Dodge.
—he whirled around, the point of his sword aimed at her throat. “Not the warmest way to greet your…” She was about to say “queen” but changed her mind. “…friend.” He immediately sheathed his weapon and fell to one knee. “I apologize, Your Highness. You surprised me.”
“You surprised me,” she said. He expects an attack even here? He is too ready to fight. “I wish you’d get up, Dodge. You don’t belong at my feet.” He looked as if he wanted to argue the matter, but he stood, saying only, “I thought you were with the Heart Crystal, helping the military bases defend themselves.” For better or worse, she’d stopped aiding the outposts when the reinforcement decks had arrived. She had needed to find him.
Dodge nodded toward her parents’ graves. “I’ll let you have some time alone.” “No, stay,” she said quickly. “I was only…walking around.” She flapped a hand to take in the whole of the palace. “I’m trying to get used to this place.” “Really?” He tugged at the lapels of his guardsman’s coat, adjusted the weight of his sword. “Then if Her Majesty will allow me the honor, I would be pleased to accompany her on a guided tour.” She would tell him nothing of the tour Bibwit had already provided. “Her Majesty will be pleased to have your company,” she said, “if you give over your formalities and call her by her given name.” “Alyss,” he said, and offered his arm.
They entered the palace and walked for a time in silence. Nice to have the warmth of him so close. Try not to feel guilty, the both of us strolling along as if card soldiers aren’t battling for their lives on the queendom’s outskirts. “I was worried, Dodge,” she said. “Back at the crystal chamber. The look on your face at the possibility of Redd’s return. No one wants to lose you again to an all-consuming vengeance.” “No one?”
Say it. Tell him. “Me.”
She felt blood rush to her face, hoped that he couldn’t see her blush in the half light. For an interminable moment his only response was the click-click of his heels on the marble floor, then— “When you first returned to Wonderland, Alyss, I didn’t understand why you weren’t angry. I thought you should’ve been twice as vengeful as I was, since Redd murdered your mother and father. It bothered me that you weren’t, and I couldn’t help thinking that, in some way, you were dishonoring their memory.” “I don’t honor my parents through vengeance,” Alyss said. “I honor them by watching over the queendom to the best of my ability, for the continued glory of White Imagination. As they tried to do.” “I know, I know,” he sighed. “Did I take unnecessary risks as an Alyssian? Did I put myself in harm’s way because I cared less about my own life after Redd’s coup? Probably. What did my life matter in a
—he whirled around, the point of his sword aimed at her throat. “Not the warmest way to greet your…” She was about to say “queen” but changed her mind. “…friend.” He immediately sheathed his weapon and fell to one knee. “I apologize, Your Highness. You surprised me.”
“You surprised me,” she said. He expects an attack even here? He is too ready to fight. “I wish you’d get up, Dodge. You don’t belong at my feet.” He looked as if he wanted to argue the matter, but he stood, saying only, “I thought you were with the Heart Crystal, helping the military bases defend themselves.” For better or worse, she’d stopped aiding the outposts when the reinforcement decks had arrived. She had needed to find him.
Dodge nodded toward her parents’ graves. “I’ll let you have some time alone.” “No, stay,” she said quickly. “I was only…walking around.” She flapped a hand to take in the whole of the palace. “I’m trying to get used to this place.” “Really?” He tugged at the lapels of his guardsman’s coat, adjusted the weight of his sword. “Then if Her Majesty will allow me the honor, I would be pleased to accompany her on a guided tour.” She would tell him nothing of the tour Bibwit had already provided. “Her Majesty will be pleased to have your company,” she said, “if you give over your formalities and call her by her given name.” “Alyss,” he said, and offered his arm.
They entered the palace and walked for a time in silence. Nice to have the warmth of him so close. Try not to feel guilty, the both of us strolling along as if card soldiers aren’t battling for their lives on the queendom’s outskirts. “I was worried, Dodge,” she said. “Back at the crystal chamber. The look on your face at the possibility of Redd’s return. No one wants to lose you again to an all-consuming vengeance.” “No one?”
Say it. Tell him. “Me.”
She felt blood rush to her face, hoped that he couldn’t see her blush in the half light. For an interminable moment his only response was the click-click of his heels on the marble floor, then— “When you first returned to Wonderland, Alyss, I didn’t understand why you weren’t angry. I thought you should’ve been twice as vengeful as I was, since Redd murdered your mother and father. It bothered me that you weren’t, and I couldn’t help thinking that, in some way, you were dishonoring their memory.” “I don’t honor my parents through vengeance,” Alyss said. “I honor them by watching over the queendom to the best of my ability, for the continued glory of White Imagination. As they tried to do.” “I know, I know,” he sighed. “Did I take unnecessary risks as an Alyssian? Did I put myself in harm’s way because I cared less about my own life after Redd’s coup? Probably. What did my life matter in a