The Wonder (Queen of Hearts Saga #2)(53)
Sir Gorrann poked his head into the tent and looked surprised to see Wardley soaking wet and Dinah watching silently.
She smiled. “It’s not what it looks like.”
“I couldn’t care less. The council is waiting for yeh both.”
Dinah gave a slight nod. “We’ll be there shortly. Thank you, Sir Gorrann.”
He left and Wardley eyed the door skeptically. “What about him? Do you trust him? You know he was in Cheshire’s pocket, don’t you?”
“Aside from you, I’m not sure there is anyone I fully trust, or ever will again. The man I thought was my father tried to kill me. My mother lied to me my whole life. And yet, I believe that Sir Gorrann has my best interests at heart. I consider him a dear, eternally grumpy friend.”
Wardley pulled a ripped tunic over his head. He softly took Dinah’s face in his hands and her heart stopped. “You do know what you are doing, don’t you? You’re planning a war, Dinah. A war in which many people will die, perhaps even yourself. This isn’t playing swords in front of the stable. This isn’t a game.”
Dinah pulled back from him, her face flushed. Wardley always knew how to get under her skin. “Of course I know! I’m the rightful Queen. Shouldn’t I fight for my throne?”
Wardley shook his head. “You are, but I worry for you. You’ve never seen a battle, you’ve never seen a man….”
Dinah slapped him hard, across the face. “What? I’ve never seen a man die? I’ve seen my brother’s body crumpled on a stone slab. I’ve seen a farmer with an arrow buried in his back just because he happened to be near my path. I killed more than a few Cards on my way out of the palace, and I see their bloody faces in my dreams! So don’t tell me that I haven’t seen death or war, or that I don’t know what I’m doing. I’ve been at war with the King of Hearts since the day that I was born.”
“You slapped me!” Wardley laughed a bit before stepping back and shaking his head, his eyes searching her furious face. “You are not the same girl that I kissed under the Julla Tree. That hurt!”
“Don’t forget that again,” she snapped, resentful that Wardley had riled her up, as he always did.
“Let’s go, they are waiting for us.”
“Don’t be mad. I’m sorry I doubted you.” He reached out and tugged playfully on her braid, and Dinah’s fierce heart melted.
Chapter Fifteen
The war council met in a circular black tent that sat squarely in the middle of all the other tents, a dark spot in a sea of clouds. Long onyx flags with the symbol of the Spades stitched haphazardly across their front panels snapped in the wind, blowing out from the tent pillars. Before the Spades had arrived, the war council’s conversations had taken place over fires, or in regular tents. This tent was new, large, and intimidating. It carried a message: the Spades were not to be trifled with. As Dinah walked toward the tent with Wardley, several Spades bowed before her. It had been a long time since Cards knelt before her, and Dinah felt a rush of pride as their heads tipped to the ground. I will be their Queen, someday. Dinah ducked inside the tent flaps, Wardley behind her. A large circular table made of light wood filled up the room, forcing them to stand pressed against the soft black fabric of the tent. Rising up from the table stood a model of Wonderland Palace. Dinah marveled at its construction—every window, gate, and turret was present, each tiny shutter accounted for. She ran her fingers over the model of the stables, the rose garden, the Black Towers, and the iron walls that surrounded the city in a perfect circle. The hardened tips of her fingers rested on the Great Hall and she looked up in amazement.
“How did you get this?”
“Allow me to answer that, Your Highness.” Starey Belft crept out of the corner, darkness hiding half of his scarred face. Dinah recognized him by his face, which she’d seen at various palace events, but also by his commander’s brooch—it was black like all the Spades’ insignias, but a single white diamond sparkled from the middle, denoting a higher rank. Half of his face had been badly slashed during a battle with the Yurkei, but the other half remained ruggedly handsome. He looked tired and worn, with deep plum circles underneath his eyes. Starey Belft was famous for his fierce loyalty to his troops and his love for loose women. He gave Dinah a wink with his good eye.
“You look well, Princess. You’ve lost your round baby cheeks.”
“And you, sir.”
“Eh, I look like I got slashed in the face with a knife.”
There was a painful silence in the tent until Bah-kan burst out laughing. “AYE! You did!” Starey glowered at him.
Dinah motioned for him to sit. Each member of the council took his seat around the massive wooden castle. “Again, I will ask, how did you come across such a masterpiece?”
Starey Belft cleared his throat. “Ah, I took it, Your Highness. When I knew we were leaving the palace and turning our loyalty to you, I broke into the King’s chambers and took his model, piece by small piece.” He demonstrated by breaking off half of the kitchen, folding it flat, and then putting it back into place.
“It’s a puzzle!” exclaimed Dinah.
“It made it a bit easier to transport. Still, I don’t think my Spades relished carrying it through the Darklands.”