Page 101 of Locked in Wonderland

The list only grew more absurd.

Apparently, visiting Victor’s apartment was a crime. As was sleeping indoors, avoiding Wonderland residents, removing my mask without permission, and refusing drugs.

Half the things Nico and I had done together had somehow become my sole responsibility, while he was neatly erased from the picture.

Eventually, I stopped arguing and let the rest of the list play out in silence.

When Mr. Cartwright finally finished, he made an elaborate show of rolling the scroll closed before sitting down.

The judge interlocked his fingers, his expression one of grave concern. “Well…” he finally said. “That is an exceptionally long list of violations. Possibly the longest we’ve ever heard.”

“It’s very concerning,” Henry agreed solemnly. “We certainly can’t set a precedent of tolerating such behavior.”

The first man stood once more. “Over the next few hours, we will demonstrate that the defendant knowingly violated every one of these rules and displayed a flagrant disregard for the laws of Wonderland.”

I snorted. “This is absolute bullshit.” Like everything else I’d said that morning, no one listened to me.

“I call my first witness,” he announced.

Chapter Thirty-two

It came as no surprise that the first witnesses were Percy and Lola. They scuttled into the courtroom arm in arm, dressed in matching lavender silk and just as heavily made up as the one and only time I’d met them before. Neither of them looked my way until the court asked them to confirm that my appearance no longer matched the one they’d assigned me. Even then, the glance they threw my way was fleeting, as though the mere act of looking at me offended their sensibilities.

I was shaking my head long before they launched into how uncooperative I’d been during my ‘makeover’ and how they had to sedate me so they could do their jobs. The audience lapped it up, pulling suitably horrified expressions at my reported rudeness. At one point, Lola even started blinking back tears, as though recalling one of her most difficult customers—her words, not mine—was genuinely traumatic.

I sprang to my feet after their dismissal. “Hey,” I shouted. “Where’s my lawyer?”

Mr. Cartwright stood. “The Wonderland legal system works on a prosecution-only basis.”

Of course it did.

“Then I get to question them. Right?”

A ripple of laughter spread through the gallery, presumably at the absurdity of me thinking I had the right to defend myself. Meanwhile, Percy and Lola had already seized the opportunity to leave, rendering the argument pointless. With a muttered curse, I sat back down.

Harlan Maddox and Marcus Hale were called in rapid succession. Dorian Moss had either been incapable of staying awake long enough to make a court appearance, or he hadn’t been conscious for enough of my time at the supper club to offer anything useful. Either seemed equally plausible. The evidence Harlan and Marcus gave was ludicrous, revolving around my refusal to provide gossip whenever they asked. It was so ridiculous I didn’t even bother objecting.

The next witnesses all revolved around my turning down sexual offers: the couple from the drug den, and Drake from the supper club. Was there anyone I’d met in Wonderland who wasn’t going to be paraded in front of me?

Tom Cheshire’s arrival only reinforced the theory. What exactly was I supposed to have done to him? Apparently, ignored his advice. Which led neatly to Donovan being called. He was the first person whose expression said he didn’t want to be there.

“Tell us how this man”—the lawyer accompanied his words with a dramatic sweep of his arm in my direction—“came to stay in your house for an entire night when you knew it was against the rules.”

Donovan’s eyes met mine. It was obvious from his expression that he needed to lie to protect himself. Given the endless procession of witnesses, I doubted his testimony would make much difference, anyway. When I gave him a small nod, his shoulders visibly relaxed.

“He barged into my house,” he said.

True.

So far.

“Did he threaten you?”

Recalling the difference in our sizes, I snorted.

“He did,” Donovan agreed.

“I presume he had a weapon?”