Page 23 of Chess

“Chess!” Ever called from outside of the safe house.

He scrambled up the ladder and pulled himself out into the cool evening air. “Don’t get your panties in a twist, Queenie.”

She sighed heavily before closing and locking the hidden door again. “This is a mistake, isn’t it?” she asked when she stood beside him.

“Care to be more specific? There are a lot of things that could be considered a mistake lately.” Kissing each other, cohabitating with the enemy, murdering old acquaintances…

Ever began walking, her steps sure and brisk. Chess followed beside her while scanning the area in case any of Rav’s spies were lurking about, but they seemed alone. Once they were back in Wonderland, vampires would be nearly everywhere, so he’d enjoy it while he could.

“So,” Chess drawled to distract himself from the idea of his highly-probable impending capture. He wasn’t quite ready to face Wonderland again, knowing his mother was no longer part of it. Knowing that everyone likely thought he was the murderer. “This mistake you spoke of. It’s leaving your violin behind, isn’t it?”

“Viola,” she corrected. “Quit being a fool, you know what it is. But alas, it’s too large to carry around with us so I’ll come back for it later. The mistake is bringinganotherlarge, unnecessary thing instead.”

Chess scanned her over, finding nothing that matched her description. Everything they had fit inside her one bag.

“You,” she said slowly when it became obvious that he didn’t understand. “I meant bringing you, of all people, with me to reclaim my throne is undoubtedly going to fuck me over in the end.”

“I can fuck you any time you’d like.” He flashed a playful grin, but her words rang true.

“You never stop, do you?” She leapt across a small stream and kicked aside a prickly bush, revealing a hole.A portal.“Try and take my heart again, and I’ll take yours first, understand?”

“I’m content with your heart right where it is,” he said with a laugh. One day, that might change, but for now, her company was growing on him.

Ever then motioned toward the portal but Chess hesitated. “Are you waiting for a written invitation to my kingdom?” She cocked her head.

No—he was actively trying to justify returning to Wonderland when everyone would be hunting him down like a rabid werewolf. How would he hide the truth for long when he couldn’t be seen? “If you have one,” he answered. “Perhaps on embossed cardstock? With a little gold leaf on the invitation to make itpop.”

“Bloody hell,” she mumbled, grabbing hold of his hand.

“Well, if you wanted to touch me again all you had to do was ask.” Chess looked to the night sky, taking in the stars, and released a resigned breath.

Ever then yanked him forward, making him lose his footing. He stumbled into the hole and took one step forward through the mirror-like portal. White, glowing bugs crawled around the edges like a living frame. Vibrations ran along his skin, sending a shiver down his spine, but it ended in seconds as he stepped into a monochrome forest.

Most of the landscapes in Ivory were a mixture of white and silver, but there was none of the latter here. The bare trees were so white that they seemed almost fake, and the short grass blended into one giant blanket covering the ground. Even the dead leaves on the grass were pure alabaster. Like always, the pristine land brought the urge to ruin something. Chess wanted to dig in his heels, crush up the dried foliage and scatter their dust about. Instead, he scuffed his shoes on the ground, hoping there was something really nasty lodged into the soles.

“I hadn’t realized we were so close to a portal into Ivory,” Chess said. His voice was quiet, the atmosphere demanding their silence. It was oppressive here—the forest almost requiring perfection of anyone who laid eyes upon it. He recognized the staleness to the air, though, the coldness. The smell had taken over Ivory shortly after Ever disappeared.

Ever shrugged. “Whywouldyou know?”

Because he’d traveled all through Ivory and Scarlet over the centuries, portals were one of his favorite things to discover. “The world is my oyster. I make a point of knowing where all the pearls are.”

Ever released a quick breath. “We’ll go to one of my safe houses next to the rendezvous point until it’s time to meet with March.”

“How would March know to meet us here?” Chess asked as she sauntered away from him. He quickly caught up with her and drew her back by the wrist.

She smiled wide. “Oh, did I forget to tell you? While you were getting your beauty rest the other night, I met up with March and he’s to be one of Rav’s shining white knights at the Ivory Palace.”

Chess arched a brow. “Hold the fuck up. I’m going to ignore the fact that you snuck off into the night without me, but Rav is just inviting anyone to be a guard in Ivory now?”

“Seems so.”

Bastard.Chess wasn’t sure if he meant the thought for Rav or March, but it fit them both. After Imogen spent years planting spies, bribing Ever’s guards, and plotting the White Queen’s assassination, Rav was tossing any random bloke in the castle to protect it? And March… He was sure the male would come through on Ever’s behalf, but Chess didn’t relish the idea of seeing him again. “You’re sure he’ll meet us there then?” he asked, hoping to avoid it.

“I’m sure of my friends,” she said without hesitation.

Chess glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. If she kissed all of herfriendslike she’d kissed March at the club, the rumors of her lack of experience wouldn’t have spread. But if she claimed they weren’t lovers, he would believe her. Because, honestly, it didn’t matter to him. He’d personally fucked a good portion of Wonderland himself.

Following Ever through Ivory, Chess continuously scanned their surroundings, but not a single vampire appeared to be in the forest where they entered. It was no wonder Chess had never stumbled upon the portal—there were only trees, trees, and more trees, none with leaves, as if this were a wasteland. The animals lurking about made it clear that there was plenty of life here though. Silver foxes with red eyes slunk into their den as they walked by, and albino birds watched them curiously from the bare branches. Angry squirrels with bared fangs chased each other through the dried leaves covering the ground, chittering back and forth.

---