The Mad King (The Dark Kings #1)(36)

“I don’t like it, but I get it. So if you won’t answer that, then maybe you’ll answer this. What was your job before you died?”

That question obviously was a good one, because he relaxed, leaning back on his hands and staring off into the distance with the ghostly remnants of a smile fixed upon his lips.

“I don’t exactly have a typical job. I was simply the caretaker to Wonderland.” He glanced quickly my way, as though he waited to see if something he’d just said had made some sort of an impact on me. Since I didn’t have a clue why, I nodded for him to continue. And he did, with a soft sigh. “But I guess if I had to describe it, my job was simply to love her. And that’s what I tried to do, to the very best of myself.”

I hated the fact that my heart suddenly trembled at those cheesy words. Because they were—they were so cheesy. That was some serious romance-novel stuff there. Men didn’t act like him.

But then, I couldn’t deny the sincerity and conviction in his words, and coming from him, they weren’t cheesy at all. I had a feeling that whoever the lucky girl had been, she’d known just how loved she really was.

“Oh,” I found myself whispering. “That’s um... wow. Yeah, that’s some intense stuff there.” Then I laughed, because I felt suddenly overheated and flushed, and the world around us was no longer howling with bitter cold, but a gentle zephyr blew, and tight buds of springtime flowers had started peeking out from beneath the canvas of melting snow.

I still didn’t know why my moods could alter this world the way they did, and it was kind of embarrassing that he might one day realize my surroundings were completely tied to my emotions, but he didn’t seem fazed by it. So I took a deep breath and hid my shaking fingers beneath my butt.

“Well, fair is fair, I guess. You answered mine. Now ask yours.”

Those deeply searching eyes of his that seemed to look beneath my skin into my very soul fixed upon my face as he asked, “What did you love most in life?”

I frowned. Huh?

Of all the questions he could have asked, I’d not expected such a benign one. And I was slightly disappointed by it, truth be told. But I’d signed on to play this silly game, and so I would.

Looking over his shoulder, I began to think of my life. There were holes in there, thanks to my dipping my finger in Lethe, but I could remember bits and pieces. I grinned. “Well, I guess if you asked my friends and family, they would have said baking. I opened up a bakery—cupcakes, in fact.” I frowned, trying to recall what in the heck I’d named the place, but the name completely eluded me. Wrinkling my nose and getting frustrated, I shook my head. Didn’t matter right now. “But, while I did like baking, I think I actually liked singing more. Is that weird?”

“No,” he said softly. “Music has a magic all its own.”

Again I was snared by the thought that there was something about Hatter that felt unbelievably familiar. Maybe it was the ache in his voice, so similar to what I’d felt when I’d decided to visit the river Lethe. Or maybe it was those dark, expressive eyes that looked haunted and desperate.

He cleared his throat, squared his shoulders, and looked quickly away.

Realizing I’d been traipsing through a strange set of thoughts, I also cleared my throat and gave a self-effacing chuckle. “Yeah. Right. Jeez. I’m in a weird mood today. I think it’s time to go.”

He nodded, barely sparing me a glance. Standing, I took a step back and then another. But when I glanced behind me and realized he’d not moved an inch and was still staring straight ahead with the look of a man devastated by his lot in death, I knew I couldn’t just leave things this way.

Walking back to him, I hesitated only a second before grasping his shoulder, marveling at the strength of his flesh beneath my fingers. He was so warm. I’d had no idea we’d still be warm in death, but Hatter burned with the delicious heat of the sun itself, making me feel less cold and more alive for just a moment.

He looked up at me, a question in his eyes. And I swallowed hard. “I’m sorry you lost her, Hatter. And I hope... I hope—” I bit my bottom lip, not really wanting to say these next words at all, but knowing I needed to make him smile if only for a second. “I hope you find her again.”

Feeling weird, like I was overstepping or something, I went to move away. But he clenched down on my fingers swiftly, squeezing them tight. Not enough to hurt. My breath hitched.

“I do too, Alice. With all my heart and soul. I do too.”

His words burned through my heart that night.

*

Hatter

The sun had gone down on day one, and as I sat here in the cold, trying to keep my teeth from clacking together as I shivered violently, I shook my head.

“She doesn’t remember me at all.”

“Did you think she would?”

The voice was deeply masculine, and I didn’t need to look up to know that Hades had found his way to me.

I glanced up in time to see the Lord of the Underworld kneel before me with narrowed eyes as his gaze raked over me.

“You’re blue. My dead do not turn blue. She will eventually figure out you’re not dead, and when she does, how do you think she’ll react, male?”

He shook his head, sighing deeply and causing the winter chill to increase tenfold, making me feel as though I might die of frost.