Page 79 of Jack of Diamonds

“My loyalty has been and always will be to you and to Wonderland,” Jack insisted, his voice emotionless and firm despite the compromising situation he was in. “What happens between Alice and me doesn’t change any of that.”

Even though I knew his declaration was meant to sound honorable, it cut me like a knife. If Jack was that loyal to his queen and his kingdom, I’d always be in third or fourth place. Maybe lower than that. He was the Supreme Commander of the army...there were a lot of soldiers who probably outranked me as well.

“How can this level of involvement with Alicenotaffect your loyalty?” Amari challenged, and I had to admit, she had a point. “Did you have any idea that the Red Queen’s army has invaded Echo’s End? They’ll be upon our doorstep within a week!”

Jack’s face grew somber.

“Sorry! I was waiting for the right time to tell you,” I squeaked, hoping to smooth things over.

It didn’t have the effect I was hoping for. Jack stared at me like he wanted to give me a hand necklace instead of a pearl one.

“That’s right...she knewallabout the invasion,” Amari said, looking at me like she couldn’t decide if she was simply disgusted with me or truly hated me. “It almost makes me wonder if youwantmy sister to destroy our kingdom!”

Jack’s crimson eyes flickered at me before pinning back onto his queen.

“It’s never been an Alice’s job to understand various military strategies,” he said diplomatically. “Their only duty is to deliver the death blows to the Jabberwocky and restore peace to Wonderland.”

“Haven’t you ever wondered why peace never lasts?” asked a silky male voice that hovered above all of us. I looked up to see a pair of brilliant green eyes drifting through the air without a body to go with them.

“I have no time for your games, cat,” snapped the queen. “Everyone knows it’s because my sister is a monster!”

“Ah, but who made her that way?” Chess purred from above. His distraction was so effective that nobody noticed Ransom, Hatter, and Callister sidling up to Amari and Winston.

“What’s going on?” Amari demanded.

“We could tell you...” Chess taunted as his body materialized, “but actions speak louder than words.”

We all watched as he floated down to the cold floor. Ransom joined him, clutching something in his hands. I recognized it immediately.

The heart-shaped box.

Amari’s eyes widened at the sight of it, her gaze flickering between the four men. “Where did you get that?”

“We found it in your secret library,” Hatter said. “But I believe you already knew that.”

“That box doesn’t belong to you!” Amari hissed, her hands curling into fists.

Ransom shook his head. “It doesn’t belong toyou, either.”

“What’s in the box?” asked Jack. His hand was resting on the hilt of the blade sheathed at his hip, but I assumed it was only out of habit, rather than any risk of imminent danger.

“Oh, you’ll love this...come have a look.”

Ransom opened the box to reveal the glowing ruby-red stone fragment resting on a bed of red velvet. The light shone so brightly on Jack’s face that his red eyes burned like crimson fire. Chess pulled his fist out of his pocket, revealing a collection of tiny red beads in the palm of his hand.

“Where did you find those?” Amari hissed. She started to come closer, but Hatter and Callister blocked her.

“Beneath a pile of dead bodies at the Rabbit Hole,” He paused to give me a radiant Cheshire Cat grin. “Alice was right—they’re from the Red Queen’s necklace.”

Then, to my sheer and utter surprise, the little stones vibrated and began to drift through the air, seeking out the stone in the box. It glowed brighter and brighter, lighting the way until the beads made contact and fused to the fragment in Ransom’s protective hands. The rosy red light flashed so bright it was nearly blinding in its brilliance.

“It’s the Heart of Wonderland,” Ransom said with an air of deep reverence. “And it’s the reason why the Red Queen has never stopped trying to destroy her sister.”

“I...I don’t understand,” Jack confessed, unable to look away from the gleaming gem lying in the box. So many beads had fused to it that it was now over halfway restored.

“Not until you tell us the truth,” Hatter said. “Why did you shatter the Heart of Wonderland?”

Amari’s face paled, but her eyes blazed with fury. “I don’t know what nonsense you’re spouting. The Heart of Wonderland was destroyed centuries ago!”

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