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𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟐𝟒
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐖𝐊𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐑𝐄𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐎𝐍

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Everyone exchanged smiles as they raced down the trail and toward the end of the forest. Once they were out of the Wonderlandian woods, the lights from the fireworks became even brighter. The smile on Indigo's face did nothing but grow as she watched more colorful lights flash in the sky. Each rainbow explosion was accompanied by an equally beautiful reflection in the water that surrounded the village. That was the first time in the Lark girl's life that she watched fireworks and she really hoped it wouldn't be the last.

"If I know Will, he'll be in the very center of their festivities," Anastasia announced, earning small nods and chuckles from Indigo and Kaden in response while Alice sent her a sideways glance.

"Maybe," the Kingsleigh woman muttered just loud enough for them to hear before turning her attention back to the celebration happening on the other side of the lake, "or maybe he's just inside his bottle, and his master won't be very cooperative when he hears we want to take his genie away from him."

"We're better off splitting up," the former genie announced as he walked past him toward the path that would lead them to the village, completely unaware of the shocked look Alice was sending his way, "we'll cover more ground."

"Are you sure?" Alice called after him, causing everyone to stop in their tracks and turn back around to face her, only to find her staring back at the Red Queen, "what's to stop one of us from finding the bottle and just running off?"

Silence surrounded them as the two women had a staring contest while the other three watched from a short distance away. What felt like an eternity passed before Anastasia finally opened her mouth to break the silence. "I guess we'll all simply have to trust each other."

Before Alice had a chance to respond, the woman in red turned around and began heading down the path that would take her to her destination. Indigo and Kaden glanced back at Alice one last time, only to find her and Cyrus having a private conversation. That caused the couple to interlock their fingers and follow the Red Queen while silently hoping they find Will and free him of his curse.

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"Anything?" Kaden called out after seeing Indigo approach him from the alley across from him, only to receive a sad shake of her head. It wasn't long after that when they heard the sound of approaching footsteps, causing them to turn around to find Alice and Cyrus walking toward them. "We came up empty. What about you two?"

"Nothing," the Kingsleigh woman responded with a sigh as she and the former genie stopped right in front of them, "no sign of the Knave or the bottle."

"Well, perhaps the Red Queen's found them," Cryus suggested, earning small nods from Indigo and Kaden.

At the same moment, his true love stared at him with a skeptical look in her eyes. "You really trust she'd bring it back if she did?"

It wasn't long after Alice finished speaking when the sound of approaching footsteps cut through the air. That caused Indigo to look past the blonde woman before her eyes landed on something she didn't expect to see. Anastasia was walking toward them with a smug look on her face and the lamp in her hand. A small smile appeared on the Lark girl's face before she uttered three words she never thought she would. "I do now."

Alice spun around faster than humanly possible before her attention landed on the woman in red. A shocked look instantly appeared on her face at the sight of her enemy before opening her mouth to speak. "Where did you find it?"

The smug look on the Red Queen's face instantly dropped as her eyes traveled away from Alice before landing on Indigo. "Your friend the Lizard. She had it."

The look on Anastasia's face caused the excitement about finding the bottle to slowly fade as the Spade's blood ran cold. Just as Indigo was about to ask what had happened, Alice took a step toward the woman in red with an angry look plastered on her face.

"What did you do to her?" the Kingleigh woman questioned without even attempting to hide the venom in her voice.

"Nothing," the blonde woman responded as her eyes darted between the older couple.

"Liar!"

"She was dead when I found her!" Anastasia explained, only for Alice and Cyrus to continue to glare at her while Indigo and Kaden watched in shocked silence, "if you don't believe me, we can ask the genie, if you like."

"Good idea. Hand over the bottle," the former genie ordered before he held out a hand to take the magical object from the Red Queen.

Indigo and Kaden both struggled to comprehend what was happening and why Cyrus suddenly wasn't backing Anastasia like he had been the entire time. However, before another thought could go through her head, the Lark girl caught the tears and determination in the Red Queen's eyes. The look caused a pit to form in her stomach, knowing nothing good would come out of what was about to come.

"As you wish," the woman in red told them as she held the bottle up in the air just before she ran her gloved hand over its surface, "oops."

The Red Queen's laughter filled the air as an eerie orange fog emitted from the bottle. As soon as it vanished, Indigo found Will standing directly in front of her. The two of them just stared at each other for a long moment before the Knave's attention traveled to the boy standing next to her. And it was at that moment that Indigo saw true emotion flash across Will's features for the first time in a long time. Indigo couldn't help but smile as she watched large grins appear on the Scarlet brother's faces.

"Is it really you? Like all of you?" Will asked as his eyes continued to scan over every feature on his little brother's face.

"Yeah, it's me," Kaden responded before wrapping his arm around Indigo's shoulder and pulling her closer to his side, "all of me."

Without any warning, the Scarlet man reached forward and pulled the couple in front of them into a tight hug. The three of them stayed like that and enjoyed their reunion for a moment longer before Will opened his mouth to break the silence. "I'm so happy you two found the lamp. I've been through a lot in the last couple of days."

"Actually, Will, I did," Anastasia announced, causing all the color to fade from the Scarlet man's face as he turned around to face the former love of his life.

"Mistress mine, my will is thine. Tell me your wishes three," the brunette man recited before a disgusted look appeared on his face followed by a groan.

"Yeah, I'm your master," the Red Queen said with the biggest smile Indigo had ever seen on her face.

"Bloody h*ll!"

"You did that on purpose. You're going to pay for that," Alice hissed as she took a step toward Anastasia, only for the Lark girl to grab the woman's wrist and pull her back.

"She only did it because the two of you pushed her too far," Indigo stated while glancing between the couple in front of her before gesturing toward the woman in red, "if you just listened to her for the first time in your lives, this wouldn't have happened."

"And we all know that a girl needs an insurance policy," Anastasia added, earning a slightly annoyed look from both Indigo and Kaden, who were trying their best not to get mad at her for rubbing the bottle. After rolling her eyes at the younger couple, the Red Queen let the smile on her face grow as she opened her mouth to continue speaking. "Either way, we need to find the Rabbit and get out of Wonderland before Jafar gets us."

"I'd prefer to take my chances with the homicidal maniac with the snake stick. Thank you, though," the Knave of Hearts declared without even attempting to hide the venom in his voice.

"No, you won't. Not any longer," the woman in red responded, causing everyone to stare at her as confusion mixed with their preexisting emotions, "when he gets you, he's gonna have all three genies."

"What do you mean 'all three genies'?" Cyrus questioned at the same moment Indigo's blood ran cold once again, knowing exactly what Jafar would do to get a genie's bottle.

"Exactly what I said," Anastasia stated as the fear in her eyes continued to grow, "he's already got the other two locked in their bottles. When he gets the third one, his power is gonna be unstoppable."

"Cyrus, what's wrong?" Alice asked after seeing the distressed look on the raven-haired man's face.

Instead of answering the Kingsleigh woman's question, the former genie took a few steps toward the Red Queen. "The other two bottles, what did they look like?"

"One's short, wide, and it's got large jewels on the side. The other one's like an oil lamp," Anastasia explained, only for the panic on Cyrus' face to double, "why? Why does it matter?"

"Cyrus, please tell me what's wrong!" Alice pleaded while the raven-haired man continued to panic after hearing the information given to him.

"Those other genies, they're my brothers," Cyrus told them, causing everyone to stare at him with wide eyes and slightly parted lips, "the three of us, we were cursed into the bottles at the same time. I spent hundreds of years searching for them. Eventually, I assumed they were lost. But if Jafar truly has them..."

"Then we'll stay," Alice declared while placing a gentle hand on the former genie's shoulder, "and we'll save them."

While the couple continued with their conversation, Indigo and Kaden exchanged a look. The two of them knew their best chance at survival was sticking together, especially because they knew Jafar needed Indigo for something. Why else would he have kept her alive after destroying Atlantis? But they also knew what it felt like to be prisoners of the nefarious sorcerer and they would never wish that on someone else.

"We're staying, too," Indigo announced after interlocking her fingers with Kaden's, causing everyone to look over at the young couple, "there's no way we're backing out of a fight like this."

"And, who knows, it might be fun," the Scarlet boy added while tightening his grip around his true love's hand, "plus we can't keep the happily ever afters all to ourselves."

"Well, I guess this is where we part company, then," Will said as he took a few steps toward the couples while rubbing his hands together. After watching the confused looks appear on all his friends' faces, the Knave let out a long sigh before gesturing toward the Red Queen. "I don't think this one's sticking around for any of that. And with her being my master and all..."

"Will, since when have I been one to give up a fight?" Anastasia questioned, drawing all attention back to her as she stared at her former lover.

"Since as long as I've known you," the Scarlet man responded in an emotionless tone, making Indigo and Kaden realize how much seeing the woman in red again was affecting him, "you've always taken the easy way out, Ana, the shortest way to get what you wanted, no matter who else it hurt. And now you've got them three wishes in your pocket. You've got the mother of all shortcuts. Seems to suit you perfectly, don't it?"

Anastasia just stared at the man in front of her with a stone-cold look on her face. What felt like an eternity of the two of them staring at each other passed before the blonde woman finally opened her mouth to respond. "We're staying."

"We are?" Will asked, not even bothering to hide the shock in his voice.

"Yes, we are," the Red Queen announced with determination in her voice as she took a few steps closer to the Knave of Hearts, "I have been a terrible queen. These people, they deserve better than what I gave them. So we are staying. And we are fighting. Besides, there are six of us. Jafar's on his own. He doesn't stand a chance."

Little did they know, Jafar had a plan of his own.

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