Chapter Three

Damien stopped in sight of the house and pulled me behind a tree.

“Chesh? What are you do-“he put his finger to my mouth, stopping me from talking.

“Sh, Rebel. It’s the knight and his squadron,” he muttered. I froze. I remember Damien telling me about the Red Queen’s Knight. He was a cruel man, with a heart as twisted as his Queen’s. According to Damien, the knight was the one to take my sister away. The cat also told me that Aria wasn’t supposed to be taken away. That she wasn’t the target. The target was supposed to be me.

“She’s here in Wonderland? That makes my job a lot easier,” I heard a cold voice say. His laughter rang out through the trees.

“How would he have known that?” the cat holding me against the tree muttered. I gasped, remembering my bag.

“Oh, no. . . My bag! I left it in the house when I came after you!” I muttered. No, how could I have forgotten that?! Damien gave me a look that told me I had made a very stupid mistake.

“But, sir,” another voice called, “What if that cat had brought it here?” The sound of a sword being drawn rang through the air.

“Shut up, fool!” the cold voice from before shouted. I heard a gurgling sound and winced. A body crashed into the woods beside us, blood spilling from his neck where a head should’ve been. I felt the need to throw up, but swallowed it back down. Something around the body’s waist glinted in the sun and caught my eye. Crouching, I pulled it towards Damien and I. It was a sword and a worn one at that.

“Move, Damien. I need that bag,” I muttered. Damien glared at me.

“You’ll get yourself killed, Rebel,” he muttered back. I returned the glare.

“He already knows I’m here and I know how to fight. You taught me that.” The blue cat sighed and moved.

“As soon as I see a major amount of blood from you, I’m pulling you out, understand?” I smiled and nodded. He moved, letting me past him and I walked out to meet the Knight.

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“Hello, men! Thank you for finding my bag! I’ll take it off your hands now,” I exclaimed, setting the blade of the sword on my shoulder, flat side down. The soldiers whirled around, including the knight. I smirked as his feelings clashed: shock, surprise, anger, fear and. . . And something else. It was unfamiliar, but it could’ve been relief. Whatever, not my business to know.

“Ah, Ashton. How nice of you to save us the trouble of searching for you!” the knight explained. I smiled.

“Eh, it was no problem. You have my bag after all! Now if you could just hand it over? It’s majorly important to me,” I replied. Might as well keep up the banter. I may get some information on my sister.

“I don’t think so, but you could come with us and I just may give it back,” he laughed. My eyes narrowed.

“Don’t think that’s going to work, Knight of Heart. I have to keep looking for my sister. Instead, I’ve got a proposition: Let’s duel.” The soldiers laughed, but I ignored them in favor of the Knight. He scoffed.

“Fine, I’ll play your childish games.” I pointed the sword I held at him.

“The deal: I win, I get my bag and you leave without me. You win, I go with you.”

Stupid girl, how does that work?! I thought you were looking for your sister!

Hush, Damien. I know what I am doing. He won’t win.

Don’t get yourself killed, Rebel.

I won’t.

The Knight of Heart laughed at me, unsheathing his own sword.

“Alright, Ashton, let’s play.” I growled, running at him.

“It’s Rebel, Knight. Not Ashton!” He blocked my stroke and countered. I jumped back to avoid his blade.

“Rebel? Now, why is that?”

“Because that is who I am. Ashton left when you took Aria away from me!” He laughed as he dodged another one of my swings. I hissed as his blade sliced through the sleeve of the dress I wore and bit into my arm.

“Oh, did that hurt, Rebel?” Now I knew he was taunting me. I lost my temper.

“Screw you, Knight of Heart! Why don’t you run back to your Queen like the dog you are?!” His green eyes narrowed and I smirked. Ha, hit a sore spot.

“Brat! Shut your mouth!” He swung at me as he lost his own temper. I ducked and hit his sword out of his hand, kicked his chest and set my foot on his chest to keep him down.

“I win. Now my bag?” He glared at me, tossing my bag into the forest near Damien. I took my foot off of him and let him stand.

“There, but Rebel,” he told me, grabbing my collar and pulling me close. My heart sped up. “I won’t lose again and trust me on this: The stakes will be higher next time around.” His eyes flashed and he dropped me, letting me fall to the ground. I glared at him as he and his squadron left. Damien came out, holding onto my bag.

“Are you alright, Rebel?” he questioned. I nodded.

“Mostly, but I’ll be completely fine in a little while. He’ll lose again next time. I swear it,” I muttered. Damien sighed.

“Rebel, let’s get inside. We both need baths and food. Not to mention, rest,” he added, catching me as I collapsed. I glanced down at myself. The Knight of Heart got in a few good licks and they bled pretty heavily. . . I closed my eyes.

“Chessy, I’m sleepy. I’m gonna take a short nap. . .”

“Don’t fall asleep, Rebel. Rebel? Rebel! Wake up! Rebel!” I heard as everything went completely black.