Follow the White Rabbit (Beautiful Madness #1)(13)
Lucky reached out, her hand landing on Marc’s forearm as she tried to steady herself, tried to stay connected to her body. Her fingernails dug into his skin, too hard. She wanted to apologize, but she couldn’t. It was too late. By the time she turned her head and locked on to Marc’s eyes, she could feel her soul leaving her body.
He looked back at her, his eyes full of concern, but there was nothing to be done.
CHAPTER SIX
DIAMONDS, CLUBS & ACES
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There was no doubt in Rose’s mind that the Eastern Queendom would be entirely different from the rolling hills and small towns she was accustomed to. Neither growing up in Neverwood Forest nor her reign in the west could have prepared her for bustling urban sprawl where the Red Queen ruled.
The journey from one corner of Wonderland to the other lasted only a day, but Rose had never felt farther from home.
As her carriage passed through the last trees of Neverwood and into the Red Queen’s domain, Rose craned her head out the window to get her first glimpse of a place she had only read about in books. Where Rose’s own kingdom was quiet and quaint, this one was crowded and vibrant. She had heard that there were no farms in this part of Wonderland, no vast stretches of land at all beyond those belonging to nobles in the farthest reaches of the kingdom. Only now did she believe it. Hundreds, maybe even thousands, of red-brick buildings dotted the landscape and crowded around roads that weaved through the land. Gas-fueled lanterns lit up the streets, allowing people to continue their business well into the evening, and no one seemed to find the nocturnal nature of the Red Queendom the least bit strange.
Rose had to trust that her driver knew where he was going, as each town fed into the next, creating a never-ending stretch of city life. The square buildings and lack of greenery created an image all too similar to the world Rose had seen in her vision. Yet, seeing it all up close, there was something exciting about it. Being so surrounded by life was both comforting and invigorating all at once. Rose considered that perhaps there was value to be found in this way of life after all. Gwen herself had said change was coming, maybe this was what Wonderland needed.
It wasn’t long before the ebony-stone palace of the Red Queen came into view, seeming to loom over everything with its five twisted spires. Both impressive and menacing, it was designed to strike fear into anyone who thought to cross the Red Queen. The castle had been built over a century ago when the Red Wars had raged through Wonderland, and though Queen Daliah hadn’t had a say in its design, Rose couldn’t imagine that living there would have endeared her to many of her subjects.
Thankfully, Rose did not have to visit the castle on her first ever trip to the Eastern Kingdom. Instead her driver had been ordered to bring her to a building several blocks from the Queen’s home.
Initially, the Red Queen had refused to meet at all. But Rose had persisted and managed to arrange the first official meeting between her and the Red Queen.
And so Rose set foot into the first and likely only nightclub she would ever visit, as there was no room for places like these where she came from.
Immediately, she fell in love.
Though the night was still young, men and women danced together in a swarm of writhing bodies. Bright blue tuxedos collided with sequined silver dresses that shimmered even in the dim lighting. Women wore their hair short while some of the men wore it long. There was so much to take in, and so little time to do it in, as Rose was swiftly escorted through the crowd.
The beat of a lone drummer was accompanied only by the abrasive music of a saxophone and a trumpet. At first the sound was jarring, but as Rose made her way through the club, she found the rhythm creeping into her soul. An impeccably dressed guard ushered her up a steep set of stairs, away from the hypnotic energy of the dance floor. Rose promised herself that she’d find a way to bring everything from the atmosphere to the vibrations in the air home with her when she returned.
Rose’s head was still spinning when she arrived in a reception hall that she never would have imagined could be attached to the club below. Everything but the painted red walls was made from perfectly clear glass, from the tiles of the floor to the delicate table and the chairs that surrounded it. Rose pushed all thoughts of music and dancing from her mind as she locked eyes with the woman she had long been taught to fear. Briefly, she glanced at Henrick, who had silently taken up his post in the corner of the room, far enough away that he could play at not overhearing whatever was on the evening’s agenda.
The Red Queen offered a genuine looking smile as Rose quietly studied the woman before her. She was precisely the kind of woman you would expect in a position that had been filled by domineering, powerful women for countless generations. Daliah Kent had already ruled for twenty years, and everything from her coiffed hair to the glittering diamonds she wore on her fingers screamed of luxury and beauty. She embodied the very essence of the club that sat below her feet, and Rose felt begrudging respect in spite of all the stories she had been taught about Wonderland’s more infamous line of rulers.
“Please, sit.” The rival Queen gestured toward three empty chairs. Without comment, Rose did as she was bid, taking the place directly across from the Red Queen. “Welcome, Rose. May I call you Rose?”
Rose nodded, attempting to keep all traces of awe from her expression.
“And you will of course call me Daliah. I may have been at this far longer than you have been, but as far as Wonderland is concerned, you and I are equals.”