Page 45 of Alec in Wonderland (Rainbow Tales #1)
“Alec?! That was Alec?! Alec of Humanland?”
The Queen of Hearts was in a rage. She had already ordered two executions. She flung things about, aiming at the servants, and stomped her feet. As he watched her go red-faced and wild-eyed, Bax wondered if this was how he had looked during his tantrum. Yeah, he had a tantrum. Bax admitted that to himself. But it had been necessary. He needed to let out the pain like steam from a tea kettle. And at least Bax had confined his rage to his bedroom. The Queen's fury was seeping out into her fortress. By nightfall, it would spread through Hearts. And then it would stretch its skeletal fingers toward the White Chess Kingdom.
And Alec.
“Alec?!” the Queen screeched again. “That child? That little, fragile human boy? That's who deceived us?” She spun to face Bax. “That same brat who snuck into my fortress years ago and played croquet with me?”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Bax said tonelessly. He noted she didn't place any blame at Cheshire's feet. Only Alec. That was interesting.
“And he took my Vorpal Sword!”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“And all my bandersnatches!” She threw her curled hands up into the air. “My little baby bandersnatchies!”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The Queen of Hearts threw a vase at a servant. He ducked, his expression blank, and quickly straightened.
The Queen screamed. No words, no vows of revenge, just a deadly scream. Everyone in the room winced, but no one dared to cover their ears. And absolutely no one tried to quell her rage. Not even Bax.
Then the Knave's beloved queen strode up to him and backhanded him.
Bax's head spun with the blow. Blood dripped from his split lip. He stared to the side for a second, collecting himself, then brought his head forward to stare at her. He licked his lip. The taste of blood helped to focus him. So had the blow, for that matter. It felt freeing.
The Queen's expression instantly crumpled. “Oh, my sweet boy!” She took Bax's face in her hands and chanted something under her breath.
All of Baxenvir's wounds, not just the one on his face, healed, tingling with her magic. Well, most of them. She’d healed all the cuts he'd gotten when he demolished his bedroom. Just not the slice that Alec had given him. That one went too deep for even the Queen's magic to reach.
“I'm sorry, my Knave.” The Queen kissed his cheek. “You are my only trustworthy companion, and I've struck you in anger. I'm so sorry. Forgive me.”
“There is nothing to forgive, my Queen. I understand. I have just released my own rage upon my bedroom. Strike me again if it eases you. I can take it.”
“Oh, my sweet champion!” The Queen kissed his cheek again. “He betrayed you too. And I was the one who pushed that traitor into your arms.”
“No, Your Majesty. He seduced me, and I succumbed. That is my fault, not yours. I believed that someone could love me. But no one can love a monster.”
The Queen's face crumpled and tears gathered in her eyes. But those tears didn't fall. She had too much control for that. “You are loved, Bax. I love you dearly. You are the son I never birthed. I love you as if you were the blood of my heart.”
“And I love you, my Queen.” Bax's voice was hollow. The words said by route. He didn't know if he meant them anymore.
“Then we have each other. And together, we will get our revenge. We will tear down the White Kingdom until nothing stands, then rebuild it into whatever we wish. I will give it to you, my sweet. You will rule in my stead. We shall call it the Red Kingdom.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty. But don't send me away. I need to be with you.”
A tear finally escaped her rigid control, making its desperate flight down her cheek. “Oh, my boy. My sweet boy. I'll never send you away. But I want to give you the world.”
“We will take it together.”
The Queen took a deep breath and smiled. That grin sealed the fate of the White Kingdom. “Yes, Knave. We ride for Marmoreal at dawn.”