but I guess it's kind of weird to sit around and watch strangers all the time, huh?"

But Maddox smiled. "I don't think it's weird at all. Actually, it sounds kind of fun. I like to draw, too."

"You do? What do you draw?"

"Not people, unless they're stick figures. I really like graffiti, like that street artist, Banksy. And I like drawing buildings. Sometimes I think it would be cool to be an architect." His smiled faded. "If I ever get out of Wonderland, that is."

Alison hesitated, then reached out to squeeze his hand. "We'll find a way for you to get home." Her heart pounded and she hoped Maddox wouldn't yank his hand away.

"Thanks." He looked into her eyes and squeezed back before letting go. "Seriously. It means a lot to find someone here that I can trust."

Alison looked back at the villagers in the square. She wanted to trust Maddox, too, but was it safe? Trust no one but yourself. Her father's warning was still fresh in her mind.

"I'm glad we met," she said finally. That, at least, was the truth. There was no way she would have made it across the bridge without Maddox. And Wonderland did seem less scary and overwhelming with someone to share it with.

"I usually wait until dark before I come into town," Maddox said. "But each time I've seen you in Wonderland, you disappear after a while. Is there any way of knowing how long you'll be here this time?"

Alison shook her head. "I don't think so. This is the first time I've managed to come here on purpose, and I may not be able to stay much longer. My aunt could interrupt me at any time." A shiver ran through her. It was so bizarre to think of herself being in two places at once, here in Wonderland and at home in her room, all at the same time.

Even as she spoke, the image of her bedroom back in the real world seemed more solid in Alison's mind. She felt suddenly distracted, as though she was trying to hold onto too many different thoughts at once.

"Oh no. I think I'm about to disappear again, whether I want to or not," she warned Maddox. "It's like thinking about how long I've been here reminded my body to go back."

"No, wait!" Maddox grabbed her shoulders. "Concentrate, Alison. I know you can hang on a little bit longer if you try."

But Alison felt herself wavering between worlds. "I'm sorry. I think my time is almost up." As she looked into Maddox's eyes, she saw his loneliness. "I'll come back, I promise."

"And I'll find out what I can from the Mad Hatter while you're gone."

"No!" Her determination solidified her presence in Wonderland for a few more precious seconds. Trust no one. "I want to go with you when you talk to him. Try to find a way for us to cross the square while I'm gone, ok? What if we disguised ourselves?"

Maddox's eyes lit up. "Good idea! I'll get the disguises together. But how will I know when to expect you back? I can't stay in town forever. The guards will see me eventually, no matter how careful I am."

Alison frowned. Her mind was racing, but she could hear Aunt Caroline calling for her, and it was becoming harder and harder to concentrate. "I have to go! I'll come back as soon as I can."

She closed her eyes as the pull of the other world—her world—became too strong to ignore. Nausea rose in her throat from the effort of resisting. She took a deep, shaky breath and when she opened her eyes again, she was home.