Her head was pounding. Bringing a hand to her temple, she noticed small scrapes from rubbing them against rough things, probably. Those could be attended later. Despite the pounding in her skull, she chuckled a small, controlled chuckle.

“I acted very improper just now.”

The hormones pumping through her from the fear had subsided, and the insanity from before had too. Though she was still a bit on edge, it was mostly pain that she felt. And embarrassment. Her cheeks heated up with flush, and she turned her face away from Melissa’s to look at the debris on the ground nearby, though she wasn’t particularly interested in it.

“You know, I might have been intoxicated with insanity, but I didn’t say anything that wasn’t already on my mind before,” Alice whispered quietly, tentatively. “That’s how fear magic works, right? It just amplifies what was already there.”

She wriggled around, but to no avail. Heaving a sigh of effort, she covered her face in her hands.

“I understand if your faith in me is shaken. Don’t feel obliged to continue with this kingdom. Either way, I already wrote up the official document to free you from your charges, so you’re at liberty to do as you please.”

Alice carefully opened her fingers so she could spy up at Melissa’s face to gauge her reactions.