Act 6:
Thinking of That Faraway Place
Alice dragged her finger along the row of book spines, shaking her head in regret.
“They’re all disorganized again,” she sighed.
With her arm healed, she was back at work, only to find how much of her earlier work had been undone. She didn’t know if her assistant maid had done anything in Alice’s absence. There was a good chance she hadn’t—everyone in Hatter Mansion seemed to be incredibly busy in the Country of Diamonds.
Oh, well. Alice turned to the overflowing returns cart and the mountains of piled books. At least the job never got boring.
She pulled unrelated books from the shelf, found the books that actually belonged there, and re-shelved the proper tomes. She enjoyed watching the mountains of books shrink as she worked. It felt like giving something a good cleaning.
Especially since dirty clothes and stains just clean themselves in Wonderland. She liked the rare feeling of accomplishment.
As Alice tried to return a book on agriculture to its proper shelf, she noticed a different book mixed in with the others…and without thinking, her hand stopped.
She remembered that title.
“Didn’t I last see this in Blood’s room?”
She’d personally returned the book to him before. As she pulled the tome out, she slid the agriculture book into its space.
There was no place in the library for the book she now held in her hand. And since she knew where it was supposed to go, she couldn’t just leave it.
She frowned.
She’d been…avoiding Blood since that second Survey Meeting—or to be more accurate, ever since he came to treat her wound the second time. She’d gotten fed up with Blood’s constant sarcasm, and she had no idea how insufferable he’d get if they were alone. She wanted to keep her distance.
…But this is part of my job.
She still had the books Blood had loaned her piled up in her room. She could return them and this one.
So she finished her shift, returned to her room, and gathered up all his loaned books. She balanced the new book on top and carried the pile to his room.
The guards stopped her. When she explained why she was there, they exchanged looks.
“We haven’t…heard anything about this from the Boss~.”
“I know,” she replied. “I’m not here because Blood asked me this time. I’m just…returning some books mixed into the reference collection.”
They didn’t seem convinced. One of them rapped on the door.
“Boss, the young miss is here~. Will you see her~?”
“Did she have an appointment?” Even muffled by the door, his voice still had that recent, irritated edge to it.
“No. She says she’s here to return books~.”
For a second Alice hoped he wouldn’t let her in—then she could give the books to the guards and be done with it. But the door suddenly swung open.
“Uh… Hi, Blood.”
“Returning books? Fine. Come in.”
He seemed prickly, but he widened the door. As she followed him into the room, the guards shut the door behind her.
“Do you want me to return them to your shelves?”
“You’re the librarian,” he replied calmly. “So yes.”
She watched him head for a sofa rather than his desk. Was he taking a break? As he lowered himself onto the plush, she headed for Blood’s bookshelves.
She’d only slid a few tomes into their proper places when he called to her.
“Alice.”
She swallowed. “What?” she asked, her voice a little weak. She tried to stay calm as she slowly turned.
He loomed right behind her. She hadn’t heard a single footstep.
For a second, she was oddly impressed by the stealth of a Mafia boss. He tilted his head down at her.
“…What was the other Blood Dupre to you?” he asked in a low rumble.
There was a short pause before he asked. Alice figured that the question had some extra significance to Blood, but she answered as she always did.
“We were friends. End of story.”
“I can’t tell if you’re a good liar or not.” His eyes narrowed. “If you were just friends, my touch at the Survey Meeting wouldn’t have made you jump.”
“I’ve told you so many times, Blood. You’re imagining things!”
“Am I?”
Blood suddenly surged forward, making Alice slap her back against the bookshelf. He stretched his arms out on either side of her, resting his gloved hands on the tomes…and effectively trapping her.
“No matter how the world turns,” he murmured, “I’m still myself. And I don’t think I’d just sit there with a fascinating young woman like you close by.”
His blue-green eyes dragged all over her body, sending a shiver down her spine.
Alice quickly shook her head. “Nothing happened,” she insisted. “It was friendship.”
The other Blood had never cornered her like this. To him, Alice was just a rare Outsider visiting from a different territory. He gave her treatises on tea and books to borrow, when Elliot wasn’t also shoving carrot cuisine into her face. She knew that it was a real accomplishment to get accepted into the private rose garden of a careful Mafia boss. It made her happy. And, well…proud.
But that Blood had never pressured her into an especially intimate relationship. They shared similar interests and a twisted sense of humor, so they enjoyed each other’s company. He was neither too close nor too distant. A perfect range for a close friend.
“Alice…”
She snapped out of her reverie.
“When I’m right in front of you,” he said darkly, “don’t go daydreaming about another man, even if that man is me.”
She scowled. “Are you trying to control my thoughts now? Don’t be ridiculous!”
And seeing Blood here, even Diamonds Blood, ensured that she’d remember those times. She couldn’t not remember when she stared into those familiar eyes.
His left arm suddenly shifted. He gripped her chin.
And lowered his face toward hers.
Alice panicked. “W-wait!” she blurted as she tried to twist away. “Blood, don’t!”
He stopped. She could feel his breath on her mouth.
“Why?”
“I-isn’t it obvious?!” she stuttered. They weren’t even friends yet. He couldn’t just…kiss her!
Blood’s fingers tightened around her chin as he leaned closer.
“No,” he rumbled. “It isn’t obvious! If you’re saving yourself for the ‘me’ of some other country, then just come out and say it.” His mouth slanted. “Not that that would stop me.”
“I’m not saying that! It’s just…the other you never tried this.”
Alice swallowed. And she’d never wanted him to. She’d never thought of the old Blood that way.
In response to her words, Blood of the Country of Diamonds furrowed his brow in distaste. He looked like he didn’t understand.
“He never tried to kiss you? Even when you were close enough to touch?” He scoffed. “Or did he treat you like something precious, and that’s why you were obsessed with him?”
“I wasn’t obsessed. He was just important to me as a…” The word “friend” died on her lips as he flashed a mocking smile.
“You stopped. So you’re finally willing to admit that he was your lover.”
“Oh my God.” Suddenly frustrated beyond belief, Alice slapped his hand away. The look on his face didn’t change.
She started to tremble. “Quit talking like that!” she cried. “And you aren’t the Blood I know, so don’t get any ideas!”
His mouth became a thin line. “He must have been frustrated, having someone so close whom he couldn’t touch, couldn’t hurt. You say I’m not the same man—and if you’re telling the truth, then I agree. I would never have made that choice.” He looked away. “If that’s the way it was, I can only pity the man.”
“Blood…”
He turned from her in disinterest and walked back to his desk. She stared at his gait and that long, familiar back.
He looked so much like the man she knew, but…she was so out of sync with this man.
It depressed her.
“You make people do things that aren’t in their nature,” he said as he lowered himself into his chair. “That may be the proof of your greatest charms, Alice.” He leaned back in the seat. “I think that’s what makes you Outsiders dangerous.”
I can’t take this. The longer she stayed, the more he’d twist her words. She crammed the last book into the shelf.
“I’ve had enough,” she said icily. “I’m finished shelving the books, so I’m leaving.”
She didn’t try to hide her irritation as she double-timed it out of his room. Blood made no attempt to stop her.
That just annoyed her worse. She quickened her pace.
Why was he doing this? Why was this Blood so damn critical of her? And…
And was there something wrong with her, too? When he’d gripped her chin and leaned in, had he noticed that her reaction was a moment late?
She hadn’t been disgusted by his attempt to kiss her. Knowing that confused her all the more.
It was just Blood making fun of her again, right? She didn’t think he was serious about kissing her. It was probably just a capricious impulse for him.
But…when he’d taken her chin in his hand, she’d felt a small heat build up in her. Alice shook her head angrily; she couldn’t read too much into something done on a whim.
He thinks I’m in love with the old Blood—and I’m not. I shouldn’t have let that get to me.
She’d been so irritated to hear him reject her assertions like that. He wouldn’t listen.
He was driving her mad.