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“ “Jebediah has given up on you, but I never will. I can offer you the security you desire. If you’ll but be mine, your heart will forever be sheltered in my care. Yes, we will quarrel incessantly and fight for dominance. And yes, there will be ravishes of passion, but there will also be gentle lulls. That is who we are together. You’ll never need fear that your love is not reciprocated. For although you’ve made me feel things I am not equipped for . . . I cannot stop feeling them.â€� His chin quavers. “You opened Pandora’s box within me. Set loose the imaginings and emotions of a mortal man. And there is no closing it ever again.â€� The jewels under his eyes twitch between dark purple and blue. “As much as I abhor being anything akin to human, Alyssa, I wouldn’t dare try to close it. Because that would mean losing you.â€�
The confession is lovely and brutal—laced with honesty that I not only hear in the rasp of his voice, but feel in the quaking of his muscles as he holds my hands over my head.”
― A.G. Howard, Ensnared

“ “A son,â€� I say, recalling every detail of the child’s perfect face.
Ivory’s smile is blinding. “A most unique creature. The first child to be born to two netherlings who’ve shared a childhood. Wonderland is founded on chaos, madness, and magic. For so long, innocence and imagination have had no place there. As a result, we haven’t had children, at least by your world’s definition. And because of this, we’ve lost the ability to dream. But Morpheus experienced those things via you, each time you played together in your dreams. Through your child, Wonderland will thrive with new magic and strength. Our offspring will become true children once more; they will learn to dream again. And all will be right with our world.”
― A.G. Howard, Unhinged

“This ride is spectacular! Right, Morpheus? Just like flying, right?â€� He tenses next to me, trying to hide his panic. I glance at him and he’s practically green; even the jewels beneath his skin flash a putrid, sickly tone. “What’s the matter? Stomach a little kicky? Didn’t you always say it’s the kicks that let you know you’re alive?”
― A.G. Howard, Unhinged

“I’m here because I’ve lost my head. My mind is unhinged. That’s what the doctors say.”
― A.G. Howard, Unhinged

“ “It wasn’t a ruse. Everything I said is true.â€�
He huffs and attempts a glare. But underneath, I see the same doubt and vulnerability I heard in his voice when he sent me to the train without him. I also see something more: a damaged and enchanted fairy who pushed aside his selfishness and faced the bandersnatch for me, who looked a train dead-on, who put himself between Jeb and Sister Two, and who saved my dad from having his life sucked away.
I’m overwhelmed with compassion and gratitude and another emotion I don’t dare put a name to. I have to convince him that there’s a place for him in my heart, too.
Just not yet.
I glance at the wings covering me, at his body, immovable in front of me, then rise up on tiptoe and take his smooth face in both my hands. He tenses for an instant—suspicious—but relaxes slowly, each muscle surrendering bit by bit as I stroke his jaw.”
― A.G. Howard, Unhinged

“He spins us both, wrapping us in his wings until I’m dazed and giggling.
“I wanted to lift you above me and swing you in circles until we were both dizzy and laughing,� he murmurs against my neck as we tumble to the ground, trapped beneath his tented wings.
My body aches on impact—but it’s a delicious ache. I can hardly breathe with the weight of his ribs covering mine, with the scent of his tobacco surrounding me, smothering and intoxicating. The curve of his smiling mouth glides along my collarbone and I gasp at the velvety sensation. I force his head up so I can look at him . . . break the spell.
He slips the bejeweled headband from my hair, sweeping stray strands from my face. The slickness of his gloves grazes my eye markings.
“I wanted to kiss your lips and share your breath,â€� he says softly as he leans close.”
― A.G. Howard, Ensnared

“What went on between you and my mom? Did you seduce all the Liddell women? Did you tell them the same pretty words you told me?â€� I curl my legs beneath my dress, feeling small and vulnerable for even asking.
Morpheus scoots aside some glass with his boot and kneels. He takes my hand in his. “I’ve known but three generations of Liddell women. Counting the ones in London, there’s been twenty or so. Most were oblivious and unreachable—they didn’t hear the nether-call. The others weren’t strong enough to face their lineage without losing their minds. As for Alison, she and I were business partners. There has never been more than that between us. There’s only one Liddell I desire, only one who earns my undying devotion.â€� He works a fingertip into the lace at my elbow and drags off the glove. “The one who was my truest friend â€� who took my place and braved the attack that was meant for me.â€� ”
― A.G. Howard, Unhinged

“Before I can even ask what he means, he skims his licorice-scented lips across my forehead—just shy of touching—his warm breath dragging across my left eye patch, then down a cheek, toward my mouth. The corner of my mouth tickles as he passes over it; then his breath stops to hover across my chin.
His palms rest against the wall on either side of my head. He lets the web serve as his hands, his breath serve as his lips, holding me immobile and kissing me without ever touching me.”
― A.G. Howard, Unhinged

“ “What’s with you?â€� Jen asks. “You act like I caught you guys making out in his car.â€�
Morpheus laughs. “Timing truly is everything, isn’t it?�
“What does that mean?� Jen turns to him.
Morpheus holds my gaze. “Had you been just a few minutes earlier, you would have caught us. I had my hands in Alyssa’s skirt.â€� ”
― A.G. Howard, Unhinged

“ “I believe I’ll keep that one to myself, luv. If I told you all my secrets, there would be no more mystery in our relationship.â€�
“I’m not a big fan of mysteries.�
That roguish smile I once hated curls his lips and curls my insides. “Rubbish. You adore them.â€� ”
― A.G. Howard, Ensnared

“I turn, concentrating on Jeb. “No matter what you think happened between the two of us, I love you. We share battle scars and hearts. I don’t want to lose that.â€�
He studies my necklaces and the soldered clump of metal at my neck. “Yeah, I see how well you took care of my heart.â€� ”
― A.G. Howard, Unhinged

“Morpheus puts an arm around me. “You’re all right, blossom,â€� he says, his mouth at my ear. “Can you drive?â€�
I nod and sniffle.
“G´Ç´Ç»å.â€� He scoots back to his seat, then grabs my chin to force me to look at him. “Next time, I expect you to figure a way out. A netherling way.â€�
My tears gather around his hand, smudging his fingers with makeup.
“You didn’t leave me,� I utter in disbelief. “I thought you would leave me.�
He releases my face and looks out the opposite window while rubbing his hand on his jeans to wipe off my mascara. “Nonsense. I stayed for the car.â€� ”
― A.G. Howard, Unhinged

“ “W²¹¾±³Ù.â€� I grab his tie. Even through his shirt, I feel the strong curve of his collarbone beneath my fingers. It takes me back to how he looked in my bedroom: shirtless and perfect—wings spread high like those of some sort of celestial being—elegant power and pulsing light. Unabashed, unashamed, and confident. All the things that I crave to be.
My pulse beats rapidly against the bite on my neck. “There’s something I want you to do, before Jeb wakes enough to know what’s going on.�
Morpheus kneels again. “What? You want I should kiss your ouchies?â€� The dark purr of his voice is more teasing than seductive.”
― A.G. Howard, Unhinged

“ “How do you do that?â€� I ask. “How do you always turn everything around on everyone else? Manipulate even those who know better than to believe you?â€�
Morpheus shrugs. “That’s my power. My magic. Persuasion.�
“No. Your power is poison.� My pride raises its head again. “Just so you know, there’s something you’ll never persuade me to do.�
He studies me, smug. "What’s that?�
“Love you.�
Morpheus’s jewels turn pale blue, the color of anguish, and I revel in the knowledge that I cut him.
“Never say never,â€� he murmurs.”
― A.G. Howard, Unhinged

“ “I’m just asking you to wait a little while,â€� I whisper. “Isn’t forever worth that?â€� Not giving him the chance to answer, I press my mouth to his cheek, a promise for someday. One pulse of my lips for my childhood friend, and one for the man I’m only starting to know.”
― A.G. Howard, Unhinged

“I trace the box’s lid where a gold ribbon binds it. With one tug, the bow poofs into a golden, glittering fall of letters that form a message in midairâ€�

Things I once hoped to give you:
1. A magical wedding . . .

Choking back tears, I take out the ring and loop it onto the string alongside the diary’s key at my neck, tucking it under my shirt to keep it safe.
A picnic basket sits at my feet beneath the bench. There’s another ribbon, and when I untie it, more letters form a glimmering parade through the air:

2. Picnics at the lake with your mom and dad . . .

I sniffle and make my way to the middle of the room, where reproductions of my mosaics float next to Sold signs. I tug a ribbon loose and free another message:

3. A lifetime of shared successes and laughter . . . ”
― A.G. Howard, Ensnared

“His deep chuckle curls up on a tail of smoke. “Does it ever disarm you, Alyssa . . . how well we see through one another? It does me.â€� His voice softens on the admission—a depth of vulnerability he doesn’t often use.”
― A.G. Howard, Ensnared

“He had you in his room?" A dark cloud crosses Jeb’s face. “Do you swear he didn’t try anything?â€�

“Scout’s honor.�

He squeezes my waist, tickling me. “Too bad you were never a Scout.�

I squirm and smile. “Nothing happened.�

That’s a lie. Morpheus got to me in a big way, showing me a side of myself I can hardly believe exists—one I’m not sure Jeb will be able to accept.”
― A.G. Howard, Splintered

“Morpheus yelps.
Once we’re back on the road, I catch a glimpse of him in the rearview. His beloved hat is crushed against his chest between his fists.”
― A.G. Howard, Unhinged

“I start to take off my seat belt. “I’m still stuck.â€�
Morpheus eases closer and grasps my hand. “Shall we try to take the skirt off?â€� he says, his voice provocative. “We have the leisure of doing it right this time.”
― A.G. Howard, Unhinged

“ “My Peregrination Cap,â€� he grumbles, straightening his tie and vest while wavering on wobbly legs.
I gesture to the layer of moths crawling around on Gizmo’s roof. “We lost a few of them to the wind. Sorry.�
“B°ù¾±±ô±ô¾±²¹²Ô³Ù.â€� Scowling, Morpheus walks over and sweeps his hand across the insects, coaxing them to form the hat. They manage all but the brim. He puts it on anyway and turns to me.
I bite my cheeks in an effort not to laugh.
He narrows his eyes. “Don’t get too cheeky, little plum. Though your prank may have been irresistibly wicked, I’m still in the lead by a set of wings.â€� ”
― A.G. Howard, Unhinged

“ “M´Ç°ù±è³ó±ð³Ü²õ.â€� Jeb bites down on the name, as if trying to chew it up. “He visits your dreams and flies with you. How can a human compete with that?â€�
“This isn’t a competition,� I say. “I made my choice.�
“Is that why you lied for so long?� He won’t meet my gaze, concentrating instead on his boots. “Because you made your choice?� His jaw clamps so tight I can see the muscles twitch beneath the skin. “No. You lied because I’m just a skater. Just an artist. I have nothing to offer. He can give you a world of magic and beauty.� His eyes slowly trail up to mine. They’re like a forest trampled by a storm. “A world that you were born to rule.�

***

“Just an artist. You painted my freedom with your blood. Just a skater. You flew across a chasm on a skateboard made of a tea tray to get me to safety. You don’t need magic, Jeb.â€� I touch his face, and he leans his stubbled cheek against my palm, all of his anger and hurt seeping away. “You held your own against everything that was thrown at us, using only human courage and ingenuity. You’re my knight. There’s nothing left to prove anymore. Not to your dad, not to my mom, not to Morpheus, not to me. You’ve already proven you’re the guy I always knew you were. The guy I love.â€� ”
― A.G. Howard, Unhinged

“ “So, you’re basically playing the part of Wendy.â€�
Jeb pauses and glances at me. “W¾±²Ô»å²â?â€�
“Wendy, from Peter Pan. You’re stitching Dad’s shadow into place.� Peter Pan was his favorite fairy tale as a child. His mom read it to him every night.
There’s the hint of a shy, boyish grin on his face—the one he used to give me when I’d catch him off guard.”
― A.G. Howard, Ensnared

“ “Look …â€� I find my voice again. “I’m sorry for scaring you by driving so crazy. I shouldn’t have played on your fears like that.â€�
He opens his door. As it glides upward on its hinges, he sets his feet on the ground and looks over his shoulder.
“You wish to apologize?â€� He grins. “Whyever for? Everyone has something that can be used against them. You set aside your innate compassionate nature and used my weakness to get what you wanted from me. That was well played. You followed your instincts and let down your inhibitions without my even having to coach you. ”
― A.G. Howard, Unhinged

“ â€ÂÙ³ó³ó.â€� I squeeze his hand. His palm feels clammy. “We have to try to keep it down, okay? We don’t want my dad coming in.â€�
He grits his teeth against more shivers. “Always knew I’d end up in your bed � and hear you say those words one day.� He manages a smirk.
Jeb snarls. “Unbelievable. Even when he’s at death’s door he’s a tool.� He arranges a pillow beneath Morpheus’s neck. “Why don’t you keep your mouth shut while we help you.�
Morpheus laughs weakly, his skin flashing with blue light. “What say Alyssaâ€� —his breath rattlesâ€� “gives my mouth something else to do?â€� ”
― A.G. Howard, Unhinged

“I rub my sternum to alleviate the sensation, then drag my arms out of Jeb’s shirt and slip the lingerie on underneath.
My blush burns hotter to find each item fits perfectly . . . that Morpheus knows my body without ever having run his fingers over it; even more, he knows how I’ve been craving pretty things since I left the asylum. He knows me.”
― A.G. Howard, Ensnared

“ “C³ó±ð²õ²õ¾±±ð?â€� I ask. The rest of the hamster-size creature materializes, looking just as I remember: the face of a kitten, the wings of a hummingbird, and the body of an orange and gray raccoon. He flits to the dashboard and perches there, cleaning the oil and grease splotches from his fluffy fur with his tongue, like a squirrel taking a spit bath.”
― A.G. Howard, Unhinged

“ “Do you have any more surprise stowaways up your sleeve?â€� I ask Morpheus.
Pushing dents out of his hat, he scowls. “I’m starting to fear I didn’t bring enough. If there’s one thing netherlings are good at, it’s cleaning messes.â€� ”
― A.G. Howard, Unhinged

“ "You know how to manipulate me, and I know how to manipulate you. That makes us even.â€�
No. We’ll never be even.
We’ll always be trying to outdo each other. I won’t say it aloud, any more than I’ll admit that I like it that way; that some primal, powerful side of me craves the challenge and always has.”
― A.G. Howard

“ “But you’re a full-blood netherling. You don’t know how to use your imagination.â€�
“On the contrary. I do. Thanks to you. I followed your example in our childhood. I absorbed it without even realizing. Then, when I was stuck here deprived of my magic, I had to find something to while away those weeks and hours. Perhaps that was the silver lining to this entire debacle. The lack of magic is what leads humans to fantasize in the first place. And Alyssa, what a wonderfully powerful force an imagination can be.�
His expression is awestruck, exactly the way he used to look at me during our childhood escapades. How inconceivable, that I was his teacher, too. He once told me I was, but I never grasped what he meant until now.”
― A.G. Howard, Ensnared