I leapt out of my chair, grabbing my dagger from its hiding spot and lifting it high. The weapon glinted in the low lighting of Heartfire Hall, and I was about to bring it down, when a shimmering white force stopped me.
The aether. My aunt was using aether against me, and judging by how I couldn’t budge, she was damn strong with it.
“That’s better. That’s how atrueWhite takes what she wants,” the Red Queen said, her green eyes narrowing. “Unfortunately, you’re not quite up to snuff.”
She twisted to face her guards. “Take this girl and her friends to the dungeons. Tomorrow, it’s off with their heads.”
“No!” Hatter leapt up, and a dozen blades thrust out at him from all angles.
He threw up his hands, signaling he was weaponless. “Alice White invokes the right to Trial by Aether!”
Gasps rose throughout the crowd, and the queen’s grasp over the aether fell away.
“Impossible!” a fae cried out. “The queen has no family. Only those of the royal line may challenge the crown for the throne.”
“Incorrect,” Hatter said. “Someone else can challenge the crown to a Trial by Aether—the aether-blessed.”
Everyone in the hall fell silent, until finally, after what felt like a year, the king consort spoke up.
“Are you saying that this poisoner is . . . aether-blessed?”
In answer, I called the aether to me, and a ball of white light appeared in my hand.
“I see that it’s true,” the king said, astounded. “My love, you have no choice but to accept the challenge—a Trial by Aether . . . for the crown.”
“I have every right to refuse! I am the rightful queen of Wonderland!” the queen roared. “I’m—”
“No, Your Majesty, I’m afraid you don’t,” a high-pitched voice broke through the queen’s fury.
Everyone in the hall twisted, and murmurs rose from the guests. I craned my neck past the guards to find Herald standing before the royal table, a scroll in hand.
“Oh really, crier?” The queen’s voice was oily, full of barely suppressed rage. “And why do you believe that to be the case?”
The paper shook in the pooka’s hand, and Herald twitched as though a million flies were landing on him. Still, he mustered his courage and answered.
“This scroll is from your royal library, Your Majesty. The law is clear. It proclaims that should any monarch be challenged to a Trial by Aether by a valid candidate, theymustcompete, or forfeit the crown.”
Murmurs ran through the crowd.
The Red Queen’s eyes were narrowed, her lips pursed as if she was about to deny the law of the land—the law that she had been stupid enough to leave unchanged for thirteen years.
I couldn’t let her do that.
I released my aether. It soared around the hall, exploding into gold and teal fireworks that became confetti before the sparks hit the ground. The queen’s jaw tightened. Everyone else in Heartfire Hall gasped at the clear display of power that couldn’t be explained by using the other four elements.
“Perhaps you’re too scared to take me on? Afraid that you’ll no longer be the strongest fae in Wonderland?” I paused, taking great delight in how the queen’s face turned as red as her dress. “Or maybe you’re scared that, since I’m here, in your home, with aether magic flowing through my veins, you might already have been overtaken?”
The guests cried out in astonishment. Two fae actually fainted, but my eyes were locked on the queen, and when she turned her green gaze upon me, and I saw how brightly her eyes burned, I knew I had her.
“I’m afraid of no such thing. I accept this girl’s invitation,” the queen boomed. “Take her and her friends to the North Tower, where they’ll remain under guard.” The queen clapped twice quickly. “Tomorrow, the Trial by Aether begins.”
Chapter 25
As soon as the guards shut the door to the North Tower, I whirled on Henri. Rightly sensing danger, Alran, Sansu, and the pixies scattered to the sides of the room.
“What was all that about? Why didn’t you ever tell me a trial was an option? You’re lucky I can think fast, because what thehell, Henri?!” Aether bloomed at the end of my fingertip as I thrust it at him.
He jerked back. “I never thought calling a trial would actually work. I assumed you’d be able to kill her before sheeveragreed to a Trial by Aether. If we weren’t in public, and you hadn’t appealed to her enormous ego, I still don’t think it would have worked. We’d already be dead.”
