Queens of Wonderland, page 12
“We should trust someone who never even chose a side?” the jack asked.
“I am not so capricious as others. When I choose a side, you can be assured that I will stick to it.”
“And I won’t?”
The Cat laughed, and it echoed through the corridor so loudly that Vanessa’s ears began hurting. She thought she saw it appear at the end of the hall, but it vanished before she could be sure. Its voice remained, however. The laughter went on for several minutes, not fading until they reached a large set of double doors at the end of the hall. A pair of sevens pushed open the doors, and they stepped into a large chamber. It was made of obsidian, though the uniform blackness made it difficult for Vanessa to tell how big it was. Light shone through windows near the ceiling and glittered across the polished ground.
Three thrones sat at the end of the room. The Queens of Clubs and Diamonds sat on two of them, and the Queen of Spades walked up to the middle one and sat down. The Cat appeared right in front of them and grinned at the jack.
“My dear paper-brained fool, you never had a choice about which side to choose. You go where your queen commands and do as she tells you.”
The jack scowled and was about to respond when the Queen of Spades spoke in a whipcrack of a voice.
“Enough, jack. The Cat will do whatever it pleases. The wise just ignore it.”
She proceeded to tell the other queens what Vanessa had told her. The Cat walked through the room, periodically stopping in front of a different person. Each one shuddered before the Cat’s gaze. When it appeared before Vanessa, she felt her blood run cold.
Finally, the Queen of Diamonds spoke. “Can you do it again?”
Vanessa blinked. “Do what?”
“Could you go into the ghostly realm and reach the throne room?”
Vanessa stared at the card. “I don’t have the slightest idea. Last time, we had magic mushrooms, but we weren’t even trying to go there. We were fortunate enough to find a portal out. I doubt we can count on a situation like that again.”
“Can you summon fairies here?” Michael asked.
“Fairies?” asked Vanessa.
“I was just thinking that if we could somehow get Rosebud here, her dust could probably get us into the ghostly realm. Maybe we couldn’t take an army there like I assume the Queen of Diamonds wants, but it would be something.”
“That’s not a bad idea,” said Vanessa. She turned to the queens. “What about it? Do any of you know of a way to summon the ghost of a fairy?”
“Mmm,” said the Cat. “That sounds quite delicious.”
“You could eat a ghost?”
The Cat’s head appeared before them, wearing its ever-present grin. It floated across the ground, leaving footprints in the dust before its body appeared. “Of course. Where do you think I go when I am not here? Affecting a ghost takes no great effort.”
“You can go into the ghostly realm?” the Queen of Clubs asked.
“Well, of course.”
“Can you take others?” the Queen of Spades asked.
“Perhaps I could. Perhaps I could not. I have no desire to try, however.”
“Why not?” the Queen of Clubs asked.
“That would place me firmly on your side, and I am not willing to make that commitment just yet.”
“What if you don’t take us?” Michael asked. “What if you just taught us how to get there?”
“You want me to teach you to go into the ghostly realm?” the Cheshire Cat asked. “Why, that is simplicity in itself.” Its head faded, leaving only a grin that spoke one more sentence before disappearing. “You need only remove your head.” Its head popped into existence, though its body vanished. “Or you could remove your body. Either way, you would soon find yourself a ghost.”
Michael glared at the Cat. “That’s not what I mean and you know it.”
“Perhaps you could ask the Queen of Hearts. She may know. She sends people there often enough.”
“By removing their heads,” Michael retorted. “I would like to keep mine, Cat.”
“I’ll admit she sends most people that way, but by no means is everyone she sends dead.”
“Oh, this is useless.” Michael turned to the queens. “I don’t suppose you have any magic mushrooms lying around.”
“Regrettably, those are the creation of the caterpillar,” the Queen of Clubs said, “and it is even more aloof than the Cat. As to your fairy friend, no, I don’t think so. Perhaps we could summon her if we were already in the ghostly realm, but here? No, we are too far removed.”
“Well, that is most regrettable.” The Cat licked its lips. “Such a fairy would make a tasty snack.”
“Is that all you think about?” Will asked.
The Cat seemed to bow. “One must follow one’s nature.”
“A shame,” the Queen of Spades said. “It would have been wonderful to strike directly at the heart of their territory with our full strength, but we have other means. You three are agents of another Looking Glass queen. I have heard of such a one. Alice, is that correct?”
That took Vanessa aback. “Yes, how do you know?”
“Do you think that someone could rise to the rank of queen without the rest of us knowing? She changed both Wonderland and the Looking Glass Land in ways I doubt you can imagine. If you are her agents, then perhaps you can be what we need to turn the tide of this war, provided you would be on our side. What do you say? Will you come with us?”
The jack stiffened and gripped his sword. He didn’t say anything, though. Other cards had tensed as well. The Cat appeared on her shoulder again, wrapping its tail around her neck. Deciding to take the advice of the Queen of Spades, she ignored the Cat. Michael stepped forward, but he looked back at her before speaking. She nodded, and the Cat laughed.
“We’ll go.”
22
The Queen of Spades knocked on the boulder for the fifth time, but it remained solid. In frustration, the jack of spades swung his weapon at the rock. The stone shattered as if it were made of glass. Vanessa coughed at the dust, though none of the cards seemed affected. Instead, they all stared at the broken stone.
“That’s not possible,” said the Queen of Spades. “That stone was a gateway to the realm of Hearts. It might have been closed, but nothing so mundane as an ordinary weapon could break an opening, not unless the magic of the gateway has been completely undone.” She turned to the jack. “Did you sense anything when you came through?”
“Nothing, though I am hardly a magician.”
“I know a little about crossing worlds,” Vanessa said. “I couldn’t even sense the power of the gateway.”
“They are too well woven into the fabric of Wonderland for most to be able to detect them. It would not be easy or quick to unravel, but if it were on the brink of collapse, you should have been able to detect something. We need to get some information.”
“How far are the lands of Hearts in miles?” Michael asked.
“At least twenty miles,” said the Queen of Clubs.
Michael, Vanessa, and Will all stared at one another. “Twenty miles? That’s it?”
“Have you ever walked twenty miles?” said the card.
“A couple of times,” Will said. “It’s not pleasant, but it’s hardly undoable.”
The three queens talked among themselves for a few seconds before looking back at the trio. It was the Queen of Spades who spoke. “Perhaps you would consent to be our scouts.”
“Of course,” Vanessa said. “Just point us in the right direction.”
The queens had provided them with fresh bread to eat on the way. Vanessa had no idea where they had gotten it—though given the peculiar nature of this land, she was a little afraid it would change their size when they ate it. But aside from being more filling than it should have been, it had no apparently mystical effects. Some of the cards went with them for a little while, but they fell behind after only a few miles, apparently exhausted. Neither of her companions, however, had the slightest bit of difficulty. The terrain was easy, and the cool air felt good against her skin.
“I guess that cardboard doesn’t hold much stamina,” Michael said. “Do we wait for them?”
Vanessa shook her head. “They’d only get in the way.”
They moved on. The lands of Spades were different from the lands of Hearts, though it took Vanessa over an hour to identify what those differences were. The angles were harsher. The grass crunched under their feet and the wind carried the slightest bite of cold. Vanessa felt the urge to keep her sword drawn. At first, she thought that would be too conspicuous, but the few travelers they saw were cards that were all armed.
“Spades is the suit of war,” Michael said. “In some countries, the fourth suit is the sword, not the spade.”
“If the most warlike suit has trouble doing something as simple as walking twenty miles, then they’re in trouble.” Vanessa pointed forward. “There, I think that’s the border.”
Flowers grew in a line. At least half of them were some shades of red. Some of them actually dripped paint from their petals. As soon as they stepped over the line, the sounds of their footsteps faded as the grass became softer. A cardinal flew into the branches above them and sang.
“It’s going a little overboard with the red, don’t you think?” Michael asked.
“You’re going overboard with the judgment,” the cardinal said. “Red is a fine color. I suppose you like brown.”
Vanessa looked down at her coat. It was a serviceable garment, one well suited to travel. She glared up at the bird. “It’s certainly less garish.”
Michael blinked. “You understood him?”
“Well, yes,” Vanessa said. “It’s a talking bird, after all.”
“It is?” He looked to Will who nodded. “Hmm. I guess I just got used to being the only one able to hear them after the dragon’s-blood potion.”
“Humph,” the cardinal chirped. “You think you’re so special just because you can speak to birds? Everyone I know can do that.”
“Is everyone you know a bird?” Vanessa asked.
“Of course. They are the only ones worth knowing.”
“Really?” Vanessa asked. “Well, then, I am pleased you decided to speak with us. I am Vanessa Finch.”
The bird hopped from one branch to another, causing a leaf to fall and brush Vanessa’s face. “Finch? Well, yes, I suppose you are. How can I help you, my lady Finch?”
Will cocked his head. “Because her last name is Finch, you think she’s a bird?”
“She is a finch, is she not?”
“Well, yes, in a way.”
The bird huffed. “I don’t suppose you would understand. You don’t even have wings.”
“Neither does she!” Michael shouted.
“Of course she does. She’s a finch.”
“Michael, drop it.”
He stiffened but nodded.
The cardinal sang a few notes. “At least you know enough to obey a bird.”
“We do need help,” Vanessa said before Michael could reply. “Perhaps you could aid us. We need to find the Queen of Hearts’ castle.”
“Why would you need me to tell you something like that?” the cardinal asked. “It’s a rather large castle. You need only to fly high enough to see it.”
“Hawks,” Will said. “She’s worried about hawks.”
“Are you now?” The cardinal looked up and sang a few notes. Other birds nearby responded before it turned back to her. “I haven’t seen one lately, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one around. It is a sensible precaution.” It flew to a tree that was just in sight. “Just beyond this tree is a road. Follow it, and it will lead you straight to the castle. Be careful, though. Some of the guards like to shoot things out of the air. I am sure they would love to hunt a finch.”
“We will.”
Vanessa resisted the urge to laugh. She and the others moved past the trees. The branches left sap on their skin as they pushed them aside. The path beyond wasn’t exactly a road. It would be generous to even call it a trail, but then for a bird, it might well have seemed to be a road. They pushed through it, forcing their way through underbrush. Moving quietly was all but impossible, and dried leaves constantly crunched underfoot. All three of them were alert for an attack, but before long, Vanessa began to wonder if the cardinal had led them astray. She began looking for other animals to point her in the right direction, but the area was oddly deserted for a forest.
“Makes you long for the days when we had an animated shadow and an intelligent bird for companions, doesn’t it?” Michael asked. “I could even go for a few fairies.”
Sunlight shone through the branches ahead of them, though the forest was so thick they couldn’t see more than about a foot. They moved a little faster. Suddenly, Will, who was in front, cried out and fell. Vanessa moved by instinct and grabbed his arm. He almost dragged her off the cliff, but she managed to hook a branch with her free hand. Before them, the ground simply fell away.
“Hold still,” Michael said as he carefully crept forward.
He grabbed her arm and pulled back. Her shoulder ached as he dragged them up onto the ground. All three of them collapsed as soon as they were on solid ground again. Vanessa took a second to catch her breath before peering over the edge. At least a hundred feet down, the red stone of the Queen of Hearts’ castle looked like a splotch of blood on the ground. The armies of the Triumvirate gathered beneath them. There were more cards than anything else, but Vanessa could just make out horse-men like the ones that had taken them prisoner.
“They’re knights,” Michael said.
“What?”
“Knights, like in a game of chess.”
Vanessa stared for a second. “You’re right. Horse heads. I should have realized it earlier.”
“Does this help us at all?” Will asked.
“It might. At least it explains why they’ve been able to do so much. The Lady always described the Queen of Hearts as letting her passion rule her actions, but in a game of chess, you have to think several moves in advance. The card queens assumed the Triumvirate was winning because of the White Queen’s abilities, but that might not be the case.”
“The queen is the most powerful piece,” Will said, “but it isn’t the most vital one.”
“The king,” Vanessa said. “You mean if we find the kings, we can overcome the Red and White Queens’ armies.”
Michael shrugged. “It’s as good an idea as any.”
“Where would we find them?”
“In a game of chess, the king is normally held back. If I had to guess, they would both be in the Looking Glass Land.”
“Then we need to go there.”
“We tried that, remember?”
Vanessa shook her head. “We tried that with a puddle of water and a magic mushroom. That’s not how the Lady got there. We need a mirror.”
“Where do you propose we find a mirror?” Michael said. “I haven’t exactly seen one hanging on a wall.”
Vanessa looked back down at the castle. “In there.”
23
The top of the cliff was heavily wooded, and it took nearly half an hour for them to find a narrow ravine that wound all the way to the bottom. Night had fallen by the time they reached the base of the cliff. Fires could be seen in the distance beyond the castle, and Vanessa could make out cards huddled around them. She even saw someone that looked like a priest, though he couldn’t seem to move straight ahead, instead always walking diagonally through the camp.
“It must be a bishop,” she said under her breath.
Both her companions followed her gaze and nodded. The bishop joined several others of its kind. There didn’t seem to be anyone between the cliff and the castle. They even waited several minutes in case there were patrols, but none ever came. It didn’t take much effort to sneak up to the wall. They moved along it, trying to find a way in.
“This doesn’t make sense,” Michael said after they had gone most of the way around the palace. “In a castle this big, there should be at least a few servant entrances or kitchen doors. I would even take a drain, but there’s nothing. Even the walls are too smooth to climb, so we can’t reach any of the windows.”
“How many castles have you snuck into like that?” Will asked.
“Seven,” Michael said. “Those are pretty standard ways of doing things.”
“Which makes sense why they wouldn’t work here,” Will said. “What is a crazy way to break into the castle?”
“Climb back up to the cliff and jump off it so we land in the grounds?” Michael asked.
“Not that crazy,” Vanessa said. “This isn’t like normal times. All we need is to find a mirror. Any one of the rooms should have what we need.” She ran her fingers along the wall. It was nearly sheer, but only nearly. About ten feet up, there was a crack on the wall, and she could see a window just above it. It looked just wide enough to provide a handhold, though she doubted either of her companions would be able to use it as such.
“How about that?” She motioned to the crack. Michael gave her a skeptical look but brought his hands together to give her a boost. She ran forward and jumped, just barely catching herself. Her arm screamed in pain as she pulled herself up. The window ledge was only a little beyond the crack, and she barely managed to get hold of it. With a grunt, she managed to pull herself up to it. The window was locked, but they didn’t need to be subtle. She swung her sword as hard as she could, and the glass shattered.
The room was garish in its opulence. Every surface had been covered in red silk or lace. Even the walls and ceiling were painted red. On a cherrywood dresser was a mirror rimmed in copper. The curtains were the long, flowing kind, and with a little effort, she pulled them off their rods and tied them into a rope long enough for Will and Michael to climb. Michael was first, and he did so with ease. Will, on the other hand, needed a little more help from Vanessa and Michael, though he did well enough for a squire.
