Page 80 of Fated to the Wicked King

He shook his head. “If I never have to go through another one of those blasted contraptions again, it will be too soon.”

“Right.” I nodded again. “We already know the only other way to get back to the other side from here is the rabbit hole in the Hatter’s backyard. Even if the Hatter has disappeared, if we’re lucky, perhaps the magical doorways are still there. We know one of them leads straight to my clock tower.”

The king’s eyebrow rose. “You mean my clock tower?”

Another thrill shot up my spine.

Technically, it was our clock tower.

I turned away to hide the flush on my cheeks.

Chez rolled his eyes. “You guys, get a room already.”

“Hello!” The Duchess emerged from the villa with a bright smile. “I hope you are ready for my famous eight-course breakfast, my dears. Cook has prepared his specialty—eight kinds of pepper soup.”

I wrinkled my nose, stifling a chuckle.

Standing up, the king moved to my side. “We truly appreciate your hospitality, Duchess. But we really must get back to my kingdom.”

“What? What about breakfast?” Her eyes widened. “What about morning tea? And then lunch? Second lunch? Supper? Snacks?”

I’d already polished off some fruit from the tea service in my room earlier. Though it seemed if the Duchess had her way, we would be eating throughout the entire day.

“Another time perhaps.” The king inclined his head. “We must be going.”

Noting the king’s arm hovering over the small of my back to steer me away, the Duchess’s eyebrows rose in scandalous delight as she met my gaze. “Oh, I see,” she cooed. Cheeks pink, her tone dripped with sweet suggestion.

I gave her nosy, busybody face a withering look, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. I didn’t bother to correct her. It would have been pointless.

She simply gave me a sly wink before turning to the king with a little pout. Dipping into an effortless, graceful curtsy, she purred, “It was truly my honor, Your Majesty. Do make sure you do not let so much time pass between visits next time.”

To his credit, the king’s response was almost earnest. “I shall try.”

The next warm smile the Duchess gave me rang sincere as she opened her arms for an embrace. “It was so lovely to have you here, my dear.”

Fragrant sandalwood accosted my lungs as I gave her a hug. “Who knows? If we find the Hatter, he might be able to help untangle the mysteries regarding the anomaly blocking the river. That way, we shall have more of these visits.”

“Stay safe, Allie.”

Chez escorted us down the worn lane in the forest beyond the Duchess’s estate, where the road forked three ways before we parted. He couldn’t follow us to the Hatter’s cottage.

The dirt lane turned into a narrow cobblestone path, the Hatter’s quaint gray cottage already peeking between the foliage. Everything was muted, blue with the thick cloud cover, as though a filter overcast the entire house.

A wary scowl seemed permanently fixed on the king’s face. His sharp eyes surveyed our surroundings, ready for any threat.

Goosebumps broke out on my arms as we approached the eerie grassy garden where a long table of mismatched chairs sat empty, save for what looked like an abandoned tea service holding a precarious pile of teapots, dirty cups, and saucers.

“I see something.” The king’s eyes narrowed. “It’s similar to the hazy aura at the river.”

I studied his face, turned back toward the cottage, then looked at him again.

The king was seeing things not visible to me.

Pushing past the metal gate flanking the garden, he led the way toward the cottage’s front door. The windows were dark. “It looks like nobody’s home.” Not bothering to knock, he pushed the front door open and sauntered in.

Taking a deep breath, I forged on, following behind him.

The air was musty, half the furniture covered with sheets, dust caked on surfaces. It didn’t look like anyone had properly lived in the Hatter’s cottage for a while.