by C. J. Archer
"Alice?" the man echoed. "Not Your Highness?"
Sir Markell blushed again.
One of the women stepped forward. "Even if Her Highness wasn't the rightful ruler, we'd still want to overthrow the queen."
"She's a mad bitch," the other woman spat. "Especially since getting her hands on that spell book."
"It sounds like a spell book from our realm." Alice looked to Seth and Gus. "Remember the one at Freak House?"
"This must be a different one," Seth said. "Langley wouldn't lose it or send it here for safekeeping."
"Aye." Gus sat on one of the logs and rubbed his knee. "He's no fool."
"You must tell me all about the spell book," Alice said. "We need to know what we're up against."
"Of course," Sir Markell said. "Do you want to freshen up first? There's suitable clothing in that tent."
"Enough for the others?" she asked.
"Just you. I didn't realize we'd have anyone else."
"Don't worry about us," Eva assured her. "We at least have serviceable boots. Your feet must ache like the devil, Alice."
Alice lifted her skirts and inspected her shoes. The toes were badly scuffed and Seth expected the soles to be in a very poor state after navigating the hill path.
"If you don't mind, I think I will change," she said.
The women and elderly man bowed. She smiled shyly back then slipped into the tent.
"Come, sit," the white-haired man said to Seth and the others. "You're very welcome here. My name is Lord Blaine."
"You don't look like a lord," Gus said, accepting a tin cup. He sniffed the contents and sipped. "Tastes good. Come try it, Seth. He's a lord too," he said to Lord Blaine.
"Is that so?" Sir Markell said. "Then it's no wonder Alice chose you as her protector in England."
Seth managed to not roll his eyes, but only just. "First of all, she didn't choose me. She came to live with us because she's friends with… Never mind. It's a long story. Second of all, I'm not her protector, I'm her friend."
"The grand house where we met belongs to you?" Sir Markell asked.
"No."
"Is your estate nearby?"
"No." Seth shot Gus a sharp look to keep him quiet.
Gus was too busy refilling his cup from the pot over the fire to notice.
Sir Markell handed Seth a cup. "You seemed very protective of Alice, yet you are not her protector or her husband. So what are you to her?"
"In our country, a gentleman protects a lady no matter whose wife they are or where they're from."
"How chivalric."
Seth gave him a flat smile over the rim of his cup. "Nor do we go about kidnapping innocent ladies and ripping them away from the only home they know."
Sir Markell's nostrils flared. He looked like a bull. A handsome one, Seth conceded, but a bull nevertheless. "Alice belongs here," Sir Markell said. "She'll be our queen within days, if all goes to plan."
"If," Seth growled. "What makes you think she even wants to be queen? Just because she's the rightful ruler doesn't mean she'd like to take on the role. Perhaps she wants to go back with us, now that she's seen the place."
Sir Markell stiffened. "Are you disparaging our realm?"
"Do stop," David said on a groan. "Alice belongs here. We don't. So how can we get home?"
"An object becomes a portal between worlds when a particular spell is imbued into it," Lord Blaine said. "We have found a watch to be the most functional."
David removed his jacket and unbuttoned his watch chain from his waistcoat. He held out his watch to Lord Blaine. "Go ahead. Speak the spell so we can go home."
Lord Blaine and Sir Markell exchanged glances. "We can't," Lord Blaine said. "We don't know it. It's in the queen's spell book, back at the castle."
David looked as if he would cry, and Seth couldn't blame him. They'd been almost killed trying to escape the palace, and now they had to return in order to go home? Seth dragged his hand through his hair.
"Damn," he muttered.
"You could stay here," one of the women said, smiling at him. "It's very pleasant, and once Princess Alice takes the throne, everything will settle down again. You'll find the people are very nice."
She was flirting with him. Seth knew the telltale signs, the little smile, the bright eyes, and the flush in her cheeks. Usually he would flirt back in the hope she'd be willing to tumble in the bushes with him later. But he found he didn't have the heart for it. He simply nodded and muttered something he hoped was kind but not encouraging.
"Thank you," Eva, sitting on his other side, whispered.
She was thanking him for not flirting?
"For helping David in the boat," she added when he simply stared at her.
"Oh. Yes. Of course. I know what it's like to step into a boat for the first time when everyone else knows what to do."
"It was kind of you, but his masculine pride won't let him thank you so I wanted to on his behalf."
"You're very different to your brother. More like your half-sibling, really."
"I am? In what way?"
"Many ways. Your strength of character reminds me of Lincoln, and you have his cheekbones. But you're much prettier." He reached up to remove a twig stuck in her hair but it was tangled and he needed two hands. Not only that, but he found that removing it caused more of her hair to come loose. "Sorry. I made a hash of that, but I got it." He showed her the twig.
She laughed softly. He smiled back, gladder than he could ever say to see her laugh at a time like this. There'd been very little to be glad about today.
"I think that twig was holding my hair in place," she said as another tendril came loose and flopped in front of her face. She worked the pins from her hair until it all tumbled out. It fell to the middle of her back in thick, black waves that gleamed despite the poor light.
Why had he never realized how beautiful she was?
"You fight well," Sir Markell said. "Both of you."
"We know," Gus said. "Been trained by the best."
"A general?"
"Lincoln Fitzroy. He's a…" Gus appealed to Seth. "What would you call him?"
Seth could think of so many names—a killer, a madman, a villain, the stuff of nightmares, an unlikely friend, the best ally. "A man who'll stop at nothing to avenge the deaths of his brother and sister if they meet an untimely end," he said.
Sir Markell seemed impressed. David looked somewhat shocked. Eva looked like she was trying not to laugh.
"Nicely done," she whispered. "I think he believes you."
"You don't think Lincoln would come for you?"
"I think he'd come for you and Gus. You mean more to him than we do."
"You're his family."
"No, Seth, you are his family."
He blinked owlishly at her.
Seth was dimly aware of the tent flap opening and Alice stepping out. It was Gus's "Blimey!" and David's gasp that forced him to look away from Eva.
His jaw dropped. Sir Markell had said there was suitable clothing for Eva to change into, but that clothing was not appropriate. Indeed, it was scandalous. Seth liked it.
Chapter 5
Alice
Alice liked her new outfit of a dun colored tunic over a pair of black tight-fitting hose. Paired with sturdy boots, it was perfect for traveling through the forest. The ensemble was much lighter than her dress and petticoat, too, and far less restrictive. She'd wavered on whether to dispense with her corset but decided to remove it in favor of the softer bodice that laced up the front. It would take some getting used to, however, and she might even change her mind and put the stiff corset back on tomorrow.
She could see from Seth's reaction that he liked it too, probably because the hose accentuated the curve of her calves and revealed her knees. Sir Markell took in her new appearance with brisk precision before he quickly looked away. Alice thought she saw heat in his gaze, but she couldn't be sure.
She didn't quite know what to make him. Ever since their return to Wonderland, he'd
been aloof, where he'd been charming in England and a little roguish. The poor man had just lost his father, though, and betrayed his queen. He'd gone from valued advisor to traitor in the space of minutes, and he was now running for his life. There was the added burden of protecting her, too. It was no wonder he wasn't himself.
She sat on the log beside him, her legs together and to the side, as she would sit when wearing a dress. It looked somewhat odd so she stretched her legs out in front, like the men. Better.
"Sir Markell, you were going to tell us about the spell book," she said.
"There's little to tell. Nobody knows who wrote it or when, but it contains pages of spells written in an elegant hand."
"Are some of the letters colored?" Seth asked.
"The first letter on each page is brightly colored, and some are gilded."
"Are there pictures, symbols?"
"Sometimes. Why?"
"It could be a medieval manuscript, similar to the one found at Freak House," he said to Alice.
"What is medieval and freak?" Sir Markell asked.
"Look around you," Gus muttered.
Alice shot him a warning glare. "There is a similar book in our—their—world with spells. Perhaps the same people wrote it. They died hundreds of years ago and the book was lost, except for a single page with spells on it that transport people between realms. It's kept safe by acquaintances of ours."
"Our book is not safe," Lord Blaine said. "Not while the queen possesses it."
"What I don't understand," Gus said, "is why the transporting spell at Freak House only works at the portal on their estate, when your transporting spell works with watches."
"Our book contains a spell that, when spoken into an object, turns it into a portal. Then a separate spell is required to activate it."
"And yet another turns people into animals?" Seth asked.
Sir Markell and Lord Blaine nodded. "It's her way of warning them," Lord Blaine said. "If someone fails her once, she turns them into a creature, but not fully. They can still function as a human and perform their usual duties for her. If they fail again, she puts them on trial."
"Trials which she orchestrates," Sir Markell said. "If she wants someone found guilty, they'll be found guilty."
"And executed." Lord Blaine shook his head. "We've lost good men that way."
Alice thought about the white rabbit—Sir Uther—afraid of failure, and the donkey in the dungeon who'd taken Alice's side. "We must save as many as we can before they face trial."
"The only way to do that is to take the castle and overthrow the queen," Sir Markell said.
"And the spell book?" David asked. "Where is that precisely?"
"Only the queen knows."
"And Lord Indrid," Lord Blaine bit off.
"Her most trusted advisor," Sir Markell clarified.
"And a traitor to his kingdom, a greedy sycophant, a slimy—" Lord Blaine cleared his throat. "Fellow."
"It's all right," Alice said. "You can call him a turd in my presence if that's what he is."
"Now that you have Alice, how difficult will it be to rally the renegades?" David asked. "Is there enough of you? When can you overthrow the queen?"
"Not today," Sir Markell said with a flicker of humor in his eyes. "And the revolution isn't scheduled for tomorrow, either."
"But we have to go home! Our mother is all alone."
"Lincoln will take care of her," Eva assured him. "But I agree, we do need to get home. I have studies to attend to, and my brother can't afford to be absent from his work for too long."
David buried his head in his hands and groaned.
The men and women who'd seen to the boat returned, their footfalls almost silent. They helped themselves to the broth in the pot and sat on the log or the forest floor. They took great interest in Alice, and she suddenly wished she still wore her dress. She felt conspicuous in the tunic and hose, not to mention indecent without her corset.
"How many renegades are there?" she asked.
"Hard to say," Sir Markell said. "We act in cells, with very little information passing between us. That way, if one cell is discovered, they can't reveal too much about the others."
"My guess is hundreds are active," Lord Blaine said. "Thousands more across the realm support us in minor ways, such as hiding us or offering shelter as we pass through. The queen is loathed, but she's also feared, and fear stops many people from doing what they know to be right."
Sir Markell swallowed heavily. He must feel awful about his father.
"Now that you have returned safely to us, Highness, many more will join our cause," Lord Blaine went on.
Alice's heart swelled. Then it dove. So many people had been working toward bringing her back to Wonderland, so many lives had been lost to the cause…how could she ever make it right? How could she, an ordinary girl from Dorset, rule a country? She knew nothing about politics, or economics, or law. She knew nothing about this realm. She didn't even know what gods they worshipped.
"Alice might not want to stay here," Seth said.
Some of the renegades looked as if they wanted to throw their cups at him or draw their swords. But Alice could only give him a fond smile. He knew her well enough to guess that she was struggling with the notion of becoming a queen.
"We are aware of that," Lord Blaine snapped.
"We'll help you, Alice," Sir Markell said gently. "We'll teach you about our ways and advise you until you're able to make decisions alone."
"Thank you," she said. "I appreciate it. I really do. But Seth's right. I…I need time to think this through."
"You don't want to be queen?" Lord Blaine blurted out.
"She has time," Sir Markell told him. "Without the spell book, she can't go home, anyway."
Lord Blaine looked relieved. No doubt he had a vision of all his hard work coming undone, and all because the young princess was home sick.
They talked some more about the country and its people as the sun went down. Clouds and the trees blocked out the moon, and the only light came from the fires. The men and women cooked over one, working quietly together. Alice was hungry. Hungry and tired. It had been a long day.
Even so, she didn't retire when the others did. She sat alongside Sir Markell and stared into the dying embers, aware that she was being watched by Seth. She wondered what he'd do if she decided to stay in Wonderland. She wondered what she wanted him to do.
She'd worry about that later. They had to overthrow the queen before Alice even considered her future.
"I wanted to express how sorry I am about your father, Sir Markell," she said. "He seemed like a fine man, and I could see that he respected and loved you very much."
He shifted his weight, crossed his ankles then uncrossed them. "Please call me Markell."
She said nothing, hoping to draw more out of him. The tactic worked.
"He never told me he was proud of me until today. He was an absent father, in all interpretations of that word." He drew a deep breath. "I think he knew I would betray the queen. I think he knew I would try to squirrel you away and expected to come to my assistance in the audience chamber."
"That's why he hid a knife in his boot." Alice touched his arm. "He fought bravely."
Markell's chest rose and fell. He touched his nose, his brow, his ear, constantly fidgeting. Alice knew the signs of someone trying to hold back their emotions.
"I didn't want him to die," he said, voice gravely.
"Of course not."
"I knew deep down he didn't like the Queen of Hearts. I expected him to join us after today and help me put you on the throne."
"I'm sure he would have."
He looked at her. "You don't understand. I was counting on his men following him."
Alice's breath hitched. "A military coup."
"Having the army on side would be enough. She has her own personal guards, who are the best of the best, but the army outnumbers them ten to one. And as my father said today, some of those guards mig
ht choose to follow him rather than risk their lives for her. He's much loved by his men. Was much loved."
"And she is widely hated."
"But now… Now she'll install one of her favorites to lead the army, someone who'll be rewarded handsomely for their loyalty."
"And we have only a few hundred active renegades." She looked at the handful of tents rimming the clearing. This was the entire number of Markell's cell, and they had little hope of gathering the rest together to form any kind of army. "It's not enough is it?"
"It has to be."
She wanted to ask him what he'd do if she decided not to remain, but she didn't have the heart to disappoint him. He'd endured enough for one day.
"You've been remarkably calm," he said, seeming to shake off his melancholy. "Every time we've come for you, you've been composed. The only time you looked worried was when you were afraid for your friends."
"Composed on the outside, perhaps. I admit to feeling immeasurably relieved when I saw your wink. I knew then that you had something planned and wouldn't hurt me."
"All that from a wink. If I'd known it held such power, I'd have winked more often." He winked again and she laughed.
"Even before it, I suspected I had nothing to fear from you," she said.
"Why?" he asked on a rush of breath.
She found herself caught by his emerald-green gaze as it focused completely on her. All humor had fled and he was back to being serious, thoughtful, intense. She felt as if she were drowning in his eyes and struggled to breathe. Tearing her gaze away saved her, but it wasn’t easy. "I don't really know," was all she said.
"Tell me about your family in England. What are they like?"
"The couple who adopted me were kind when I was a child. But after my brother died…they changed. That's when I started having nightmares about the Queen of Hearts coming for me. Those nightmares became real, and they were afraid. They thought the devil possessed me. The last time I saw them, we did not part on good terms."
"So you won't want to go back for them?"
She narrowed her eyes. "Are you creating a tally of things that would keep me here versus things I'll want to return for?"
Markell grinned, and the breath left Alice's chest. His smile turned his face from run-of-the-mill handsome to dazzling. "So far the pro-Wonderland tally is winning," he said.