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Red had been glaring all night. It started right after their first dance. Chloe was doing her best to be cordial with the Smees, smiling and laughing with them as they parroted each other around the dance floor. They were oddly charming in their own quirky way.
Then Hazel had stepped back onto the floor with a snarky comment and somehow Chloe had ended up shimmying near her while they shared idle chit-chat. Or more accurately, as Hazel ranted about something related to Krakens and Chloe pretended to listen. It was nice, comfortable even.
That’s when she first felt it—someone’s angry eyes on the back of her head. It only took Chloe one short glance over her shoulder to pinpoint who it was.
Red was obvious. Every twirl she did with Luis, every time she put a hand on his stupid broad shoulders, her gaze seemed to burn across the room in Chloe’s direction.
The longer she danced, the more Red’s angry expression seared into her vision. She deserved her ire after everything that happened. “I’m going to get a drink,” Chloe smiled tightly at Hazel.
Red’s unrelenting glare stuck to the back of her skull as Chloe stepped away, a heated reminder that she had wronged everyone in this room, nearly irreparably.
“Is there food?” Hazel’s eyebrows went up and Chloe couldn’t help but roll her eyes, albeit a bit fondly.
“I’ll get you something.” Chloe waved Hazel off and made her way toward the drinks table. She was halfway through pouring fruit punch when she realized Red’s eyes hadn’t followed her. Chloe turned and sure enough, she found Red, still in Luis’ arms, glaring at nobody else but Hazel Hook.
Chloe snorted into her glass. Red and Hazel hadn’t liked each other from the moment they met and not much had changed in the last day and a half. She doubted it ever would considering they were two of the most stubborn people she had ever met.
Why, though, Red would waste so much time hating on Hazel when she was dancing with Luis, Chloe couldn’t begin to fathom. She gripped her punch tighter, the thought of Luis’ hands on Red’s hips, the sight of it, just a few feet away, made her chest stir unpleasantly.
Chloe made a point not to look as she snatched a slice of carrot cake off the dessert table and marched back across the dance floor. “Here.” She shoved the plate at Hazel who took it with gusto.
“Everything good with you, princess perfect?” Hazel spoke through a mouthful of cake, the furrow in her brow genuine. Chloe watched as Hazel handed the plate to the Smees who promptly turned it into a frisbee.
“I’m fine.” Chloe fought the growing urge to frown. Her eyes slid across the dance floor. Red wasn’t facing her, wrapped instead in Luis’ smile and his perfectly poofy hair and biceps and… She blinked the tears from her eyes. Red deserved new friends, good people who wouldn’t betray her.
“Hey, c’mon, princesses don’t cry. Especially over redheads.” Hazel stepped forward and offered her hook with a crooked smile. “Dance with me?”
Chloe swallowed her tears. “Yeah, sure.”
She took Hazel’s hook lamely and let herself be pulled into an upbeat square dance. Predictably, Hazel stepped on her toes six times before the opening chorus. It was silly and fun and in those few minutes Chloe tried to lose herself, and any thoughts of Red.
The next song that came on was slower, a romantic ballad that echoed through the room in a dream-like haze. Chloe grit her teeth. Of course, the universe was conspiring against her.
She instinctively shifted into the lead position, gripping Hazel’s back loosely as they swayed to the leisurely beat. Chloe knew this type of dancing like the back of her hand. She watched her parents hold each other together so many nights alone in the living room.
It seemed magical then. Chloe spun Hazel in a circle, squinting over her shoulder into the crowd. A flash of red hair caught her eye and Chloe drifted Hazel to the left.
“Uh Charming,” Hazel tried to interrupt.
“One second.” Chloe finally saw them. Red had her hands on Luis’ shoulders. He was moving her gently, but clumsily, his large feet stumbling over her boots.
They turned toward the light and Chloe’s breath caught, because Red was looking straight at her. It was the same glare from earlier. The look on her face intensified as her eyes met Chloe’s. They watched each other sway from across the room.
Red’s eyes narrowed and Chloe’s grip on Hazel’s side tightened.
“Charming!” Hazel pulled away and Chloe almost stumbled face first into the floor. Hazel caught her with two hands on her chest. “Woah, are you sure you’re okay, princess?”
Before Chloe could so much as open her mouth to respond, a very angry, very familiar voice cut in, “Get off of her.”
Red shoved past Chloe in one swift motion, teeth bared at Hazel. “Next time you so much as look at her, I’ll shove that rusty hook down your throat.”
The whole room froze, the music coming to a stuttering halt. “Red,” Bridget gasped from somewhere off to the left.
“What is wrong with you,” Chloe pushed Red back by the shoulders, anger flared in her chest, hot and ugly. Hazel started to say something, but Chloe was too far gone to hear it.
“She was all over you,” Red scowled. Behind her, Luis reached for Red’s arm. The sight made Chloe’s blood boil. The nerve.
“You don’t get to decide who's close to me,” Chloe growled. Red went to retort, but Chloe wouldn’t let her. Not this time. The dam she had been desperately holding back this entire evening finally broke. Screw it. “And you’re one to talk. You’ve been drooling over Luis since we met him!”
“Oh, please.” Red shot back. “Hazel’s been hanging on you for three days!”
Chloe clenched her fists so hard her knuckles turned white. “That’s because you ignored me to hang out with some stupid meat head!”
“I wasn’t ignoring you!" Red roared, chest heaving. “I was trying to do what was best for everyone.”
“Liar!” Chloe could feel the fire racing through her as she stepped forward. “This entire evening all you’ve done is glare at my back! If you still have a problem with me, Red, just say it.”
Red flushed crimson, clearly not expecting that.
A few paces behind her, Chloe could make out Hazel concealing a laugh. Beside her, Max’s eyebrows were raised so high they disappeared into his purple bangs.
“Now girls.” Ella moved forward, Bridget a few steps behind, worry creasing both their brows. “Why don’t we—”
“You want to know what your problem is, princess?” Red sneered. “You think everything is about you. News flash, you’re just some dumb royal who doesn’t care about anybody but herself. You think I’m heartless? Take a look in the mirror.”
Red spun on her heel and stormed out the front door. The hall went silent for a moment. Chloe seethed, turning Red’s words over and over in her mind.
This was the second time in twenty-four hours that they fought like this. She’s sure Red didn’t mean it, the girl had a propensity for saying ugly things in the heat of the moment, but it stung nonetheless. Red thought she was selfish, and the worst part was, she was right.
Chloe had accepted the bracelet from Max willingly. She had strapped it to her wrist knowing what it might do just so she could flush out her own pain. Nothing had mattered in that split-second except the yawning ache in her chest whenever she thought of Red, the smile on her face when she slipped into the cottage, hand-in-hand with…
“Maybe I should go after her,” Luis started forward, all puppy dog eyes and sincere innocence.
Chloe cut him off in one brutal move. Her hand slammed into his chest, seconds away from socking him in the face. She hissed, “Don’t you dare.”
Ella balked, “Chloe!”
The growing crowd around them murmured in abject horror, but Chloe held her head high. A tiny, shameful part of her fluttered at the rebellion. That was something Red would have done and the evil version of herself.
Luis paled, his normally happy-go-lucky expression faltering. He looked confusedly to Hazel, then to Max and the Smees who were gesturing wildly. “We can go find her… together?”
He cocked his head and Hazel facepalmed. “Buffoon,” Chloe caught her murmur.
“No.” Chloe pulled her arm away. “I’m going alone.”
“Sweetheart.” Chloe turned to her mother. Ella was frowning at her like she had dimmed the sun. “I think we should give Red some space.”
“She’s right,” Bridget added, her expression going soft. It was so much like Red’s it made Chloe’s heart ache. “Red needs some time to cool down. She’s always had a hot head, even as a baby. She used to cry at absolutely everything."
Maybe that was true in this timeline, but Chloe had the distinct feeling that her Red was not a crier. No, the Red she knew was a self-destructive, wonderful idiot.
Chloe swallowed hard, suddenly aware of how many partygoers had watched the last few minutes. She lowered her voice and addressed her next words to her mother and Bridget, “Please don’t follow me.”
Then to the crowd, she gave a lopsided curtsey, “Glad you enjoyed the show.”
Red would be proud.
With that, Chloe turned on her heel and swept toward the front doors. Behind her, an unmistakable chirp echoed through the dance hall, “Hey guys, what did I miss?”
There was a responding rumble of “You don’t want to know, cupcake” that sounded suspiciously like Hazel. The doors lumbered shut before Chloe could hear any more. She would have to thank Hazel later with some cookies.
Outside, the cool air bit at Chloe’s dress with a fervor unique to Wonderland. Red had told her once that every part of her home world was alive. The trees could take a walk by the lake and the sidewalks gossiped about the latest in women’s footwear.
“Hey,” Chloe addressed a nearby lamppost. The courtyard beyond the palace was dark and from what little she could see there was no red hair in sight. “Do you know which way the princess went?”
“I’m sleeping,” the lamppost grumbled.
Chloe opened her mouth to say more when a tiny voice squeaked, “I saw where she went.”
“Where?” Chloe spun in a frantic circle, looking for the source of her small savior. It took a lot of squinting but she eventually found him sitting on the edge of a street sign. It was a large ladybug.
He winked up at her slowly, antennae bopping. “She was very sad.”
“Yes,” Chloe agreed quickly. “I know. That’s why I need to find her.”
“Hmm,” the ladybug hummed. “How do I know you didn’t make her sad?”
Chloe breathed deeply, exasperation clinging to her every word, “I didn’t mean to… things got out of hand… technically it was a joint effort.” She shook her head, “Either way, I have to fix it.”
“Hmmm,” the ladybug murmured. Chloe fought the urge to squash the damn thing.
“Please, just tell me where she is.” Chloe begged. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. If a stupid insect prevented her from seeing Red again, Chloe would wage war on every ladybug she saw for the rest of her life.
“What are you going to say to her?” The ladybug cooed. “Did you fight over a boy? That would be juicy as a lemon tart on a Saturday morning.”
“No!” Chloe crossed her arms. “There’s no boy and no tarts.”
“Boring,” the ladybug sang.
Ladybugs were officially on her shitlist. Chloe pulled out her knife and summoned as much latent evil as she could muster. “I swear to whatever deities you believe in here that I will cut you open like a… like a tiny sandwich if you don’t tell me where Red is!”
“Such fire.” The ladybug tittered. “The lamppost would have told you if you asked him one more time. She’s in the maze.”
“Thank you,” Chloe breathed and took off toward the hedges.
“Good luck, young lover!” The ladybug warbled after her. “Such lovely stories you have to tell, if only you sang them a little louder.”
Chloe ignored the blush on her face as she ducked through the maze’s entrance. Dumb ladybugs.
The hedges were impossibly murky at night. There had been fireflies to light up the forest when they had been searching for Bridget and Ella, but here, in the depths of the Queen’s magical maze, there was nothing but long stretches of darkness.
“Red?” Chloe called. Her grip on her knife tightened. “Red, I’m sorry!”
She turned back to go the way she had come only to find the path had changed. Chloe could feel a scream building in her throat. “I know I messed up!”
The tears came without warning. Chloe slid to the ground. She sobbed for all the rage and jealousy she had tried so hard to ignore tonight, for the terrible things she’d said and thought as evil Chloe, for Red, who deserved better than her. Chloe cried ugly tears into the night sky and cursed herself with every bad word Chad had accidentally taught her as a child.
“It wasn’t you.” Red’s voice found her, soft and plying. It took Chloe a second to realize she was real, that Red was standing in front of her. “You don’t have to apologize for anything.”
“No, Red.” Chloe shook her head. “I know I hurt you with that bracelet and… I know you don’t forgive me. You shouldn’t have to. I deserve it. The glaring. The harsh words. All of it.”
“I wasn’t angry because of the bracelet.” Red settled down on the ground beside her, staring intensely at the greenery. There were fresh tear tracks on her face. “I don’t care about that anymore.”
Chloe sniffed. “You don’t?”
“No.” Red shook her head and to Chloe’s shock, she laughed wetly. “I promise. I wasn’t glaring at you.”
“Oh,” Chloe wiped at her face. “Then why were you so mad?”
“Forget it,” Red whispered, her gaze a million miles away. Chloe could only see the gentle outline of her face as Red asked in one quick breath, “What about you? Why were you mad?”
Immediately, Chloe’s jaw tightened and Luis’ idiotic smile popped into her head unbidden. It wasn’t just tonight that the thought of him sent her into a spiral. If she was honest with herself, Luis had been a sore spot for her ever since he had dipped Red on their first day back to school. She had said as much back when they had argued on the dance floor.
Instead of answering, Chloe frowned and looked out across the maze.
“Hazel was pissing me off.” Red said unceremoniously.
“I figured. The death threats were kind of a giveaway.” Chloe chuckled. “She does that on purpose, you know.”
“Not like tonight.” Red smiled wryly. She still wouldn’t meet Chloe’s eyes, but when she shifted her shoulder brushed Chloe’s briefly. “It was… different.”
“Hm,” Chloe considered and inhaled deeply. If they were being honest… “I almost punched Luis.”
“You did not.” Red gasped. “Chloe Charming, my villainy must be rubbing off on you.”
“Stop it.” Chloe pushed her shoulder lightly, giggling into the darkness.
The moonlight was thin here, but she could still make out the light curve of Red’s lips. How lucky she was to witness it. Chloe steeled herself and said into the din, “He was going to come after you and I just couldn’t stand watching him be the one that rescues you.”
“I don’t need saving.” Red lifted her chin, every inch the badass rebel that Chloe loved.
“I know,” Chloe murmured softly. “But if you did, I would save you.”
Red finally turned to her then, eyes shining as she took Chloe in. “Thank you… You and Luis have been really good to me.”
“Anytime.” Chloe cleared her throat, suddenly feeling ill. She pushed herself up and brushed the dirt from her skirt.
“I’m sorry I called you heartless and about everything else too.” Red sighed as she stood. “When you asked me why I was glaring I panicked.”
The walk back through the maze was awkward. Each time their arms brushed Chloe fought the urge to take Red’s hand. It wasn’t a new impulse or a strange one, but with every graze of their fingers, Chloe remembered the fond way Red had said Luis’ name and she hated it.
The sticky, spiteful feeling that had eclipsed her earlier began to grow anew in Chloe’s chest. When they reached the exit, Red would go back to Luis who was oh so good to her. It was that ugly gnawing sensation that pushed her to say as casually as possible—
“So am I allowed to talk to Hazel or is she off limits by order of the crown princess of Wonderland?”
The change was instant. Red stiffened, her jaw set. “My threat still stands.”
“You’re unbelievable!” Chloe threw up her arms, the ache in her chest doubled tenfold. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Chloe knew she was overreacting, but her voice came out broken and strained anyway, “Why do you even care?”
“Because I do!” Red stomped her foot. “There doesn’t have to be a reason for everything, Chloe.”
“You keep lying!” Chloe crossed her arms. The tears returned en masse. “We can’t keep going in circles, Red. I need the truth. I need—”
Red’s lips were on hers and every thought turned to smoke.
Chloe melted into the heat of her mouth as Red backed her against the hedges. Fingernails dug into the fabric of her skirt and trailed up Chloe’s sides. She gasped as Red pressed flush against her, the warmth of her body sent sparks screaming through Chloe’s skin.
They broke apart for air. Red’s eyes were dilated, her lips beautifully swollen. Neither of them could manage to form coherent words.
“You are off limits,” Red panted against Chloe’s throat. “By order of the crown princess of Wonderland.”
Chloe laughed, freer than she had all night. “I hate Luis.”
She could feel the curve of Red’s smile against her skin. “I’ll stab Hazel in the eye if she gets within ten feet.”
“You better not.” Chloe ran her fingers up the back of Red’s neck and cupped her flushed face. “I need you to stay out of jail for as long as possible.”
Red raised an eyebrow. “So we’re accepting that I’ll eventually go to jail, then?”
“Oh god.” Chloe buried her face in Red’s shoulder, laughter shaking both their frames. “I’ll have to bail you out.”
“Hey, I’m a princess too. I have money now,” Red protested. The lightness in her tone made Chloe’s smile widen.
She lifted her head. Red’s eyes were sparkling as she gazed at her. It was an expression Chloe had never seen before on Red and it was intoxicating.
Chloe grabbed Red by the lapels and pulled her into a ferocious kiss. They nearly fell through the hedge, the branches swiping at Chloe’s jacket as she tugged Red forward. Red responded in kind, dipping down to grip Chloe’s backside as they swayed together in the dark.
They stayed like that for a long while, kissing each other senseless against the brush. Chloe was pressing kisses to Red’s throat when she shifted backward slightly.
Red was breathless against her, eyes half lidded. “Come up to my room?”
“Uh…” Chloe’s cheeks flushed.
“Not for that.” Red quickly amended, her face flushed scarlet. “Just to hang out.”
“Of course.” Chloe grinned.
They left the maze together, hand-in-hand. “Hold on,” Red turned back toward the hedges, her expression turning stern. “If any of you blab about this, I will burn your trunks to the ground. That includes you lamppost.”
The brush groaned. “Spread the word,” Red told them firmly. “Or else.”
She picked up Chloe’s hand and they resumed walking. Chloe couldn’t help the giggle that escaped her as Red wiped an errant smudge of lipgloss from her chin.
“You still have some.” Chloe stopped and leaned forward, gently wiping at Red’s face.
“Might as well leave it.” Red winked. “Bound to be more where that came from.”
Chloe coughed so hard she nearly tripped into a rose bush. She would’ve eaten dirt for the second time that night if Red hadn’t caught her by the elbow with a tender smile.
“This way,” she led them through a tiny gate and around the far wall of the castle. “No one will see us enter my room from here.”
***
Red woke to the sound of muffled voices and a warm body draped over hers. What a wonderful day to be alive. She tucked her head back into Chloe’s curls and closed her eyes.
“We’ve looked everywhere,” said a concerned voice. Whoever it belonged to must be in the hall directly outside the bedroom door. Red sighed heavily and rubbed at her eyes. Her normally dutiful alarm clock had hopped on to her dresser.
“Hey,” she hissed at him from under Chloe’s arm. “What time is it?”
There was more muted movement. A noisy pair of heels clicked against stonework and another person spoke, barely audible, “Did you check her bedroom?”
The doorknob jingled and Red instinctively threw the blanket over her head. If Chloe registered any of it, she didn’t show it. The way her mouth lolled open in sleepy ecstasy was so cute, Red cursed herself for not having a camera on hand.
“The guards have been searching all night. They would have seen them if they came back here.” There was some more shuffling and then the sound of retreating footfalls as the voices faded away.
Red relaxed back into the bed and pulled Chloe closer. She was on the verge of falling back into a blissful slumber when the door busted open, because of course it did.
“Good morning,” Pink sang. “By the way, your doorknob is so sweet. I know she was supposed to stay locked and everything but she complimented my bow and—”
“Shh.” Red gestured silently at the head of blue hair beside her, still very much asleep. Chloe rolled over on to her other side, swathed in Red’s favorite over-sized hoodie. Now that Red thought about it, she wasn’t sure what Chloe was wearing under it…
Pink’s mouth formed a gentle ‘o’ and then she squealed. “You’re having a sleepover without me?”
“Wait, Pink. We’re not—” Red tried, but she was too late.
Pink launched herself on to the bed with a happy squeal. “Omg, should I get back into my PJs?” She gasped like she’d just inhaled a flamingo feather. “Should we get popcorn? We need to watch a movie! I have the perfect list. You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for you to ask—”
A loud snore interrupted Pink’s tirade. Chloe turned over, her arm falling across Red’s lap. She murmured happily as she snuggled into her side, pressing her face into Red’s shirt with a happy exhale.
Red’s face burned crimson. She avoided Pink’s eyes like the plague, studiously examining the red and white tiled floor that had not existed in her timeline.
“She snores like a Jabberwocky.” Pink giggled.
“Sleeps like one too.” Red added. Her and Pink stared at each other. Red blinked, then they were both laughing like two little girls sharing a secret.
Pink covered her mouth. “We’re going to wake her!”
“It’s okay,” Red relented and let her hand rest tentatively on Chloe’s head. “We should get up soon anyway.”
There was a loud clatter outside the bedroom accompanied by a chaotic shuffle of voices suspiciously similar to the ones she heard earlier. Red sighed heavily as her door shot open for the second time in five minutes.
“Thank the hare!” Bridget swept into the room, all pomp and wild concern. Not a second later, Ella glided in, hot on her heels. They stopped at the edge of the bed.
“Hmm,” Chloe jolted awake, sleepy fists raised. “I can fight.”
Red snorted and gently lowered Chloe’s arms. She blinked blearily across the room and relaxed into Red’s chest. “Oh. Hi Mom.”
“Good morning, sweetheart,” Ella said evenly.
“Girls!” Bridget put a hand to her chest. “You scared the flamingos out of us!”
Red shrunk instinctively. Her mother still had that effect on her no matter how much Red reminded herself that this version of Bridget was not the one who raised her. A warm hand slipped into hers. Red glanced down.
Chloe was gripping her fingers tightly. “We’re sorry. We lost track of time.”
Red couldn’t contain the smile that curved her lips, because Chloe always noticed. Even when they screamed and yelled and called each other terrible things, Chloe managed to see Red as more than a princess or a villain. How she did, Red would never know.
“It’s alright, dear, we would just appreciate some warning next time. We were so worried about you with the fight and all.” Ella cupped Chloe’s chin briefly and dropped her arm. “You know how your father gets.”
“I know, Mom. It won’t happen again.” Chloe whispered, thoroughly chastised.
Ella tilted her head. “Oh dear. Is your neck alright, Red?”
Chloe blanched, her face turned the color of Red’s hair.
“What?” Red tilted, trying to catch a glimpse of her neck. She didn't remember getting into any accidents recently, though with her history, it wouldn’t be a surprise.
“There was a uh… rock. I fell! I mean— she fell? We both fell?”
“I can see that.” Bridget raised an eyebrow.
Red stood from the bed. She ran a confused hand along her throat as she crossed to the mirror on her vanity. Sure enough, there were small distinctly mouth-shaped bruises trailing from under her chin to down beneath the hem of her sleep shirt. Red froze.
“We fell!” She spun around, cheeks blazing as she glanced wide-eyed at Chloe. “You said… a rock! There was a massive rock.”
Chloe nodded frantically. “It was a boulder.”
“I totally know him.” Pink cut in. “It was probably Fernard. He’s such a diva.”
Red sidled back on to the bed next to Chloe. Their hands clasped automatically, matching blushes on their faces.
“Talking boulders aside,” Ella leveled them with a kind expression. “As long as you were being safe when you fell on each other—”
“Mom!” Chloe bellowed.
Her eyes were so wide she looked like the Cheshire cat mid-tail pluck. Bridget chuckled and pulled Ella toward the door. “Come, Pink. I think we should leave them be.”
“Ah, but we were about to have a sleepover.” Pink bounced up from the bed and trailed after her mother dejectedly.
“I don’t think you want to be part of that sleepover.” Bridget laid a hand on her shoulder as she led Pink into the hall. With one last amused glance in Red’s direction, Bridget closed the bedroom door.
Silence. Blessed silence.
“Jabberwocky, take me.” Red collapsed backward onto the bed. Most embarrassing morning ever. Seriously, that was one for the record books. She covered her burning cheeks with a long-suffering groan.
“Hey.” Chloe flopped down beside her. She tugged gently on Red’s hands, pulling them away from her face and threading them with her own. “It’s not that bad.”
Red rolled over to look at her. The sun coming through the window lit Chloe’s features in a soft, ethereal glow. They were so close Red could make out the faint streaks of blue above Chloe’s eyes, no doubt leftover makeup from last night.
“How is it not that bad?” Red whispered into the space between them. Her eyes found Chloe’s lips. They shone like rose petals after a rain storm.
“Well,” Chloe chuckled, her eyes shot down to Red’s mouth. “At least we weren’t naked.”
Red snorted. “At least.”
A minute passed. Maybe two. Her eyes didn’t leave Chloe’s lips.
“We could change that.” Red smirked, her fingers trailing playfully down her side.
Chloe rolled her eyes, her mouth tugging upward in a fond smile. “You’re ridiculous.”
They surged forward together, their lips finding a messy rhythm among the tangle of blankets. Red could feel her heart beating a thousand miles a minute as she pressed herself as close to Chloe as possible. She could get used to this.
***
Breakfast was a formal affair. Their friends had stayed the night and were now milling about the dining room eating and laughing like they belonged. Pink and Luis were supervising the Smees as they attempted to balance a tower of teacups on their heads. A few feet away, Hazel was sampling every food she could find while Max sat quietly flipping a coin between his fingers. It was odd to see them all among the garishly bright decor of Wonderland’s royal estate. Something about it made Chloe’s chest tighten.
“Morning Mother,” Red said shortly and squeezed Chloe’s hand.
Bridget and Ella greeted them warmly. They sat beside Charming at the end of a ridiculously long table, no doubt gossiping happily. Chloe ducked her head, praying their girl talk hadn’t included telling her Dad anything of what had transpired that morning.
“Chloe!” Charming pulled her into a hug. She returned it easily, laughing into his shoulder as he released her. “I came straight away when I heard you were missing.”
“Everything’s okay now, Dad.” Chloe assured him.
Ella glanced meaningfully at Chloe and Red’s intertwined hands as they sat down at the table. Chloe sunk a little further into her chair. She might never be able to look her mother in the eye again, but that’s why she had a father right?
“So you guys stayed.” Red raised an eyebrow.
Across from them, Hazel settled down between Max and the Smees. Her plate was filled higher than even Luis could manage.
“Princess,” she greeted Chloe with a mouthful of cupcakes. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of Red beside her. “Second best princess.”
Chloe felt Red tense. “Hazel, be nice.”
“She started it,” Hazel muttered around a raspberry croissant.
“You little—” Red winced as Chloe’s elbow connected with her ribs. “I mean, I’m sorry about yesterday.”
“Oh wow.” Hazel’s eyebrows rose, a devious smirk on her face. “She’s got you whipped already and here I thought you were the alpha.”
Thank god Chloe was athletic. She grabbed the back of Red’s jacket before she could throw herself across the table. The snarl that came out of Red’s mouth sent a shiver down Chloe’s spine.
“You better watch it, Hook.” Red spat.
“Sure thing little doggy.” Hazel rolled her eyes and shoved another muffin into her mouth.
Chloe tightened her grip on Red’s arm. “Jail. Remember?”
The glare Red shot Hazel could have melted ice. She huffed but sat back in her chair nonetheless.
“Red!” Luis bounded over and took the seat to their left. “I was so worried about you.”
To her credit, Chloe didn’t immediately reach for a weapon. She simply ground her teeth so hard her jaw hurt. Red must have noticed because her arm snuck its way around Chloe’s shoulders as she leaned in.
“I’m good,” she said simply and Chloe’s heart skipped a beat.
“Well I’m here for you.” Luis puffed out his chest, looked them in the eyes, and said as meaningfully as possible, “all of you. Even Hazel.”
“Ew.” Hazel shoved at his arm.
Chloe rolled her eyes as the table broke into more bickering. A smile tugged at her lips. He might be handsome and sincere and yes, Chloe admitted Luis’ muscles were bigger than hers, but right now Red’s fingers were threaded through her hair. She was the one lucky enough to be sitting with Red’s arms around her.
“Thank you, Luis.” Red laughed and patted his hand. “We appreciate that.”
“Anytime you need a rescue, princess.” He nodded sagely. Chloe fought the urge to snort.
“Actually, I’ve already got a savior.” Red nudged Chloe. She flushed as everyone turned to her.
“I’m just back up.” Chloe grinned and shot Red a brilliant smile. “Red can take care of herself.”
“I wouldn’t be so trusting if I were you,” Max said, adjusting the brim of his hat. “I once saw her fall three stories and roll down a hill into a ditch.”
Red slapped her hands to her face as the table erupted in laughter. Chloe giggled and slung an arm around her as she whined, “Max, why?”
“Oooh I know!” Pink appeared behind Hazel. “One time Red was trying to climb a cloudfruit tree and she slipped and fell into a thorn bush. She had tiny pink dots everywhere like one of Mom’s pincushions. It didn’t go away for weeks.”
Chloe winced, struggling not to smile too much as Max and Luis broke into more laughter. Even the Smees were grinning.
Hazel slapped the table, cackling so hard she nearly spit out her drink. “Pink, I think you and I need to spend more time together.”
Red hid her face in Chloe’s shoulder. “Rescue me, please.”
Chloe’s heart fluttered. She pulled Red closer and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. “Always.”