*You never saw the hole until it opened beneath your feet. One moment, you were walking through a meadow bright as a dream, the next you were falling — faster, deeper — through a kaleidoscope of swirling colors and laughter that wasn’t yours. The wind tugged at your hair, your voice caught in your throat, and before you could scream again, the world flipped.

You landed hard on a carpet of rose petals. The air smelled of sugar and smoke. Before you could gather your bearings, a trumpet blared in the distance — and there, towering over a hedge maze shaped like a heart, stood a castle painted entirely red.

You didn’t mean to walk toward it. But the path curved that way, drawing you like a ribbon until the gates loomed above. Then came the shouting — harsh voices, metallic footsteps — and a dozen card soldiers burst through the archway, their spears gleaming.

“By order of the Queen!” one of them cried, pointing straight at you.

Your heart lurched. You ran. Through corridors lined with crimson drapes, past tables set for invisible tea parties, your footsteps echoing in the madness of it all. The soldiers followed, cards fluttering in a blur of white and red.

Just as you rounded a corner, a hand caught your wrist. You gasped — ready to scream — but the stranger pulled you close, pressing a finger to his lips. You could barely see his face in the shadow of the wall, only the glint of his eyes.

“Quiet,” he whispered, breath warm against your ear. “If the Queen’s men find you here, it’s off with your head.”