“Duke Theodore sacrificed a lot to see you safe, Your Majesty,” King Jaxon said softly. “And he will be remembered for it.”
“He died for me?” I asked as tears filled my eyes. “I just buried him today, and you're telling me that he died instead of bringing me back here.”
“He wanted you to be as prepared as possible.” Bevan gave me a sympathetic look. “If he didn't try to return with you sooner, he must not have felt that you were ready.”
“Which brings to mind the question of if you are, in fact, ready.” Draven frowned. “What sort of magic do you possess, Queen Alice?”
“She hasn't come into her power yet,” Jaxon answered for me.
“You haven't what?” The King of Diamonds shouted.
“Calm yourself,” Jaxon snapped. “She has been in the human world. She probably needs some time to connect with Wonderland.”
“You'll be fine.” The King of Clubs smiled supportively. “Your mother was one of the strongest women I've ever met; there isn't a mome rath's chance in the sea that you were born without the Wilds in you.”
“We should take her to see the Caterpillar,” Draven said.
“That hookah smoking hypocrite,” Jaxon growled.
The other two men just stared at Jaxon.
“Fine,” King Jaxon huffed. “But we need to take her further into the Underland then.”
“The Underland?” I asked.
“It's a hidden community beneath Wonderland, where we've been regrouping our forces and hiding the refugees.”
“Refugees?”
“The Queen of Hearts didn't just betray the other kingdoms when she took Wonderland,” Jaxon explained. “She betrayed her own magic, turning love into a weapon. Spaders are meant to be the warriors of Wonderland.”
“And the Order of the Cheshire,” Nick said as he came into the room. “We are warriors as well.”
“My apologies,” Jaxon nodded to Nick. “The Order of the Cheshire is in a class of its own.”
I lifted a brow at Nick as he nodded to Jaxon.
“We were the protectors of the Royal Wilds,” Nick said proudly. “Shapeshifters and soldiers. But I am the last of the Cheshires.”
“What?” I whispered.
“The rest of my order died in defense of our king.” Nick held his chin high, but his eyes glistened. “I was charged by His Majesty to see you and the Duke to safety, or I too would be dead.”
“Thank you for saving my life, Nick,” I said softly.
He blinked in shock, then gave me a brilliant smile. “It was the greatest honor ofmylife, Your Majesty. And I hope to continue to guard you, now that you have returned to us.”
“I can think of no one I'd rather have guarding my back,” I said immediately.
Nick, the last Cheshire Cat of the House of Wilds, beamed at me.
“Now, what were you about to say, King Jaxon?” I looked to the King of Spades. “About the Spades being the warriors?”
“My House handled any military matter in Wonderland,” Jaxon said. “The House of Diamonds looked after our wealth, the House of Clubs healed our sick and crafted our potions, and the House of Hearts was meant to bring love into our world. Queen Rina turned the magic into something it wasn't meant to be, and that has poisoned it and her. She has gone even madder than poor George, and she inflicts her insanity upon the people of Wonderland.”
“Thus, the refugees.” Bevan waved his hands out. “We dug a network of tunnels and hidden homes beneath the earth, like this one. The tunnels have never been discovered, and Underland is the only place in all of Wonderland that is safe from the Queen of Hearts.”
“Sounds good.” I sighed. “Honestly, I just want a place to lay my head down for a few hours.”
