Page 8 of Alec in Wonderland (Rainbow Tales #1)
Wearing his usual expression of distaste, the Knave of Hearts strode into the dining hall. A group of knights nodded to him as he passed their table, and when one of the more handsome men stared at him longer than the others, Bax considered taking him to bed later that night. But first, he had to attend the Queen.
The Queen of Hearts sat behind the royal dining table on her red velvet throne, symbols of all the kingdoms she ruled rising from the heart-shaped back in a fan of gold. A riot of glorious ruby curls frothed atop her head, and the gown she wore fell in crimson swaths from her waist. As it was in her solarium, the dining hall matched the Queen. Red cloth covered the tables, ruby curtains draped the windows, and crimson rugs spread over the stone floor. Even the chairs had red cushions. So much red. Sometimes, Bax retreated to his suite just to get a reprieve from the color.
An assortment of savory dishes spread across the table before the Queen, but she had only sweets on her plate. Little cakes, scones, cookies, and tarts. She especially loved her berry tarts. As Bax approached, she picked one up and daintily took a bite, her sharp teeth slicing through the strawberries and flaky crust. Licking her lips, she waved him to his seat.
“Your Majesty.” The Knave of Hearts bowed before taking the chair on her right.
Not a throne, mind you. The only open throne at the table belonged to the dead king and would remain empty forever, set down at the end of the table in tribute. Even should the Queen marry the White Prince, he would never sit on that throne. Only the servants touched it and that was just to polish the wood and dust the cushions.
“My champion,” the Queen murmured as she stroked his cheek.
Baxenvir leaned into his queen's touch. He didn't desire her sexually and never would. Their bond was more like a mother and child. She held his heart as if she had born him herself.
“So beautiful.” The Queen's touch wandered up into Baxenvir's peony-pink hair. It said a lot about her love for him that she should find pink beautiful. She even justified it once, telling him that pink is just a softer red. So, it was fitting that her champion be crowned in the color. “Have a tart, my sweet.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” the Knave said, knowing that this too was proof of her affection for him.
The Queen didn't share her tarts with just anyone.
Bax selected a blueberry tart—the Queen's least favorite. She smiled to see that, then took a strawberry cake—her second favorite dessert—and put it on his plate. This was why many members of the court believed they were lovers, but Baxenvir didn't care what anyone thought. He only wished it would keep the courtiers away from him. Instead, it made them want him more. Everyone wanted something that belonged to the Queen.
He glanced at the knight again and licked blueberry jam from his lips. The knight grinned wickedly. Yes, maybe it was time to see to the needs the Queen could not fulfill.
Then the doors opened, and the White Prince strode into the hall, escorted by two guards. No chains hung from his wrists, but they might as well have. There was no escape from the Hearts Fortress. Still, the Prince held his chin high and kept a haughty expression locked in place. Watching him ignore the stir he caused, the Knave of Hearts wondered if that was how the court perceived him. If so, he was glad. The White Prince cut a dashing figure, looking both tragic and powerful despite his circumstances. This was a man worthy of the Queen of Hearts. The Knave looked at his queen and hoped she saw what he did.
The Queen of Hearts was indeed staring at the White Prince as he made his way to the royal dining table. Her expression gave nothing away, but her champion knew her too well to be fooled. The Prince's charms affected her. Bax glanced at the Queen's hands. They were clenched into fists. Yes, she felt his appeal, and she didn't like it at all.
Baxenvir sighed as he stood up to bow to the White Prince. “Good evening, Your Highness.”
The White Prince nodded crisply at the Knave, then plopped into the chair on the Queen's left—a chair slightly nicer than the Knave's. He made a striking counterpart to the Queen of Hearts, with his snow-white hair and rich golden-brown skin. His indigo eyes gleamed as he sent the Queen a sharp look.
“You are wasting your time with me,” the White Prince said, deliberately leaving off the honorific.
“Whatever do you mean, Prince Albion?” the Queen purred.
Oh, the Queen of Hearts was lovely when she tried to be, her dark eyes alight with mischief and her full lips pouting. She lifted her hand to push back the Prince's hair and her skin matched the color of his hair so well that for a moment, it looked as if they had merged into one.
The White Prince jerked away. “Do not touch me!”
Oh, the Queen didn't like that. She grabbed the Prince's throat and pulled him back to her. The entire hall went silent, every courtier wary of the Queen's rage. And for good reason. When the Queen of Hearts got in a foul mood, people lost their heads. It didn't matter who had put her into that mood, if you happened to be near, you were in jeopardy.
“You would do well to court my affection, young prince,” the Queen hissed. “You're in my care, and I do not suffer disrespect.”
Before the Prince could reply, someone approached the table. He sauntered up and struck a pose, hip cocked and arms crossed over his lean chest. Thick, silken, raven hair fell in choppy chunks around his face, rakishly covering one golden, cat eye. Cheshire of the House of Cats. Like a stray, he'd shown up one day and charmed his way into the court. Then into the Queen's bed.
Baxenvir didn't trust Cheshire. There was something too slick about the cat shifter. Cats, in general, were dangerous to trust. But the Queen of Hearts didn't care. Cheshire had been the only man to succeed in seducing her since the death of King Harver. For that alone, Bax respected him. But he didn't like him. He especially didn't like it when Cheshire impeded the Queen wooing the White Prince.
Speaking of the White Prince, when Bax glanced back at him, he found the Prince looking strangely at Cheshire. The Knave narrowed his eyes, slicing his stare back and forth between the men. But Cheshire ignored the Prince, focusing on the Queen.
“Already replaced, I see,” Cheshire drawled. “How will I survive your rejection, Your Majesty? I will have to drown myself . . . in wine! Someone bring me a bottle! I will become a drunkard. It's the Queen's will!”
The Queen of Hearts giggled and straightened in her seat. “Come here, you rascal!” She waved him around the table to her. “You won't need the wine tonight.”
Cheshire prowled over to the Queen of Hearts and leaned on the back of her throne as he bent to kiss the royal lips. The Queen didn't notice the White Prince's reaction, but it was all that Bax could see. The Knave was an expert at reading people and Prince Albion’s face declared his relief at Cheshire’s diversion of the Queen's attention. And there was something else, something about the way his lips twitched that made Bax nervous.
“Why didn't you wake me, Your Majesty?” Cheshire pouted. “Was it to come here and seduce a new lover?” He slid down onto one knee beside the throne and nuzzled the Queen's neck as he whispered, “I can try harder if I'm not satisfying you.”
“Shush, you delicious thing, you,” the Queen chided. “You know this is about gaining control of the Chess Kingdoms, nothing more. My marriage to the White Prince, should I decide to go through with it, will be in name alone.”
“The White Prince can hear us,” Cheshire whispered dramatically.
The Queen of Hearts giggled. “Yes, I know. And it's good that he knows I will continue to keep you as my lover.” She tapped Cheshire's nose. “Fret not. You are mine.” She pressed her lips to Cheshire's.
Most would have looked away while they kissed, but Bax watched. He always watched Cheshire. The cat was good. Very slick, but he slipped up sometimes. Ah, like now. Claws popped free of the fingers on Cheshire's left hand, the tips curling in as if to wound the Queen. But then they relaxed, and the claws withdrew just before Cheshire pressed that hand onto the Queen's back.
Yes, Bax would continue to watch the Queen's lover. He'd watch and wait for him to make an even bigger mistake.