Page 26 of Jack of Diamonds

I sighed, considering her words. Maybe she had a point – maybe all I needed was the courage to face whatever horrors awaited me. But one thing was for sure: if I wanted to help her and her people, I’d have to dig deep—like,insanelydeep, and find my inner warrior.

“Okay,” I agreed, even though doubt was still lingering in my voice. “I’ll give it everything I’ve got.”

“I appreciate any help I can get, Alice. You were born to wield the Vorpal Sword, Alice. You will drive back the darkness, and restore light and hope to Wonderland once more.”

I shook my head. “It’s just...it’s such a tall order. Even with your help. Even with Jack training me. Roxanne seems so powerful. And from what I understand, she’s had centuries to strengthen her magic.”

Suddenly I shot Amari a skeptical look. Something wasn’t adding up.

“How exactly does that work, when you and Roxanne are human? How can this cycle of her going insane and you summoning Alices have gone one for centuries? Don’t you get old? Don’t you die?”

“We do grow old...and we will someday die,” she said. “Time works differently in Wonderland. It’s not like your world or an afterworld or an underworld. It simplyis. And right now, Wonderland is woefully out of balance.”

“Has your sister always been like this?” I asked. “Is there a reason why she always goes off the deep end?”

Amari sighed, her face shadowed with sadness. “It began when we were children. We were close once, Roxanne and I. The best of friends. Although she’s my elder sister, I was always more gifted with the magical powers of imagination than she was. She became incredibly jealous of my natural talents.”

While I ate the rest of my cupcake, I listened attentively, trying to imagine what it must have been like for Amari to watch her sister turn into such a psycho bitch that everyone hated. She gazed out at the frozen garden, her kind eyes becoming more distant as she went on.

“I tried to share my knowledge and skills with her, but her jealousy and selfishness drove us apart. As we grew older, Roxanne’s obsession with power also grew. She wanted to control everything – not just the Kingdom of Hearts and Roses, but all of Wonderland. Her ambition eventually consumed her, turning her into the cruel and merciless Red Queen she is today. By the time I realized how dangerous she was becoming, it was too late. She’d learned how to summon the Jabberwocky to do her bidding...and she made him kill our parents.”

My jaw fell open at the shocking revelation, leaving me speechless.

“After the King and Queen were dead, Roxanne seized control of Wonderland, claiming it as her birthright since she was the eldest. She banished me and my court to this frozen realm.”

Amari motioned to the immense beauty of the ice garden that surrounded us. “Even in defeat, there are lessons to learn. Even in pain, there is beauty. That’s why I renamed this place the Kingdom of Diamonds and Ice. It’s harder to survive here, but it makes us incredibly resilient and strong.”

I stared at her, stunned. “You really don’t mind the cold?”

She smiled gently, shaking her head. “I cherish it. The further away I am from my poisonous sister, the stronger my magic is. But I can’t control her all by myself. That’s why I keep summoning Alices to help me bring balance to our world.”

“Is there any hope for your sister?” I cautiously asked, wondering if redemption was possible for someone as twisted as Roxanne.

“I wish I knew the answer to that question, Alice,” Amari replied, her voice tinged with sadness. “I’ve tried countless times to reach out to her, to remind her of the love we once shared. But each time, she only grows more distant and vengeful. My greatest hope is to somehow bring peace to my sister’s tortured soul. Each time, I hope Roxanne has learned her lesson at last. Each time, I am disappointed.”

I toyed with the cupcake wrapper in my fingers, folding it over and tearing at the edges. The pressure of my newfound calling was bearing down on me like a thousand tons of ice. But more than that, was the knowledge of Callister and Ransom’s plan to be done with the Red Queen for good.

Even if it meant her death.

Something told me that Amari wasn’t in on that particular plan.

“Amari,” I began, “don’t you ever get tired of repeating this cycle? Of watching your sister go insane and forcing you to bring new Alices to Wonderland, only to watch your people suffer the same dark fate? Have you ever considered putting a permanent end to all of this?”

Her eyes widened in surprise, as if the thought had never occurred to her before. “Putting a permanent end to the cycle?” she murmured, a ripple of unease passing over her otherwise serene expression. “This is my destiny, Alice. It’s my duty to right the wrongs of my sister. It’s what I was born to do.”

“Destiny or not,” I countered, my voice holding a subtle edge, “aren’t you tired of constantly fighting with your sister and seeing all the pain she causes? Aren’t you sick of watching Wonderland fall into ruin time and time again? There’s got to be another way – a better way.”

For a moment, Amari looked lost in thought, her gaze distant and unfocused. The ethereal ice garden around us seemed to hold its breath, as though awaiting her response. Finally, she shook her head gently, her tight purple curls swaying with the motion.

“I’ve been doing this for so long, Alice,” she admitted, her voice tinged with sadness. “Perhaps I have become too complacent, too accepting of the way things are...of how they’ve always been. But what choice do I have? It’s either this or surrendering to Roxanne’s darkness completely.”

“Then we’ll have to find another way,” I declared, my determination unwavering. “I’m sure we can break this cycle for good. We just need to think outside the box...come up with a plan that’ll turn the tables on Roxanne once and for all.”

Amari hesitated, clearly taken aback by my boldness. Maybe it was because I already knew about the plan to kill Roxanne. Or maybe it was because I hadn’t spent a lifetime trapped in this twisted game of cat-and-mouse – but I could see the possibilities, the potential for change. In my mind, it was as clear as day.

“Perhaps you’re right,” Amari admitted after a beat, her eyes meeting mine with renewed hope. “Maybe we can find a way to end this cycle and free Wonderland from Roxanne’s grip. But it won’t be easy. Are you honestly prepared to face the challenges and darkness that lie ahead?”

“Not yet, but I will be,” I replied with a wry grin as we stood up to leave. “Bring it on.”

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