“What’s taking them so long?”
This from Guinevere. Again. Alice thought the Promised Queen quite amusing so far, with her constant complaints, bickering, arguments, obstinacy. She was such a surprising contrast from her sweet, adorable doggy Ava. It was a wonder the two got along so well.
“I’m sure they’re having a heartfelt reunion,” Alice said, smiling. She was seated at the wall beside Sheena, with Ava curled up between them. “Why don’t you come join us? Run your fingers through Ava’s silky soft fur. It’s a marvelous way to pass the time.”
“Ava, come,” Guinevere said, from her place at the opposite corner of the cell, right up by the bars, as far away as possible from Sheena and Alice. Ava got up and obediently padded over to her, curling up at her feet.
“Oh, don’t be petulant,” Alice said, giggling. “They’ll be along when they’re ready. And we should all be very grateful for their assistance.”
“Don’t talk to me about petulance,” Guinevere snapped, shooting Alice a particularly venomous green-eyed glare. “Must you treat everything as a game, as a joke?”
“That’s not what petulance is,” Alice said with a smirk.
“You are infuriating,” Guinevere said, turning away. Her hand buried itself in the fur on top of Ava’s head, and Ava’s pointy ears twitched back and forth contentedly.
A moment later, there was a sudden sound down the hall. Metal, suddenly clattering and crashing with dramatic fervor. Alice hopped to her feet, racing to the bars of their cell, Sheena following with relaxed gracefulness.
“Tobias?” Alice asked. “Have you finally arrived to resume protection of your charge?”
“I never stopped,” came the warm, surprisingly boyish, yet business-like serious voice of Tobias. A moment later he came striding down the hall, Flynn trotting along beside him, Akko perched on his shoulder. “Flynn was always on the case. I’m sorry things turned out this way. But now we can escape.” He unlocked the cell, and Guinevere made sure to be the first one out, Ava right beside her. She stood in the corridor, hands on her hips, glaring at Tobias.
“What took so long?” the Promised Queen asked. “And why on earth did Flynn leave us here when he had the key?”
There was an interesting quirk at Tobias’ lips, and Alice almost thought he would laugh. But he didn’t, though there was something self-conscious in his voice. “Yes, he told me about that,” he said. “He could have done you the courtesy of freeing you first, since he was here, but he was particularly worried about me. Please don’t hold it against him.”
“I don’t,” Guinevere said. “I hold it against his owner.” But her fire seemed to lessen. She swayed slightly, a little left-right bob, like she was considering saying something more. But abruptly, she turned on her heel. “Well, then. Let’s get out of here, shall we?”
But it wasn’t going to be an immediate escape. Akko had to reunite with Sheena, first of all, leaping from Tobias’ shoulder to Sheena’s and rubbing against her neck and face affectionately. “Yes, I’m glad we’re free, too,” Sheena said, smiling. “Tobias, is it? Thank you — and Flynn — for your help.” She clasped her hands in front of her and bowed slightly. Tobias, hands at his sides, bowed in return.
“I’m just glad things worked out this well so far,” Tobias said. “You’re a sword dancer, aren’t you? Of Haruo?”
“Yes,” Sheena said. There was a little light in her eyes, a little lift in her voice, pride in who she was.
“I think I know where your gear is being kept,” Tobias said. “Flynn?” Flynn looked up at him, tail wagging. There was a quirk at Tobias’ lips, this time turning into a small — but genuine — smile. “Lead on.”
Flynn led the way, and Alice fell in step alongside Tobias. She looked him over. “You’re none the worse for wear,” she said. She leaned a little closer to him, smiling slyly. “Did Saoirse take good care of you?” She didn’t fail to notice how Guinevere’s posture stiffened ahead of her. But the Promised Queen said nothing.
“I’ll be very glad to leave this place far behind us,” Tobias said flatly. “Here we go.”
They came to a thick metal door. Locked, but the keys Flynn and Akko had retrieved, and Tobias carried, unlocked it. Inside… there were three metal card soldiers.
Tobias didn’t say a word. Flynn didn’t bark. The pair of them simply darted into the chamber, Tobias’ sword coming out faster than Alice’s eyes could follow. Flynn body-checked one of the card soldier’s lower legs as he was starting to stand, and that one toppled over with a crash. The nearest card soldier started to raise his spear, but too slow — Tobias was there, coat flapping out behind him like a cape, obsidian blade thrusting home just below the soldier’s chin. There was a brief, shrill, warbling cry, and then Tobias pulled his sword free. The light in the soldier’s eyes died, and he fell to the floor in a heap of metal.
Flynn pounced on the chest of the soldier he’d knocked over, keeping him from rising, then darted away when that soldier grabbed for him. Tobias’ sword flashed again, batting aside the third soldier’s spear and then thrusting true once more beneath the soldier’s chin. Two down. A moment later, Tobias finished off the one Flynn had toppled.
Three metal soldiers dead, and it all happened in a mere six seconds.
“Grab your things,” Tobias said, stepping out into the hall and watching for anyone who might have heard the brief scuffle. Alice didn’t go straight to her trunk, though — she watched Guinevere, Ava, and Sheena for their reactions.
Sheena had a look of clear respect, the kind of admiration one warrior has for another in whom they recognize equal skill. She was the first to enter the room, looking for her things.
Ava was adorable, of course. Her tail wagged, and she watched both Tobias and Flynn with gratitude and admiration.
And then there was Guinevere. The most amusing — but that was a given. Her mouth was agape, her eyes slightly widened, watching Tobias as if she couldn’t believe a proper Knight with the wealth of references and qualifications he possessed could actually live up to his credentials. But she’d been doubting Tobias from the start.
Alice found quite a bit of pleasure in seeing Guinevere’s rude assumptions be dispelled — and even more pleasure in Guinevere’s stunned reaction to that.
“Perhaps you two should also get your things?” Sheena asked, perfectly pleasantly, but Alice took her meaning. Sheena was already exiting the room, now with several pouches attached to her belt, a satchel over her shoulder, and — most excitingly — her katana at her side. Clothed in a beautiful blue sheath ornately decorated in flowering patterns, a trio of small round bells dangled from the wrapped hilt. Alice couldn’t wait to see that blade in action.
But first, she needed her own belongings. “Come on, then, Queenie,” Alice said in a singsong voice, heading into the room.
“I beg your pardon?” Guinevere asked icily, following after her.
“Beg all you like,” Alice said, grinning. “I’d quite enjoy that, actually. But my pardon is not yours to have.”
“You —” Guinevere started.
“Let’s not delay our flight with bickering,” Sheena said. Calmly, not a hint of ice or fire in her voice, but with her meaning clear nonetheless.
“Let’s not,” Alice said, smirking at Guinevere. She giggled at the venomous glare she got in return, and then happily went to retrieve her trunk. And what a delight it was to have her trunk back! “How I missed you,” she murmured as she ran her hand along the trunk’s polished black surface — at the same time tracing a pattern that created a magical resonance, one only she could hear. That resonance told her all she needed to know — no one had tampered with the trunk, no one had managed to circumvent the magical locks, and not one thing was missing from its contents. Satisfied, she extended the handle and started out, rolling it along behind her, humming a happy tune.
“Leave that ridiculous overgrown box behind,” Guinevere said, fumbling with the belt clasp for her sword, struggling to get it attached. “You’ll make too much noise for a proper escape.”
“And what, pray tell, do you know about escaping?” Alice asked. She giggled as Guinevere’s struggles with her sword continued, then trundled her trunk on out of the room.
“Leave it behind!” Guinevere said, finally getting her sword attached. She double-checked that her rucksack was secure on her back and then darted out.
“I will not leave behind the only possessions I brought on this journey,” Alice said. “That would be ridiculous. And impractical.”
“Stop arguing about it,” Tobias said coolly. “She won’t hold us back or slow us down.”
“Of course you stick up for her,” Guinevere said, glaring. “She’s your employer.”
Tobias shot Alice a glance. “Technically, Mister Carroll is my employer,” he said. “She’s my charge.”
“Who’s Mister Carroll?” Guinevere asked.
Alice walked past her. “My nanny,” she said. Glancing back at Guinevere, she smiled at the baffled reaction that got out of her.
Sheena raised an eyebrow, looking to Tobias. “Are we ready to leave?” she asked.
“More than,” Tobias said. He led the way, Flynn at his side, and Alice followed closely, proving that she would not slow anyone down.
——
What have we gotten ourselves into this time, Flynn?
It wasn’t the first time Tobias had wondered that, and he was sure it wouldn’t be the last. The addition of Sheena was welcome. A Sword Dancer of Haruo would always be a welcome ally, but it was her calm and poise that were particularly refreshing right now.
Considering… present company.
Those two can’t stop bickering. And Alice only does it because she thinks Guinevere’s reactions are funny — and because Guinevere often starts it. If someone would be the grown-up in the situation, then the arguing would cease.
One glance at Alice, and he sighed.
No, that’s definitely too much to hope for. She’ll find a way to tweak Guinevere, one way or the other. Guinevere decided to target her ire at Alice, and Alice found out who’s the most “fun” target of her own.
Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.
They reached a cross-hall, and Tobias peered left, then right. No guards. He led the way to the right, and halfway down murmured to Flynn, “Flynn, recon.” Flynn trotted ahead, stopping at the distant end of the hall to peer left, then right. A moment later, tail wagging, Flynn trotted on down the right corridor.
“Shouldn’t we be running?” Guinevere asked. “We’re trying to escape, after all.”
“We’re trying to do so quietly,” Tobias said. “As best we can, anyway. If they raise an alarm, we run. For now, we stay calm, and be careful.”
“I see,” Guinevere said, nodding appreciatively. “That makes sense.”
They reached the end of the hall, and turning right revealed Flynn at the end of that hall, standing at the bottom of a stairwell, watching for Tobias and wagging his tail. Tobias smiled and gave him a brief hand signal — a simple rolling motion of his hand, telling Flynn to proceed. Flynn wasted no time, trotting on up the stairs. By the time their group had reached the stairs, Flynn was trotting back down to give Tobias his report. A twitch of his ears, a tilt of his head, a little flick of his tail told Tobias everything.
“Guards up top,” Tobias said, starting up, one hand on his sheathed sword. “Running a patrol. Flynn will lead, just follow him. Stay close, and be ready to move fast.”
“The trunk is too loud,” Guinevere whispered — loudly.
“It’s all right,” Sheena said, beating Tobias to the punch as Alice started ka-thunking and ka-thudding her way up the stairs with her trunk. “The stairs are carpeted, dampening its volume, and the design of the stairwell itself keeps the sound from carrying.”
“Is that so?” Alice asked, casting a meaningful look down at Guinevere.
“Quiet for now,” Tobias said. Thankfully, Guinevere didn’t snap back at Alice. They continued up the steps in silence — well, silence of voice, at least — and then paused just shy of the top.
They were out of the dungeons, back into the palace proper. The corridor out here was much wider, with tall, vaulted ceilings decked out with numerous red-crystal chandeliers. Tobias cringed when he saw a huge painted portrait across the hall — of him, the Saoirse-version of him, dressed in scarlet, regal and magnificent. He could hear Alice suppressing giggles behind him, which only made it worse.
Flynn nudged him, then stepped out into the corridor. He pointed with his nose to the left, his fluffy tail upright. Tobias nodded, and Flynn trotted on ahead. Motioning for the others to follow, Tobias led the way after him.
There were numerous patrols marching to and fro out here. But they had a huge amount of ground to cover. Up and down the extensive corridors, in and out of numerous open chambers — libraries, lounges, indoor gardens with stunning skylights — they gave Tobias’ group a clear opening, if they knew how to see it.
Tobias was trusting Flynn to see it. He had good eyes, good ears, and strong instincts of his own, but Flynn was even better for this sort of task, especially when it came to leading a larger group in this “stealthy game.”
Flynn was a charmingly considerate canine.
They trotted along — well, Flynn trotted, and the rest of them did their best to match his pace — down the corridor, stopping in an alcove as a marching quartet of soldiers passed. Their next stop was to duck into a lounge, and then they crossed the corridor to the other side, where they emerged into a courtyard full of tall hedges and perfectly-manicured rosebushes.
“Our destination is the west postern,” Tobias said in a soft voice that wouldn’t carry. “Flynn and Akko have scouted our route, so we’ll follow their lead. From the sounds of it —” he glanced at Flynn to confirm, then nodded, “there will be some fighting. Sheena, I’m counting on you to back me up. Have you fought card soldiers before?”
“No,” Sheena said.
“They have three distinct weak points,” Tobias said, quickly detailing their locations. “Anywhere else you strike them is virtually indestructible. They aren’t as sturdy as they seem, though — get one alone and go for the legs, and you can tilt them off-balance or even knock them down entirely. That’s why they like to fight as a unit rather than solo. They’re also vulnerable to several resonances which can paralyze them. Any sustained harmonic from the sixth octave will do the trick, though it’s more potent when targeted, rather than trying to paralyze an entire group.”
“Interesting,” Sheena said. “Are there any other foes besides the card soldiers to worry about?”
“Saoirse’s groundskeepers are competent fighters, and despite not wearing armor, their skin might as well be,” Tobias said. “They’re more likely to raise an alarm than try to fight, though, especially if they see Flynn or me. There’s also a powerful general of the Heart troops: the Knave of Hearts. Best-case scenario, we don’t run into him. If we do have to fight him, listen for when he starts to intone fifths or thirds from the fifth octave. Those prelude his Artes, so silence him or get clear.”
“But you’d prefer not to fight him?” Sheena asked.
“If it can be avoided, yes,” Tobias said. “We’ve fought once. I won, but it didn’t matter — the fight took too long, long enough for Saoirse to recapture Flynn and me. I’m sure we’ll win against him, but not quickly, and we need to be quick.”
“Excuse me,” Guinevere said, a hand on her sword. “Where do I fit in your strategy?”
“Keep near Alice, in case any enemy gets past us,” Tobias said. “If you do have to fight, focus on defense. You’re trained in court fencing, correct?”
“Yes,” Guinevere said, her posture stiffening, defensiveness rising in her tone.
“You have strong fundamentals,” Tobias said. “But you haven’t fought against multiple foes at once before. Which is fine. Fall back on your defensive techniques. Third form is especially effective in fending off multiple assailants. Don’t try to defeat card soldiers, not yet. You need to build up some experience against them — watch how they fight, work on keeping them from harming you or others. You’ll learn the more you see them in action. If you do manage to end up behind one of them, though, go straight for the weak point in their back we talked about. It’s not likely to happen — they’re very guarded about their backs — but if you get the chance, take it.”
Guinevere, thankfully, listened intently to Tobias’ words. Better yet, it seemed that she realized Tobias was actually taking her seriously and giving her a role that mattered. “I understand,” she said at length. She looked down at Alice, who was smirking up at her. “Don’t you dare be a trouble-maker. If I’m charged with protecting you, I expect you to show me proper respect.”
“I won’t run off, don’t worry,” Alice said. “I quite like having others protect me.”
“Of course you do,” Guinevere said, glaring.
“Everyone ready?” Tobias asked.
Alice stuck her hand in the air. “If you defeated the Knave of Hearts before, how come he isn’t dead?” she asked.
The memory of that duel flashed through Tobias’ mind. The Knave’s scarlet swords spinning, his song exploding to life, Tobias’ harmonic reprisal, the Knave’s swords shattering. Time, ticking on, too fast, too long. “He isn’t easy to kill,” he said simply. “Come on. Flynn, Akko — lead the way.”
Through the hedge garden they went, pausing now and then to hide from groundskeepers. No alarm had been raised yet, and thankfully, they passed through the garden without alerting anyone to their presence. Down one floor, crossing the central wing to the west wing, they evaded numerous patrols and took a brief reprieve in a little-used costuming room that only saw any attention or care around major holidays, which were all quite distant from today. Tobias knelt and stroked Flynn’s face, and took a moment to retrieve a few crunchy treats from his pack, feeding them to Flynn. “You’ll get a proper meal once we’re out of here, I promise,” he said, smiling at Flynn’s happy acceptance of the treats. When Ava gazed on with hungry eyes, Tobias asked Guinevere if she could have some treats, too.
“Oh,” Guinevere said, staring, as if he’d said the strangest thing in the world. “I…” She shook her head, as if to clear it. “Yes. Yes, that would be quite nice. Thank you. Go on, Ava.”
“What about Akko?” Alice asked, looking up at Sheena, and the squirrel-rabbit on her shoulder.
“He is held to a strict diet,” Sheena said, stroking Akko’s ears. He purred softly, nuzzling against her hand. “He has a very sensitive digestive system. But he doesn’t mind being left out. He isn’t highly food-motivated, unlike so many other animals.”
Ava joined Flynn, and the two dogs sat, tails thumping as they accepted treats. Side-by-side, their size differences were apparent — Flynn at twenty-five pounds was a third smaller than the fluffy white Ava. But side-by-side, their similarities were clear, too. Though their coloration was completely different, their pointy ears, long snouts, fluffy curled tails, and soft fur were too similar to ignore.
“Are they both the same breed?” Alice asked.
“Wonderian chiba,” Tobias said, looking up at Guinevere.
“Ava is, too,” the Promised Queen said, somewhat hesitantly. “At least, that’s what her veterinarian believes. She meets all of the criteria, though there are few Albian doctors familiar with Wonderian canines. But she’s ten years old, yet with the health and youth of any Albian canine at two years old, so that seems to confirm it.”
“Wonderian dogs are much longer-lived than Albians,” Tobias said, nodding. “It’s a shame, really. Albian canines are wonderful, too, but they live such short lives.”
“A life loved isn’t a bad life, no matter how short,” Alice said, tilting her head to the side, youthful curiosity in her eyes. “Don’t you think so?”
Tobias’ heart warmed at the sentiment, and he smiled. “That’s exactly right,” he said. He petted Flynn and Ava, gave them each one more treat, then stood. “All right, then. Everyone ready for the last push?”
“More than ready,” Guinevere said.
“Let us go,” Sheena said.
Out they went, Akko hopping down to scamper along beside Flynn, helping to guide their path forward. This was, according to the animals, a path charted more by Akko than Flynn, so his understanding was especially valuable. That was proved quickly when Akko suddenly darted behind a pillar, and Flynn and Tobias passed the warning down, just in time for everyone to get out of sight as a procession of twenty-two card soldiers marched past.
That’s a hefty crew. All with crossbow sidearms. Where are they heading?
Don’t worry about that right now. We’re getting out of here.
All was clear. They raced across the hall, into an antechamber where six card soldiers stood guard. Flynn leapt into action, while Akko darted back to Sheena. Swords were drawn — Tobias and Sheena’s blades shot forth like lightning, while a moment later Guinevere drew hers with admirable poise.
And, thankfully, Guinevere hung back with Alice.
The first two card soldiers fell at the exact same time, Tobias and Sheena striking with equal speed and precision. Tobias glanced across at her, caught her shooting a glance at him, and felt a competitive spark ignite inside him. He couldn’t help a small smile as he dashed towards his next two foes. Sheena moved ahead with fluid grace that disguised her astonishing speed, and the bells on her wrists wrang once.
A resonating harmonic, in the sixth octave.
Her targets froze in place, quivering in resistance against the paralyzing resonance. She slashed, and thrust, and her foes dropped with ease.
And right beside her, Tobias had also felled his remaining two soldiers.
“Oh, this is going to be fun,” Alice said, grinning at the two of them.
Akko brushed Sheena’s ear with his tail, and Sheena nodded. “Just two more rooms to go,” she said. But for all her calm grace, there was a fire in her eyes that matched Tobias’.
She was enjoying herself.
Down a hall, and then into a new chamber — a guard room, with racks of extra spears, swords, and crossbows along the walls.
And twelve soldiers standing guard.
“Watch the alarm,” Tobias said quickly, dashing towards the soldiers, Flynn racing ahead of him. Sheena danced towards the opposite side, where a soldier was only just now realizing they were under attack — and was just a few feet away from a bell that would sound an escape alarm throughout the palace.
Flynn hit the leading two soldiers on Tobias’ side at a full sprint, knocking their feet out from under them. He leapt away from a thrusting spear, then ran circles around the other four soldiers, darting in at their feet and then out again, more distraction than actual combatant.
But a potent distraction. While those four soldiers were completely focused on their futile attempts to skewer Tobias’ dog, Tobias made short work of the two fallen soldiers. When he moved in on the remaining four, he stepped right inside their tight defensive circle without them realizing he was there. He tapped one on the shoulder, and he glanced at Tobias like someone might a bug, a minor distraction.
Until he noticed who it was that stood in the midst of them. And by then, it was too late. Tobias spun, slashing, ripping open the vital points on the card soldier’s backs. Four fell at once. Six down — and Tobias turned to see that the other six were also slain, Sheena’s azure katana shimmering in the light.
“Thank you very much for protecting me, great defender of children,” Alice said in a teasingly sweet voice to Guinevere.
“I was really hoping I’d get an opportunity to fight,” Guinevere said, staring at the sword in her hand, unused.
Akko scampered up to Sheena’s shoulder, the first indication Tobias had that the little creature had left Sheena’s side during the skirmish. “It appears you won’t get an opportunity yet,” Sheena said. “The next room is conspicuously unguarded, save by two oddly short, unarmed individuals.”
Tobias’ brow furrowed. If they were who he thought they were… but why? “Let’s investigate,” he said, leading the way into the final chamber, the exit hall where the west postern gate led out into the world. The gate was open, even though protocol dictated that it be locked tight at all times except for briefly opening for officially-sanctioned passage, and there were no soldiers here, even though protocol dictated the presence of at least twelve soldiers on guard at all times.
Instead, there were only two short, round individuals standing by the door — individuals who were very clearly not soldiers. Brothers, they were nearly identical, shaped like eggs with short arms and short legs, no hair on top of their heads, and no chin or neck to speak of. Dressed in scarlet jester costumes, they each wore four-pointed hats on their heads, each point ending in a bell that jangled with the slightest motion — or even without motion, just for the fun of it. The costumes themselves were bedazzled, bedecked, striped and patterned, gaudy theatrical hodgepodges meant to be hilarious, but which Tobias had never found even mildly amusing.
“Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee,” Tobias said, eyeing the four-foot-tall jesters. “What brings you here? Where are the guards?”
“Dismissed!” said Tweedle Dee, the jester on the right — he had “Dee” inscribed on his hat in very small letters. “We dismissed them. Us, I mean. To go away, I mean. Of course.”
“What he means,” said Tweedle Dum, rolling his eyes, “is that we told the guards to leave, and they left.”
“Yes, I think that was apparent,” Guinevere said, staring.
“How’d you manage that?” Alice asked, eyeing the Tweedles with a curious look, one Tobias couldn’t quite place.
“More importantly, why?” Tobias asked. “What are you two playing at?”
“We don’t serve the Queen!” Dee said, hopping once, his bells jangling. He had a very reedy, high-strung voice, with wide eyes and a rigid posture that only added to the sense that he was always on edge. “Or, rather, we do. Serve her, I mean. Of course. But not by choice! We didn’t choose it. Slaves, I mean. Us. Of course.”
“What he means,” Dum started in a slow, annoyed drawl.
“We know what he means,” Tobias said. “So what? Are you defying her? To what end?”
“Your help!” Dee cried, hopping once, his bells jingling. “For us, I mean. Please, won’t you help us? Of course. What?”
“He means,” Dum started.
“Oh, don’t you say anything for yourself?” Guinevere snapped, glaring at Dum.
“Get to the point, Tweedles,” Alice said with a smirk.
“We don’t want to serve her,” Dum said, looking down, shuffling his round feet. “We don’t want to wear these outfits, or do stupid things to make people laugh. And we figure, the only one who can save us is you.” He looked up now, straight at Tobias, with beady, earnest eyes.
Dee shuffled from side to side. His bells jingled. “What?” he asked, apparently to no one.
“You want out, then leave,” Tobias said. “The gate’s open. If you’re honest, we’ll protect you until we leave these lands. If not, things won’t end well for you. After we’re free, you’ll have to find your own way. We have a journey of our own.”
“Oh!” Dee said, hopping once, setting his bells to jangling. “But that’s not what we mean! For the people! All of them, we mean. To help them, we mean. Sanctuary? For all! Of course.”
“What he —” Dum started.
“You want us to liberate everyone from under Saoirse’s rule,” Tobias said.
The Tweedles stared back at him, silent for a long moment.
“I say we do it,” Guinevere said, surprising everyone. “What? This queen-pretender is obviously a horrific, murderous, despicable tyrant. She must be unseated from her throne of lies. Why shouldn’t we be the ones to do it?”
“I, too, would like to see her tyrannical reign ended,” Sheena said. “But that may be too tall a task for our small company. And we each have greater quests of our own to accomplish, don’t we? I’m not convinced we should spend time on this.”
“The Queen-pretender should have her reign ended as soon as possible!” Guinevere said, incensed.
“Her power is greater than you know,” Tobias said, clenching his hand into a fist. How much he yearned to do exactly what Guinevere said — but she hadn’t actually tried before. She didn’t realize the futility of it. “It would take powers beyond what we possess to undo her kingdom.”
“Not so!” Dee cried, startling them all. “What he says, I mean. Her power is great! The queen’s, I mean. But not insurmountable! Not indisputable! What?”
“He —” Dum started.
“Say something new, or nothing at all,” Tobias said.
Dum shut his mouth promptly. He looked left, then right, then down, then up. Slowly, he opened his mouth again. “We have discovered the flaw in her otherwise perfect gem,” he drawled. “Metaphorically speaking, of course. The gem is her power.”
“What kind of flaw?” Tobias asked. This was intriguing — but he didn’t dare get his hopes up.
“Harmonic crystals!” Dee said. “Beneath the palace! Hers, I mean. The Queen’s, what? In the Inner Sanctum, beneath the false Sanctum, the power core! Of course.” He nodded, seemingly quite pleased with himself.
“He mea—” Dum started.
“There’s a secret, true Sanctum beneath the Inner Sanctum,” Tobias said. “And there are harmonic crystals in there that greatly amplify her powers. Is that right?” Dum nodded — and Tobias sighed. He’d suspected her power was amplified by artificial means, but he’d never guessed at the source. “That’s not happening. Not from us. But I can pass that information on to someone who might be able to do something about it.”
“Please, don’t leave!” Dee cried, dropping to his — well, something akin to knees, though he didn’t appear to have any. “You’re our greatest, our only hope! Tobias, I mean. Please! Save us! You’re a Knight Jouerve, aren’t you? Of course.”
That cut Tobias deeper than he’d expected. “I know what I am,” he said quickly. He took a breath, calming himself. “Listen. I can’t help you directly. I’ve seen the Inner Sanctum. There’s no way we’re getting through it to the true sanctum. But I can help you another way, by getting you the help you actually need.”
“Not just for us,” Dum said. “Everyone needs to be saved from that witch.”
“You’re not wrong,” Tobias said. “That’s why I’m getting this information to someone who can do something about it.”
“That’s the best you can do?” Guinevere asked. Her accusatory tone cut Tobias deeper than he expected. “He’s right. This is exactly the kind of mission a Knight Jouerve should undertake.”
“There’s someone more qualified than me to take this on,” Tobias said. “I’d trust him with my life, and he can muster actual battalions and other outside forces that I can’t. We hurry, we get the information passed on, and the day gets saved.”
“If you’re concerned about my well-being, you don’t need to be,” Alice said. “I would fully support you aiding the Tweedles, and all these oppressed peoples.” She grinned. “It would certainly be nice to see you be the one to knock that crazed queen off her high horse.”
“Personal satisfaction shouldn’t be such a priority,” Sheena said. “This does seem like a task for a greater force than Tobias and me.”
“Counting me out already?” Guinevere asked, glaring.
“Even counting all of us, it’s too much,” Tobias said firmly.
“I’ll go with what you decide,” Alice said, eyeing Tobias with that appraising look. “Just know that you have my blessing to take on a queen and her entire army if the fancy strikes.”
“Who would you pass the information on to?” Guinevere asked. “Who could actually do something about this?”
“A Knight Lirica,” Tobias said, “one of the very best, with a lot of connections, who’s built up enough goodwill that he could call in favors equivalent to a small army. He’s much better for this job than I am.” He turned back to the Tweedles. “I’m not abandoning you. I’m giving you, and all of the people under Saoirse’s thumb, your best chance. Can you hold the fort, do what you can for each other, until help comes?”
“Promise!” Dee cried, jumping to his feet. “You must promise! That it’s true, I mean. What you say, I mean. Please?”
“I promise,” Tobias said, cutting off Dum’s exposition of Dee’s speech. “Just be patient. You won’t be her slaves for much longer.”
“Then we thank you,” Dum drawled. “For now. Come through, and we’ll be forever grateful. As will all the people. We will help them until true help arrives.”
Tobias nodded, then turned to the others. Only Sheena seemed to be on his side — and that was clearly for her own reasons. Alice had a look that said she was going along with things, but she would be much more excited about taking on the Queen of Hearts. Guinevere was very obviously incensed with him. Ava wasn’t too happy about things, either.
And neither was Flynn. Tobias’ most faithful friend was gazing up at him, tail drooping.
Yeah. I know. But we really can’t risk ourselves for this.
You and me, we’re the only ones here who get just how powerful Saoirse is. So just stick with me on this. We’ll tell Elliot, he’ll rally the troops, and Saoirse will finally come to the ignoble end she deserves.
“Let’s go,” Tobias said. He cast another look at the Tweedles. “Thank you, for getting this information to me, and for clearing our escape. Hold fast. Help will come, I promise.” He left, Flynn beside him. Sheena followed with Akko. Then came Alice, rolling her trunk behind her. Out in the sunlight, Tobias took a few paces, then stopped, turning back.
Guinevere stood inside the small gateway, one hand perched on her sheathed sword, her green eyes startlingly bright in the light. “Your friend had better be as good as you say he is,” she said.
“He’s better,” Tobias said. And he almost smiled, because of just how true that was.
“Fine,” Guinevere said. She left the palace, but after a few paces, turned back to give the postern gate and what little of the walls and towers she could see one last look.
And then they were off, properly. Tobias and Flynn had escaped Saoirse’s clutches once again, and this time with guests. Another successful escape, and yet…
I can’t shake this feeling of guilt. I did the right thing, I’m doing the right thing. They’ll get the help they deserve.
And I have work to do. Alice is my charge, and I have to keep her safe, all the way to Elysia. And Guinevere’s the Promised Queen — I can’t risk her in the most dangerous mission I’ll have ever undertaken.
I’m doing the right thing.
So why do I feel so guilty?
——
No alarm was raised in the Queen of Hearts’ palace. No soldiers were sortied to prepare for — or intercept — the escapees. No efforts were made to stop them beyond the normal guard postings, which were of course insufficient.
And all of this was by order of the Queen herself.
“They have left the Palace, my Queen,” White said, bowing low, his ears brushing the carpet.
“And you doubt my decision,” Saoirse said. She sat calmly upon her throne, legs crossed, one elbow resting on the armrest, her chin perched delicately on her knuckles. “Let me elucidate something for you, dear White.”
“Yes, my Queen?” White asked, slowly, slightly, raising his eyes to look at her.
“Tobias and Flynn are quite excellent at their stealthy game,” Saoirse said. “They’ve made that clear on multiple occasions. So it’s time we turn the tables back on them — and in the process, I will win Tobias’ love, finally, for me.” She smiled. “The Knave will show just what he’s worth. He’ll beat Tobias and Flynn at their own favorite game.”