Corbin Read online

  “We just started,” I whispered. “You’re good.”

  “Thanks.”

  “All right. Welcome, everyone. I am Professor Lorekin, and we are here to learn about the creatures of Wonderland. The purpose of this class is, primarily, to teach you about one of the most important creatures in Wonderland—the jabberwocky—so those of you who want to take Jabberwocky Riding 101 next semester are ready. But there are, of course, other important mythical creatures found only in Wonderland: unicorns, dodo birds, griffins, borogoves, momeraths, and the assorted insects like the bread-and-butterfly, each of which we’ll cover in turn.”

  “Unicorns,” Lacey whispered under her breath, the word almost inaudible.

  “Now, come close and have a look at this table. Here we have some biofacts from the jabberwocky. Can anyone tell me, what is a biofact?”

  “Like an artifact,” one of the students called.

  “Exactly. This is a jawbone of an immature jabberwocky,” the professor said, holding a bone aloft. “A bite from the teeth of a living jabberwocky is poisonous. This poor creature did not survive, so no poison remains. I’ll pass it around so everyone can have a look.”

  “Disgusting. I’m not touching that.”

  Ten guesses who. I looked through the crowd, spotting Amber.

  I saw the professor swallow her annoyance. “I assure you, it’s quite sanitary, Princess Cerise.”

  Standing in front of me were two girls from Spades. I recognized one of them from the party. One girl nudged her friend, and the pair exchanged a glance, rolling their eyes in Amber’s direction.

  I looked back at the princess, daughter of the Queen of Hearts. She was lean, with long reddish-brown hair and dark eyes. She’d folded her hands across her chest and was looking at the professor and the artifacts with a look of disgust on her face.

  Despite her outward appearance, the truth of the matter was hiding in her dark eyes.

  She was lying.

  That bitchy brassiness was armor. I knew it well. It was the female version of the same shit I pulled. I just wore my armor on my skin. I looked down at my arms, eyeing the ink there. I had seen the others give me and my tattoos a second glance. And like always, it steered away some of the crowd. While the images on my arms were both deeply personal and artistic, they also signaled to the rest of the world that they were better off just fucking off. As I eyed the princess, I realized she was pulling the same con. But why?

  Lacey took the jawbone from the student beside her, studying it with intense interest. She then handed it to me.

  I turned my attention away from Amber back to the activity. Jabberwockies. They were real here in Wonderland. Al had ridden one—like a boss, of course. But that was Al. Al did everything like a boss. I eyed the teeth on the jawbone. “That would be a wicked bite,” I whispered to Lacey, evoking that same almost-smile.

  I was going to have to do better than that.

  The professor sent around other things for us to look at. A tooth, an eye, a talon.

  “The last biofact I want you to see is this,” she said, lifting a broken shell. “It’s quite fragile. This is a jabberwocky egg. Now, for those of you who want a closer look, step forward. Everyone else, please go have a seat in the bleachers.”

  Of course, Princess Amber headed back to the bleachers. Lacey and I stepped forward to look at the jabberwocky shell. It was dark blue in color, but it shimmered in the sunshine. The inside, however, was made entirely of gemstones. The rich, blue sapphires twinkled in the sunlight.

  “How long does it take a jabberwocky egg to hatch?” a student asked.

  “A year,” the professor replied. “There are usually a pair of eggs per nest.”

  “How long does a jabberwocky live?” Lacey asked.

  “Hundreds of years.”

  “Any natural predators?” I asked.

  “None except us. But it is forbidden to harm a jabberwocky. And I wouldn’t dare try. They are brilliant creatures. They form an almost telepathic connection with their owners,” the professor replied.

  “What about the Bandersnatch?” someone called. “Isn’t it a natural predator?”

  I looked back to see a student from Roses standing there. He was about my height and build, but had silver hair and light eyes. He gave Lacey a passing glance, smirking as he did so.

  I looked down at Lacey. She was staring at him, a perplexed expression on her face.

  “No one even knows if the Bandersnatch is still alive. But yes, in theory, the Bandersnatch could kill a jabberwocky. Now, why don’t we all have a seat?”

  I didn’t know the student, but I could spot the red flags from a mile away. That guy was trouble. Turning, I headed back to the bleachers. I half-expected Lacey to join her Chambers mate, but she stayed at my side, settling into a seat beside me.

  I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. I needed to get this girl to talk to me. But what to say? I never had a problem talking to girls. Why was it so hard to find something to say to her?

  “Ever find a cup of coffee?” I asked. Great, Corbin. Small talk. Why not just ask her about the weather.

  “Yes. But it wasn’t exactly coffee. In fact, they call coffee untea here. I’m Lacey, by the way.”

  “Corbin.”

  “You’re in Spades?” she asked, eyeing the lapel on my vest.

  I nodded. “They won’t let me go home, so I guess I’m going to magic school now. You?”

  “Rose Chambers. Apparently, I’m going to learn to shapeshift into a fairy.”

  I chuckled. “Did you think you were having hallucinations?”

  “I suspected I was still in the hospital tranq’ed up on Thorazine.”

  Still? What the hell? She was kidding, right? Right? But then I remembered the panicked conversation between Hank and Natter. Had something happened to Lacey when I’d come back to Wonderland? “Still? I thought something similar. Now…” I said, then spread my arms wide.

  Lacey eyed my tattoos. “So what does the Magic Eight Ball say about this place?” she asked, gently touching the tattoo of the Eight Ball on my arm.

  My stomach dropped to my feet.

  I tried to laugh, but it came out as a weird huff. “Ask again later. You wouldn’t believe how much talk the ink has stirred up in Wonderland. Evidently, people don’t tattoo here.”

  Grinning, she crossed her legs then pulled down her sock to reveal a tiny unicorn tattoo. There, on her ankle, was a pudgy unicorn with a rainbow mane and tail jumping over a cloud.

  “Not as biker as yours, but in case it makes you feel better,” she said with a half-smile.

  “Is that a unicorn?”

  “It is.”

  “Seen one yet?”

  She shook her head.

  “Students, you did very well examining the biofacts, but I think it’s time we have a look at the real thing.” Turning, the professor blew her whistle. Shockwaves rolled across the field. The professor turned and stared toward the mountaintop in the distance.

  What, exactly, were we waiting for?

  But then, I saw it. A massive beast lifted out of the castle ruins sitting on the top of the hill. A dragon—no, a jabberwocky—floated across the sky toward us.

  It was a massive creature with huge, bat-like wings, a long tail, and deep blue scales. It landed on the ground in front of us, then nickered at Professor Lorekin, who gave the beast a pat.

  “Students, you may step forward. Keep behind the white line. Taryn will not harm you. She is a gentle beast, but for safety’s sake…”

  Feeling drawn, I stepped forward.

  The creature was beautiful. Mesmerizing.

  The jabberwocky looked us over, her green eye estimating us each in turn. Sniffing the wind, she turned and moved toward the class. You could feel her steps as she made her way, the ground shaking below our feet.

  She eyed us all over, sniffing as she went.

  Soon, she drew close to Lacey and me. She looked at Lacey for a long time.

&nbs
p; Panic seized my heart.

  The jabberwocky knew. It was clear to me, the creature knew who she was—who she really was.

  “Find something interesting, Taryn?” Professor Lorekin asked then turned to Lacey. “Your name?”

  Terror seized Lacey’s features for a flash of a second, but then she buried the emotion.

  “Lacey Crane.”

  The jabberwocky huffed once more then turned toward me. Her nose mere inches from my stomach, the beast breathed in deeply.

  I met the creature’s eyes. It wasn’t just Lacey she recognized.

  “And you?” Professor Lorekin asked.

  “Corbin Daniels.”

  “Both from Overthere?”

  We nodded.

  “Must be what got her so interested. Newcomers, Taryn,” the professor told the jabberwocky.

  The dragon huffed at us, blowing our hair back.

  “Jabberwockies are widely considered the wisest creatures in Wonderland. Their link to their rider makes them a force to be reckoned with. And, as Wonderlandians already know, jabberwocky racing is a favorite sport in Wonderland. While gentle creatures like Taryn might permit someone to ride them, only someone with the skill to tame a jabberwocky will ever be able to race. In this class, we will learn the fundamentals of magical beasts like the jabberwocky and others. Those of you with the disposition to become a tamer will move on to take my next class on jabberwocky riding and racing.”

  “Are they usually wild creatures?” Lacey asked.

  “Yes and no. Many of the great houses in Wonderland keep jabberwockies. In that instance, the jabberwockies are tame. But in their natural habitat, they roam freely. The jabberwockies looked after by the Academy choose to work with us, choose to help us learn about them.”

  “You make it sound like those of us who keep jabberwockies are doing something wrong, like we’re forcing them,” Amber protested.

  “Not at all. If the jabberwocky chooses to stay with the family, then there is nothing wrong with that.”

  “Star Kingdom was swarming with jabberwockies,” the princess added, her indignation evident. But once more, it seemed to me that it was a bandage over whatever wound was just under the surface. If she wasn’t careful, someone might be able to see through all those cracks to the real girl underneath.

  “Which was the choice of the jabberwockies,” the professor replied, an annoyed tone in her voice. She turned back to Taryn. “Thank you,” she said, setting her hand on the creature’s brow.

  The jabberwocky huffed then turned to go, but before she departed, she looked back at me once more. She pushed her nose toward me, gently bumping my belly.

  I looked at Professor Lorekin. “What do I do?”

  “She seems to like you. You can touch her. Just go easy.”

  Moving slowly, I set my hand on her brow. My gaze met the jabberwocky’s eye. In it, I saw myself reflected. The creature blinked then let out a series of soft clicks. Then, a moment later, she turned from us. Putting some space between her and the class, she lifted into the air once more.

  Beside me, Lacey gasped as she held down her skirt, which got caught in the breeze.

  “Thanks a lot, dragon,” she huffed.

  I chuckled then looked away.

  “Well, now we know there is at least one future jabberwocky rider in our midst,” Professor Lorekin told me with a grin. “Why don’t you all take a seat? I have some handouts for you.”

  “What did she feel like?” Lacey asked me.

  “Bumpy…and surprisingly warm.”

  “Hey,” a voice called from behind Lacey and me. “Spades.”

  Amber. I glanced over my shoulder.

  “Good job,” she told him. “Talk to my brother. You should join the team.”

  Not bloody likely. I bobbed my chin at her, then turned around.

  “Just what I need,” I grumbled in a low voice.

  “Hmm,” Lacey said lightly, a laugh in her voice. “She is a princess.”

  And so are you. “Exactly. I don’t have a problem with princesses per se, but that princess? The Magic Eight Ball says hell no.”

  Lacey turned back to her book, but to my surprise, out of the corner of my eye, I saw—for just a moment—the beginning of a real smile.

  Now we were getting somewhere.

  21

  Checkmate

  When the class was over, Lacey lingered while I packed up my things then we headed back across campus together. I didn’t know why she decided to stick around, but I was glad.

  “Do you have any other classes today?” she asked.

  “Done. Now I have a million pages to read for classes I didn’t enroll for at a college I didn’t apply to.”

  She laughed lightly. “Same.”

  I glanced at her, sensing in her a bit of light I had never seen before. There was a sparkle inside her eyes, like something dark had lifted. Was it Wonderland? Was the place’s magic working on her? “What do you think of this place?” I asked.

  We were near the airship tower when we both stopped. Overhead, an airship held aloft by a black balloon with a red heart floated overhead.

  Hearts.

  By now, she knew she had no business being here. They hadn’t told her that she was an heir to Stars, I knew that, but she knew she was Alice. She knew being here was against the rules. And she knew Natter—at least—had brought her here for a reason. Those were the things she knew or had been told. But what about Wonderland itself? What messages had this strange, magical place been sending her?

  “I haven’t decided yet.” She stared at the airship then frowned.

  I stared at her. She really was beautiful. And while I was glad that some of the darkness that clung to her had seemed to lift, there was still a sadness that seemed to surround her, one that I didn’t understand. But whatever was the cause, I wanted to make it leave. And more than anything, I didn’t want her to go.

  And for some weird reason, I got the sense she didn’t want to leave either.

  An idea flitted across my mind. “Do you… Do you have a minute?” I asked her.

  “Aside from needing to read a million pages for classes I didn’t enroll for at a college I didn’t apply to? Sure.”

  I smiled. “Come on. There’s something you should see.”

  We headed back across the quad toward Spades Chambers. Slipping down the steps along the cliff, we went through the narrow passage and down to the terrace outside the Chamber entrance.

  “Is this your Chambers?” Lacey asked, eyeing the doors.

  I nodded. “They’re underground.”

  “That’s…unusual.”

  “The entire Kingdom of Spades is underground.”

  “Are they dwarves?” she asked jokingly.

  I grinned. “No. Well, I don’t think so. I haven’t met any dwarves yet, but the Chambers were built by dwarves, so they must be lurking around somewhere. Come on.”

  I motioned for her to follow me. As we drew close to the waterfall, she stopped.

  “Beautiful,” she said, reaching out to touch the mist, her palm open.

  The breeze from the falling water made her hair fly all around her. She had an awed expression on her face.

  “Agreed. But that’s not what I wanted to show you,” I said, then motioned for her to follow. I led her through the narrow cave to the secluded spot I’d discovered the night before. Part of me wanted to caution her against wandering off into a cave with a guy she’d just met. But the other part of me felt it…that weird connection between us. Before, it had just been me watching her, protecting her, keeping her safe.

  What I hadn’t expected was that she would be drawn to me. That I could feel something between us, like an invisible lash around us both, pulling us together.

  But I felt it all the same.

  When we arrived on the second terrace, I tossed my bag into one of the chairs then went to the rail. I gazed down at the field below. Spotting them, I turned to Lacey, who was staring at me, a peculiar but th
oughtful expression on her face. I motioned for her to join me.

  She stepped beside me, closer than she should have. I could feel the warmth of her skin, and remembered the feel of her touch on my arm.

  I cleared my throat, pushing the thoughts away, then pointed. “There. Just at the edge of the forest.”

  Below, in the tall grass dotted with wildflowers, the herd of unicorns grazed.

  Lacey gasped then clutched my arm.

  I stared at her.

  She hadn’t even realized she’d done it. She stared at the unicorns, her eyes growing misty.

  “I came out here last night to get some quiet. That’s when I saw them. There is a colt. He’s sleeping now. There, by the red flowers. Last night, he was chasing fireflies,” I told her.

  She pulled her hand away, then gently held on to the rail. “I… This place…”

  “Yeah, this place.”

  Lacey turned to me, her eyes meeting mine. Such a deep mix of green and blue, those eyes pulled me in.

  And then, it happened.

  She smiled at me.

  A full, real smile.

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  I opened my mouth to speak but choked.

  I had finally made her smile.

  At last.

  “I figured you’d like them. You know, the tattoo…”

  “They’re beautiful,” she said wistfully then turned back.

  So are you.

  So are you.

  My stomach fluttered nervously. I felt like a damned, silly schoolgirl. I rubbed the back of my neck. “So they are. I was going to study. I don’t think anyone would mind if you stayed. It’s a common area. Unless you have plans…”

  “No. Just lots to read.”

  I nodded, then snatched up my bag and settled into one of the seats.

  Lacey stood watching the unicorns. I could see her mind was a million miles away, but the smile still lingered on her lips.

  Opening my bag, I dug through until I found what I was after. I had watched Lacey long enough to know that she, like me, loved to eat junk. As it was my duty to protect her, I had bought along ammunition.

  “Ever find anything to eat?” I called. “I polished off my energy bars,”—thanks to your grandmother for those—“but I have a bag of something that I think is the Wonderland equivalent of chips.”