“That’s as good an answer as I’ve ever heard,” he exclaimed, reaching out and grabbing Alice’s hand. He kissed it gently as he had the first time and the way he looked at her made her flush.
“That’s not the answer!” the queen screeched. “There is no answer to that riddle!” But no one heard her. They were all starting to chant: “Long live the White King!
Long live the White Queen!” and a white robe trimmed with red and silver was being draped around Alice’s shoulders. She smiled over at Wade and he winked at her. The Red King was shaking his hand and passing over his crown and didn’t look too upset to be giving it up either.
“Look out!” The cry came from behind her and Alice whirled toward the sound, a woman’s voice. One of the tarts pointed at the queen’s throne, where the Red Queen had tussled for and won the executioner’s ax from the guard. She wielded the heavy, ungainly thing with no grace or skill, but it didn’t seem to matter. The queen swung and the ax was headed straight for the red collar around Alice’s neck as if it were a magnet.
The last thing she heard was the Red Queen screaming, “Off with her head!”
* * * *
“Alice.” The sound of her name was far away, in another world. “Alice! Wake up!” She jolted awake at his command, gasping and clutching Wade to her. He wrapped his big arms around her and held her close, rocking her in the darkness.
“Was I dreaming?” she whispered incredulously. “Was it only a dream?”
“It must have been something.” Wade chuckled and kissed her forehead. “You were screaming ‘Off with her head!’”
Alice’s hand went to her throat, which was thankfully still attached to her head.
And then she felt it-a collar. It was fastened seamlessly to her neck and she was sure, if she turned on a light and looked into a mirror, that it would be red.
“Wade…” she whispered, fingering the band at her neck. “Was it really a dream?” He was quiet for a moment and then he asked, “Do you want it to be?” In an instant, she relived every moment in the strange land she’d visited and knew, no matter what her sister said about Alice’s imagination, it was as real as she was, as real as Wade or ravens or writing desks.
“No,” she admitted.
His lips moved over her neck, kissing her new collar. “Then let’s go back to Wonderland.”
She surrendered.
Her only regret was that she would have to leave Maddie behind. But maybe, some day, she could convince her sister to come over to the other side.