I inhaled a slow breath. “Okay, combat is obvious. I feel good about my chances there. I assume conjuring means I have to create things with the aether? And creatures . . . help a girl out here.”
“Creatures means you have to use the aether to call a magical animal that will fight the queen’s creature for you,” Dum supplied as she smoothed her blue dress and hair.
“To the death!” Dee added, much more dramatically.
I groaned. The entire herd of bandersnatch had been under the queen’s control. “Calling creatures is one of her skills, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Henri replied. “Still, there’s hope. You’ll likely excel at combat.”
“But conjuring . . .” I understood how someone might conjure something substantial with the aether. I’d practiced it at least two dozen times, albeit with smaller objects. “I need a lot more practice at creating stuff out of aether. How is the winner of the Trial decided anyway?”
Sansu cringed. “There hasn’t been a Trial by Aether in centuries, but rumor has it the crowd voices their pleasure or displeasure at the creations.”
I threw up my hands. “And we know how that will go! She’ll murder anyone who cheers for me—if they even cheer at all!”
“Not necessarily,” Henri corrected me. “The trials are performed at random. If the conjuring trial is last, and you do well on another one—if you give enough grounds for hope—the rebels will be strong and lend you their voice to oust the queen. It’s a gigantic risk, but many would take it for the good of the kingdom.”
“It’s leaving a lot to chance.”
Hatter didn’t answer, but he shot a glance at Alran and Sansu, who nodded significantly, like they were a couple of mind readers.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Care to share with the class?”
“You’re right. There is a lot left to chance, and the cards are stacked against you. But if we can get to the witches who created the fog, we could force them to undo their enchantments—”
I sat up straight. “The people who believe the Red Queen is the true queen would come to their senses.”
“We’ve never had the ability to get to the witches before,” Sansu said, “but now that we’re in the castle, it’s a possibility.”
I stood. “Well then, it seems like you five have some strategy to discuss. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to prepare for tomorrow.”
Chapter 26
Early the next day, a guard knocked on our suite door and gave us a pile of clothing and a letter containing instructions.
“The first trial will begin in two hours,” the guard said perfunctorily when Alran opened the door. “An escort will show you to where it will take place.” He dumped his offerings into Alran’s arms, and with that, he turned and left.
Alran set the clothes on the chaise lounge, and I examined the garments. They were black, with a gold rose over the right breast and another on the back of the shirt. “They look like team uniforms,” I said after a moment. “One for each of us.”
Henri joined me in examining the clothes. “That’s exactly what they are.”
“I can’t feel any magic on them. What about you?”
After a minute, he shook his head. “Nothing. I’m not surprised. She’s a narcissist, so she likely believes she can beat you without sabotage.”
I bit my lip. No one could deny that the Red Queen had been using aether for much longer than me, and knew what she was doing with it.
“Don’t look so worried.” Dum landed on my shoulder and patted it. “You have us here to help. We will do everything in our power to make sure you win.”
I tilted my head. “But it’s me versus her in the trials, right?”
“Sure, but we can help you practice every day, and teach you what we know,” Dum replied. “Plus, we’ll invite the rebels to the events for moral support.”
My spine straightened. “They’ll be in so much danger!”
After I’d had time to mull it over, I realized that I didn’t really want the others to come. I barely wanted any of my friends here. In fact, this morning, Henri and I had gotten into a fight when he’d asked me to remove the glamour I’d made for him. Now that we were no longer going for stealth, he wanted the Red Queen to see his face when he stood against her. Wanted her to know where he’d come from.
Although I hated that it would be putting him in more danger, after a half hour of arguing, I’d agreed, and Henri had become himself once again.
