Page 26 of Alec in Wonderland (Rainbow Tales #1)
When Alec saw Bax come striding up to him with the Queen, he shot to his feet, then swayed. The Knave of Hearts was whole and hale despite looking as if he'd taken a dip in a pool of blood. His forearm was bent and lifted, the Queen's delicate hand placed on his bloody sleeve, and she was smiling at him as if they were walking into a ballroom.
“What the fuck?” Alec whispered.
“She has dark magic, remember?” Torwen whispered back just before he rushed forward to the Queen. “Your Majesty! Your power knows no bounds! I'm in awe. Utter awe!” Torwen dropped to his knees and lifted his arms to her. “You are glorious!”
The Queen giggled. “Enough of that, my little cat. Get up. You can show your admiration later. In private.”
Torwen grinned broadly and jumped to his feet to take the Queen's hand and kiss it. “I intend to, Your Majesty.” Then he bowed to Bax. “Thank you, Sir Baxenvir. Truly, you have my most humble and deepest gratitude. You saved my life. I mean, with my cousin's help, but still. You didn't have to do that.”
Bax nodded at Torwen, but his stare was on Alec.
“Bax,” Alec whispered.
“I told you I'd be fine,” Bax said.
“Holy fuck.” Alec toppled.
“Mal!” Bax rushed forward to catch him before he fell. Then he eased Alec down to the grass. “Are you hurt? Your Majesty!”
“Easy, my champion.” The Queen joined them, her skirts brushing Alec's cheek. “Your lover is fine. None of his wounds are grievous. He's just in shock. And I believe he's relieved. For you. Isn't that right, Malecvar?”
Alec was staring at Bax. Couldn't stop. He lifted his hand to Bax's face. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
“You see? He's fine.” She waved a pale hand.
“Bax?” Alec brushed the knight's lips. “How are you healed?”
“The Queen has great magic,” Bax said.
Alec tore his gaze away from Bax to look at the Queen. The Queen was smiling down at him, Torwen standing just to her left.
“My knave has told me that you came to his aid, Malecvar,” the Queen said. “Against four bandersnatches, no less. That was incredibly brave of you.”
“Or stupid,” Torwen added.
The Queen chuckled and sent her consort a chiding look.
“My cousin is lucky he didn't get himself killed, Your Majesty,” Torwen said. “He's never encountered a bandersnatch.”
“Lucky? He was magnificent.” Bax shot a look at Torwen, who grimaced and looked away. Then he helped Alec to his feet. “Mal, you moved like the wind. It was beautiful and effective. Who taught you that?”
“My father,” Alec lied, adding it to the list of lies he'd already told Bax. “He developed the technique as a means of self-defense. He never wanted me to use it to hurt anyone. Only defend. It's a last resort.”
“From what I've heard, it should be a first resort. I must thank you for assisting my champion.” The Queen laid her hand on Alec's shoulder. “And for not hurting any of my little pups. Not fatally at least. I do adore them. And Bax says you could have easily killed them.”
“Your pups, Your Majesty?” Alec blinked from her to Bax and back.
“My little baby bandersnatchies,” she cooed and waved her hand back toward the kennels. “Come. Attend me while I see them settled. It will do you good to see that they aren't always so frisky.”
“Frisky,” Alec whispered as Bax took his arm and escorted him after the Queen.
“Cheshire, stay!” The Queen pointed at Torwen.
“Oh, I will never go within fifty feet of your little puppies again, Your Majesty,” Torwen vowed. “I've learned my lesson.”
The Queen grunted and sashayed on, past the line of card soldiers guarding the area. Alec's steps faltered when he saw the monsters sitting in the little courtyard before the kennel. The kennel wall was nothing more than hanging debris. Beyond it, Alec saw the pens. He prepared himself for another attack, but the bandersnatches only yipped happily when they saw their mistress and bounded over to her.
“My babies!” The Queen bent to stroke them, although she didn't have to bend far—the beasts came to chest-high on her.
Pink tongues escaped ferocious jaws to lick at the Queen's hands and cheeks. She giggled and hugged them, giving attention to each one. Then she looked over at Alec and Bax. “You see? They're sweet when you don't tease them with pussycats. Come, I'll introduce you.”
Alec looked at Bax.
“It will be fine,” Bax whispered. “I'm here. Just keep calm as you did when you fought them. Don't let them see your fear.”
Alec let out a breath and nodded.
They went to the Queen and her puppies together.
The bandersnatches went still and focused on the two of them.
“Sit!” The Queen straightened and pointed at the dogs.
They sat, wagging their long tails.
She went down the line of them. “This is Raelis, Vanar, Freck, and Jossen. Boys, this is Malecvar.” She drew Alec closer. “Friend. Do not hurt Malecvar.” She took Alec's hand and put it before each wet nose. “Friend.”
The Queen's little baby bandersnatchies sniffed Alec, then panted happily, sharp teeth displayed by their lifted lips. Alec gaped at them.
“And never attack Baxenvir again!” She wagged her finger at them. “You know better. If he comes between you and anything, you sit!”
The bandersnatches whimpered.
“I know. I know. You smelled a cat. But you must learn to control yourselves.” She stroked their faces. “My sweet boys. Bax and Mal had to hurt you, and Mommy doesn't like you getting hurt.”
They yipped and panted harder.
Alec stepped back when he had the chance. He may be confident in his ability to defend himself, but he didn't want to test the beasts again. Bax winked at him and went forward, taking Alec's place. With a grateful look at his lover, Alec retreated further. He watched the Queen and her champion pet the monsters, his heart finally settling down, then looked over at the wall the beasts had decimated. A fucking wall. And they just bashed through it. Why bother with a kennel at all? He wandered closer to see that the pens had iron gates across them, but they were only waist-high. Ridiculous. Like everything in Wonderland. No sense to them.
Then he saw it.
Up on a wall, something glinted and caught Alec's attention. He looked closer, sidling up to the hole as if inspecting the damage. At that angle, he got a clear view of one of the back stalls. The glint revealed itself to be a sword. A curved blade, wide like a scimitar but spiraled at the tip. Words ran along the edge, but Alec couldn't make them out. In the hilt, a blue gem glittered.
“Holy shit,” Alec whispered.
“Get this repaired immediately,” the Queen said.
Alec jerked away from the hole and hurried back to the Queen and the Knave of Hearts. They didn't seem to have noticed his interest in the kennels. Still, Alec's heart was back to racing. If he was right, he wouldn't have to coerce Bax into giving up the location of the Vorpal Sword. His racing heart sank as he realized what that meant.
The mission was over.
All Alec had to do was retrieve the sword, and he could leave. Would he ever see Bax again? Yes, of course he would. On the battlefield. Right before he fought a monster.
“Mal?” Bax took his hand. “Are you sure you're not injured?”
“Yes. I'm fine.” Alec forced a smile to his face. “Still a little shaky, but that's all.”
“Was that your first battle?” the Queen asked as she motioned to the puppies.
The bandersnatches went running into the kennel and jumped over the iron gates to curl up in the straw.
Alec gaped at them and then looked back at the Queen. “Uh, yes, Your Majesty. I've only trained with friendly opponents, never with . . . uh, puppies.”
The Queen smiled and cupped his cheek. “You're adorable. I'm so glad you came to court, Malecvar. I want you to stay. You shall live here now.”
“Oh. Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Bax's eyes went wide.
Alec looked from Bax to the Queen. “I should like that.”
“Good.” She clapped once. “That's decided!” She took a deep breath and stared out at her gardens. “I feel like playing a game!”
“You do, Your Majesty?” Bax asked. “What game would you care to play?”
“Croquet!” The Queen spun back to Alec. “Do you play croquet?”
Alec blinked, hesitating just a moment before saying, “Yes, Your Majesty. Though poorly.”
“Perfect!” She twirled away. “Come along, boys!”