A World Within A World: Down The Rabbit Hole #1

By Julia Crane

Down the Rabbit hole is a twisted tale of two sisters bound by blood and separated by magick. 

Alice is not the lovable girl the stories depict. A lifetime of pain and illusion has left her disturbed. Unpredictable. Dangerous.

For years, she's watched her twin sister – a girl born into light and destined for power – with great envy. According to the prophecy, only one of them will rule. Only one of them will survive. 

What will Alice sacrifice? The sister she hates, the man she loves, or the innocent lives caught in her twisted web of magick?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Valknut Press
• Release date: Dec 3, 2016
• ISBN: 9781540170347

Julia Crane

Julia Crane dreamt of elves and teen androids long before she captured them and put them on paper. She's written and released over fifteen young adult and new adult titles over the past two and a half years. From science fiction adventures to succubus, Julia's fresh voice is easy to read and imaginative. Widely known for her Keegan's Chronicles series and IFICS series, and she has hit numerous best selling list on Amazon.

Book preview

1

Alice

It is better to be feared than loved.

― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

---

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Alice glared at the large clock. Instantly, the sound stopped.

Soon, she would have to act. The Red Queen had been breathing down her neck, pushing the issue of the merger with that twit from Wonderhills in an attempt to deter the looming prophecy.

A prophecy was a prophecy. Destiny. Inevitable. Unchangeable.

Right?

There must be another way, she thought. Not for the first time, her mind desperately searched for another solution to her dilemma. Thinking hard, Alice rocked back and forth to soothe her frayed nerves.

As usual, she came up blank.

Rising from her chair, she began pacing around her bedchamber, muttering under her breath. Alice snatched one of the glass chess pieces off the mantel. Why couldn’t she think of a single potential alternative?

Could she really kill her own flesh and blood? What if her sister became the friend she always yearned for but never had? Couldn’t they rule Wonderland together, after freeing it from the Red Queen?

According to the prophecy, no.

One light, one dark.

One who lived. One consumed by mad.

One who mattered and had been sent away from Wonderland to protect her.

And the other …

Condemned from the beginning.

As if her hand had a mind of its own, Alice flung the bishop across the room, and it shattered against the wall into a thousand pieces. Alice glanced down at her fingers and back to the glass shards. Losing control meant she was closer to madness.

A maid scurried in, head down, avoiding eye contact. Attempting to avoid Alice’s wrath.

Curiously, Alice watched as the woman dropped to her knees, efficiently brushing up the mess with movements mastered from years of practice. Alice was widely known for her temper tantrums. They’d only become worse as she’d grown older and more frustrated about her fate. In many ways, she took after her mother, the Red Queen.

Too bad her mother hated her guts. She saw Alice as a disgrace. No matter what she did, she could never please her wretched mother. Alice had always craved her approval, and her love, but her hope was thus far in vain.

The worst part: in less than three months, the Red Queen was forcing Alice to marry some fool from Wonderhills in a show of solidarity for the dimensions.

The Red Queen was crazier than usual if she thought Alice would go through with this madness. Alice could only ever dream of spending the rest of her life with one man, and he wanted nothing to do with her. He thought she was cold, ruthless, and disturbed. Why did everyone she cared about hate her? Didn’t they see how her mother twisted her mind? Or understand the significance the prophecy played in her life? She was trapped and running out of time.

Get out! Alice screeched at the servant.

The maid rushed out of the room, and the door closed whisper soft behind her. Alice dropped into one of the chairs, staring off into the emptiness, seeking answers from the walls closing in around her.

Suddenly, she jumped to her feet. Maybe the old crone could help her.

Closing her eyes, Alice called forth a portal. A shimmering circle appeared before her. She jumped through the dimensions, emerging into another realm known as Earth. This realm was similar to her own, the main difference being the darkness, which lingered past nighttime and rendered the day shadowy and dreary. Wonderland had no shadows, and the colors of Earth paled in comparison. Oddly, Alice felt more at home here than on her own dimension, another sign she was disturbed.

She continued down a dark, wooded pathway until she reached her destination—a shabby cottage. Without bothering to knock, Alice pushed through the front door.

The old woman seated at a table at the center of the cottage glanced up. Nice of you to drop by, she said sarcastically.

Only the Oracle dared speak to Alice without a shred of deference. If not for her sagacity and ability to predict the future, Alice would have had her whipped or beheaded, common punishments for servants in Wonderland. You knew I was coming before I even made up my mind.

The woman smiled, flashing her crooked teeth. Of course, but I can be of no help. I’ve seen no change in the prophecy. I told you I would contact you if any new information became available.

Alice dug her nails into her palm, drawing blood. Tell me what to do.

The woman set down her spoon, giving Alice her full attention. You know I cannot play with fate in such a way. Do not ask me to do so. I’m the last Oracle of our time, and I refuse to be forced into anything that does not align with my divinity.

A deep sigh escaped Alice. She wouldn’t kill the only woman who might one day tell her how to escape her fate, and the Oracle knew it. However, the woman had foreseen the outcome of her future, information Alice desperately needed to know, so she could avoid the worst.

The Oracle held up her hand before Alice even got her words out. You’re wrong. I do not know your future. I see possibilities. That is all. The ultimate decision is up to you.

But I don’t know what to do! Alice cried. She’d never admitted such a thing to anyone else.

With a shrug, the Oracle spoke slowly. Then let it run its course. When the time comes, you will know how to act. Child, I know you have a heart buried under all that darkness.

I have no heart, Alice proclaimed. Caring is weakness. I cannot rule Wonderland if I am weak!

And you cannot lie to someone who can see you for what you really are, the Oracle retorted. "Someone will have to make a sacrifice. Sacrifice implies caring. If you are truly like your mother, then you are not capable of sacrifice. But I hold out hope that you are different. This is the only way, child."

Annoyed, Alice crossed her arms over her chest. She had endured Wonderland, and the Red Queen, her whole life, and she had no intention of lowering her guard long enough for something as painful as sacrifice.

You’re of no help. Alice’s expression turned dangerous. Heat rose to her cheeks, and anger raced through her.

The Oracle picked her spoon back up and continued to eat her soup. I will give you one kernel of insight.

Alice raised an eyebrow, waiting.

The one your heart longs for is not as far out of reach as you think. I will say no more. The rest is up to you.

Alice gasped. What … how …

The Oracle winked without answering.

It took all of her self-control not to throttle the old woman, but despite her anger, Alice also felt a stirring of hope. Could it be true? Did she have a chance with Landon after all? If the Oracle had foreseen him in a vision, then would Alice’s dreams of being normal, and happy, one day come true? No, not really. They would never be together. He was born into a lower class and could never rule as King.

Too flustered to speak, Alice left the Oracle’s home and returned to the forest.

What can that old woman mean? she asked aloud as she strode down the winding path through the woods. Torn between excitement and anger, she paid no attention to where she went, until she tripped over an object that had not been in her path when she first came this way.

How dare you obstruct my way? she snapped when she had caught her balance. Alice whirled to confront the offender.

A rabbit lay curled up in the middle of the path. It was panting, and blood stained its white fur pink.

What’s wrong with you, you stupid rodent? she exclaimed. And then she recalled one of the peculiarities of this dimension: the animals were not sentient, and they did not speak. I supposed you really are a stupid rabbit, aren’t you? You can’t even tell anyone what’s wrong.

The animal made a squeaking sound and struggled to stand. Its hind legs did not work, and it collapsed in a pitiful heap.

You didn’t trip, she assessed, studying it. Oh. Did something attack you?

Emotion stirred within her, a combination of fear and fury and helplessness.

I know what that’s like, she said and took a step closer. I don’t suppose it was my mother? I wouldn’t put it past her to travel all this way just to show me she was watching me. The image in her mind, of the Red Queen hurting the small animal, disturbed her.

Alice looked around. If animals were not sentient, did this Earth dimension possess the kind of healer capable of communicating with the rabbit to understand what was wrong? Alice tried to draw magick from the world around her without success. How was the animal to heal, if there was no magick here?

The rabbit tried to stand again.

You’re in pain, Alice said in a hushed voice. She shuddered, recalling the many times the Red Queen had caused her pain she did not deserve. What could this little animal possibly have done to deserve to be in pain? What kind of cruel person had done this? Was the rabbit silently crying, as Alice often did?

Rage rose within her, the kind hot enough to stir her madness.

I won’t let her hurt you again! she vowed. She plucked a kerchief from her pocket, wrapped the rabbit in it, and scooped it off the ground. In Wonderland, with its mystical forests and talking animals, the rabbit had a chance to heal. When I rule Wonderland, I will destroy anyone like her!

Tucking the wounded animal in her satchel, Alice headed toward the shimmering portal. She stepped back through it to her bedchamber.

Her body flooded with a mixture of uncomfortable, volatile emotions. Every little sound put her on edge: the wind racing into her room through her windows, the padding of servants past the open door of her bedroom, the ticking of the clock that wouldn’t stop reminding her that her fate grew nearer with each passing second.

She had overheard the whispers from other court members. They believed her behavior to stem from being spoiled, but she knew it was more. Deep down, fear of her fate and madness—similar to the insanity displayed by the Red Queen—bloomed within her. Alice couldn’t bring herself to seek help or admit she was anything like the abusive mother she loathed. Instead, she lived her life always on the verge of a meltdown. The simplest things set her off, not because she had spent her life in luxury, but because the madness became stronger with each passing day. Her chances to outsmart her destiny, without hurting anyone, were also waning.

If the court members were faced with her dilemma, wouldn’t they act the same way? Wouldn’t they want revenge against her mother and to prevent the loss of life of her twin? Wouldn’t they want to grow old and to retain control over their own minds?

If Alice did not find a solution quickly, the war within her would be lost, and she would end up like the Red Queen or worse … dead, if the prophecy were truly inevitable.

She reviewed the Oracle’s words in her mind several times. The old woman had mentioned the man Alice yearned to be with. If Landon had made it into the Oracle’s visions, did he play a larger role in her future than she had ever allowed herself to hope? The kind of role she secretly daydreamed about?

That would be impossible.

After several moments of deep breathing, Alice had regained her composure enough to search for him. She tried to tell herself this was about freeing the rabbit in her bag in the forest, not her eagerness to see some stupid stable hand.

How could she care for someone like him anyway? A member of the lower class, he was borderline rude when they interacted. Oh, he was never outright insolent, but defiance lurked in his eyes whenever he spoke to her. He couldn’t stand the sight of her, and he did a poor job of concealing it.

If he were destined to help her, as the Oracle implied, he had better come around soon!

Alice stormed down the long hallways, not making eye contact with any of the help. When she finally stepped outside, a sense of relief washed over her. In the palace, the Red Queen ruled her life. Outside, she could pretend to be free of her oppressive mother.

The tension slid from her body.

Until she saw the familiar figure walking up the staircase, toward the palace from the direction of the gardens. The Red Queen was trailed by several servants and her most faithful advisors.

They met midway on the stairs.

Mother, Alice greeted her without emotion. Her hand instinctively went to the bag holding the injured rabbit to protect it, in case her mother had one of her tantrums.

You’re not really going out dressed like that, are you? the Red Queen asked.

Alice glanced down at her stunning, blue gown. I was being thoughtful. I didn’t want to outshine the queen, so I’m downplaying myself a bit.

The queen’s face remained neutral. She lowered her voice. We both know your beauty is your only redeeming quality. Do not concern yourself with my appearance. My beauty will always shine brighter than your own, because your soul is withered and black, and people can see that, my dear.

Alice smiled serenely. Like mother like daughter.

The queen’s eyes narrowed. "Were you my true daughter, I wouldn’t have so much trouble sharing the same air with you."

Her words cut deeply, like they always did, but Alice dared not show her feelings to the person who knew best how to manipulate them. If you weren’t so flawed, perhaps you could have borne your own children. Alice’s voice was sickly sweet.

In a rare display of emotion, the queen’s face clouded over. She brushed by Alice and silently continued up the stairs with her entourage.

Why would any woman adopt a child if she couldn’t stand the thought of it not being her own flesh and blood? Alice never wanted to have children. She refused to bring a child into this cruel world.

With a heavy heart, Alice made her way to the stables. She wasn’t dressed for riding, but she’d think of some excuse as to why she sought out the surly stable hand who somehow managed to capture her heart.

A young raven boy carried water to the horses. When he glanced up, fear flashed through his beady eyes. With haste, he looked down again.

Where is Landon? Alice demanded.

The raven pointed behind him, his hand visibly shaking while his wings twitched behind him.

With a curt nod, Alice strode down the pathway. As she entered the stable, Landon’s head popped up over one of the horse’s stall door, and their eyes met. His light brown eyes were unreadable. Princess.

Prepare a horse for me immediately. Also, I demand that you join me for a ride. The words surprised her as they flew out of her mouth.

His eyes widened. He seemed as startled as she felt. Excuse me?

You heard me. I want to travel to a place in the forest I’ve never been, and you know the trails better than anyone. It was as good an excuse as any, in case others were eavesdropping.

He scratched the top of his head, and his brown hair remained standing on end when he lowered his hand. On anyone else, it would look ridiculous, but she found that nothing looked bad on him. A part of her longed to reach over and smooth the unruly hair down, but she knew better than to behave that way.

Shouldn’t you take one of your guards? he asked warily.

His reluctance to be alone with her was not new. As children, he had been forced to play with her. She’d even made him play dolls, but he’d never seemed to enjoy himself. She was always a duty, a chore, like mucking stalls, even when they were young.

How could she care for him above anyone else? How could someone of so little consequence in the world impact her future?

Why could she not look away from his beautiful eyes?

"Who are you to question the princess of this realm? I’ll be back shortly, and you will be ready," she told him.

He stood up and dropped a dirty hand towel onto the table. I’ll be ready.

Alice couldn’t help but notice his massive frame. He’d grown so much over the years, he rivaled some of the knights in size. His shoulders were broad, his waist narrow, and his legs appeared muscular even through his trousers.

He didn’t acknowledge her appraisal.

She cleared her throat. I’ll be back after I change and have lunch.

He gave a slight bow. I’ll be humbly awaiting your return.

Anyone else would have been whipped, or worse, for such a facetious tone, but she chose to overlook his defiance. If she had him whipped, she couldn’t spend time with him this afternoon. Don’t make me wait. She spun on her toes and walked away, head held high, back erect.

As she walked, she inhaled deeply, waiting for her racing heart to return to normal. Landon always had that effect on her. Mind boggling, really. He made her feel things no other man had ever come close to, just by existing.

Her mother would have a heart attack if she ever found out Alice was attracted to someone like Landon, which gave Alice a sense of supreme satisfaction. Yet she genuinely cared more about the pleasure she would experience seeing Landon than the pleasure of her mother’s anger if the Red Queen discovered them together.

Whatever she felt for Landon, Alice had little time to waste trying to figure it out. Soon she would be forced to marry another. And the Oracle had indicated that the chance for Alice to escape her fate lay with her heart. The woman was seldom wrong, and Alice cared for only one person.

Being around Landon therefore made sense. If he held the key to helping her, she wanted to be close. And if the elusive Oracle meant something else, Alice still wanted to be around him.

After all, didn’t she deserve some happiness in this dreadful world?

2

Alice

I give myself very good advice, but I very seldom follow it.

― Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

---

Alice changed into her riding clothes, hid the rabbit in one of the deep pockets of her cloak, and hurried back to the stables. Horseback riding had been one of her passions throughout her life. However, the real reason for her love of horses was, and had always been, Landon.

Okay, maybe that was not completely the truth. She did feel a bond of sorts with animals. They understood her in a way that humans could not, and she never had to worry about them hurting or betraying her. Horses had no trouble allowing her to be free and run wild without any rules. She experienced a rare, brief sense of peace with the wind on her face and her hair blowing behind her.

Once she arrived at the stables, she was annoyed to find the horses were not ready. Landon! she shouted.

He came around the corner, his jaw set in annoyance. Yes, Your Grace?

Why aren’t you ready?

I didn’t realize you intended to leave so soon.

By his expression, he did know, and he was challenging her authority yet again.

Get them ready, she ordered. We’re leaving now.

He yelled out for one of the other stable hands to bring around the horses.

Alice watched in dismay as he walked away from her. He glanced over his shoulder. I think Jim will be a better guide for you, since you’re in such a rush, and I haven’t eaten.

Alice stomped her foot into the ground. "No. That is not an option. You will accompany me, or I will see you whipped in the courtyard."

He stopped mid-stride. Well then, I guess I better get cleaned up.

Impatiently, she waited while he took his time getting ready. As he came back into view, she was surprised to see he was carrying a bag. When he noticed her stare, he shrugged. You might be able to force me to go with you, but you’re not going to force me to miss my meal.

He strode toward the horses without waiting on her. Anyone else, her mother’s favored servants especially, she would have had beaten or drawn and quartered. Instead, Alice took a deep breath and followed him. He could be infuriating at times, and yet her heart leapt to her throat at the thought of being alone with him.

When one of the other grooms tried to help her onto the horse, she shoved him away and mounted by herself. Landon took off, and she urged her horse to catch up.

Once