prove inept at delivering my weapon into Homburg Molly’s girlish hands, once Wonderland is in my care, I intend to grant you back your ancestral lands to govern as you please.” “The Diamond Hectariat?”
The king nodded. “The borders of which will be exactly as they used to be before your ancestors and those of the Club, Spade, and Heart clans formed the coalition that eventually became Wonderland. Who knows? Perhaps I’ll even throw in a bit of the Clubs’ former hectariat for you to govern?” Well, well. That was something the Diamonds hadn’t expected. The hectariat theirs again? They could always scheme to get control of the Heart Crystal later. Bloated with family pride, Jack emptied onto the table a pocketful of rhyolite crystals he’d filched from the mines. “Is there a wig merchant in this settlement you can recommend, Arch?” “In Boarderland, men do not wear wigs,” said the king, thinking he’d have this carved somewhere on his nation’s landscape at the next opportunity. “Now listen well, all of you. Here’s my plan…”
After the Diamonds had been escorted out
of the tent, Arch dismissed everyone save Ripkins and Blister. “You
know what you’re to do?”
The bodyguards nodded.
“She’ll be unconscious from the blast, but she shouldn’t be too
injured. Do not make her more so.” Their disappointment was
obvious—they who usually held themselves so taut had slackened
somehow. “Scent the seekers with this.” Arch handed Ripkins the
button that had dropped off Molly’s coat during his interview with
Alyss. “You should have no trouble once the Crystal Continuum is
out of commission, as Wonderland’s military will be too
preoccupied. Remember: Alyss and her forces do not know that I’m
the aggressor, so don’t let yourselves be seen. But as I won’t
begrudge you having some fun on your outing…should anybody see you,
you’re not to let them live.” The bodyguards shrugged off their
disappointment, their usual spirits returned. “Blister thanks you,”
said Blister.
“Ripkins too,” said Ripkins.
Showing proper deference to their king, these rivals to Hatter
Madigan’s military prowess took their leave, and before Arch had
retired for the night, they crossed the border into Alyss’ realm
with nowhere near the cunning they might have, hoping to be seen by
as many Wonderlanders as possible. CHAPTER
7
D ODGE HAD left to perform his guardsman duties. Not wanting to be
alone, Alyss donned a cloak against the night’s chill and ventured
out onto the palace grounds. She probably should have gone to
sleep. In his teasing, avuncular manner, Bibwit was always
reminding her that, for a queen to be at her best, she should get
at least eight lunar hours of sleep a night in order to avoid
making an unwise decision due to fatigue. There would be reasons
enough for unwise decisions in this life, he explained. Yet
here