The Wonder (Queen of Hearts Saga #2)(65)
Now a jilted woman stared back at her, a forgotten child, a bitter warrior. The ends of her black braid dripped in the pool, the remnant of her childhood, this long black hair, her mother’s hair. And yet, even when her mother had everything—a crown, a husband, children, and all the riches of Wonderland Palace—she had been unhappy. She could never truly be with the man she loved. Just like Dinah. But unlike her mother, Dinah would not lie down and die. Unlike Davianna, Dinah would have to fight for her crown. Hands trembling, Dinah picked up her dagger where it lay buried in a nearby log and walked over to the pool. With two short tugs, she was able to cut off most of her hair, so that it hit her right at the chin. Without a second thought, Dinah tossed her braid into the pool and turned to meet Sir Gorrann, who ran up to her, his eyes filled with concern, his voice raining curses down on her that she didn’t hear. The pain was still alive inside of her, consuming and insatiable. She was rejected and desperate, filled with a new fury, this one dangerously ferocious. She was filled with a longing for destruction, a need to empty herself of all this sadness. He gave her a hard shake, and Dinah’s glossy eyes finally connected with his.
“Yer Highness! Dinah! What’s happened?”
Her lips trembled into an ironic smile. “He doesn’t want me. After all this time.”
Sir Gorrann’s eyes filled with empathy and he let Dinah lean against him. “I’m sorry, Yer Grace. Come on, let’s get you back to your tent.”
She felt raw inside, stripped, and she followed without thought. Only the anger was left behind, and it was a raging current, Dinah helpless in its flow. She let Sir Gorrann help her through the bramble back to where Morte waited for her. He pawed the ground impatiently until she mounted him. With a click of her tongue, they were flying over the landscape, leaving Sir Gorrann trailing far behind. She felt something shift inside of her. With each pound of Morte’s hooves, she felt her sadness turning to anger. Her rage was boiling over, spilling out until she seethed with fury. If she could not have him, she would at least have a crown.
If she could not quench the fire burning within her, she would set Wonderland ablaze.
The Fury, the final volume in the Queen of Hearts trilogy, coming soon.
Acknowledgments
Many thanks to the wondrous people who made this novel possible:
Ryan Oakes: for his endless feedback, support, and the sheer power of his belief in this novel, which propelled it from a vague idea into a tangible reality. Thank you for your unflagging love, your creative thinking, and your amusing knowledge about fantasy and fight training. Thank you for giving me the strength to stay true to my instincts and story.
For Maine: you are my wonder.
For Ron McCulley and Tricia McCulley, who are a model of patience, support, and just the right amount of parental devotion: thank you.
My elegant sister, Cynthia McCulley: thanks for always putting a smile on my face, and for agreeing to be a horse. Your shared love for dramatic music helped write this novel’s most exciting scenes. The next one is for you.
Beloved friends who helped this process by just being their superb selves as the story unfolded—Kimberly Stein, Sarah Glover, Emily Kiebel, Cassandra Splittgerber, Elizabeth Wagner, Jordan Powers, Terri Miller, Nicole London, and Karen Groves: thanks for listening when I described something in my head for hours.
My intimidating test readers—Katie Hall, Michelle Rehme, Erika Bates, Jen Lehmann, Denise McCulley, Patty and Sarah Jones, Angela Turner, Holly Cameron, and Stefanie Feustel: thank you for helping sculpt this novel into something I am very proud of.
This book passed through the hands of more than a few skilled editors: Erin Armknecht, a story and formatting editor whose input is so great that it simply cannot be calculated, Jeni Miller, whose skill and editing eye were both completely terrifying and completely accurate, Jess Riley and Wayne Parrish, the Queen of Hearts blazes so much brighter because of you.
Crystal Patriarche, Heidi Hurst, Sara DiVello, and the entire SparkPress/BookSparksPR team: you’re an amazing bunch.
To Erin Chan, equal parts charming and talented: thank you for being the striking silhouette that graces the cover.
Mae Whitman: thank you for being the inspiration behind my Dinah. You are a fierce little thing, and I admire every minute of your work.
Finally, the man, Lewis Carroll: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is the most delightful, cavernous thing I have ever read. Thank you for being the true genius behind these characters, and for letting me wander, pen out, in this magnificent place.
About the Author
Colleen Oakes is the author of the Queen of Hearts saga and the Elly in Bloom series. Though relatively new to publishing, her work has garnered the Next Generation Indie Book Award in the young-adult category. She received her BA in creative writing at Concordia College in Bronxville, New York. A proud member of the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, Oakes lives in Denver with her husband and son, where she reads, swims, and writes. Connect with her at www.colleenoakes.com, at Facebook.com/authorcolleenoakes, or on Twitter @colleenblooms.