“You never told us you were a dragon,” Tala said reprovingly to the firebird.
It shrugged, stuck its beak in the air, and sniffed arrogantly.
“Oh, don’t you be condescending to me now.”
Alex was finally up, grudgingly acquiescing to being pushed around in a wheelchair so he could once again take charge. The awe that the rest of the team at Maidenkeep had greeted Tala with, no doubt spurred on by Tristan’s embellished recounting of what had happened, had been mildly embarrassing.
“Fortunately, the groups are not as large as the ones in the Royal States are,” Tala heard one of the techmages reporting. “But it looks to be coordinated. I’m tracking down websites and forums showing that they’ve planned this across kingdoms and countries, have been for months.”
“How long?”
“Much longer than we thought. The first real proof that many of them had been planning an invasion was right after the frost. The Snow Queen’s become something of a symbol to most of them.”
Tala could practically hear Alex’s wince. “Have any succeeded so far?”
“None. Germany, Norway, and New Zealand have been arresting the major players. Spain and France has been having difficulty, but I don’t think we’re going to see anyone successfully storm the Bastille a second time. People in Asia are rising up, but their main contention is against the Middle Kingdom and not from any coordinated attacks with other groups in the west.”
“It might get worse,” Lord Suddene said.
“Thanks, milord.”
“Only trying to tell it like it is, Your Majesty. There’s reason to suspect that the Snow Queen has been using the flute to rile up more people than would have ordinarily participated. There are reports of armed insurgents in several states, and King John is using it as a reason to encourage more riots.”
“Swell,” Loki said. “Creating your own violence and then claiming you’re the solution to the very violence you’re sowing.”
“Let’s not be too quick to blame a flute for something they would have wanted to do in the first place,” Alex said with a scowl. “Claiming they were compelled is just another tired excuse. Remember when they tried to use that against me? Monitor what’s going on within the Asian kingdoms. Has anyone else pinpointed our location yet?”
“Nothing on the news, just a lot of speculation. Aleena and a few of the other techmages have found a few calls from allies trying to find out where we are, but I advised not answering and giving out that information until we decide what to do next.”
“And that’s the crux of the whole matter, right? Deciding what to do.” Alex rubbed at his eyes. “I’ve been sleeping for over a day, and I still feel tired.”
“I’m not sure I would describe what you’ve been doing as sleeping,” Tala pointed out dryly.
“Maybe, but I’ve wasted enough time trying to fight my way out of that, and I still haven’t thanked you enough for it. The Snow Queen may have the flute, but we still have most of the artifacts.”
“You forget, Your Majesty,” Lord Suddene said soberly, “that the Snow Queen likely already knows the location within Wonderland where the portal to Buyan lies.”
“She wants the singing bone, too, though I’m not sure why yet,” Tala said. “Ken sacrificed himself to make sure she didn’t have it.” Her eyes fell back on the display screen, which had been trained on the Nottinghams’ graveyard. Through it, she could see Ken, who had not moved from his position, and Nya still chattering away. Ken’s parents were beside them both, though neither seemed inclined to talk, only gazing back at their son with quiet grief in their gazes.
Tala’s mind flitted back to everyone else they’d lost. Lola Corazon saving Lola Urduja because she had known Lola Urduja would be important for the battle ahead. She had also known there was something important about the Burn, which was why Tala had focused on the location. Cole giving up Gravekeeper. He had also—
Tala stood up a little straighter, her mind furiously working. “Lord Gallagher, when you modified the thrall collar that was used on Ryker, didn’t you also add a tracking device to it?”
“Well, er, yes. I thought it would be much more useful than the, um, barbaric shock features that Sir Cadfael insisted on keeping for it.”
“Can you track it now?”
“I believe Sir Cadfael is right beside you.”
“Yes, I am.” Ryker’s eyes were bright, realizing what Tala already had. “But I don’t have the collar anymore.”
“Dexter,” Severon Gallagher said, sounding more excited, but Dexter was already interrupting his father.
“I’m running the tracker right now,” the boy reported. “Shouldn’t take more than a few seconds if the cold didn’t get to its—no, wait. It’s still activated and—and it’s moving!”
“Show it to us!” Tala practically shouted, and the display swiveled around so they could see—a red blinking dot on a map that Dexter had drawn up. Tala was no expert on geography, but she knew it was no longer at World’s End. The blip on the screen told her instead that it was somewhere in Washington, DC.
“What’s it doing in the Royal States?” Loki asked.
“And if the Snow Queen discovered it, why keep it with her?” Tala asked.
“This tracker’s currently in the kingdom’s capital, where King John resides.” Zoe’s eyes were bright, some of her old fire returning. “If the Snow Queen intended this as a lure, I doubt she would be at a place with the highest security in the country.”
“She isn’t there to attack them,” Tala said, catching on. “She’s there to uphold whatever secret alliance she has with King John. She doesn’t know about the tracking device on the collar.”
“She doesn’t even need it,” Zoe continued. “She could control people even without the collar on. She’s only using it out of spite. As a way to flaunt him in our faces when we meet her again. To mock us.”
“Zoe,” West said. “Are you also saying that—that—”
“It’s only speculation, West.” It was a wonder, how steady Zoe’s voice sounded. “But it could explain everything. Why his doom was written that way. Why he had to be at World’s End to—”
And then, just like that, the dam broke. Tears began to stream down Zoe’s face, even though her tone remained quietly aloof, relentlessly logical.
“The whole reason for his prophecy was to make sure we learned the location of the portal into Buyan, which is the only thing we still don’t know. It wasn’t just about him or me. It was this all along. I…” She trailed off, blinked, and raised a hand to her face. “Am I crying?” she asked, and only then did her voice break for the first time. “Why am I…?”
“Zoe,” Tala said softly.
“Your Majesty,” one of the techmages called out as West drew close to Zoe for a hug when she finally began to weep in earnest. “I think we have some people trying to get our attention.”
Alex whipped around to her. “Someone knows where we are?”
“Not exactly, Your Majesty.” The screen switched to several social media accounts, highlighting posts made by a number of organizations. Photos showed them on the streets, rallying and waving the flag of the Royal States—and also of Avalon.
We are standing in solidarity with the kingdom of Avalon, one post read. We march for Avalon now as much as we are marching for every person the king has denied justice to, from our Black siblings to the families he has and is still separating to other kingdoms and countries who have had to suffer from the Royal States’ policies in their quest for profit. We will not forget. We cannot forget!
“They’re from the Fight for Kids Project,” Dexter said. “We helped them out earlier this year, handed them spelltech to provide instructional materials to low-income neighborhoods.”
A video showed a group of police officers converging on the rally, weapons already drawn. A few began firing into the crowd, only to hit an invisible shield of air as the group began activating what Tala recognized as Avalon spelltech, rendering themselves impenetrable to the police bullets.
“They’re providing instructional materials of a different sort now,” Loki said with satisfaction.
More posts popped up. Organizations they’d helped in the past. Organizations they hadn’t. Groups that spanned multiple countries. And the calls were growing as more became emboldened to voice their support, heading to the streets despite the threats of violence from the authorities. They were taking to the streets to defend both their own freedom and Avalon’s.
Alex took a deep breath. Tala could tell he was fighting the urge to cry. “They’ll still need our help,” he said hoarsely. “What we gave them may not be enough.”
“There’s still the problem of the Snow Queen,” Lord Suddene reminded him.
“And that could work in our favor,” Lumina said. “We already know the Snow Queen is allied with King John, and that it’s likely he’ll use both his royal army and private mercenaries to cause more trouble. We can’t fight this battle on several fronts, but we can count on allies like these to take the load off us.”
“And we already have the networks necessary for it,” Tala said, looking to Zoe. West was holding her carefully as the girl wept.
“I agree,” Lola Urduja said. “They think they face protesters with little defenses to their name. Let us even the odds. And there is the chance that the Snow Queen, too, might use the ongoing chaos to distract us as she seeks out the Buyan portal.”
“She doesn’t have the raskovnik yet,” West pointed out, clutching the plant close to his chest.
“No, but she has the flute. If I were her, I’d keep close to the place, waiting for Avalon to show up so I could wrest it away. We need to use the thrall collar’s tracking device to find which part of Wonderland she’ll be gallivanting over to, and then we’ll know where Buyan is ourselves.”
“While we’re waiting,” Dexter said, “would you like to hear the conversation between the Snow Queen and King John yourselves?”
They all stared at the boy, who was grinning back at them.
“You’re going to want to hear this,” he said. “I remembered that the thrall device had a listening device originally integrated into it. OzCorp might have been too greedy, but they were smart. They knew it would be excellent at ferreting out compromising material on their targets. I just activated it.”
“Dexter,” Alex said. “If I survive this, I am making you our national treasure and decorating you with as many civilian awards as I can. Do it. Show us what they’re saying.”
The boy hit a button on his laptop, and the sounds of the news reports still going on around them faded, replaced by an angry male voice.
“I lost men at World’s End thanks to you. And it’s still my ass on the line. I’ll need triple the money you promised to carry the rest of this out. Enough to buy my own kingdom if I have to.”
“That doesn’t sound like King John,” Tala said, startled.
“You will be compensated well for your efforts,” came the familiar cold tones of the Snow Queen. “You do not have to worry on that score.”
“I’m putting my men in danger just so you can revive your dead father and claim territory. I’d like at least half for an advance, plus your help in annexing our own territories in the future. You know I’m the only one who can get King John to see things my way. He pardoned my soldiers on my fucking recommendation. It was my idea to ally with you and OzCorp. He doesn’t trust you, but he still trusts me.”
“You flatter and fawn over him. That is not trust.”
“But it gets the job done, and that’s all that matters. King John’s a narcissist. He’d betray his own country to stay in power. You could say that he already has after having his other goons kill off most of the contenders for the crown. Ask me how I know.”
Zoe gasped softly into the silence that had fallen over the command center at the words.
The Snow Queen didn’t ask. “Your king will be rewarded by ridding his kingdom of his most vocal and most persistent enemies. You will be rewarded with as much wealth as your heart desires. Unlike those around you, I do not break my vows.”
“Let me and my men accompany you back to Wonderland when you raise the portal. You really think those shadow skeletons and some wolves are enough protection?”
“You care little about me.” The smile was clear in the woman’s voice, and it likely looked as cruel as it sounded. “The riches of this world are not enough for you. You want the power lying within Buyan.”
“Can you blame me, lady? After all, isn’t that what you’re trying to do?”
A laugh. “You are free to accompany me if you’d like, Creller. You and as many of your men as you wish to take. See if you can handle the magic as well as you think you can. Where is the king?”
“Sleeping off a conniption. He’s not liking the sudden surge of riots all over the kingdom.”
“I leave for Buyan in two hours.”
“A warning, though. If you think you’re gonna control me like you do the Scourge of Buyan and that lad over there, then think again.”
“If you wish to join me, then have your men ready.”
A grunt from Creller, and then his footsteps faded away.
Dexter hastily switched off the listening device. “Can’t keep it on for long,” he explained. “Without a distraction, she might sense it.”
“Creller is the name of the man who leads the private mercenaries we encountered at World’s End,” Loki said. “The same ones hunting for the jabberwock with OzCorp.”
“She plans to go to Wonderland in two hours,” Tala said. “She might not have the raskovnik, but she might have something else she can use. Do we have enough time to mobilize?”
“We’ll have to,” Alex said. “But we’ll be at a disadvantage. Many of the rangers are in no shape to fight so soon.”
“We shall make the time for it, Your Majesty,” Lord Keer said fiercely.
“So will we,” Captain Mairead said, stepping forward. “We’ve repaired the Jolly Roger. It won’t be up to capacity as before, but it can still deliver a solid punch.”
“What do I do with this recording?” Dexter asked.
Alex leaned forward. “Leak it to as many of the press as you can.”
“Your Majesty!” Lord Keer said, startled.
“They’ll find out where we are sooner or later. Their viewers have the right to know about this, don’t you think?”
“So many in power have let him get away with it for so long. What makes you think that releasing a recording will change that?”
“Because I have to believe that there are many good people out there who still believe it can. That’s what I’m trying to fight for too.”
Slowly, Lumina nodded. “We lose nothing by releasing it,” she said. “Whatever atrocities he’s already committed, this would at least provide them more proof.” She glanced at Lola Urduja.
The old woman inclined her head as well. “Set it so that they receive the recording in an hour and a half’s time,” she said. “It will give us the element of surprise when we ambush the woman.”
“Here we go,” Dexter said and typed rapidly. They all watched him for several minutes before he finally leaned back with a sigh. “Made it so they’ll automatically get a packet less than two hours from now,” he said. “They’ll be able to pinpoint our location, though.”
“Assemble all the soldiers we can spare,” Alex instructed. “I want to be at Wonderland to greet the queen when she arrives. What do you think, Tala?”
All other eyes were trained her way, and the weight of Agimat rested against her. “I keep forgetting you’re all asking about my opinions more because I have the sword,” Tala muttered.
“Tala?” Lumina asked softly.
She knew her mother was not all right. She remembered their conversation back at the café Titas Chedeng and Teejay ran, talking to her father about turning himself over to the authorities. She’d only just told her mother then that she’d already drawn the Nameless Sword, guilty that she had convinced her father not to say anything. She had felt her mother’s disappointment, the fear that she had come so close to being yet another victim of the sword. And now she was doing it a second time.
“Mom,” she said. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s going to happen after this, but I’m tired of running and saying I’m not good enough. Because I am. I know that now. And I’m going to make you proud of me.”
“I have always been proud of you, love,” Lumina said, drawing Tala close. “And nothing will ever change that.”
“We have the undead, and we have the dragons. We can count on the latter, but we need to make sure that the former will be with us when the time comes.”
“Are you going to officially ask the undead to join us?” West asked apprehensively.
“Not just the undead,” Tala said, steeling herself for the task ahead. “I’m going to ask Ken.”
The graveyard was still as cold as ever, but Nya didn’t look like she was bothered by it. She had stopped talking some time ago, content with the silence. To Tala’s surprise, Lady Adelaide was sitting with her and Ken’s parents. Even more strangely, so were both Baba Yagas, former and current. All looked up when Tala approached.
“We leave for Wonderland in less than two hours,” Tala said. “Lady Adelaide, I wanted to ask if you will be accompanying us for it.”
“I will,” Adelaide said. “The rest of my family are. I have the sword. It would be cowardly of me not to.” Her grip on Gravekeeper tightened. “My brother wouldn’t forgive me if I didn’t.”
“I didn’t know Cole as well as I should, but I think Cole would forgive you anything if it would keep you safe.”
The younger girl nodded. “He knew about this. Did he tell you that? I don’t think he even told Zoe. Great-Grandma tried, but every prophecy she saw told her that he was going to die. He’d been preparing for that for so long…but it still feels unreal.” She sniffled. “I was convinced that we would find a way.”
That doesn’t mean you have to force yourself to fight if you don’t want to.”
“I want to. I really do. I might not be as good as Cole yet, but…” Adelaide made a few practice swings with her sword. “I’ll figure it out,” she said more confidently. “I’ll fight for him as much as I’m fighting for Avalon.”
“How sure are we that these undead will fight?”
Adelaide cast a nervous glance at where most of the corpses were still standing, motionless, despite the heavier winds picking up and the snow falling around them. “Do you think I should ask them? Baba Yaga?”
“There’s a reason they tell people to respect the dead,” the current Baba Yaga, Ilyena, said. They squinted at the row of unmoving shapes and shuddered. “I can see why.”
“Any more prophecies that you feel like sharing with us before shit hits the fan?” Tala asked dryly.
“You are a lot more assertive now that you have the sword.”
“Or maybe it’s because I have run out of fucks to give, and Agimat is helping me enunciate that better.”
The seer nodded approvingly. “I am not at liberty to tell you what I’ve seen. But even now, so many things remain murky that it would be useless to make a much more concise prediction, even if I could. I can tell you one of them. You will know what to do when you hear three songs intertwine.” They turned to their mentor. “You said you saw it too. I thought you can no longer tell the future.”
“I cannot. But it was the last vision I saw before my gift left me. Perhaps that was a consolation, a final parting gift for years of service.” The older Baba Yaga smiled at them. “But I do not need to see into the future to trust in you young folk, whatever it might bring us all. Perhaps the undead have something to say themselves.”
“Why not?” Nya asked calmly. “Ken, Tala and Adelaide want to ask you something.”
The boy said nothing. Tala wasn’t even sure if he’d heard, but Nya continued regardless.
“We’re keeping track of the Snow Queen’s whereabouts. She’s heading to Wonderland, to Buyan. We plan on ambushing her there.”
Still nothing. Ken had never been so quiet before. It was heart-wrenching.
“We’ll need all the help we can get. You’re sworn to fight with the Nottinghams. Will you fight for Avalon’s cause just as much as you’ll fight with Lady Adelaide?”
Ken finally moved. His eyes trailed down, toward the sword Tala held. Something that could have been a smile appeared on his face. “Kusanagi,” he said, and despite his unchanging expression, a little bit of the Ken she’d known returned in his voice. “Agimat now. We fight for Avalon. For the sword. Always.”
The other undead shuffled closer. “We fight for the sword,” one of them said. “We honor our vows.”
“We fight for the sword,” another echoed. His corpse appeared to be older than many of the others. His clothing was more fur than linen, but the others moved to give him room as if in respect. “We honor our vows. We fight for Gravekeeper’s wielder. We fight for the sword bearer. We will follow. When those that were missing shall fly again. When those who were dead shall rise again. When that which was cold offers warmth again.”
“Alex’s prophecy,” Tala said. “And—and—”
“And yours, despite yourself. Once, I rose for a young lad no older than you. And now, we rise again. We hear. We obey.”
Tala’s earpiece chirped. “Tala,” Alex said, “get your butt up here as soon as possible.”
“Another attack?” Tala asked worriedly.
“No. Strangely enough, quite the opposite.”
“Lord Nottingham reports that he’s still receiving messages, Your Majesty,” Lord Severon Gallagher said. “Specifically from Lady Felicity of France, among other kingdoms, all asking for information regarding Maidenkeep’s disappearance.”
“Mom’s trying to find us?” Zoe asked.
The woman appeared promptly on screen. “I knew you were still out there,” she said, almost scoldingly. “Where is my Zoe? Is she all right?”
“I’m here, Mom,” Zoe said, inching closer toward the screen. “What’s going on?”
“I am happy to see you unhurt, my poppet. It has been an agonizing day, trying to search for you. Your father says hi.”
Jonathan Carlisle peered into the screen beside her, looking sheepish. “Hi, honey. Are you okay?”
“I am. Dad, I’m so sorry—”
“Never apologize for what you’re not responsible for, Zoe. I’m doing well. I’ll be staying temporarily with your mother until everything blows over, just in case.”
“I told you before that we cannot officially aid Avalon due to other foreign policies in place that we must uphold,” Lady Felicity said, taking over. “But after the attack on Avalon, His Majesty believes that we cannot sit by and do nothing. We have already done that once before, when the Snow Queen came after His Majesty’s parents. We cannot have it so again.” A pause, and then Felicity cleared her throat. “That is, of course, the official statement that I am to make to Avalon once communication can be established,” she said. “But the reality of the situation is that His Majesty understands that the insurrections taking place all over the world are likely a direct result of King John and his foolishness, and that the Snow Queen’s support has convinced him of his invincibility. It is enabling other extremists in France. It would be to our advantage to stop this nonsense once and for all. I hope you do not mind if I am being too forthright, Your Majesty.”
“I appreciate the frankness, Lady Felicity.”
“We also have several regiments on hand ready to fight with you, Your Majesty. This has gone on long enough.”
“Your Majesty,” a techmage called out. “We have a few more on the line. A diplomat from Spain, several officials from Germany and Sweden, more from Japan, Hong Kong, Canada, Vietnam…”
Tala sat back and watched as more kingdoms began pledging their support, offering use of their military forces to fight the Snow Queen at King Alex’s decision.
“Some of them just want to save their own asses, you know,” Loki said darkly right after Alex ended a call with the Belgian government. “You know they’re not fighting for him really but fighting because they find it beneficial to their own policies.”
“I know,” Tala said, watching Alex’s face carefully. “But Alex hasn’t had anything even close to an alliance with many countries for so long. It’s at least something that they’re pledging their assistance now, even if they never bothered before.”
Not every supporter was an official kingdom representative. Alex grew more emotional as he accepted calls from other organizations also pledging support. Tala stood by his side each time and slowly squeezed his hand whenever he sounded too choked up. Tristan was on Alex’s other side, and she knew he was doing the same.
At one point, one organizer politely asked for Zoe. The girl responded, cautious.
The young man on their screen coughed. “I hope you don’t mind,” he said, “but I, well, me and my wife. We couldn’t get pregnant. But we are now. And I know that wasn’t the reason, but I—I just want to thank you. To let you know that there are a lot more like us who are grateful, even though we came about it at a different method than others.”
“Oh,” Zoe said, her tears welling up—the third time she’d shed them since her curse seemed to have been broken. And just like that, the waterworks couldn’t stop. “I understand, and I appreciate it.”
“We have everything ready and waiting,” Lord Gallagher reported. “As soon as we get the coordinates from the Snow Queen’s location, we can disseminate them quickly to the other waiting kingdoms. It’s her move at this point.”
“Are we ready?” Alex asked, turning to the rest of them. The rangers were, and so were the Bandersnatchers. The Neverland pirates already had cuirasses and other sharp weapons drawn, and the Katipuneros had followed suit with their abanicos. Rather than admonish her team, Lola Urduja herself already had her fan in one hand and General Luna’s shiv in the other.
Somewhere within the Nottinghams’ graveyard, Tala knew Adelaide and Nya were waiting with Ken and the rest of the undead.
“We’ll do it, Alex,” Tala whispered. She didn’t need to yell at him not to risk his life by using the Nine Maidens. Not when she was holding Agimat herself. This was their last chance. If they couldn’t defeat the Snow Queen now, then Avalon was lost.
Ryker and Loki were quiet, reassuring presences beside her. On a whim, she took their hands in both her own and squeezed, receiving similar responses in turn.
Beside her, Lumina took a deep breath, then let it out. “If you see your father,” she said, “you must leave him to me again.”
“The Snow Queen’s porting out,” Tala heard Dexter say; then she saw in her own visor that the red dot vanished.
And then it reappeared—this time right at the heart of the Wonderland ruins.
“Now!” Alex shouted.