Page 43 of Trapped By Clocks and Hearts

I gave the Duchess a deadpan look. “Already fought a rainbow on the way here. I don’t think we want to risk another encounter with that type of beast.”

A look of surprise crossed the Duchess’s face. “You didn’t get what you desired from the rainbow?”

Allie cringed. “The rainbow had a pretty odd interpretation of what I desired.”

A corner of my mouth turned up against my will. “Allie keeps insisting that she doesn’t care about my well-being whilst managing to conjure a healing burlap for my injuries from the rainbow beast.”

Shaking her head, Allie hissed. “You’re still ridiculous.”

The Duchess gaped at Allie, her eyes widening even more than before, as though something new had struck her. Naturally, it hadn’t occurred to her that Allie would be any different. “Wait a minute. Are you…” She pointed a manicured finger at Allie but then slid her gaze over to me. “She’s…not enamored by you?”

I cleared my throat but Allie answered before I could.

“No, she is not,” Allie confirmed, her tone pointed. “But you should have seen these women on this boat,” she went on with a mocking chuckle. “And all these other women he brings home at night. Have they never even seen a man before,” she scoffed, “carrying on as though Rabb was the only remotely attractive one around?”

But the Duchess nodded. “Ah, ‘tis true! It’s his gift. And his curse. Rabb has stolen the hearts of many a female here in Wünder. There isn’t a woman around that once Rabb sets his eyes upon, he cannot make fall in love with him, bend to his will, and make his own. Mind, body, heart, and soul. And once they are under his spell, it’s that much easier to extract their mystical hearts and deliver to the Queen.”

“Whaaaat?” Allie whined in a high-pitched tone. “That’s ridiculous. You’re saying he can make anyone fall in love with him?”

I flashed her a self-assured I-told-you-so smirk. “One look and they are mine.”

Allie pointed at herself. “Except me?”

I huffed. “You are not an exception. I told you. You are already mine. Your life belongs to me.”

“Nooo.” Still in incredulous disbelief, Allie’s nose was scrunched up, her fingers spread in question. “That is just—come on, all of them? I mean, what do they even see in him?”

The Duchess looked perplexed. “He’s…gorgeous and powerful.” Her expression overwhelmed with concern. “Oh dear, I think perhaps this girl is blind. She must be suffering from a malady worse than memory loss.” Leaning forward, she waved her hands in Allie’s face. “Her perception seems to be askew.”

Weaving back, Allie folded her arms across her chest. “There is nothing wrong with my perception. I just…don’t understand.” She seemed to ruminate on it further. “Though I suppose the evidence does seem to support this. It’s a wonder Wünder isn’t crawling with all your fluffy, little bunny babies given your rather frequent mating habits.”

Hissing in annoyance, I gritted my teeth. “Shut up,” I snapped before glaring at Chez again. “Dammit Chez. Did you really have to tell Allie about that?”

“I’m sorry.” Chez snickered, looking in no way apologetic.

“Oh darling, does she know your animal form?” The Duchess looked amused.

“Chez told me.” Allie’s eager eyes turned to her. “Have you seen it?”

The Duchess nodded. “Oh, yes, it was quite cute.”

The three of them laughed.

My glare as dark as I could make it, I merely shook my head. I didn’t want to give them the satisfaction of blowing up. “Yes, let’s just all have a laugh, shall we?” I drawled, my tone dripping with sarcasm. “And after this highly productive visit, we now have the problem of how to get back to our side of the river.”

Stopping short, Allie made a face. “Oh right, we probably can’t go back on the Caucus.”

Chez’s forehead was creased. “What sort of trouble did you cause on the boat this time? Did you get caught fooling around under the roulette tables again?”

“Doesn’t matter,” I dismissed curtly. “Either way, I am not getting back on that river so we’ll have to find some other way.”

“Ah! I know of a tree hollow,” the Duchess spoke up. “’Tis the only one of its kind which you can use to cross the River of Tears.”

Allie’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

“Yes. However, there is only one way to get to it.” The Duchess’s tone was already wary.

My face fell. “No.”