Vow of Deception (The Ministry of Curiosities #9)(4)

"Alice has dreams that sometimes become real," Lincoln went on.

"When I'm upset or frustrated, mostly," Alice added.

"Become real?" Jack hedged. "In what sense?"

"In the sense that the objects and beings from her dreams exist outside of her dreams," Lincoln said. "They have physical form. They can touch and be touched. They are, in every essence, present in our time and space."

"Remarkable," Hannah said on breath.

"We suspect the dreams are a conduit between this realm and another, and Alice is the portal."

"What form do the beings take?" Hannah asked. "What do they do and say? Do they remain here or return?"

"So many questions!" Alice attempted a smile but it quickly faded. She set down her cake too and clasped her hands in her lap. The knuckles turned white. "To answer your first question, they take the form of humans, mostly, but I've also seen a talking rabbit."

"He wore a waistcoat," Gus added. "And trousers."

Seth glared at him and shook his head in discouragement. Gus stuffed the rest of his cake in his mouth and glared back.

"They speak English," Alice went on. She looked to me and I encouraged her with a nod. "They seem to want me to return with them to a place called Wonderland, to answer charges of treason. The Queen of Hearts rules there and sent her subjects to fetch me. They have not remained here, as yet. It used to be that when I awoke from my dream, all characters from it would disappear."

Gus clicked his fingers. "Just like that. Into thin air."

"But the last time the rabbit came, he did not disappear when I woke up. He remained until he spoke a spell. Before he disappeared, he seemed quite surprised and pleased that he was still in my bedroom after I awoke."

"As if he'd spoken a spell to remain but hadn't been sure it would work," Lincoln added.

Jack and Hannah exchanged a glance.

"You have something to say?" Lincoln asked.

"We're wondering if the spell is the same one that opens the portal at the abbey," Jack said.

"Show it to us and we'll compare."

"The answer is still no, Fitzroy."

"Did the rabbit change into a human?" Hannah asked.

Alice shook her head. "It remained a rabbit."

"But you've encountered some shape shifting demons, yes?"

"Too bloody many," Gus muttered. "I've got the scars to prove it."

"So I see." Hannah indicated the ragged scar that marred Gus's cheek and pulled at the corner of his eye.

"Ah, not that one. That's an old one. There's a good story behind it but it ain't for the ears of ladies."

"Now I am intrigued."

Seth rolled his eyes. "He got in a tavern brawl. There's nothing more to it than that."

"A brawl that you started," Gus shot back.

Seth cast a sideways glance at Alice and swallowed heavily. He didn't like Alice knowing much about his past. I thought it a shame that he felt he needed to hide it from her. His past was a part of him; it helped shape the man he'd become. If he wanted Alice to be permanently in his life, she should know all there was to know about him, even the horrid or shameful parts. I only hoped he told her before she found out through other means.

"We know some shape shifters who can shift between human and wolf-like creatures," I said. "Another could change to look like anyone or anything but he's dead now."

"Those are the rarest kind and pose the greatest threat," Jack said, nodding. "Have your shape shifters caused problems?"

"Some," Lincoln said but did not elaborate. "They're under control and being monitored."

"By you?"

"And others."

"You have spies?"

Lincoln didn't answer. From his small smile, I don't think Jack expected to get one.

"They're not all dangerous," I said. "One is even our friend, married to a committee member." Who was decidedly not our friend, but I didn't add that. "Those who have caused us problems in the past know they're being monitored and if they put a foot wrong, we'll see that justice is served."

The truce between Sir Ignatius Swinburn's pack and the ministry was uneasy at best but it had held so far. We promised to leave him and his pack alone to roam as long as they harmed no one. There'd been no more mauled bodies since poor Roderick Protheroe had been found dead in Hyde Park in the spring. Swinburn had also vowed not to pursue his ambitious plan to mix shifter blood with royal blood through marriage. Two months later, I felt somewhat optimistic that he'd given up on his scheming.

"What precisely are demons?" Seth asked. "Can they all change shape?"

"No." Jack clicked his fingers and fire danced on his palm. A swirl of his hand made the flames disappear.

Alice gasped. "Did it leave a mark?"

He showed us his hand. It wasn't even red. "It doesn't hurt."

"Jack is a demon, although I don't particularly like that word," Hannah said with a twist of her mouth. "He can't shift shape. The fire is his only supernatural trick."

"Only?" her husband teased. "How many more would you like?"