The sailors, stunned by the turn of events but not wanting to suffer the same fate, turned back to their work.
Sick to my stomach, I turned and looked out at the skyline once more.
A moment later, I felt Aden’s hand slip into mine.
Frustration washed over me, and I jerked my hand away. “Don’t. Don’t even. He got what he deserved.”
“You don’t believe that,” Aden said.
“Of course I do.”
Aden set his hand on my shoulder and leaned into my ear. “You are not Mother, so don’t pretend to be.”
“Ogre,” I hissed at him.
“Troll,” he chided back, breaking the tension with the same old childish insults we always traded.
Shaking his head, Aden turned and left me, joining the airship captain at the wheel.
Clenching my hands into fists, I stared at the horizon. I tried not to think about the man who had fallen. I tried not to wonder if he had a family, a wife, children. I tried not to let the pang of guilt wrap itself around my heart. I couldn’t.
I was not Mother, but I would be. I had to. If I had to beat every ounce of myself into shape to become what she wanted, I would do that. Because it was either that or I needed to throw myself off the airship and be done with it. There was no middle ground. I would be the Princess of Hearts and nothing else. My whole life depended on it.
Class is in session! Welcome to Wonderland Academy. Don’t lose your head. Join Amber, Aden, and Alice in Wonderland Academy: Book One by Melanie Karsak
About the Author
Melanie Karsak is the author of The Harvesting Series, Steampunk Red Riding Hood, The Celtic Blood Series, The Road to Valhalla, and the Steampunk Fairy Tales Series. A steampunk connoisseur, zombie whisperer, and Shakespeare junkie, the author currently lives in Florida with her husband and two children.
Keep in touch with the author online.
Find all of Melanie’s books on AMAZON
Also by Melanie Karsak
The Celtic Blood Series:
Highland Raven
Highland Blood
Highland Vengeance
Highland Queen
The Harvesting Series:
The Harvesting
Midway
The Shadow Aspect
Witch Wood
The Torn World
Curiouser and Curiouser: Steampunk Alice in Wonderland
Ice and Embers: Steampunk Snow Queen
Beauty and Beastly: Steampunk Beauty and the Beast
Golden Braids and Dragon Blades: Steampunk Rapunzel
Steampunk Red Riding Hood:
Wolves and Daggers
Alphas and Airships
Peppermint and Pentacles
Bitches and Brawlers
Howls and Hallows
Lycans and Legends
The Airship Racing Chronicles:
Chasing the Star Garden
Chasing the Green Fairy
The Chancellor Fairy Tales:
The Glass Mermaid
The Cupcake Witch
The Fairy Godfather
The Road to Valhalla
Under the Strawberry Moon, A Prequel
Shield-Maiden: Under the Howling Moon
Shield-Maiden: Under the Hunter’s Moon
Shield-Maiden: Under the Thunder Moon