Page 70 of Edge of Wonder
Peter gave me a wide berth, walking off the path and placing tombstones between us. He leaned down and spoke to Alice. Her head snapped up, and she used the gravestone to steady herself as a man weaved through the tombstones. His face was obscured beneath a deep hood and a gray scarf. Gold glinted in the fading light from the pendant hanging around his neck. I moved to intercept him, but Alice rushed forward. She stumbled to a halt, her hand gripping her own pendant.
The man removed his hood and scarf, revealing disheveled ash-blond hair, an aristocratic nose, and a square jaw. His clothes were dusty from travel but made of high-quality material, signaling a level of wealth.
Those watchful eyes I’d felt suddenly had a face.
And a clock pendant.
He stepped toward Alice, and I unsheathed my dagger, only to watch the man take one knee in front of her. The hilt dug into my palm as he reached for Alice's hand and planted a kiss on the back of her fingers.
“From one player to another, it’s an honor, Alice Montgomery.”
The rest of the guards surrounded us and Shire floated in a circle, inspecting the newcomer’s face. She peered at the pendant hanging from a chain around his neck.
“Whoa,” she whispered. “It’s real. Tristan Fawkes is alive.”
“I know you,” Alice said, slipping her hand out of his grasp. “I saw you in town the day before my induction ceremony. You were in the alley.”
“I wanted to introduce myself then, but didn't want to put you in more danger.”
“Where have you been? Everyone thinks you're dead.”
“We need to get somewhere safe. I'll explain everything.” He tilted his head back, still taking a knee. “I have a proposal for you, Alice, and it's my greatest hope that you'll accept.”
Chapter 24
Sebastian
“You’re going to kill the other royal player with your glare, Sebastian. And then we’ll be back down to one.” Shire rolled her eyes as we rode toward the Duchess’ cottage.
“We were doing great with one,” I grumbled, not taking my eye off Tristan Fawkes, the newest member of our group. Alice had invited him to travel with us when he was perfectly suited to follow just out of sight like he’d been doing since we left Hatter’s.
There was something about him I didn’t trust. We’d been killing ourselves in the challenges, and then he pops out of the woodwork before the final one? It didn’t feel right.
“You think it’s him?”
Shire nodded. “Yeah, it looks like him, from what I can remember.”
“Considering the state of your memory, that’s not helpful.”
“He has the clock pendant. Which, granted, isn’t irrefutable proof, but I think we have to give him the benefit of the doubt till we hear his story.”
“Fine. You do that. I’ll be over here with a lethal dose of skepticism.”
“You’re just pissed he made Alice swoon. Walking in like a phoenix among the gravestones, cloaking flying in the air, with chiseled looks, and drop-dead gorgeous eyes. I’m dead and I’d do him.”
My lip curled into a snarl. “I thought you were on my side.”
“I’m on Alice’s side, and right now, she’s a lucky girl.”
“Get off my horse, Shire.”
Shire giggled as she floated up the ranks until she was beside Alice.
We rode through the trees, coming to a wooden gate. Shire raised her arm in the air, and I called a halt to our procession. Shire claimed the Duchess liked to plant traps around her property, which meant we needed to tread carefully. I’d walk from here and meet the Duchess herself before bringing everyone else through.
I crossed through the gate, hiking through the trees until I saw the cottage. The main part of the structure was built out of a massive oak tree. Shuttered windows dotted the moss-covered trunk, and the thick branches held other rooms, rising three stories in the air.
Giant red mushrooms grew at the base of the house, one of them used to store a stack of wood out of the elements. Smoke curled from a protruding chimney, scenting the air with burning pine. A lantern glowed from a post near the door, and fireflies danced in the air. Otherwise, it was dark as night settled around the forest.