"I see my son really cares about you!" Said Lorine, walking beside Alice.
Alice wanted to point out that she cared for Knave too, but she knew that would certainly not earn her good points. She doubted anything she said would. Instead, she nodded her head in agreement.
After Knave had gone with Aria to see his room, Lorine had insisted to take Alice for a walk alone. Mason had protested, but Lorine had taken care of that with one deadly look.
A few minutes later, Alice found herself taking a stroll in the lawn, narrating everything that had happened in her life, after she had met Knave. Of course, leaving a few details out. However, Lorine was not a fool.
The wind blew, making Alice shiver. Though not entirely because of the cold. Her uneasiness was increasing by the minute. She couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was about to happen.
Alice felt Knave's eyes on her, and she looked up. Knave was leaning against his room balcony, looking down at her. She did a double-take when she saw him. She was so used to seeing him in a tux, that seeing him in any other clothes was a little unsettling.
Alice felt as if she did not recognize him anymore, but when he smiled at her like he always did, that feeling vanished. As if it had never been there.
Alice held his gaze for as long as she could without breaking down. She realized now, how different their worlds were. He was almost like a prince, and Alice was a witch whose mother was a soul-devouring monster. Alice looked away, forcing back tears.
"You are Cora's daughter!" Lorine said, interrupting her thoughts. Her words felt like knives thrown at Alice. Being called a witch was one thing. Being called Cora's daughter was a whole different level of crap.
Alice trusted herself to only nod. Lorine looked disappointed, which was no surprise. "Have a seat!" She offered, guiding her to the same table and chair where Alice once had tea with Knave's parents.
Lorine settled herself in a chair across from her. Alice realized with great dismay, that she blocked her view of Knave. Whether that was intentional or not was a mystery Alice did not want to solve.
Lorine folded her hands in her lap. "Knave and you have obviously formed quite a bond!" She pointed out. For some reason, her eyes were fixed on the silver bracelet Alice wore on her wrist. The one Knave had given her.
Alice's tongue felt like lead. She swallowed. "I guess so!" She replied. She wanted to tell her more. That she was hopelessly in love with Knave. That she would die without him. That he was the only thing she ever asked for. That she could not imagine a world without him.
However, Alice remained sitting like a statue, as Lorine nodded her head gravely. "Do you know how much trouble your mother has caused us?" Lorine asked, looking down at her hands.
"Cora!" Alice corrected.
Lorine's eyebrows knit in confusion. "I beg your pardon?"
"I prefer to call her Cora!" Alice explained.
Lorine gave a nod of agreement. "Very well!" She began. "Like I said, Cora has turned our lives upside down!" Her eyes filled with tears. "We had forgotten all about our son, and had lived with the pain of not having any child!"
"I am sorry!" Alice said, knowing it was pointless. "If there was anything I could do to change what happened, I would!"
"You can!" Lorine said.
Alice looked at her in surprise. "Then tell me and I will do it!" She said in determination.
Lorine took a deep breath before speaking. "No one can change the past," She began. "But we can try and change things for the future!" She looked at Alice. "I know you have been through a lot dear, and I know how selfish it is to ask from you what I am about to ask you now,"
Alice's heart started to beat fast. She knew what was coming, and was sure she would give in.
Lorine continued, "I beg you to please leave my son!" She cried. "We have lost him once, and we will die if something happens to him now!" She desperately reached for Alice's hand. "Please my dear, if you love him, then you must leave!"
Alice fought the urge to laugh. At least she had learnt to expect the worse. Her eyes were filling with tears. She could not hold up any longer.
Alice dug her nails into her palm to stop her tears, then asked, "Can I please meet Knave for the last time?"
Knave opened his bedroom door, before Alice could even knock. "I saw you leave the lawn!" He said.
Something was different about him, and it was not just the way he looked. His smile almost looked sad. His eyes looked moist. Had he been crying?
Knave moved aside so she could step in. Alice did not know what she had been expecting Knave's room to be like, but it was not so simple. The walls were a perfect white. Everything in his room was white, including the curtains. There was also a shelf, which held different types of board games. His bed was neatly made. His cupboard door was slightly open, and Alice could see neat piles of clothes stacked. She also caught a glimpse of a few jackets hanging.
'So this was what he usually wears when he is not in a tux!' Alice thought. Unfortunately, she would never be able to see him wear any other clothes. She tried to take comfort in the fact that at least she saw him in his pyjamas.
Knave lived a life of a prince, and yet his actions made him so different from the arrogant attitude one would expect from a boy who had it all. Knave knew how to value relations, and he lived up to them.
Alice's heart skipped a beat. Realizing all of this made her fall in love with him even more. If that was possible. She knew that she was so deeply attached to him, that separating herself from him now, would be similar to trying to wrench her heart out.
'You can tell him the truth!' Said a voice in her head. Alice almost wanted to follow it. If she told Knave everything his mother had asked her to do, he would leave with her, abandoning everything behind. There was no way he would let Alice fight Cora all by herself. However, wouldn't this be the exact type of selfish act Cora would do?
"Alice?" Knave called out. He must've said something while she was lost in thought. He had an eyebrow raised, and was looking at her expectantly.
"Yeah?" She answered.
He broke into a smile, gently tapping on her head. "I asked, what did my mother say to you?"
'Now is your chance!' Said the voice in her head.
Alice settled on the half-truth. "Your mother just wanted to know all that had happened!" She said.
"That's it?" Asked Knave.
Alice closed her eyes. She couldn't lie while looking into those blue eyes. "Yes!"
"So why do you seem tensed?" He asked.
Alice swallowed hard. He knew her so well. "I am just worried about Cora!" She admitted. Again, not a full lie. Knave nodded, as if relieved. "And you?" She asked. "What is bothering you?"
Knave smiled. He grabbed her hand. "Aria loves me!"
Alice blinked. "Love as in love love, or love as in like, in love?"
'Damn it!' Alice thought with annoyance. All she was saying was love.
Knave guided her towards his bed, making her sit. "I have no idea what you mean, but she is in love with me like how a woman usually loves a man, who she intends to marry and with who she wants to have children with!" He stopped, looking panicked. "Please tell me you understood, because I don't think I can get more specific than this!"
Alice would've probably laughed if it were any other situation. Now, she nodded, suddenly feeling glad he had made her sit.
"She told you that?" Alice asked.
"I asked her why she seemed so happy to see me, and then she confessed!" He replied.
Alice ignored the sarcasm. "And what did you say?" She asked.
Knave sat next to her. "That's just it!" He began. "Aria understood why I don't love her and she let me go, but I cannot get rid of the guilt I feel for hurting her!"
Alice knew how that felt. Aria was going through the same pain Tristan had felt. Maybe more. Tristan's memories had been fake, which perhaps made it easy for him to let Alice go. Aria had real memories with Knave, she had spent almost her whole life with him. Would she truly be able to let him go without feeling as if something died inside of her? Alice felt the same now.
"Alice?" Knave's grip tightened on her hand.
"I understand how hard this must be for Aria!" She admitted.
"What must I do now?" He asked.
Alice smiled. "Nothing!" She replied. "Everything will be alright after some time."
Knave's eyebrows knitted in confusion. "What do you mean?" He asked.
Alice reached up and kissed him on the cheek. "Don't worry about it!" She whispered in his ear. She couldn't do this any longer. She stood up and pretended to yawn. "I am feeling quite tired!" She lied. "Do you mind if I grab some rest?"
Knave seemed unconvinced, but he said, "I can take you to a spare room!" He offered. "Or you can sleep here if you like."
Alice shook her head. "I think I can find my way." She said, as kindly as possible.
Knave looked disappointed but nodded his head. Alice let herself take him in. The way his veins showed in his muscles. The way his eyes looked at her. The way his throat moved when he swallowed.
Alice looked away, as tears filled her eyes. She started making her way towards the door. "Goodbye, Knave!" She said.
Alice rode shotgun in the Ferrari 250 GTO, that Tristan was currently driving. She had told him all that had happened since the time he had left. He had been quite interested when she had talked about breaking the curse. However, as she told him she had left Knave, he had gone unusually quiet.
"Tristan, your silence is annoying me!" Alice said, unable to take it any longer.
"Who the hell does she think she is, to separate you from Knave!" He shouted.
"His mother!" Alice calmly reminded. "And I don't blame her for wishing her son to remain protected."
"Yeah well, I hate to break it to you," Tristan began, taking a sharp turn to the left. A few horns blared behind him, cutting off his words.
"What?" She shouted.
"I said, I hate to break it to you, but do you really think Knave is going to just sit in that castle, like Rapunzel, his whole life?" He laughed. "As far as I know that guy, he is going to shoot his way out of there!"
"Not if Mendaline erases his memory!" Alice replied.
Tristan braked hard. Another set of horns blared, and this time Alice heard a mob of angry drivers yell unpleasant words. Tristan pulled the car to the side of the road, and turned to face her. "What?" He asked.
Alice nodded. "Knave's mother promised that Mendaline would do anything to keep him safe, including erasing his memories of me."
"That is not fair!" He shouted.
Alice shrugged. "Not everything is!"
Tristan looked at her in disbelief. "And you're going to do nothing about it?"
"If Knave is safe, then no!" She replied.
"What if after Cora is defeated? Will you go back to Knave?" He asked.
'Perhaps then it might be too late.' She thought, remembering what Knave had told her about Aria. "That is a big if!" Alice replied.
Tristan shook his head. "I am done talking sense in you!" He said, joining the road again. "Where do you want me to drop you?" He asked.
Alice considered this. "I don't think Mendaline will be returning to her cave until the evening," She said. "Is Aunt Ela home?" She asked, hopefully.
Tristan nodded. "She messaged me this morning. I was supposed to see her as soon as I knock out!"
"Can you drop me by her?" Alice asked.
"Sure!" He said.
"Alice, my darling!" Ela exclaimed, as soon as she opened the door. She grabbed Alice in a tight hug.
Alice closed her eyes, trying to dissolve some of her worry into her. It worked, making her feel a little better. After everything Cora did to mess up her life, she had done one good deed by bringing Tristan and Ela into her life. Ela was a mother Alice never had, and Tristan was a friend who would do anything for her, no questions asked.
Alice broke the hug. "How is your mother now, Aunt Ela?" She asked.
Ela smiled. "She is much better now, darling! Who wouldn't be after my soup?" She glanced behind Alice. "Tristan, don't you have to be at work?"
"Gee, thanks mom, great to see you too!" He replied.
"You know what I mean..," Ela broke off, as she saw the car parked behind him. "Is that the car you drive?" She asked unbelievingly. Alice smiled. Seeing a Ferrari in such a small neighbourhood was a big deal.
Ela was deprived of an answer by the buzzing of Tristan's phone. He fished it out of his pocket and read the text. "That's Pete!" He announced in alarm. "I really got to go!" He said, pocketing his phone again. He looked up at them. "Mom, Alice will be staying, and I will join you both in the evening!" He reached up and kissed both, Alice and his mother, on the cheek. "See you!"
Alice smiled at how familiar everything felt to her now. She hoped it would remain that way.
Ela smiled at her. "Shall we go inside, dear?"
Alice sipped coffee from a China cup, as she sat on the kitchen counter, watching Ela stir spaghetti in a pot. As she did, she was reminded of Cora. Alice used to sit the same way, watching her mother make lasagne.
Alice closed her eyes in anger, digging her nails into her palms. How could she even miss Cora? The woman who had destroyed so many lives.
"Is the coffee alright?" Asked Ela, breaking her thoughts.
Alice forced a smile. "It's amazing!" She replied. It was lovely, however after drinking the coffee that Knave used to make for her, she found all other coffee in the world tasteless. Her eyes stung. Mendaline had perhaps already erased his memories of her by now.
"Alice?" Charlie called out, suddenly appearing in front of her. Mike and Maria were right next to him.
Alice yelped and jumped back. There used to be a time when she had been so used to her ghost squad's sudden appearances, and now....
"Alice?" Ela left her spoon in the pot, and rushed towards her. "What happened?" She asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.
Charlie and the others looked panicked. Alice swallowed. "Um, the coffee was a bit too hot!" She said abruptly.
"The coffee is finished, Alice!" Ela pointed out, taking the empty cup from her hands.
Alice desperately tried to come up with an excuse. "Toilet!" She blurted out. Ela looked at her in confusion. She continued, "I need to use the bathroom!"
Ela raised her eyebrow in suspicion. "Really?"
Alice leaned in and whispered, "Girl problems!" Before jumping off the counter. She gave a small smile and ran towards Tristan's bedroom, fully aware of Ela standing behind her, shaking her head.
"Where did you guys disappear?" Alice demanded, making sure to only look at the twins.
"To get me!" Said a voice.
A moment later, standing in front of Alice was a girl who looked only a little older than her. She had blue hair and hazel eyes, just like her. She was wearing a tank top, with a skirt that covered very little of her legs.
"I am Luna!" The girl said. "Your sister!"
Alice felt her mouth drop open. She looked at the girl with renewed interest. She was nothing like her.
"Um, yeah!" Charlie added unhelpfully. Mike and Maria were looking at her in concern.
"You're my sister?" Alice asked. "That is...," She tried to search for a word.
"Shocking?" Mike added.
Luna turned to look at him. "Why?" She demanded. "Because I chose not to wear a dress?"
Alice shook her head. "I mean, I am just glad to see a sibling alive!"
Luna proceeded to sit on the bed. "Me too!"
"Alice, Luna is the one who made you the golden locket." Maria explained.
Alice did not look at her. Instead, she joined her sister on the bed. "Thank you for everything!" She said.
Luna nodded. "I did what I could to save at least one sibling!" She looked lost in thoughts.
The twins and Maria had settled themselves on the bed. As Charlie sat next to Alice, she felt a rush of cold air. She looked at him in surprise. She was sure that had never happened before.
Charlie did not seem to notice anything unusual. He just smiled at her as he always did. Perhaps she had imagined the whole thing.
"Although, I have a gut feeling Cora would not kill you even after taking your powers!" Luna said, looking up at her.
Alice was stunned. "Why would you say that?"
"Cora always said she would!" Maria added. Alice could not help but wonder what else Cora had said during their long-term partnership.
"Cora also calls herself amazing, and we all know how true that is!" Luna replied.
"But she is amazingly heartless!" Charlie pointed out.
"And to answer your question," Luna said, looking at Alice. "I have not seen Cora do any of the things she did for you."
"You mean to say, she did not cook lasagne for you?" Alice asked. That was the only thing she remembered Cora doing for her, other than wrecking her life.
Luna took a deep breath. "I wonder how Mendaline deals with you folks!"
Charlie reddened at the mere mention of Mendaline. Alice so badly wanted to elbow him, before remembering she couldn't.
"What I am trying to say is," Luna continued. "From what Maria had told me, I feel that somewhere deep down where Cora's heart is, if she has one that is, she cares for you!" Alice snorted. "Did she ever tie you to the bed?" Luna suddenly asked.
Alice was taken a little aback by the question. "Um, no!" She replied. "Did she tie you?" She asked, feeling furious.
Luna ignored her question. "Did she keep you alive only on bread?"
Alice was startled. "No again!"
Luna nodded as if she had already known the answer. "Then be grateful you only saw the trailer of the horror film."
"What did you see?" Asked Alice. She wanted to know all the horrors her sister had dealt with. She wanted to help her.
Sadly, Luna did not seem to need her help. She shrugged. "I saw enough to make a whole film!" Was all she said.
Suddenly, the door to Tristan's room opened, and he walked in. He had a huge smile on his face, which grew small as he saw Luna. "Uh, hi?" He looked at Alice, waiting for introductions.
"Tristan, meet Luna!" Alice smiled. "My sister!"
Tristan's eyes grew wide. "She...she is your sister?" He asked disbelievingly.
"Step!" Luna corrected.
"That's shocking!" Tristan exclaimed.
Mike put his head in his hand, while Charlie and Maria looked at Luna in alarm. Alice wished her sister would be kind enough to let the remark pass.
Luna rolled her eyes. "You know what," She began. "I am thinking to wear a board around my neck which would say, 'Yes, I am Alice's sister, please do not be shocked!'"
Tristan looked at Alice for help. Alice forced a chuckle. "I am sure he was just surprised!" She began. "By the way, Luna meet Tristan, he's my...,"
"I don't care what he is!" Luna snapped. She stood up. "I have to go now anyway." She informed.
"But you just arrived!" Alice protested.
Luna looked at her. "I just wanted to check on you. I was not planning to sit and chit-chat about how awesome our lives are!"
Alice could not believe her. Wasn't her sister even a little happy over knowing she still had a sibling who was alive? Didn't she want to know more about her? Alice knew she did. She said as much, "But I want to know more about you!"
"Alice, I think you should let her go!" Said Charlie.
Alice shook her head. "But..," She began to get up, when Charlie grabbed her wrist. It felt light and strong at the same time. As if air had held her.
"I don't think you...," Charlie broke off, as he saw what he did. "Holy fish!" He exclaimed, staring at his hand, which still held her wrist. Alice did the same.
"Charlie, did you just hold Alice?" Asked Mike in astonishment. Beside him, Maria looked stunned. Tristan looked uncomfortable, trying his best to blend in with the walls.
Luna looked at Mike. "I think he just did, Captain Obvious!"
Alice's eyes filled with tears. "You can touch me!" She laughed. "You can touch me!" She said again, trying to make herself believe what she was seeing. Without wasting a second, she hugged Charlie. At first, all she felt was cold air.
Then, as Charlie hugged her back, she felt something solid wrap around her. She did not care about anything else. Her whole life, she had wished to die just to hug her friends. Now by some miracle, she could. She closed her eyes and lost herself in the hug.
They remained like that for a minute, before Alice drew back, wiping her tears. Mike drifted in front of her, looking at her eagerly. Without saying anything, she stood up and hugged him. It felt the same like how she had with Charlie. However, there was nothing more precious.
Alice broke the hug. "I cannot believe it!" She exclaimed.
"Me neither!" Mike replied. He turned towards Maria in excitement, and his smile disappeared. Alice knew the reason. Maria had tears in her eyes, and was looking at Alice expectantly, waiting.
Alice looked away. If she had told the past Alice, that future Alice would let an opportunity of hugging Maria go waste, she would've killed herself.
However, Alice could not awaken the love inside of her that she once had. Maria had killed it herself.
"So, what happened?" Asked Tristan, breaking the ice.
Alice looked at him guiltily. "I am sorry!" She said. Tristan shook his head. It was not needed. He prompted her to explain. She continued, "For some reason, I can touch my ghost squad!"
Tristan nodded, as if everything made sense. "And you couldn't before?"
Alice shook her head. "No!"
"The question is, how?" Asked Luna. She looked at Alice. "You're not supposed to have that type of power!"
Alice had enough. "The least you could do is be happy for me!" She shouted.
"I would be, if it were not for the fact that you have Cora's powers in you!" Luna shouted back.
"So do you, Luna!" Alice reminded.
"Um, I am going to make sure my mom doesn't come up here!" Said Tristan. No one said a word as he left, making sure to close the door on his way out.
Luna glared at her. "You remind me of Cora!"
Alice was left speechless. However, Maria was not. "You have no right to say that, Luna!" Maria shouted.
Luna turned towards her. "Oh yeah? Then how do you explain her power to touch ghosts?" She demanded. "Only witches as powerful as Cora or Mendaline, have that type of power!" She turned towards Alice. "What did Cora do to you?"
"She helped her!" Said a cold voice, from somewhere behind Alice.
Alice recognized the voice. She turned to find Cora smiling at her. "What are you doing here?" Alice demanded.
It was all Alice got to say, before the ground opened beneath her, and she tumbled into eternal darkness.