Chapter-46

Chapter: The Path to the Whispering Woods

The Queen of Hearts does not waver.

Her fingers tremble against the armrests of her decayed throne, her gaze fixed on the glittering jewels in my hand. The light they emit is faint, but in this gloom, it is enough to carve through the lingering Shadow like a knife.

Her words still hang in the air.

"The Second Tear… it is protected."

"The Whispering Woods."

The Mad Hatter straightens, his manic energy flickering back like an old flame relit. "Oh, I know exactly where that is! Terrible place. Horrible place, really. Full of things that whisper back at you, and not in the fun 'oh, do go on' kind of way, but the 'I know your deepest fears and will use them against you until you break' kind of way. Delightful, really. Can't wait to go."

The rabbit, previously shaking, now lifts its head. "But the path is open," it says, voice trembling yet resolute.

The Queen exhales, her breath unsteady but stronger than before.

"The Guardian of Secrets will not let you pass easily," she warns.

The shadows along the walls recoil, as if the mere mention of the Guardian of Secrets disturbs even them.

The dragon at my side does not speak, but I feel the weight of her anticipation, the subtle shift in the air around her. She knows what comes next.

And so do I.

---

The Decision

I close my fingers over the jewels, the light momentarily dimming.

"Then we leave immediately."

The Mad Hatter blinks. "Just like that? No brooding? No deep, dramatic monologue about how dangerous this will be?"

I glance at him. "I don't monologue."

The rabbit snorts.

The Mad Hatter gapes. "YOU DON'T—!?"

The dragon exhales sharply, the closest thing I've heard to amusement from her yet.

The Queen, however, nods slowly.

"If you succeed," she murmurs, "bring the Tear back here. It may be… the key to undoing what has been done."

Her eyes meet mine, something new flickering within them—not just recognition, but expectation.

And for the first time, I wonder—

Does she think I will save Wonderland?

Or does she think I will remake it entirely?

Either way—

We depart.

---

The Journey Begins

The castle fades behind us, swallowed by the twisted remains of Wonderland's fractured landscape.

The path ahead is clear, but wrong. The trees, gnarled and skeletal, stretch toward the sky like clawing hands. The air is thick, vibrating with an unseen presence—as if the very world is whispering to itself.

And perhaps, it is.

The Mad Hatter keeps pace beside me, unusually silent for exactly thirty-six seconds before finally breaking.

"Alright, alright, one question—" he flails an arm. "What's the plan, exactly? Walk in, ask the Guardian of Secrets nicely for the Tear, and hope it doesn't tear our minds apart like wet paper?"

"More or less."

He stares at me.

"Oh, you're insane."

The rabbit sighs. "He's not insane. He's just… confident."

The dragon watches the exchange without comment.

And so—

We continue.

Toward the Whispering Woods.

Toward secrets best left undisturbed.

And toward the next piece of this game I intend to win.