Page 29 of Escaping Wonderland

“These are the sleepers, Alice. I don’t know who brings them here, but they’re in this place so they are left in peace. EvenIknow better than to play with them.” He vanished again—like an afterimage that had been cast by intense light fading suddenly out of her view—and slipped one of his arms around her waist from the side a moment later.

Alice turned her head to see him standing beside her, the hat in place atop his head once more.

“We’re wasting daylight,” he said, guiding her along as he walked forward. “If you still want to find a way out of this unreality, we really should be on our way, shouldn’t we? This place isn’t meant for those of us who are awake.”

“Then why did you let me wander here in the first place? You could’ve stopped me at any time.” Another thought suddenly occurred to her; she tensed, digging her heels into the soft ground, and glared at him. “Why didn’t you stop the Hatter sooner?”

“Because I knew he wouldn’t do anything without his hat.” Shadow lifted a hand and flicked the underside of the hat’s brim,tipping it back slightly. “He is a woefully predictable fellow. I’ve tried to break him of his habits, but he’s quite stubborn.”

“What do you mean he wouldn’t do anything without his hat? He only lost his hat because I got him angry! What if I had eaten his cakes like he wanted me to? What if I had complied and went along with his commands like a goodlittledolly?” She pressed her hands against his chest and shoved away from him. “He had a knife to my throat, Shadow! He was going to-to…”

“Yes, Alice, hewasgoing to. But he didn’t.”

“Even though he didn’t, do you understand how terrifying that was?”

Shadow shook his head and sighed heavily, scratching his cheek with the tips of his claws. “No. I don’t.”

She’d never heard his voice so small, so solemn; he’d spoken with his eyes averted, his signature grin nowhere to be seen.

His brow furrowed, and the carefree glee that so often sparkled in his gaze was replaced by confusion and worry when he looked at her again. “But I stopped him. I stopped him before he did anything more, and…isn’t that good?”

Alice searched his eyes, and all the heat went out of her. This was the second time she’d seen a more vulnerable side of him. Who was this man who called himself Shadow? Who had he been before he was committed to this awful place?

Whatever Shadow’s reasons for not stopping the Hatter sooner, it didn’t matter now. What mattered was that Shadowhadstopped him. In truth, Shadow hadn’t been obligated to do anything at all. He could have looked the other way and moved on without a backward glance.

She stepped closer to him and cupped his face with one hand, stroking his cheek with her thumb. “It was. Thank you, Shadow. And…I’m sorry. I am more grateful for what you did for me than you know.”

Because he’d done more than simply delay the Hatter; Shadow hadkilledthe man.

He’d killed the man for Alice.

Shadow raised his hand, brushed the pads of his fingers over her cheek, and frowned. Reaching into his coat with his free hand, he removed one of her wadded-up stockings and crouched. He dipped the stocking into a crystal-clear puddle and stood up again. With surprising gentleness, he used the cool, wet stocking to wash her face; the stocking was soon stained with the white, black, and blue makeup that had been caked on her skin.

When he was done, he tucked the stocking away and studied her face. A soft smile settled on his lips as he placed his hand on her cheek and ran the pad of his thumb over her cheekbone. “Thereyou are, my sweet.”

Alice’s heart swelled; for the first time in a long while, she feltseen. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. She’d had so little human contact, so little comfort since her father died, and Shadow’s simple gesture was almost her undoing. She wanted more, sheneededmore.

“I don’t know if you’re right or wrong about this world, Alice, but the way you make me feel…it’s new to me,” he whispered. “And I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to keep feeling it forever.”

Alice opened her eyes in surprise. His words were completely unexpected—and too heartfelt and lucid to be untrue. “What do I make you feel?”

He lowered his gaze, eyes shifting back and forth as he stared at the ground between them. “You make me feel…full.”

“Full?”

“Yes, like…” He looked at her again, and his lips slowly curled into a wide grin; crazy Shadow was back that quickly. “Trying to pry all my secrets out of me, Alice?”

Once more, Alice wondered what had happened to make him this way—the man beneath his mask was confused, broken, and sorrowful. She couldn’t help but be drawn to him. Mad Shadow intrigued her, aroused her, and set her alight with anticipation despite the danger he represented, but Vulnerable Shadow called to her in an entirely different way. She wanted to wrap her arms around that side of him and draw him close, wanted to help him piece himself back together, wanted to hold him until he gave her not the grin of a madman, but the tender smile of someone finally at peace.

Alice lowered her hand from his face. “It’s not prying if you were giving them willingly.”

Shadow kept his hand on Alice’s face. “Since you’ve taken from me, I think it’s only fair I take something from you. That way we’re even.”

She furrowed her brow. “I didn’t take any?—”

He silenced her in a way she would never have expected—he slipped his hand to the back of her head to draw her closer, leaned forward, and slanted his mouth over hers. Her heart jolted, and her pulse pounded. His lips were firm and demanding, and they sent a thrilling shockwave straight to her core.

Alice’s eyes widened, and she raised her hands to grasp his vest. Instead of pushing him away, she found herself pulling him closer. Her eyelids fluttered and closed as she gave in to the kiss; when his tongue brushed along the crease of her mouth, she opened her lips to him.

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