Page 37 of Ace of Spades

“Callister stepped on it, but it’s possible that someone found its residue,” I told them. “The Red Queen’s soldiers must’ve found it during their patrols.”

Hatter’s blue eye lit up in dark amusement while his brown eye glinted dangerously. He cracked the knuckles in each of his fists, flexing his hands in preparation for a right.

"Well, let's see if we can persuade them to come out and play, shall we?"

As if on cue, four of the Red Queen’s soldiers emerged from the shadows. They were clad in menacing armor, black as night, with red rose symbols adorning their chests. Their deadly weapons were drawn, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

"Ah, there you are!" Hatter called out mockingly, clapping his hands together in feigned delight. "We've been expecting you!”

"Silence!" one of the soldiers barked, stepping forward. "Alice, you are hereby ordered by Her Majesty the Red Queen to come with us immediately!”

“Oh yeah?” Alice retorted, folding her arms and glaring defiantly at the soldier. "Well, tell her she can go shove it."

"Such insolence," another soldier sneered, tightening his grip on his weapon. "You'll pay dearly for that."

"Really, gentlemen, there's no need for such hostility," I chimed in, my grin widening as I felt the power coursing through me, preparing for what was to come.

On the surface, all the soldiers could see was a dark-haired man wearing a purple and black tiger-striped suit. But underneath the clothes and the skin, my blood was simmering with charged-up magic. Once it exploded, there was no reining it back in.

“I’m sure we can all come to some sort of agreement.”

“The Red Queen does not negotiate!” the first soldier shouted back at me. "We will take Alice by force, if necessary!"

"Good luck with that," Hatter snickered, his madness shining through even in the face of danger. When two of the soldiers pulled out their swords, Alice’s eyes widened at the seriousness of the situation.

“What can I do to help?” she asked, her voice dropping with worry. Keeping his eyes pinned on the soldiers, Hatter tilted his head in her direction.

“Get behind Chess and try to conjure a weapon to protect yourself with. It’s about to get messy.”

Alice blinked in hopeless confusion. It was one thing to challenge Callister in the relative safety of Hatter’s back garden. It was another thing altogether for her to arm herself and prepare to defend her own life.

I locked eyes with Hatter, and we exchanged a determined glance. Alice was our responsibility now.

She was our lover, our heroine, our everything—and we would protect her at all costs from the Red Queen.

“I’ll always be ready to protect you,” Hatter replied, his tone playful yet I knew he was deadly serious.

“As will I," I murmured, feeling my demon powers surge through me as I prepared for battle. Pivoting to the four soldiers, I gave them a short, ceremonial bow.

“Very well, gentlemen. Let's dance."

The soldiers charged at us, their weapons glinting in the dappled light. My body began to contort and shift, muscles rippling and bones cracking as I transformed into a massive, fearsome beast.

My limbs throbbed and my skin ripped open, the seams of my existence violently ripping apart, a saturation of muscles, sinews, and blood vessels snaking under my skin, rendering me a hideous monster. I towered over them, the air thick with menace and bloodlust. My mouth stretched wide, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth that gleamed hungrily, desperate to taste their flesh.

"What madness is this?” one soldier cried out, stumbling backward in terror.

But he didn't get very far.

I lunged forward, my claws sinking deep into his armor, tearing through metal and flesh like they were one and the same. Blood sprayed across my face, hot and metallic, as the man fell lifeless to the ground. An artery continued to spurt out a thin arc of blood, painting the twisted trees a dark crimson.

"Get away!" another soldier screamed, swinging his sword at my monstrous form. His weak attempts were laughable—I swatted him aside with a single swipe of my enormous paw.

The force of the blow sent him crashing into the distorted shadows of the surreal landscape. His body hit the ground with a hard thud, until he lay still, his limbs and neck contorted in the most unnatural of ways.

"Chess, you magnificent beast!" Hatter cackled, his madness fueling his courage as he threw himself into the fray. Keeping Alice safe between us, he leapt forward and started slashing at the nearest soldier.

His movements were erratic and unpredictable, making it impossible for his opponent to anticipate his next strike. With each powerful swing of the blade, the scent of fresh blood filled the air, accompanied by cries of pain and terror.

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