“So if I call something with wings, I’d have a pretty good chance.” A flightless creature wouldn’t stand up against a dragon.
“Correct,” Sansu said. “That leaves us with the manticore, roc, or gryphons. If you succeed in calling a gryphon, and it’s the leader, the whole convocation might follow.”
I was drawn to the roc, the giant bird capable of carrying even something as large as an elephant in its talons. It was supposed to be a vicious fighter.
“Would the roc’s beak and talons be able to defeat the jabberwocky?”
“That depends on which one you call,” Hatter replied.
I was about to fire off a retort that the same might be said for any animal, when a knock came at the door.
My spine stiffened, and I ran to look out the window. We still had hours until dusk.
“Could they have moved up the challenge?” I asked, twirling back around to face my friends.
Everyone looked as stunned as I did, an occurrence that was becoming far too common for my liking.
“I—I don’t know,” Henri replied. “I’ll check.”
A hush fell over the room as he opened the door to find two guards.
“Henri Hatter?” One guard asked.
“That’s me.”
“You’ve been requested.”
The rebel leader took a step back. “By who?”
“Isadora Blackthorn was injured and requires your assistance.”
I dashed over to the door. “Isadora? What happened to her?”
“We are not at liberty to say,” the other soldier spoke up. “We were told only to retrieve Mr. Hatter, so that he might help her out of this predicament.”
I exchanged glances with Hatter. “What do you think?”
“She was at the feast last night, and the amphitheater today . . . and she was vocal.”
My throat closed up. He was right. Isadora had been vocal, especially before the combat trial. So much so, she’d earned the queen’s ire. Certainly others had noticed her too. What if another subject of Wonderland attacked her afterwards?
“Go.” I placed a hand on his shoulder, adding assurance that I meant what I said. “Check on her, and once you’re sure she’s okay, come back.”
“Are you sure?” he asked. “I should be helping you.”
I gestured back to Sansu and Alran. “There are enough cooks in this kitchen. Plus, she’s as important as family to you. Isadora needs you.”
And I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t let him go check on her.
“Okay,” Henri said. “I’ll check on her, get her whatever she needs, and return as quickly as possible.”
I nodded, and then, unable to help myself, lifted up onto my tiptoes and pressed my lips to his cheek for the second time. “We’ll be waiting.”
Chapter 30
Henri didn’t return by the time dusk fell.
As a result, my focus was in tatters as my team walked onto the beach in front of the castle for the third challenge.
