We dropped maybe three feet and landed on a patch of soft grass. I was even able to keep my feet under me the entire time.

"What the heck?" I said. When I turned around to look back up at the window, it was gone. The entire house was gone and had been replaced with another dense forest and blue skies.

"Well would you look at that," August grinned, "now they can't follow us."

"I wouldn't sound so sure." I pointed above us to where a void had opened up. Colton and the Red Queen's men looked down at us in anger.

August pulled me out of the way just as the first guy jumped through.

"We've gotta go." He said.

"Agreed."

He took my hand and pulled me along behind him as we tore through the forest. It was like what I imagined running through a rainforest would be like. The humidity was so high, we were both drenched in sweat within seconds.

"Do you know where we're going?" I panted.

"No clue! It's your imagination, shouldn't you be leading?"

I rolled my eyes and went to shove him, but tripped over a vine instead.

To my right, I heard a sound that was suspiciously close to that of the winged monkeys. An embarrassingly high pitched squeak escaped my lips and I pressed closer to August as we ran.

He squeezed my hand. "I heard it too, but you're going to be ok. From what you've told me, I wasn't overly heroic the last time we ran into those crazy monkeys."

"That's putting it lightly."

"I don't intend to repeat that. I don't know what I was like when we met before, but this August isn't about to run out like a coward."

"How noble of you." I smirked. "I must say. I'm liking this new August, but you're still going to have to do better than that. By the end, you were the bravest person I knew."

"Was the bravest? Princess, I am the bravest, strongest and awesomest person you'll ever meet."

I laughed. "Keep telling yourself that. Maybe someday it'll come true, and what's with the new nickname?"

He shrugged and ducked under a low hanging branch. We slowed to a walk. I didn't think my lungs would be able to handle any more running. August was still holding my hand, which was nice. I'd missed the comforting warmth of his skin against my own.

"You played all the princesses in the tales, right? Only seems fitting."

I rolled my eyes as I climbed over a fallen tree. "You make a fair point. However, the nickname is still unnecessary."

"Whatever you say, Princess." He winked.

We walked in silence for a while. There was a sweet scent in the air that was making me feel tired. My legs shook under me, and my lungs burned. I wanted to curl in a ball under a tree and sleep for three years, but August dutifully kept pulling me along.

"Taryn!"

I shook my head and looked up to find that we'd stopped walking and he was shaking my shoulders. "What?"

His eyes were filled with concern as he looked at me. "You zoned out on me there. You weren't responding to anything. Are you alright?"

Just then, I heard the sound of voices approaching. I gestured for August to stay quiet. As much as I didn't want to, I released August's hand and crept over toward where the voices were coming from.

It was just as I'd suspected. The Queen's men were out looking for me. There were at least two dozen of them. Too many to take on by ourselves. Each of the men wore a suit of red with a large black heart printed on the front and back. A few were on horses, most were on foot and they all carried blood-red swords.

I looked down to where August was still watching me in concern. There were so many men down there. If anything were to happen to him, I'd never forgive myself. It was my fault we were in this mess. I had to get us out of here, and to do that I was pretty sure I'd have to visit the Red Queen. A crazy idea started to form. One that would probably end with me getting myself killed, but at least August would be safe.

August frowned and shook his head when he saw the look in my eyes.

My heart skipped a beat. He might not remember me or our relationship, but apparently he was still able to tell when I was about to do something incredibly stupid. Nothing brings people closer that psychotic ideas.

"It's the only way." I whispered down to him. "Only I can return us to our real lives. I have to do this."

"Taryn, don't be stupid." He hurried over to kneel next to me. His eyes scanned the army of soldiers before us. "You can't turn yourself in."

"Watch me." I started to stand, but he pulled me back down.

"Remember what I said earlier? It's my time to be heroic. For my first heroic act I'm saving you from handing your life over to the enemy."

"I need to get to the Red Queen." I protested. "I have a feeling she holds the key to getting out of here alive."

"What makes you so sure? Weren't you warned to stay away from her?"

"That's my point! Isis told me to think about this as a game, which makes the Red Queen the boss of this level. I have to defeat her to move on."

"That's one way of looking at it I guess. Still, you can't face her alone. Like it or not, we have to work together on this."

I shook my head. "If anything happened to you, I'd never forgive myself. It's best if I do this alone."

"What? You think I'm just going to let you walk in there and get yourself killed? I just found out I have a girlfriend. I'm not about to let her die before I get a chance to know her."

I temporarily forgot how to breathe. Someone call 911, he's killing me here. I had this overwhelming urge to throw my arms around his neck and kiss him, but I held myself in check. Though I could feel my cheeks burning.

"I still need to get to the Red Queen."

"Then we find out own way there. You aren't going as a captive, and we stick together. Got it, Princess?"

I couldn't hide the grin tugging at the side of my mouth. "Alright then, Hero. We'll do it your way. Just don't go doing anything stupid like taking a sword for me."

"Wasn't planning on it. Ideally, I would like to avoid any death altogether, but if we do come across someone with a sword, you don't need to worry. We may be dating, but I barely know you. Sorry, but I don't take blades for strangers."

I shoved him. "Well that's a comforting thought."

His eyes danced with amusement. "Come with me, Princess." He extended his hand to me. "Together, you and I shall rid this kingdom of its dreadful queen and make this land a place of beauty once more."

"How poetic. I didn't know you had that in you."

He brushed his shoulder. "I try."

"Lead the way, Shakespeare. Let's go storm a castle."

We started off following the Queen's men, but it was pretty clear they weren't headed to the castle any time soon. They were after me and they weren't returning until they had me.

After nearly being caught for the third time (don't judge, silently trailing someone is a lot harder to do than they make it look in the movies) we decided to strike out on our own.

"So what makes you so sure that finding this castle will get us out of here?" August asked after a while of walking in silence. "How do you know she's the boss? Didn't you say earlier that you were warned against meeting the Queen?"

I shrugged. "Yeah well, that was Iris, and her opinion doesn't really count."

"Isn't she the one who put us here? She like, created this place right? Shouldn't we heed her warning?"

"You worry too much. Besides, I never do what I'm told."

"I'm figuring that one out quickly enough."

"Not listening makes you mad. Being mad is good." We both froze when we heard the voice.

"Who's there?" August called out.

"Who indeed! Would you care to join our party?" The voice called back.

I couldn't tell where it was coming from. It was coming from everywhere and nowhere at once. My eyes scanned the area, but the trees were dense. I couldn't see more than a few feet ahead.

"Where are you?" August called again.

"My, my. Where are we, mouse? Do you even have a name? If so you have never told it to me. Do tell, are you even a he or a she?" The voice rambled.

"I believe it to be a she." Another voice said. He spoke in a hurried and hushed tone. "Perhaps some mere tea will wake her."

"You idiots! If you attempt to dunk me in the teapot again, I swear I'll scratch both your eyes out." A third, much smaller voice snapped.

"Do you mean that you will scratch one eye out from each of us? Or perhaps only one will lose his eyes. As you see, 'both' refers to two and we each have two." The first man laughed. "I would very much like to know."

"You both are mad. It is a curse to be trapped here." The small voice sighed.

"Who are these wackos?" August whispered.

"Unfortunately, I think I know." I motioned for him to follow as I started forward again. "I hope you like tea."

August groaned. "Please tell me you're joking."

I really wished I was, but there was no one else I could think of who would sound that crazy. Maybe we'd strike it lucky and the Hatter would look like Johnny Depp.

I wasn't that lucky. When we made it to the clearing, we found a mad tea party. There was no other word to describe it. Three large tables had been pushed together to create one huge one. Mix-matched chairs, most of which were broken, lined the table. Scattered across the table were half a dozen tea pots and three times as many cups. Shattered glass and pieces of food littered the surface. Moldy biscuits and pastries were piled high on stands.

At the end of the table sat three of the oddest people I'd ever seen. Well, two people and one mouse. One looked like an overgrown leprechaun with his green suit and pointed shoes. He was standing on the table, arguing with the man in the chair. When he heard us coming, he looked up and flashed us a toothy grin. That's when I noticed the strangest thing about him. Large, fluffy bunny ears stuck up from beneath his hat.

"So that's the March Hare I'm guessing." August leaned in and whispered.

"What gave that away?"

"Guests for tea?" He turned on the man in the chair whom I could only guess was the Hatter. "Did you invite them? Can't you see we have no room?" He turned back to us. "No room!" He shouted and then started laughing so hard he fell off the table.

I arched an eyebrow. "No room? He does realize they have about three dozen chairs not currently being used, right?"

"He's mad. Show a little respect." August chided with a smirk.

"Visitors!" The Hatter jumped up and ran across the table. "We have not had guests for tea in . . . well in a very long time." He leapt off the table and took my hands. "Please, come and sit. Perhaps you will hold the key to the raven and the writing desk?"

"Sorry? The what?"

August followed as the Hatter pulled me toward the table and pushed me down into the seat next to his own. August sat next to me.

The Hatter looked very much like the Hare, minus the ears. Except his suit was orange and purple.

The mouse cried in exasperation. "Enough! No one knows the answer to that ridiculous question."

The Hatter grinned. "You do not know that. You must give her a chance."

Just then, the Hare jumped up from beneath the table between my legs. He crawled over my lap and back up onto the table, where he trampled a few moldy scones and a few teacups. That explained the shattered glass.

"Tea? Did someone say tea?" The Hare said excitedly. He jumped down onto one of the chairs and it broke under him, sending him sprawling to the floor. It didn't phase him much at all. He simply jumped back up and took the seat next to him.

"No one did actually," August grumbled.

"None sense!" The mouse squealed and scampered across the table to sit next to the Hare. "Everyone has time for tea."

"Actually, we were sort of hoping you'd be able to help us with something." I said.

August looked confused. "We were?"

"Yes," I nodded slowly, "we need to find the castle of the Red Queen. Do you know where it is?"

Hatter nodded. "Depends on which one you want. We know where it is. Crazy woman. Both of them. Doesn't like music. Not dancing either. So we drink tea and sing and dance together!"

"Will you help us find it?" I asked hopefully.

"We won't help you if you don't help us." Hatter said, then frowned. "Or was it the other way around? You won't help us if we don't help you?"

"Help you? With what?" I asked.

"Fix time. Move it forward. Bring us back to the here and now."

"What does that mean? How are we supposed to fix time?" August asked, but they ignored him.

Hatter's eyes remained fixed on me when he said, "It's a tricky thing, time. Always changing yet it never changes. It's always the same. One can always count on it to be the correct time."

"For tea!" The Hare pipped up and poured himself a cup of tea.

"Yes of course! Where are my manners? Please, have a cup of tea." Hatter reached across the table and grabbed two more cups.

I shook my head. "No tea, thank you. I'm more of a coffee person anyway. We really must be going."

"But you just got here." Hatter protested.

"And it's tea time." The Hare agreed. "You must stay."

"I wish we could, but we're in an awfully big hurry. Perhaps another time." August stood and smiled politely.

"Just half a cup?" Hatter insisted, cutting one of the cups in half. "It should only take a moment."

I caught August's eyes and he gave me one very clear silent message. We had to leave. I hadn't finished questioning them yet. There was still more the Hatter could tell us. That I was certain about. Yet August seemed adamant about leaving and I trusted his judgement. It was time to leave.

"You really must stay." The mouse squeaked after downing an entire cup of tea.

"We would love to, but we've got time to save. Since we're saving time . . . time isn't something we have." I said and got to my feet.

"Brilliantly spoken," the Hatter clapped for me, "yet not enough. Powerful people want you, Taryn." Suddenly the Hatter didn't sound so mad. That drunk-ish tinge in his voice was gone. His eyes had stopped dancing and he was giving me a very serious look. "People with power to start time again."

"What do you mean? You still sound mad to me." I said cautiously.

The Hare laughed. "He is mad. It was he who froze time for us in the first place."

"Oh this is a brilliant story," the mouse clapped.

"Our dear mad Hatter decided to sing a lovely ballad for the Queen. It was a beautiful gesture apart from the fact that the Queen had just found out about her garden disaster." The Hare laughed so hard he fell out of his seat.

The mouse sighed and rolled her eyes. "As punishment for 'destroying her ears' and taking time away from her game of croquet, she took away our time. We've been stuck in tea time for who knows how long."

"Tea time?" The Hare jumped up and down in his seat.

Hatter picked up the teapot and went to fill Hare's cup. He missed by about half an inch, sending Hare into another fit of laughter.

"So you want us to start time for you again?" I guessed.

"That would be ideal, yes." Hatter nodded. "See, I've been stuck not on my birthday for so long. I don't even remember when it is."

I looked over at August and then back at the Hatter. "We'll help."

"We will?" August asked in shock.

"Yes, we will. After that, you'll help us find the castle?"

Hatter nodded and stuck out his hand. I shook it.

"Best of luck. We'll have tea here waiting when you get back."

"Where do we start?" I asked.

"I would suggest the Queen of Hearts. Her castle is just over that hill."

"Seriously? Now you tell us?"

"No, you asked for the Red Queen's castle. That one is so much harder to find."

"You mean there are two Queens?"

"What?" Hatter looked confused. "Did you think they were the same?"

"No way. One will kill you on the spot, the other enjoys making others suffer." Hare said.

"Wonderful. I'm looking forward to this. Yay pain." I grumbled.

"So the key to your time problem is in the Queen of Heart's castle?" August guessed.

"I believe so. That's where I lost it anyway." Hatter nodded.

Hare frowned. "No, you said it was the Red Queen."

"Not even close. It was the Queen of Hearts. I remember very clearly." Hatter countered.

"No. It was the Red Queen."

"How do you know? You weren't even there!"

"You told me."

"No I didn't."

"But you did."

August took my arm. "Let's get out of here before they remember we're here."

I sighed and nodded. "Alright, let's go."

I have to say, I did enjoy writing this scene :D hopefully y'all enjoyed it as well!