“Your Highness.” One man bowed at the waist from the horse. “Congratulations on finding the Alice.” He straightened and turned to the lion-man. “We are ready to move out, Sir Lional.” He handed him the reins for all the horses.
Lional nodded. “Right. Ride back and give the word. We need to move out as soon as possible. We have a lot of people to move in only a couple hours.” As the men rode away, Lional distributed the horses. He walked my horse over and pointed to the stirrup. “Step right there with your right foot.” He pointed to the saddle horn. “Then grab here and pull yourself up.”
I paused in surprise. “Thank you.” I looked at the saddle. “If I step with my right foot, that puts me sidesaddle, right? And if I use my left foot, then I’d straddle the horse, like you do, right?”
Lional scratched his golden, spiky hair. “You are an odd Alice. But yes.”
I smiled. “Thanks.” I stepped up with my left foot. It took me two tries, but I pulled myself up and got my leg over.
Lional took the time to adjust the stirrups for me, but he didn’t hand over the reins. He mounted his horse, wrapped my reins around his saddle horn and took the lead.
Some time later we joined up with the army. It wasn’t a large army compared to the ones formed on Earth, but there were easily more than two thousand men and some women moving together in loose lines. The downfall was that most of the people held farming tools, and half of them were under five feet tall.
Red Queen and I were transferred to an open-topped carriage and the party moved out, leaving the people of Hatter still locked in their town.
Hatter stood atop the wall above the large front gate. His hand fiddled with the brim of his hat as he stared at the commotion just outside his Domain. Even from this distance, and safe with Red Queen, I could feel his eyes on me as I moved. It made my skin crawl. Unfortunately, I had a feeling this was not the last I’d see of him.
***
My eyes cracked open and blinked around the empty carriage. I didn’t remember falling asleep, but it wasn’t like I’d slept last night.
My mind cleared as I blinked up through the top of the carriage. All I could see was thick mist, swirling between the leaves of deciduous trees. Where was I? And where was Red Queen?
I bolted up to my feet and looked wildly around.
Two guards standing next to the carriage jumped when I stood up so suddenly. One almost fell over completely and the other put a hand on the sword at his hip. They stared at me open mouthed, apparently as lost as I was.
I gaped back then looked around, able to see slightly more from up here, although the mist still distorted most of the scenery around me. The horses were gone from the front of the carriage, presumably taken care of elsewhere. The colorful fabrics of tents mixed with random foliage tinted the air until they were swallowed up by the whiteness. The air held a muted feel, the sounds of the army that I knew must surround me were hushed, as if no one dared to fully talk. I recognized the huge, red, velvet, square-topped tent closest to me and guessed that Red Queen was in it.
“How much time do I have left?” I asked.
The guard that didn’t almost fall over recovered first and cleared his throat. “A little less than two hours. Red Queen is there, when you are ready, Alice of Alice.” He pointed to the tent, confirming my suspicions.
“Ah, thank you.” So I had some time to think, I hope. The guards continued to stare at me. I tugged at my hair and shifted under their scrutiny. Were they going to just stare at me the whole time? I motioned vaguely with my hands. “If you need to do something, you can go. I’m sure I can find her tent on my own.” I wasn’t ready to go in yet, I still needed a moment to think and this still air was a lot better than what I’ve had lately.
The men exchanged looks, then walked slowly away. But they didn’t completely leave. They stopped near a tent around twenty feet away and turned back to stare at me.
I guess that was as good I was going to get. I climbed out of the carriage and sat down on the step.
I was here at the threshold of the Game Board, the Domain around the Emerald Castle, and I still didn’t have all the answers. I felt like I’d been given most of them, but hadn’t connected them all together.
Everyone expected me to choose, and I had made my decision. It was easy, especially after everything I’d learned about Oz. But if it was that easy, why did Oz go through all this trouble? Everything Hatter said had sounded crazy. But what if something he said was right? Or almost right? If the people chose the Queen Candidate, why should an outsider choose the Queen? Unless I wasn’t actually supposed to choose, but instead help someone else make the choice?
“Is that it, Oz?” I asked out loud and looked up into the misty sky. The guards were far enough away; I wasn’t worried about being overheard. “Is that the problem? It was never the Alice’s choice? Then whose is it?”
The land was as still as the mist around me. What was I expecting? A voice in the sky?
“Ah, they’re beautiful,” Red Queen’s familiar voice gushed from my feet. “I love them.”
I jumped. How did she get so close without me noticing her? I frowned. Her voice was different, younger, and coming from my feet. I looked down and did a double take.
In a puddle, just ten or so inches from my feet, was a moving scene. In it, Red Queen and Ace sat on a grassy slope. The picture was bright with rich colors and crisp lines. It was like watching a TV embedded in the ground. Given the foliage and cattail reeds that rimmed the picture, I could only assume the point of view was from a pond or lake.
Red Queen looked the same age she did now, but without the adult authoritative air she possessed now. She wore a red dress that was as frilly as her current style and sat with her feet tucked under her. In her arms was a bouquet of red roses.
“I’m glad you like them,” Ace said. A happy, carefree smile played over his handsome face.
A flattered flush colored her alabaster cheeks as she daintily sniffed the flowers. “You always bring the best roses. Are they your favorite flower?” Her dark eyes held a coy gleam.
This had to before the Alice Games started because Ace was completely human. No cat ears. Was this before or after White Wizard went crazy? Ace looked to be about my age. He sat with one leg stretched out, the other knee bent high so he could rest his elbow on it. If he noticed the flirty way she looked at him, he didn’t show it. He flashed a smile at her and chuckled. “No. But I think they suit you best, Red.”
Frustration and pleasure mingled on her pretty face, then she grinned. “You’ve been so busy lately. I’ve missed you.”
Ace nodded, gazing out at the nature around them. “Being the Queen Candidate’s squire is busy work. There’ve been a lot of training sessions. I’ve learned so much about Oz, it’s been amazing.” He shrugged. “But you can’t be that lonely. Lional visits you at least every other day.” He leaned his head back, basking in the sun. “With all the roses he brings you, you have a constant garden room in your house. As soon as one starts to wilt, he replaces it.”
Red gazed at him for a minute. Her eyes drank in his sun-kissed features just like mine did. Then her eyes fluttered down, and she brushed her fingers over the blossoms. “But they aren’t always red roses,” she said softly.
Ace shrugged. “So paint them.” His mouth quirked up at his own joke. “Cut him some slack. He’s doing the best he knows. He’s just a little rough around the edges. I’m sure by the time you’re elected he’ll be the best knight, a Queen’s Knight.”
I shook my head, wondering if Ace was insulting or complimenting Lional.
Red blushed and looked down. “You shouldn’t say things like that. You don’t know for sure it will happen.”
Ace brushed off her concern. “Maybe, but that doesn’t change the fact that you are compatible with Oz.”
Red smiled, pleased despite herself. Then she gave him a puzzled look. “Don’t you want to be a Queen’s Knight? You are Queen Candidate White’s squire.�
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“Nah.” Ace flashed a smile at her. “I’m going to be a Knight of Oz.” He tipped his head back to the sun.
Red buried her face in the roses to hide her pout. “A Knight of Oz, huh?” Could she tell he was preordained, just like her? “Like a shield for everyone?”
He laughed. “A shield? Nah, I’d rather be a sword. Shields are nice, but you can’t act with one. They aren’t decisive enough. A sword can change things.”
The scene disappeared from the puddle, leaving me to rock back in shock.
Chapter Nineteen
I rocked back to sit straight on the carriage step, hands fisting in my lap, processing what I just saw.
Oz showed me this scene because of Ace. He was important to everything. I knew he was, even if everyone had already disregarded him. Oz chose him as the Knight of Oz. Ace had already admitted that. Apparently no one other than White Wizard realized it. No, Red Queen knew too. That’s why she gave him the title of Ace of Hearts and put him in charge of the Alices. Didn’t he say it was so she could keep him around? She couldn’t make him a Queen’s Knight because he was already the Knight of Oz.
How confused he must have been, stuck between two potential Queens demanding his attention. White Wizard used fear and manipulation to control him. Ace loved Red Queen too much to say no, even if it wasn’t the type of love she wanted. He was so perplexed by it all, he couldn’t make a decision.
I took a calming breath, my mind clear for the first time since I’d come to Oz. “So that’s it,” I whispered. This was what it was all about. It was the Knight of Oz’s decision. My fingers came up and tapped on my lips. A sword can change things. That’s why he was given the Vorpal Blade, to make it so there was only one Queen Candidate.
Who should I tell? They were all so convinced Ace was a bad guy, who would believe me?
“Ali?” Hareson walked out of the mist toward me. He was dressed in light armor over brown material. He smiled kindly at me. “The guards said you were awake and just sitting here. It’s almost time. Is everything okay?” His right ear flopped back. “You’re not—not confused on the decision, are you?” For the first time, he didn’t seem like a stuck up butler. He was looking at me like a friend.
I smiled and waved a hand. “No, Red Queen is supposed to be Queen. She has her flaws, I’ve discovered, but it’s clear what Oz and the sane people of Oz want.” If her conflicted emotions about Ace and resentment of her situation were her only mistakes, then that was a good thing. But it still should be addressed. I couldn’t help but think of the warnings Jewel Queen gave White Wizard that he never heeded. About how a less than tranquil heart can damage a Queen’s connection to Oz. And in Red’s case, it had. If it hadn’t, Oz wouldn’t have had to wait for an Alice to connect with it and answer all the questions.
I tugged on my hair. “I’m just trying to figure out how to make the decision.”
Hareson nodded. “It’s easy, actually. By bringing Red Queen’s wand out of the Emerald Castle, your decision is made, and the White Wizard is locked up.”
Until the next Alice Games, if I didn’t do this right. “And if I bring out the Vorpal Blade? Will Red Queen’s wand stay locked in the Emerald Castle?” Ace might have told me to leave this idea alone, but I wanted—needed—to help him somehow. Free him from his curse.
Hareson sucked in a quick breath, eyes widening with shock. “Where did you hear about that cursed blade?”
They were quite the pair, the Cheshire Cat and Blood, weren’t they? People regarded them with the same amount of fear. “Does it matter?”
His ears twitched. “No, I suppose not. But we’ve never had an Alice learn as much as you have about Oz before. None of them seemed to really care.” He paused, his head cocking to the side. “But I’m glad you came. Oz has changed for the first time since the Alice Games started. Even Lional has changed, a little.” He smiled.
His head straightened. “To answer your question, I don’t know what will happen if you bring out Blood. It’s never been done before. We know that the Cheshire Cat is bent on getting it out. He has a connection with it, like Red Queen has with her wand and White Wizard with his ice power.” Hareson took a breath. “I know you’ve had contact with the Cheshire Cat. A lot more than we thought, apparently. But don’t let him deceive you. Nothing good will come from the Vorpal Blade coming out of the Emerald Castle. Oz locked it in there for a reason.”
For a reason, yes, but what? Oz couldn’t take away Ace’s position, so why did it remove the sword from his side? Ace was still the only one who could make the decision. Why did Oz take away the sword and make it that much harder? I knew it was obligated to punish Ace for killing an Alice, but there must be more to this.
Hareson meant well, like Ace, but I couldn’t help but believe the Vorpal Blade had to come out. After all, Oz has specifically shown it to me twice. With how few times Oz could talk to me, why would it waste time showing me something that wasn’t important? But I couldn’t leave the wand in the Emerald Castle, too. Ah, this just got a lot harder.
Hareson checked a pocket watch. “It’s almost time for you to go. Red Queen would like to talk to you briefly before you set off.”
I nodded. I wanted to talk to her, too. I followed Hareson to the tent.
He opened the flap and motioned me in ahead of him.
Lional sat in the corner with a bronze cup in his hand. He was in full armor, the hard steel highlighted with gold accents on the chest, shoulder, and thighs. Right then, he looked like a king.
Red Queen was clothed in a mellow dress compared to her normal look. Her red gown was still poufy but not drastically so, and sparkle-free for once. Her hair was pulled into a bun with her gold crown circling it. A gold breast plate covered her torso, emphasizing her feminine figure. Apparently, this was her war outfit.
She smiled at me. “I hope you rested well.” She opened the tent flap and motioned out to the mist. “Ahead is the end of the Yellow Path, the Game Board.”
I looked out but couldn’t see anything. It was probably Oz’s protection of the Emerald Castle. Sure enough, the Yellow Path pointed straight through the mist.
“Once you get into the Emerald Castle, you’ll be safe,” Red Queen said.
My head tilted to the side. “So I’m going in alone? You aren’t coming with me?”
“The Game Board is a neutral zone, where harm can’t be done.” The wobble in her voice and worried expression implied there was danger somewhere, though. “Only three people can enter the Game Board until you go into the Emerald Castle. Then the rest of Oz can enter the Domain, but no one can set foot on the board until you come out again. Then, well, anything is fair.”
“And you would be left alone with White Wizard the whole time. Then completely defenseless when I come out,” I finished saying everything she didn’t.
Red Queen bit her lips, looking guilty. “But it is a neutral zone.” She stressed the words as if trying to make herself feel better.
But it was still too dangerous to leave her there alone. It really was best that she stays here with Lional and Hareson. After all, this whole game was to help Red Queen become the only Queen of Oz.
One word she said caught my attention and I frowned. “Only three?” I asked. “Are you sure it’s not four? The Queen Candidates, the Alice ... and the Knight of Oz?”
Hareson and Lional looked at me sharply.
Red Queen physically jumped and gaped at me with huge eyes. “Where did you hear that?” Her words were faint.
I took a breath, my mouth twisting in a mirthful smile. “Oz told me.”
Red Queen’s eyes widened with hurt. “Oz talked to you ... but not me?” She bit her lips and looked away. “I’m sorry, Ali. But there is no Knight of Oz,” she whispered.
“Yes, there is. We both know it. Just because you call him by a different name doesn’t change what he is.” I didn’t want to hurt her. I didn’t want to rub in her face that she couldn’t talk to Oz, however, this situation h
as gone on long enough. Someone needed to address it, because I couldn’t stand to see him being treated like this anymore, knowing how much it hurt him.
Lional looked at the silent Hareson. “What are they talking about?”
Red Queen shook her head, looking childlike with her lost expression. “No, that’s not true. He’s not the Knight of Oz anymore.”
“Why do you deny it?” I challenged. “One of the lessons that Jewel Queen taught White Wizard was that dark emotions like hate, resentment, and fear can affect a Queen’s connection with Oz. You wouldn’t even let Hareson talk to me about Ace. You said it was a delicate situation and brushed him away. Why?”
She closed her eyes, trying to block me out.
“Why?” I yelled.
“Because he never chose me!” Red Queen gasped and slapped a hand over her mouth, shocked that she had raised her voice. But she couldn’t take it back, so her hand dropped. She faced me head on. “He betrayed me. He never once chose me. He was always too busy with the White Wizard. He followed that evil man around like a puppy, doing whatever he said. Then when the Alice Games started, he was too busy with the Alices. I had to make up a silly title just to keep him coming around. He stayed with those women all the time, flattering and wooing them. Making them think they were special. They all fell in love with him.” Tears brimmed in her eyes. “Then he killed that Alice. And trapped me in the Ruby Castle. It took two Alice Games to get out!”
Understanding hit Lional. He looked away, a bitter, hurt expression on his face. He set the cup on the table.
Hareson’s hands clamped together, and he stared down at them. His ears flopped forward.
I couldn’t leave it like this. “Why did he do all that?” I asked. I already knew. She might have been alive for several hundreds of years, but she was still a teenager. She was blatantly ignoring the reasons, stubbornly clinging to her wounded emotions and not looking at the whole picture. She was stuck in the same cycle as the rest of Oz, unable to progress. What if she let this scar fester like White Wizard had? “Why was Ace with White Wizard and the Alices all the time? Why did he kill that Alice?”
Alice Games Page 19
