Page 91 of Fated to the Wicked King

Smoke wreathed across the grass, the machine’s lights flashing for a moment as a colorless vapor of a distorted haze erupted around the Hatter. He stood rooted where he was. He couldn’t move his feet.

“Oh.” Looking down, the Hatter merely looked mildly surprised.

Wide-eyed in frenzy, the General waved his arms. “What are you doing? Get her!”

I dropped the other tools and whirled to run—except Tannis grabbed hold of me again.

“No—” I kicked and screamed to get away.

“Hatter, do something!” the General screeched, stamping his feet.

His bottom half still frozen, the Hatter waved his hand, brilliant sparks of light streaming out.

There was a pop, and every single ghost villager in the clearing transformed into an egg.

My arms fell slack, my eyes widening. “What the⁠—?”

The Hatter’s unstable magic had reared its ugly head once again.

The entire forest floor and the machine’s scaffolding were nearly covered with smooth oval eggs, their pale ivory shells gleaming softly in the light with creamy shades of white and faint hints of gold.

What in the whole wide world⁠—?

Startled, I stepped backward. My boot came down on something soft with a sickening crunch. Glancing down with a grimace, I found the shattered remains of an egg smeared across the grass, its gooey yolk and slimy translucent whites oozing between the tread of my sole.

Oh, dear lord…

My heart pounded in my chest. Could that possibly be…? Did that really just happen? I hadn’t meant to do that. I shot the rabbit a guilty, horrified look. What in Wünder had I just done?

“Tough luck, Tannis.” Oh, if rabbits could smirk…

“Hatter, what the hell is going on?” the General bellowed.

The Hatter wrung his hands, attempting to control his magic. The forest filled with sparks and smoke as wild magic flitted and danced in the air.

Still grimacing, my gaze darted around in alarm.

Another egg teetered precariously upon the metal scaffolding of the fantastic machine before slipping over the edge in a headlong plummet to the ground.

“No!” I cried out in dread.

In the next moment, all of the eggs transformed back into human forms—the falling egg turning into a falling man, plopping onto a heap on the ground, relatively unhurt.

I shook my head to snap to attention. I shouldn’t be standing here amazed. I should get the hell out of here. I scrambled toward the trestle table. Snapping the rabbit’s cage door open, I scooped the animal out, clutching it against my chest. “Hang on, Your Majesty.”

The General raged around the clearing. “Don’t let them escape! Everyone, get her!”

The ghostly villagers surged after me all at once.

Rabb called out in my mind, “Watch out, Allie!”

I yelped, darting just beyond one’s grasp, narrowly escaping getting slammed by another, and kicking a third one away.

“Hatter,” the General hollered. “What are you doing? Tie her back up!”

A burst of magic spewed from the Hatter. His small figure glowed, his eyes mere slits. With a massive shockwave of energy, chains of light streaked through the air as crackling electricity filled the forest.

The onslaught of power shunting through me as I ran, I almost tumbled over.