Page 46 of Alec in Wonderland (Rainbow Tales #1)

The White Chess Castle rose in delicate towers, adorned with faceted crystals that caught the light and made the whole of it shine like a beacon of hope. The high walls standing guard around the grounds were just as bright, with a silver gate so fanciful that it looked incapable of holding anything out. That gate opened as their party approached, and a unit of soldiers marched out, the one in the lead wearing a conical helmet topped with a square cross.

“Commander Quinlen, welcome home.” The man in the helmet bowed.

“Thank you, Bishop Kuserin.” Quinlen stepped forward and shook the man's hand. “You've prepared the Army?”

“Yes, sir! We've remained prepared, training daily as usual, but when the Prince returned, we upped our training schedule and posted guards further out.”

“Good.” Then Quin noticed the direction of the Bishop's stare. “Ah, yes. This is Alec.” He motioned Alec forward. “Alec, this is Bishop Kuserin.”

“Hello, Bishop.” Alec nodded.

“Call me Kuserin, sir. Bishop is only my military title.”

“Ah. Yes. Right. Like Finbri and Almai.”

“Yes, they are my fellows.”

Torwen sauntered up and smirked at the Bishop. “Hello, Kus. You're looking . . . pointy.”

“Welcome home, Sir Torwen.” The Bishop bowed. “The White Prince has told us of the sacrifices you've made. Thank you for your service. I'm deeply honored to be the one to welcome you home.”

Torwen blinked, swallowed, then cleared his throat. “Yes, well. Uh, anything for the good of Wonderland. And for our queen, of course.”

“The White Queen requests that you attend her immediately.” Bishop Kuserin nodded at Quin, Torwen, and Alec. Then his gaze locked on something behind Alec. “Uh. Could someone tell me why there are bandersnatches with you?”

Alec motioned the bandersnatches forward. “They're cursed. We need to take them to the Queen.”

“Cursed?” The Bishop stared at the beasts, then nodded as if that were perfectly normal. “Yes, of course. She's in the kitchen. I'm sure she'll help them.”

“Wonderful. Thank you, Bishop Kuserin.” Quin turned and addressed the army. “Settle in, everyone. And get some rest.” As the army filed past, he said to the Bishop, “Close the gates, Kuserin. And call your sentries back.”

“Call them back? But we need to know when the Cards approach.”

“They're coming now,” Quinlen said. “I don't want any soldier out there alone. Double the watch on the walls and warn everyone that the Cards are on the move.”

“Yes, sir!”

With that, Quinlen strode to the sparkling castle keep, Torwen sauntering after him.

Alec paused, looking around the gleaming courtyard. To either side of the main road, gardens stretched out, similar to the Hearts Fortress. But there, the gardens boasted a multitude of different flora, the beds overflowing so that they didn't look completely contained. Among the flowers were fragrant herbs, vegetables, and fruit trees. It was a garden that could sustain life, not just entertain. White marble statues of chess pieces spotted the greenery, but that was the only nod to the kingdom. Unlike the Hearts Fortress, where everything was branded with the Queen's symbol.

Alec waved at the bandersnatches. “It's time to get you back to yourselves. Come on.” He nodded at the Bishop and followed Torwen and Quinlen to a silver door in the keep, the bandersnatches marching after him in a line.

They entered a bright corridor with a ceiling so high that it caught their footsteps and tossed the sound back at them. It was lovely and peaceful, but Alec didn't think that was the reason Torwen exhaled and let his shoulders fall with it. This was home for Tor. That's what Kuserin had said. He had welcomed them home.

Alec stepped up beside Torwen. “How long were you spying on the Queen?”

Torwen glanced at him. “Oh, years. Or maybe a few months. I can't recall.”

Alec scowled. “Why is getting a straight answer out of you always so difficult?”

“I don't think straightly. Do you?” Torwen cocked his head at Alec. “Linear thinking is best left to the White Queen. Spies must think outside the chessboard.”

“As commanders do,” Quin tossed over his shoulder.

Alec shook his head. “Never mind.”

“Never mind?” Torwen considered this. “Never mind. No, thank you. I prefer an always mind.”

“Oh, for fuck's sake,” Alec muttered and stepped back. “The bandersnatches make more sense.”

Vanar looked at Alec and yipped.

Yeah, Alec had learned their names on the way to Marmoreal. Not that the bandernsatches had told him with words. Alec remembered their names, then spoke them aloud for each beast to acknowledge.

Alec could tell that the bandersnatches were excited. He was excited for them. Soon, they would learn if the Queen could break their curse. But Alec was also terrified. For himself, that is. The closer he got to the White Queen, the closer he came to his destiny—killing the Jabberwocky. It felt less like his destiny and more like a responsibility. But either way, it was what Alec had come to Wonderland to do.

The Vorpal Sword hung at Alec's hip like a banner proclaiming his willingness. The White Queen would assume that he was there to do his duty. Despite what anyone thought, it wasn't his responsibility. It wasn't even his world, much less his kingdom. Still, Alec would fight. He knew he would. He couldn't let his friends down. Not now, after all he'd done to get there.

After who he had betrayed.

Shining rooms done in white glinted in the corner of Alec's eye as they passed through several corridors, going deeper and deeper into the castle. At last, the scent of baking bread came to them, then the sound of high, tinkling laughter.

“Sweet, silly boy!” a woman said. “Oh, how I love you!”

They entered a vast kitchen, its vaulted ceiling hung with silver chains that ended just above their heads. Pots, pans, and other types of cookware dangled from the chains along with tools such as cleavers and meat hooks. The latter had Alec blinking.

Beneath this beautiful and deadly array of cooking implements, three extraordinarily long worktables stood, topped with expanses of white marble veined in gold. Around the edges of the room, counters abutted the walls and cabinets loomed above, their tops shooting up into Gothic peaks. Everything was white, which Alec thought was a bad idea for a kitchen. Especially this kitchen.

There was stuff everywhere. Pots inexplicably boiled atop the marble, books lay propped open, spoons stirred the contents of bowls without a hand to guide them, and trays of freshly baked bread, pastries, and confectioneries crowded around the ingredients that created them. Alec's mouth watered.

Raelis yipped.

There were two people in this enormous space, just two. They stood in the center of the chaos, sleeves tied up and aprons around their waists. One was the White Prince and the other was the most beautiful woman Alec had ever seen. She was tall, willowy, and so pale that she could have been mistaken for an albino. But within the snowy landscape of her face, a pair of brilliant blue eyes burned and the white of her skin flushed a lovely pink. Atop her head, pure white curls perched precariously, threatening to fall at any moment, and her delicate hands applied frosting to a batch of cupcakes with the precision of a surgeon.

The woman looked up with an expression of delight. “My hatter!”

“My Queen!” Quin went forward and bowed.

The White Queen swirled around her son, skirts swishing, and danced up to her commander. “I've missed you, Quin.” She took his face in her hands and kissed both cheeks. “Welcome home.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“And there is my favorite cat!” She opened her arms and Torwen went into them.

Alec heard him sigh before saying, “I'm home.”

“Yes, Tor, you're home.” The Queen looked over his shoulder at Alec. “And you've brought me a champion.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Torwen stepped back and subtly swiped at his eyes. “Alec of the Human World.”

Alec knew that was his cue. He stepped up to the Queen and bowed. “Hello, Your Majesty.”

“Hello, Alec.” The White Queen clasped her hands together as if she didn't trust them to not reach for him. “It's been a very long time.”

“Have we already met, Your Majesty?”

“Oh, yes. You came here after escaping the Queen of Hearts. You don't remember?”

Alec frowned. “I remember . . .” His stare happened upon the White Prince. “You! I remember you.”

The White Prince grinned and joined them, his deep, golden skin looking even darker when set against his mother's complexion. “We played together. I'm so pleased that you remember me.”

“Alby!” Alec grinned back.

“Alec!” The White Prince opened his arms.

Alec laughed as he hugged his childhood playmate. So, there had been two boys who he'd met in Wonderland. How fascinating that the little soldier boy had won his heart in an hour while Alec had only felt friendship for the stunning prince who he had several days with. They say that the heart wants what it wants. Alec's hadn't wasted any time on making its choice. Then it stuck to it.

“Oh, my sweet boys,” the Queen said. She laid a hand on them both. “Welcome back, Alec. We're so grateful to you for coming to our aid after all this time.”

Alec swallowed roughly and eased out of Albion's embrace. “I'd be lying if I said I'm not scared, Your Majesty.”

“Well, of course, you're scared. We're all terrified. The Queen of Hearts has dark magic and a monster on her side.” Her gaze wandered to the bandersnatches. “But I see that her monsters are not what they appear. They're not monstrous at all. Come here, you poor things. Let me look at you.”

The bandersnatches looked at Alec. Alec nodded and motioned them over. They stepped up to the Queen, then sat on their haunches.

The Queen bent to stare each animal in the eye. Then, nodding, she stood. “This is wickedness at its worst. I suspected Satana was experimenting with transformation magic, but I had hoped it wasn't successful.” She twirled about and then lost all semblance of grace when she stomped over to a counter along the wall. Her hands moved with more power then, sparks flying around her.

The small gathering stepped back. Only the bandersnatches remained where they were, heads cocked and human eyes focused on the Queen.

Muttering to herself, or perhaps chanting, the White Queen gathered items in a glass bowl. She poured, sprinkled, and stirred. And then she made a sound of satisfaction. Alec looked around and saw looks of relief on Albion, Quin, and Torwen. He didn't want to know what horror they had just averted, but he made a mental note to stay out of the kitchen while visiting the White Castle.

“Here we are!” The Queen held a vial of sparkling white liquid aloft. “Don't you worry, my friends. Breaking the curse will hurt immensely.”

Alec frowned at that.

Then the Queen went on, “But this potion will dull the pain. You shouldn't feel a thing.” She tapped Vanar's nose. “Open up!”

Vanar obediently opened his enormous mouth, exposing all of his sharp teeth, and the Queen poured a drop of liquid onto his tongue. Instantly, Vanar's eyes rolled back in his head, and he crumpled to the marble floor. Freck was up next. He whimpered and looked at Alec.

“It's so you won't feel the pain,” Alec said. “I think it's best that you get knocked out, buddy.”

Freck opened his mouth.

The White Queen administered the potion to all four beasts, then set the vial in a holder she found among the baking detritus. Alec assumed the Queen would have to create another potion to break the curse, but she didn't return to her magic-making counter. Instead, she crouched before Vanar, her white skirts billowing around her so that she resembled one of her cupcakes.

Just as the White Queen reached for Vanar, a man came into the kitchen. He was tall, muscular, deeply tanned, blond, exceedingly handsome, and wore a crown. He went up to the Queen and asked, “My dearest, have you seen my crown?”

The White Queen answered without looking up. “It is upon your head, my love.”

“Oh!” The man tapped the top of his head, felt the points of his crown, and grinned. “Well, that's a relief. Now I can do away with it.” He pulled the golden thing off and tossed it on a counter. “What are you up to now, my darling?”

“Healing evil curses, my sweet.”

“Ah, yes. Very good. Have you made hirisk cakes?”

“On the counter, dearest.”

“Lovely! Oh, hello, Son.” He patted the White Prince's shoulder. “So good to have you home, my boy! Oh, how I missed you while you were off on your trip.”

“Hello, Father. Thank you. It's good to be home.”

The White King made a delighted sound, hurried past his son, and picked up a cupcake. “My favorite.” He munched on the treat and leaned against the counter to watch his wife.

The White Queen was already doing her thing, although Alec couldn't tell what exactly that thing was. She simply held Vanar's face and stared at him. But as she stared, his big, furry body went blurry. Within the haze, the shape morphed, condensing and darkening. When everything went clear again, a naked man lay on the floor.

“Oh, well done, my dearest!” The King set his cake down and applauded. “Well done! That was the most splendid thing I've seen all week!”

“Thank you, my love.” The Queen stood and went to Freck.

“Uh?” Alec lifted a hand.

“I'll summon a servant to fetch some clothes,” Albion said to Alec.

“Oh, okay. Thanks.”

The White Prince nodded and strode to the doorway. As he called for clothing, his mother did her staring thing again with Freck, even though the beast's eyes were closed. Within five minutes, four sets of clothing had arrived, just in time to cover the sleeping men.

“Dress them, please.” The White Queen said to the servants. “Then help them to some guest rooms. They've been through a lot, so be gentle.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” The servants bowed and then went about their work.

“You are a wonder, my dearest!” the King declared.

The White Queen patted a bead of sweat on her temple and smiled at her husband. “Thank you, my love. We're off to discuss the war now. Eat all the cakes you wish. I made them for you.”

“Ah, excellent! Thank you for the sweets, my sweet. And good luck with the war plans.”

“Thank you, my love.” The White Queen waved Quin, Torwen, Alec, and her son into the corridor.

Alec looked back at the ex-bandersnatches. They were indeed the gardeners he'd met as a child. The ones who'd been dying the roses red. Those who the Queen of Hearts had sentenced to death.

“They'll be fine, Alec.” The Queen motioned him out, then lifted her hand expectantly.

Alec hurried to offer her his forearm.

The Queen laid her hand on Alec's forearm and glided down the corridor beside him. “You are a healer, Alec Hashimoto.”

“You know my entire name.”

“I know everything about you.” She winked at him. “Who do you think brought you here all those years ago?”

“You? Why?”

“Because I could sense your spirit. It was born in the wrong world. Not only that. It's special. We needed you here. I thought one visit might do the trick, but it only sped things up. You belong in Wonderland, Alec. You need it as much as it needs you.”

“But I have a business to run. I have a partner who's probably going crazy right now. And my parents. They'll miss—”

“This will sound harsh,” she cut him off. “But they will forget you. You will vanish from their minds, their lives condensing to push out every remnant of your existence.”

“What?!”

The White Queen nodded. “It is always the case with alien souls.”

“I'm not an alien!”

“Yes, you are. Your soul went to the wrong world, making you an outsider—an alien. Trust me, Alec. It's better that you never return.”

“But my family,” he whispered.

“I know it hurts. They love you. They won't forget easily. And you love them. That can't be taken away from you. But you will make a new family here. You will find new love.” She met his stare. “Or rather, an old love renewed.”

Alec grimaced. “Yeah. I found it in the worst possible person and then betrayed it. I broke his heart.”

“It was fated to be broken. Only then could it become big enough to love you.”

Alec's throat constricted on a sudden wave of longing. “If only that were true.”

“Have faith, Alec. You did what you were meant to do. All will be well.”

“I don't know about that.” His hand went to the hilt of the Vorpal Sword. “And I don't know how to use this thing either. I don't know if I should be your champion.”

The White Queen smiled serenely at Alec. “You already are my champion. And you've proven yourself in many ways. One of which was healing those men.”

“What men?”

“The men you brought with you, of course. The ones hidden inside beasts.”

“But you healed those men.”

“I finished their healing, Alec. You started it.”

Torwen, walking behind them with Quin and Albion, chuckled. Alec heard the I-told-you-so in that laugh, so he frowned at Tor over his shoulder, then at the Queen.

She giggled. “I know. You don't know. So much to learn! I will teach you. I'm a good teacher. Just ask Alby.”

Alec looked back at the White Prince, and he nodded. Looking at the Queen again, Alec asked, “Teach me what?”

“Why, how to use your magic, of course.”

“What magic?” Alec nearly screeched.

“The magic that's right here.” She tapped Alec's chest. “And here.” She tapped his forehead. “Healing magic. You are a healer like me. You are my champion in so many ways.”

“A healer?” Alec whispered. “And yet, all I've done is hurt the one I love most.”

The White Queen smiled again. “Great pain often accompanies a healing.”