“I don’t know,” Jeb says. “She’s so tiny. What if—”
“Nikki is ideal,” Morpheus interjects. “You designed her to have free run of this world. She’s small and swift. And on good terms with your paintings. If CC is sent to lead the guards here, she can distract him. Chessie and I can accompany her as far as the castle gates, wait in hiding for her to finish the expedition.”
Jeb runs a hand through his hair, leaving it disheveled. He’s obviously still worried for his sprite. “Okay. But I’m the one who screwed up. If she’s not able to get the cure, I should go to this race thing tomorrow. Not you and Al.”
I start to object, but Morpheus beats me to it. “You’re needed here. You command the creations. You’re better equipped to protect Thomas should the mountain be attacked. Chessie will be our runner if something goes wrong on our end.”
Jeb nods, resigned.
Morpheus wraps the drop cloth around Dad and lifts him to a sitting position. “He needs to be somewhere safe, on the chance the mountain is breached.”
“I’ll take him to the lighthouse,” Jeb offers. “Al, you can stay with him through the night.”
“Okay,” I whisper. I’m scared to be alone, even though it’s my own father. I don’t know what I’ll do if he gets worse. “What if he wakes?”
“He shan’t wake. The spell he’s under will last until Jebediah and I release it.”
I remind myself a queen is supposed to be brave, and agree.
Jeb balances Dad over his shoulder. Moving aside to let him by, Morpheus grabs my arm before I can follow them into the corridor.
He waits until Jeb is out of earshot and looks down at me. “Jebediah cannot go to that castle under any circumstances.” He watches the door. “It’s too dangerous for him.”
I’m not sure I believe in his concern. “Why?”
“He’s a vessel we can all pour our magic into, in a land of powerless fae. Such a rare commodity is priceless. A weapon to be feared and coveted by everyone. It’s almost destroyed him trying to harness just mine and Red’s powers. The inhabitants of this place—the Queen of Hearts, Manti and his goons—they are soulless and merciless. Were they ever to realize what he is, they would fill him to the brim with their magic. Eat him up like a cancer until there’s nothing left. There would be no getting your mortal back after they finish.”
The logic of his words weighs on my already heavy head. “So, you really were protecting him all this time? By keeping him holed up here?”
His hand slides down to my wrist in unspoken affirmation.
“Thank you.” I squeeze his fingers in mine.
Morpheus gestures to Chessie and Nikki, directing them into the hall to watch for Jeb. “Don’t get sentimental. I did not do it for him. I did it because I couldn’t have you tortured by guilt had he come to such an end. You would’ve blamed your choices on prom night for the tragedy. It would have ruined your faith in your ability to rule. You’d be a worthless queen if you couldn’t trust your own judgment.”
The jaded explanation falls in line with the reasoning of a solitary fae. Of course it’s for the greater good of the realm he loves. But he still did the right thing, and Jeb’s alive because of it. I won’t forget that. “So, what do you propose we do? Tell Jeb about Red’s part in his magic?”
“Absolutely not. He’ll get some cockamamie idea to stand up to her if we do that. We have to get him out of this realm before they discover him.”
“But he doesn’t want to leave,” I mumble, unable to mask the defeat in my voice. “How do you protect someone who doesn’t want to be protected?”
“He will leave if you take away his source of power. We’ll make a bargain with Red for the antidote. She abhors this place. So we offer her an escape route. She may share Hart’s body, but Red is the most cunning, have no doubt. We get the cure for your father, and in exchange, take Red out of AnyElsewhere. Jebediah will be forced to follow us, to stay tied to the magic he’s become dependent on. He’ll feel the draw, instinctively. Just as he feels one to me. Once we’re back in Wonderland, the iron’s magnetic effect will reverse. The magic will return to its proper vessels. And Jebediah will be human again.”
Why would Morpheus make such a sacrifice? Drag not only Red back to his beloved world, but another queen bent on destruction, just to help two mortals?
I shift on the balls of my feet and suppress my suspicion, trying to take him at his word. “The guards . . . they won’t let the Queen of Hearts through the gate. Even if my dad is well enough, he won’t be able to convince them. Red’s inside her, and Hart’s a prisoner. They both belong here.”