Buckingham Palace, London
T he Queen of Hearts had been following the event on TV, as well as awaiting updates from Margaret. The news host announced the latest unfolding events, telling about Alice and the Pillar not finding Carroll’s Knight, but a chess piece of a white queen instead. One of the Chessmaster’s men had seen them opening the coffin in Marostica, and reported it to the news.
“A white queen chess piece?” the Red Queen said to her dogs, hands on her waist. She didn’t care for her guards or advisors at the moment. Whatever was going on seemed beyond anyone’s grasp.
She paced her chamber, thinking about the chess piece. If the Chessmaster wanted Carroll’s Knight, whatever that was, why did they come across this white queen piece? Was it supposed to lead Alice and the Pillar to Carroll’s Knight? And why would the Chessmaster sacrifice the world to get it?
Her telephone rang. It was Margaret.
“Queen of England speaking,” she said, liking the sound of it. In her mind, being the Queen of England seemed cooler than the Queen of Wonderland.
“I know it’s you.” Margaret sighed. “I called you on your private phone, so it has to be you.”
“Oh.” The Queen scratched her head. “So tell me, have you found anything out about the Chessmaster?”
“Nothing,” Margaret said. “None of us remember him from Wonderland.”
“He said he wasn’t a Wonderland Monster.”
“Which puzzles me. If he isn’t, why lure the Pillar and Alice to find Carroll’s Knight? And why do his puzzles scream ‘Wonderland’?”
“I agree. He knows a lot about us. Do you think he knows about our plans?”
“I can’t say.”
“So you’re useless like always, Margaret,” she said and kicked her son’s head toward her dogs. Her doctors hadn’t found a proper way to knit his head to his body again, let alone bring him back to life.
“I’m not,” Margaret said. “Something happened to Fabiola a few minutes ago.”
“Fabiola?” The Queen of Hearts felt a lump grow bitter in her throat. “What happened?”
“I am sorry to say this, but I think she is dying. It seems she’s been poisoned.”
“When did this happen?”
“I was waiting for you to ask me this.”
“Why?”
Margaret took her time and spoke clearly. “Because our White Queen was poisoned right after Alice and the Pillar found the chess piece, which is that of a…”
“A white queen, too…” The Queen of Hearts slumped in her chair. “Is that supposed to mean something?”
“I can’t tell, but it’s far from being a coincidence.”