I rub at my back, listening to White move around the cave. It’s completely dark inside, but I find I can see the barest amount, as if there’s the tiniest beam of light shining off of the walls. It’s not enough to actually see, but I’m able to watch White’s dark form moving around as he picks up things from the floor. It’s clear he doesn’t seem to have as much trouble with his sight as I do.

“What are you doing?” I whisper. My voice echoes loudly in the cave anyways, the stone cavern perfect for acoustics.

“Building a fire,” he mumbles. I realize then that he’s throwing dry wood in a pile in the center of the cave.

“Do you have a lighter?”

He snorts. “I don’t need a lighter.”

I grin. Seems White is a bit of a boy scout. I know the logistics of striking two stones together to spark, but actually having to do it, I’ve failed each time I’ve tried. I hear White strike the stones together, and I’m relieved to see the sparks that immediately jump onto the branches and begin to climb. The light brightens in the cavern, as if someone turns up the dimmer switch, until I can finally see White. The fire coats everything in a yellow light, but it does nothing to detract from White’s attractiveness, even if he’s still sporting the large blood stain.

“The Chimera Storms can last a whole day sometimes,” he says, coming over and sitting beside me. “We’ll have to wait it out.”

I don’t voice the immediate images that pop into my head as ways to pass the time. Probably not the most opportune time. When I look into White’s eyes, I’m surprised to see a fire there, as if his thoughts went the exact same direction as mine had. I blush, my fingers still rubbing where I no doubt am sporting some nasty bruising.

“That doesn’t sound too bad,” I mumble. “At least you have plenty of time to tell me all about Wonderland.”

White’s eyes zero in on my hand.

“Are you hurt?”

“Just some bumps and bruises from our landing. Nothing I can’t handle.”

He tilts his head, studying me, before leaning forward and reaching out his hand. Before he can touch my hip, he flicks his eyes up to mine.

“May I?”

I nod my head, and his fingers brush against my skin when he lifts the edge of my t-shirt. I bite my lip at the feeling, fighting not to react as he leans close enough that I can feel his breath. Goosebumps pepper my skin at the sensation. He doesn’t lift my shirt higher than my rib cage, but it’s enough to make me wish he would continue, pull the shirt from my shoulders, and strip me bare. I remind myself again that I need more answers first. White obviously found me for a reason. I need to know why before I embrace whatever this connection is. I’m sure looking forward to embracing it, though.

“You’re bruised along your hips and back, but it should heal in a few days. Is it painful?”

“Only if I push on them. Mainly, it’s just uncomfortable. I’m fine.”

He nods and moves away. I immediately miss the closeness and frown. I tuck my knees to my chin and rest my head there.

“So, now would be a good time to explain things,” I say, glancing at him from the corner of my eyes. His shoulders tense the barest amount, but otherwise, he doesn’t react. What is he so worried about?

“Where would I begin?” he asks, turning to look at me.

I meet his eyes and smile. “The beginning is usually a good start.”

He shakes his head. “There’s too much. How about I start from your beginning?” I raise my brow but nod. “Wonderland used to be full of wonder and fantasy, even though it’s always been dangerous. There’s magic here that no one understands, and no one has ever tried to. It just is.” He sighs. “Until Alice returned to Wonderland.”

“So, Alice is real?” I hang on his every word, his voice coating my skin like honey as it bounces off the walls.

“Unfortunately, she is. She was a disturbed little girl, and she came back a monstrous woman. She wants to kill the kingdom, and she’s succeeding as the Red Queen.”

I blink at him. That’s unexpected. “Alice is the Red Queen?”

White nods before running his hands through his hair. His ears twitch at the movement.

“She is. And she stole the name and coated it with gore. She’s the Queen of Hearts ripped from rib cages. She bathes in the blood of Wonderland and laughs with glee at every kill she makes.”

I shiver at the picture he paints.

“And what does that have to do with me?”

His silver eyes meet mine, and for the first time, I can feel his nervousness over his next words. I brace myself, unsure of how bad it’s going to be.

“There’s a prophecy. Well, there’s multiple prophecies. Absalom enjoys them. But there’s only one prophesy that pertains to you, Clara, and another woman.”

White stirs the fire with a long stick, seeming to collect his thoughts. I don’t speak, afraid to interrupt for fear that he won’t finish the story.

“The prophecy speaks of three women who will bring about the fall of the Red Queen.

His voice fades from the room, the final echoes dying until there is only the crackling of the fire and our light breathing. The prophecy was beautiful, lyrical, and exactly how I imagine a Wonderland prophecy should sound. I run the words through my mind, searching for the meaning.

“Clara was the first of the triad, the Mad Hatter’s mate,” White adds, his expression intense. “She came to Wonderland, and she killed the Queen’s Knave, the former Prince. And then she stayed with the Hatter. You’ll meet her once we make it to his house.”

“And you’re saying I’m part of this prophecy?” I turn away from his gaze and look at the walls for the first time, realizing that there are paintings there I hadn’t noticed before. I stand and move closer, inspecting the depictions of gore and battle, victory and defeat. They are so beautiful that I find myself running my fingers over the strokes in wonder. They’re grotesque, and yet, they are also alluring.

“Yes,” he mumbles, looking down at his watch. “I realize this might be difficult to believe, the idea of destiny and fate.”

I step back over to him and take a seat closer than I was before.

“Just because I’m a scientist doesn’t mean there aren’t things I don’t understand. I’m in another dimension, in Wonderland. My knowledge is out the window here. I’m tempted to take samples of everything and study it closely.”

White smiles and meets my eyes.

“That’s something I love about you. Your curiosity. In the lab, I thought you were so beautiful the way you approached things.”

“In the lab when I thought you were just an extraordinary rabbit,” I say dryly.

“I’m still an extraordinary rabbit.” He winks at me, and I blush. “I can show you how extraordinary I can be.”

Suddenly, the temperature seems to rise in the cavern, and I barely stop myself from tugging at the collar of my t-shirt. The Rabbit is too sexy for his own good. I clear my throat.

“I have more questions, first.”

“So, you’re saying we can have fun after?” White strokes a finger down my arm, feather-light and teasing.

“I didn’t say that.” Even I can hear the breathiness in my voice. Dammit! I never planned to be this affected by him. “Tell me what it was you did with your watch.”

He pulls back his hand suddenly, and I immediately miss the feeling. I watch as he clenches his jaw and looks away.

“What do you mean?”

“The Chimera were about to get us. We were about to die. And then you tapped your watch and time slowed for just a moment. That’s the only reason we survived.”

“I would have survived,” he whispers so lightly I almost don’t catch it. I don’t remark on it, not yet. The sadness there is too much.

“Just tell me.”

White sighs. “You’re far too observant for your own good, Jupiter.”

I shrug. “I’m a scientist. What did you expect?”

White studies me for a moment, searching for something. Instead of speaking, he lifts up his arm towards me, and my eyes fall to the intricate watch on his wrist. I lean closer and study the ticking gears and the numerous clock hands. There are dozens of them. Where there should be numbers, there are symbols instead, ones that I’ve never seen before. I reach up and cradle his wrist before pulling him closer. Touching him sends goosebumps running up and down my arm, the temptation strong to taste.

“What do these markings mean?” I ask, turning his wrist to study the watch closer.

“They’re runes.” He watches me as closely as I’m studying the intricacies. “Time markers for every creature and event in Wonderland.”

“And why is this one dimmer than the others?” I point to the hand in question, it’s duller than the others, barely visible within the clock face.

“That’s the Heart of Wonderland,” he whispers, looking down at his wrist. “The prophecy I told you about, if it doesn’t come to pass, Wonderland will die.”

I look back up at him sharply, my brows furrowed.

“An entire world will die because of the Red Queen?”

“That’s her plan, yes. She’s killing us all.”

“That doesn’t seem fair,” I remark, my thumb absentmindedly beginning to stroke against White’s wrist. When I realize what I’m doing, I don’t stop. It feels too good.

“Hardly anything is fair, no matter which world you’re in.” White stares at where my thumb brushes his skin, riveted to the spot.

“So, your watch marks all the time for Wonderland. Why did time slow when you tapped it?” That’s the question burning inside me, the one that defies most of the things I know. There have been plenty of times I wished time would slow down. When Neptune had been preparing to take the pills, I wish time could have slowed so that I could have made it in time and stopped her, wished I had known what she had been planning.

“The Hatter is a sort of Grim Reaper, the one and only in Wonderland. He escorts the dead to the Hereafter. As for me, you can consider me the Time Keeper. While I keep the time for all things, I can also control it in small amounts.”

“Like slowing down time!” I exclaim in excitement. The breakthrough that could be in the science world is monumental. Imagine how many deaths could be avoided if time slowed down just enough to allow people to move out of the way of natural disasters, or the ability to reduce casualties in war because you could slow time and evacuate all the civilians. “That’s amazing! I’d love to pick your brain about that more later.”

White just stares at me.

“Have you considered the prophecy?” he asks.

“What about it?”

“I’m sure you’ve guessed I’m the second son.”

“And?” I ask, meeting his eyes.

“Have you guessed why you’re here in Wonderland yet?”

I smile at him, before lifting his wrist and placing a kiss on the back of his hand, just below his watch.

“You saved my life, Rabbit. And it’s undeniable that there’s some sort of connection between us. I felt this tugging in my chest the first moment I laid eyes on you even if you were a rabbit. And now you’re telling me that I’m the second of some prophesied triad destined to bring down the Red Queen and become your mate.” I grin, wickedness in my eyes. “Well, that isn’t the craziest thing I’ve heard today. I prefer to study everything more, to gather information, but I’m certain about one thing.” I slide closer to him until my knees press against his. “I don’t need more facts to know I’m attracted to you on a deeper level than I’ve ever felt before.”

White stares at me, flabbergasted. There’s also another emotion mixed in there. Wonder, perhaps? I’m not sure.

“I’m not just some sweet bunny, Jupiter. I’ve done things, terrible things. I’m just as dark and twisted as Wonderland has become. I’ve considered letting this world die a thousand times. Wonderland eats away at us.” He swallows, his fingers clenching in mine with his words. “I’ll self-destruct soon,” he whispers, his eyes crashing with my own. There’s so many emotions swirling in his, turning the irises into a molten silver. “And there’s a possibility I could take you with me.”

I study him for a moment, letting his words sink in, and I think about all my regrets in life. There are many, many times I wished I could have acted but didn’t, many times I knew I needed to act. But this moment, here with White warning me away while also clutching me tightly, tells me all that I need to know.

I rise onto my knees and move closer, carefully, as if I’m approaching a wild rabbit. I doubt White will spook so easily, but I have no desire to rush this. Slowly, I straddle his waist and press my core against the hardness in his lap. I bite my lip at the feeling as his fingers gently clasp my hips.

Destiny might know what she’s talking about, after all.