The Dark Lands come alive, angry, desperate for blood. I hear various creatures outside the cave, still far away but drawing closer. We’re in danger. I don’t know if the cave will protect us as it did in the storm. And if we stay here, I don’t know if the beasts will stop their attack. Whatever enchantment the Red Queen placed on the cord must have sent out a signal to every creature in the vicinity. I try not to let the thought worm into my brain that we’re vastly outnumbered. I force down the fear that’s desperate to get out. Now isn’t the time for panic. I can do that later after we survive.

I duck on instinct as a huge BOOM rocks the cave, like a bomb going off in the distance. White grabs me and yanks me into his side at the sound, and I can only imagine that it’s a bad sign. I watch as the cord around Doe’s neck floats down to the stone floor soft as a feather, so slowly, I almost think it’s staged. Surely, things aren’t that dramatic normally.

Doe sighs at the release, and a bright light fills the room, causing me to blink my eyes hard. When I open them again, the woman from my dreams stands in front of me. Her rainbow-colored dress sparkles under the last embers of the fire, sending little spots of light dancing across the walls. Her face is so pale, I worry for a moment that she’s sick until I realize it’s probably how she looks. Her face is just as bird-like as I remember, and her hair seems made from the feathers rather than strands. She’s beautiful in a dangerous way. I’m not sure I would want to run into her in a dark alley, or forest for that matter.

“We have to go.” Doe looks towards the cave entrance, her voice somehow heard over the commotion outside. “Right now. You’ll have to get on my back.”

“Are you certain?” White asks, clenching me hard against him. I’m not sure he realizes how strong he is, that or he doesn’t realize how fragile I am compared to him. Either way, I’m certain I will have a few more bruises to add to the collection. It’s one of the downfalls of fair skin.

Doe frowns and nods her head.

“It’s the only way we’ll escape,” she replies.

This time, there isn’t a beam of light to blind me. I watch as Doe’s features seem to blur, like they’re vibrating at a high frequency. Her form expands outwards quickly, and I can hear the distinct snapping of bones with the change. I cringe at the sound.

When Doe stands in front of us in bird form again, White pushes me forward and hoists me up. Even with his height, I still have to pull myself the rest of the way up onto her back. There isn’t much to hold on to. I’m terrified to grab her feathers after hearing her story. Her skin is itchy and dry, and so rough it feels like sandpaper beneath my fingers.

“I’m sorry if I’m hurting you,” I tell her, making it high enough to throw my leg over her.

“You’re fine, Fire Child.”

White vaults up onto Doe’s back and takes a seat behind me. There’s nothing to hold onto, so I lean forward and wrap my arms around her neck as best as I can. White leans over me, covering my body with his own. His warmth engulfs me, and some of the fear ebbs away.

“Hold on tight!” Doe shouts as she turns towards the entrance.

The first creatures poke their heads inside the cave just as White tightens his arms around me. Doe lets out an ear-piercing shriek that makes the Chimera and unknown creatures cover their ears in agony. Somehow, it doesn’t seem to affect our own ears. I need to ask Doe if it’s like blowing a dog whistle, if a certain frequency harms the Dark Lands creatures.

Doe shoots out of the cave, barreling through the creatures gathering at the entrance and begins to run at a breathtaking speed. I close my eyes as everything begins to blur around us, causing nausea to rise in my throat. We leave the Dark Lands creatures, even the fastest ones trailing behind. I lift my head the barest amount to hazard a glance backwards just as the Dark Lands end, and we burst into lush greenery. I watch the vast amount of beasts stop at the end of the Dark Lands, refusing to step foot onto the green.

Doe slows down once they’re out of our sight before coming to a gradual stop. White immediately springs from Doe’s back before reaching up to help me down. I stumble off like a klutz, my legs weak from the ride. White catches me with ease, and I smile apologetically at him before getting my feet underneath me.

Doe immediately transforms back into her human form, fluffing her feathers and sighing.

“How are you so fast?” I ask in awe. White had barely outrun the Chimera and that was with the help of his watch. Doe hadn’t ever stood a chance of being captured.

“I may not be much to look at anymore in bird form,” Doe says, grinning, “but I’m still the fastest in Wonderland. The Red Queen couldn’t take that from me.”

A loud sound reaches our ears through the trees, a mixture between a caw and a honk. I look in confusion at White when Doe perks up. She lifts her face into the wind and closes her eyes, absorbing the sound and breathing deeply. She snaps them open and takes a step towards the sound before stopping abruptly.

White smiles.

“Go. I’m sure he’s missed you.” He gestures towards the trees.

Doe looks at him, agony and desperation in her eyes.

“Are you sure?”

White nods his head, and she grins in return. It transforms her face, lighting her up like a star.

“I’ll meet you at the Hatter’s in a day’s time.” She nods her head before moving through the trees and disappearing between them.

“Who is it?” I ask once she’s out of sight. I glance up at White, taking in the small smile on his face. He’s obviously happy about whatever just happened.

When he notices me looking, he grins wider.

“That would be the flamingo.” He threads his fingers through my own. “Doe’s Husband.”