The genie sweeps in an arc above the board. “Oh my, the Red Queen is the master of head removal,” he says. Like she needs any more support at being a psychopath.
Nash leans over to whisper in my ear. “I have her strategy. It’s rigid and predictable. We can win, but you have to stay strong.”
My eyes flutter closed as I hear the undercurrent of what he’s about to do. I don’t know if I can stand to see the end of anyone here, even temporarily. No, wait. Charming is fair game.
I repeat another move to the board at Nash’s urging.
“Daphne, no,” Gwyneth’s voice pierces the air, thick with desperation as her rook boldly advances into the path of the Red Queen’s pawn. I shut my eyes tightly, burying my fears beneath a shroud of hope, whispering frantic prayers to the Idols—clinging to the frayed edges of faith that Nash knows what he’s doing.
An ear splitting crash shatters the moment, swallowing my sister’s cries into a haunting void. A suffocating silence envelops us, heavy with an unnameable dread. Then, like a storm unleashed, Charming’s furious roar rends through the stillness, a sound that reverberates in my very bones. My heart stutters, a painful pause that drags me into despair.
The brilliance that was Gwyneth, the light that ignited my world, flickers out, leaving only shadows in its wake. I grit my teeth against the tidal wave of grief rising within me, forcing myself to open my eyes.
My gaze locks with the genie’s shocked face. A flicker of an idea ignites deep in my chest—a desperate thread of possibility. I no longer care for the perils that come with it; I would cast my wish to bring her back, no matter the consequences. Nash’s plan—whatever it is—swirls uncertainly in the back of my mind, but a deafening doubt claws at my heart, gnawing at the edges of my resolve. What if this was all for nothing?
“In a dramatic turn of events,” the genie says gravely, “the White Queen makes a move that sacrifices her sister’s life. Now the stakes are higher than she ever bargained for. Is it time to play dirty?”
“Nash,” Theo calls.
I snarl the instructions out as Nash fires them in rapid succession.
We lose Hamish. Her feathers float in the air, and Eugene squawks like she’s lost her best friend in the entire universe. Nash glances at Hart, who nods his understanding.
Hart’s bishop moves. The Red Queen’s cruel lips lift, and she moves for the first time. She drags it out, letting the horror fully settle in our chests as she converges on Hart. He lifts his staff, ready for the fight of his life. My throat tightens, and hot tears spill down my cheeks. I grind my teeth together as I prepare the wish I’ll make to undo this mess.
Chess’s violet eyes appear on the other side of the board, and he tilts them down to the Red King before floating over to an empty square. Nash gives a tiny nod. So we are trusting the cat?
“The queen is down a sister and a lover. Is three enough for our clumsy maiden?” the genie remarks, continuing his commentary. I’d murder him, but I have use for him as my backup plan. His normal purple skin has turned a few shades paler. He’s more affected than he’s letting on.
The Red Queen’s voice drips with malice as her lip curls in a snarl, rage igniting within her. With a swift, agile movement, Hart thrusts his staff forward, its tip piercing the fabric of her striking red and black dress, sending a ripple of torn silk through the air. But before he can revel in a fleeting victory, she strikes back with ferocious speed. A wicked whip unfurls from her hand, coiling like a serpent around his staff and clenching tight, rendering it useless against her overwhelming strength.
The atmosphere crackles with unspoken tension as she leans down, her eyes glinting with a predatory gleam as she snatches Hart’s hat from his head. For a heartbeat, our gazes lock, her gaze as chilling as a winter’s breath. She wraps her hand around his neck and yanks, a swift motion that echoes through thethick stillness, a brutal twist that severs him from life itself. His head is gone, his body left standing for a moment longer, a nightmarish testament to her ruthless power.
Nash sucks in a breath next to me. Why? He knew what he was doing, right? Fuck. I glance at him with pleading eyes.Please tell me this was part of the plan.
His throat bobs. No... nope... not happening.
I open my mouth, ready to succumb to the genie’s demands for a wish for the first time. Apparently, my line is losing my loved ones. Yes, I love them. How could I not?
“Queen to K5,” he demands.
Me? He’s moving me? If I die, then I can’t make the wish. Won’t that leave him vulnerable? I shake my head. He leans over and kisses me hard. “Threefold, Daphne. I’m holding you to it.”
Meaning he expects me to live. I suck in a breath and face the Red Queen. “Queen to K5.”
She shakes her head as my piece moves. Why is she shaking her head? Unless...
“Checkmate,” Nash declares.
The board beneath us rumbles, and my fallen pieces zoom back onto the squares, their smashed bodies reforming before my eyes. It’s simultaneously the most joyful and terrifying thing I’ve ever witnessed.
My eyes slide closed, and I mutter a prayer. My feet hit the ground, and I race to Gwyneth, wrapping my arms around her and tackling her to the ground. She hugs me back. “I’m okay, I promise,” she whispers. “I’m here, I’m okay.”
I hate this place. I never thought I would miss Strongfair, but at least I knew the rules of the village. This place is a mindfuck.
We untangle ourselves and stand. Charming takes my place, nearly tripping over the capons in his haste as I search for Hart. I throw myself into his waiting arms and slam my lips against hisin a brutal kiss. “You can’t leave me,” I snap. “I need you.”I love you,is what I want to say, but not here and now.
He holds my face between his palms and looks into my eyes. “I need you too, Calamity. You are the goodness in this cruel world. Never change.”
