{A Fantasy Romance retelling of Alice in Wonderland}
In order to survive, a pirate and a thief must clear their names by traveling into a magical dream world together.
Adah Prideaux, seamstress by day, petty thief by night, finds herself in a world...
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Late. She was so late.
The smell of blackberry brandy and tobacco smoke grew stronger as Adah made her way into the Busker District: a twisting series of streets where Belint's many performers made their living.
Reynald had been acting in operettas every night for the last month, and rumor was he'd even earned the patronage of Princess Eponine, the King's wayward younger daughter.
Meanwhile, Adah was still working at the same, tired seamstress shop with her mother during the day, and hawking tourists for coin at night. Reynald's success served as a constant reminder of how unhappy she was without him.
Surviving day to day, drifting through life as if trapped in a soap bubble.
Adah hurried past a row of velvet ropes, where the line of wealthy tourists began, toward the faux-marble front of the Dragon Theatre. Belint's aristocracy was dressed in the latest couture—lacy gowns with billowing sleeves and impeccably tailored frock coats, waiting to be let in for tonight's performance.
She smoothed a hand down the front of her bodice and tucked back wispy strands of dark hair, before greeting the doorman waiting outside the less-grand side entrance.
"And where do you think you're going, little guppy?" the big man quipped.
"I'm here to see Reynald," Adah said dryly, adding, "he's expecting me."
The doorman narrowed his beady eyes. "Adah? Is that you? By the Hallows, I barely recognized you! It's been so long." He leaned in and kissed both her cheeks. "You look awful, by the way."
Adah stared down at her dye-stained fingers. "It's been a long day, and I'm in a hurry."
The man opened the heavy door, and Adah slipped quietly inside, nearly choking on the thick cloud of incense perfuming the air.
"Say hi to your mum for me!" Lou called after her before closing the door.
With cautious steps, she made her way up creaking wooden stairs towards Reynald's dressing room.
Performers done up in powdered wigs and painted with lacquer giggled as they flounced by. Adah wrapped her arms around her middle, making her way up a second set of stairs that led to the more private third floor.
By now, Adah expected to hear Reynald's beautiful tenor voice floating through the paper-thin walls as he warmed up for tonight's performance, but found the dusty hall was oddly quiet. His dressing room door was closed when she approached.
The last line of his note fueled each step: With all my love from now until forever comes —Reynald
Adah swallowed down the sudden tightness in her throat and knocked three times. "Reynald? It's me. Adah. I've brought the salt and the bell."
No answer came. She tried again. "Reynald! I hope you're decent, because I'm coming in!"
With some trepidation, Adah turned the handle and opened the door. She peered around the corner before slipping inside the room as quietly as a winter chill.
