Splintered (Splintered, #1)

by A.G. Howard

The whispers were impossible to ignore,

Lots of them are

Alison

Never mom always alison

“Jen said some guy asked you but you didn’t want to go. Why not?” I shrug. “I have this character flaw? Called dignity?”

Amen sister

For so many years, the women in our family have been pegged as crazy, but we’re not. We can hear things other people can’t.

Everyone says they want super powers but they aren’t compatible with this world

asylum-worthy.

Aren’t we all

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe.

I don’t even know guys... Welxome to Wonderland!

crashing me back to the present.

I tend to get lost in thought after spinning adventures in my head. I hate when I crash back

looking at me like I’m one of his paintings

Ok then hello to you too...

“No. There was a loophole, you see.” The knuckles on his free hand graze my temple. His touch is warm and delicate. “You found me.

Why am I always shipping with the manipulative ones or the compulsive liars? This logic won’t stop me I still ship it!

part of me wants to defend Morpheus—to plead his case with Jeb; the other part roots for Jeb to beat him to a puddle.

No defend the butterfly boi!

“A mistake I vow on my life-magic to never make again.”

“If it weren’t for second chances we’d all be alone” -Gregory Alan Isokov

He’s a contradiction: taut magic coiled to strike, gentleness at war with severity, a tongue as sharp as a whip’s edge, yet skin so soft he could be swathed in clouds.

And that’s butterfly boi for ya

the hazy border between sense and nonsense.

I spend a lot of time there

“So, you’re going to play that card? Me not being strong enough to think for myself?”

Jeb you should know by now that this girl is strong. She has also “been” to wonderland so don’t you think she might know what she’s doing???

“Oh, yeah? From where I’m standing, the more you do for him, the more you become like him.”

That’s not really a bad thing... I wouldn’t mind becoming a faerie butterfly creature

“No.” I’ve fallen asleep praying for you to look at me like this. To touch me like this. “Don’t break my heart.” Moth shadows glide above him in the mirrored ceiling, distracting me from the fierceness of his frown. “I’d cut mine out first.”

That line! But my ship!

Morpheus standing there with enough rage in his black eyes to send the Devil packing for heaven.

Omg thank goodness butterfly boi is back to make sure no more of that happens. I don’t ship with Jeb I don’t trust him.😑

Little blossom in peach and red, Trapping boys with your pretty head; Tease and play, be coy and smart, For you will one day break his heart.

Idk why I but I like this

You’re sending us back. Now.”

WhY aRe YoU sO pOsSeSsIvE. tHiS iS wHy I sInK yOuR bAtTlE sHiP

he cares enough to be jealous

Jealous not possessive

his head, though his serpentine eyes and forked tongue detract from any cuteness factor.

Snakes are cute too...

“Yes. A man who never lies will never break your heart.”

Not necessarily... brutal honesty is a thing, I should know I use it a lot

I’ve complete faith that she can fend for herself. You, on the other hand, can’t seem to grasp that concept.”

And this is why I like Morpheus better

“No one knows what he or she is capable of until things are at their darkest.

Morpheus has a twisted definition of everything.

We still love him tho

Something about the hare buttering—mmm … butter. Butterscotch candy, buttercream icing, butter cookies.

That moment when your thoughts get sidetracked by food-mmmmmm chicken wings

His girlfriend.

No my ship will not sink before it has sailed! Team Morpheus

“And Al,” he says, his jaw tight. “No matter what happens, we’ll find each other again. You’re my lifeline. You always will be.”

Ok I will admit this was pretty cute. I still don’t trust you Jeb

“Stupidesses! Stupid, stupid! She usn’t smellum deadish!” “But she lookum deadses. She lookum it!”

Just the way they talk ok?

Maybe they’re pygmy zombies.

I think my sister might be one of those...

“Usses are only to brung the deadses. Twids usn’t approve of ’stakes being missed,” one of the creatures says shrilly. “Missing ’stakes aren’t the worsest of our oblems-prob.” “Eps and yesses. Mistakens usn’t our aults, f’s or any other. Sister One asks usses to brung her here.” “Asks or notses, Sister Two will hang usses by our necks! No iving-lees are to be brunged. No breathers or talkeresses. None, none, none!”

Why do I like this so much. My brain has officially fried trying to read it

Their language is a mix between pig latin and utter nonsense.

So is minw

no heavier than guinea pigs.

Also like my sister

The creatures scurry around my feet, hissing.

My sister hisses at me too it is official she is one of these thinga

The pattern reminds me of butterflies.

Butterfly you say?

Butterfly. Ironic, that all these years Dad has called me that. Now I really am one. A trapped butterfly.

Worry not my subject, I the butterfly queen shall save you!

Jeb is stable, strong, and genuine—my knight in shining armor. Morpheus is selfish, unreliable, and transcendent—chaos incarnate. Impossible to compare.

Perfect now we can all see why I am team Morpheus (i don’t get it either but I really don’t trust Jeb)

Ring-a-ring-a-roses / The body decomposes. Hush! Hush! Hush! Hush! / You’ll all tumble down. Down, down, into the deep / Give the Twids our souls to keep. Silent slumber on a web / Ne’er to raise a restless head. If we wake the First will come / And sing us back to sleep as one. Hush! Hush! Hush! Hush! / We’re all slumbered down.

If we fail to find our rest / Sister Two will raid our nest. She’ll make us live as broken toys / Discarded by the girls and boys; And there will no more slumber be / For we’ll be locked in misery. Hush! Hush! Hush! Hush! / We’ll all tumble down.

“Morpheus is not his true name.

I know that. His true name is butterfly boi

I’m the best of both worlds

YOU GET THE BEEEEEEEEEEST OF BOTH WORLDS! Hannah Montana anyone?

“Little blossom in white and red, resting now your tiny head; grow and thrive, be strong and keen, for you will one day be their queen … Little blossom in peach and gray, grew up strong and found your way; two things more yet to be seen, until at last you’ll be their queen.”

Holy crapomole is she the red queens descendant

boyfriend.”

😑

silent fireworks, just like the ones Jeb and I saw in the boat on our first night here. Jeb …

Nooooooooooooo. My ship was sailing smooth until you came along frickin Jeb just go back to the human world already

“For reference”—Morpheus studies my reaction—“that is a birdcage. Our pseudo elf is the size of a sparrow. Upon word from me, the guards will feed him to Queen Grenadine’s notoriously hungry cat, Dinah.”

Ok not even jeb deserves that. What happened to you butterfly boi I thought you was good

hate you,” I say, the sentiment muffled against his heart, hoping to make it true. “And I love you,”

I love you too. Butterfly boi

The creature swallows him whole. His wings slide down last—a flash of glistening black grace.

Noooooo that was a way to quick death for my butterfly boi which most likely means he’s going to come back so I shouldn’t freak out

I tip Morpheus’s fedora,

ShE iS wEaRiNg HiS hAt!!!!!! But he’s gooooooone

Morpheus, who’s imprisoned forever in the belly of a bandersnatch. And Jeb, who probably spent last night at a hotel with Taelor after prom.

Nooooo my butterfly boi I will avenge you and bring you back! Also back to definitely not trusting Jeb cuz all the cute stuff he said was erased TEAM MORPHEUS!!!

“I knew you’d miss me.”

My butterfly boi has returned!!!!!!! How amazing and predictable! But like welxome to wonderland