A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney

Author:L.L. McKinney
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Imprint

Fourteen

THE DUCHESS

With the use of the mirrors, and Maddi’s instructions, Alice was able to navigate her way toward the rendezvous point with the Tweedles. She kept her head on the swivel the entire time. Just because the last place the Black Knight showed up was the human world didn’t mean he couldn’t pop up here.

The mist of the freshly risen morning clung to the grass and plants in pearls of dew. Wonderland’s pink sky bloomed bright and streaked white, but black clouds curled on the distant horizon. Her path took her past the Bubbles, where she was able to grab some Follies to ease her stomach, and across a stretch of literal rolling hills. Seriously, the hills slowly rose from the ground, traveled a handful of miles over the course of the day, then sank back into the earth. She’d ridden one with the twins before, just taking a break for a bit and soaking up some Wonderland … well, there was no sun. The hills weren’t fast, but you could definitely tell you were moving.

Working with the somewhat rudimentary map Maddi had drawn—seriously, it was like something out of a coloring book—Alice used the landscape and a few landmarks to find her way. Like the rainbow river that changed colors as it cut through the grassland. In the river, large and small glass fish twinkled in the light. There were no towns or villages on Alice’s trail; she was crossing wilderness in a direct line, the fastest way through. She did pass what used to be an old lookout tower, white stone rising into the sky, but it was long abandoned.

After a few hours, she spotted the crossroads where she was supposed to meet the twins. A woman stood with them, dressed similarly in dark pants, boots, and a formfitting black shirt. Alice couldn’t be certain from a distance, but she appeared armed with what looked to be sheathed long knives strapped to both thighs. A rope of red hair swung past her hips as she moved.

The Tweedles waved. So did Alice, hurrying up to meet them. “Hey,” she panted, eyes on the woman. She looked the same age as Hatta, but that didn’t mean anything. She was almost as tall as him, too, her frame lithe but round in the important places. “Didn’t keep you waiting long, did I?”

Dem shook his head. “Nyet. Maybe half an hour?” He looked to his brother for confirmation.

The woman cleared her throat, and both boys straightened a bit. Her green-eyed gaze bounced between them before landing on Alice. Dramatic makeup highlighted her cheeks, made her eyes gleam, and painted her lips the color of blood. “I apologize for their rudeness,” the woman said in a less thick Russian accent. It surprised Alice, though she guessed it shouldn’t. Hatta spent most of his time in Atlanta and sounded like he was from London. At least this lady’s accent made sense. “I am Anastasia Petrova, but you most likely know me as—”

“The Duchess.” Alice took the woman’s offered hand.

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