In the week's following the King's execution Aless and Iracebeth grew impossibly closer. So close, that when subtle changes began appearing in court, she was the first to notice. And, unsurprisingly, a certain knave seemed to be the driving force behind them. Stayne was a weasel, she had always thought so, and now he was proving it by wooing the woman and slowly climbing up the social ladder from commander of the army to personal advisor, to, and perhaps the most infuriating, lover. She knew he didn't love her, didn't think he was capable of love at all actually, and the fact that he somehow managed to make Iracebeth believe he loved her drove her insane.

Aless thought the reason she fell for his ploys was because she was still emotionally unstable from the King's execution, and was looking for attention in any way she could find it. Unfortunately for everyone, platonic attention was not what she desired.

She only tried to intervene once, and after she'd ducked the various objects thrown at her and shaken off the quite impressive swearing and accusations, she'd let it be. The only reason she hadn't lost her head was because Iracebeth did love her, at least a little, and was reluctant to throw away their friendship over something as trivial as sex. The outburst hadn't, however, prevented her from loathing the relationship in private. She was careful not to speak her mind, lest the other members of court hear and run to the Queen in hopes of improving their image.

So, rather than risk angering the woman again and spend all her time sulking like a child, she began to make Stayne's life miserable.

There were few things in life Ilosovic Stayne truly hated. The Red Queen was one of them, and Aless the other. He'd thought he had it made when the King had signed his own death warrant and been executed, but no, the little brat had decided that she was going to try and ruin what little joy he had, which just so happened to be the additional power gained from being the Queen's lover. She constantly belittled him in front of the court, though she made sure to do it subtly so her Majesty wouldn't catch on. When she wasn't making jokes at his expense she was not so subtly threatening him and encouraging mutiny in the troops, which meant that not only did he have to work twice as hard to regain control, but Iracebeth was not pleased to learn he had failed to properly command her forces, resulting in at least one slap and several torturous minutes of ranting about his incompetence.

He was quickly losing not only his composure but his mind, and he knew if he didn't act quickly he would lose everything. So, he paid a few men to stage a very public coup d'etat, complete with threats and slurs against Iracebeth. Of course only Aless could be trusted to handle the delicate task of reigning the men in and squashing all other uprisings….at least, that's what he convinced the Queen of.

…

"But Majesty, surely you understand the importance of sending her on such a delicate mission?"

"No Stayne, I will not hear of it," Iracebeth said, attempting to turn away from him.

He merely rounded the back of her throne, once again meeting her eye.

"But she's perfect! No one will expect you to send a woman to do a man's job! She can have the whole thing taken care of quickly and quietly, not to mention that it will fuel respect among the public for employing a woman."

She faltered. On one hand she truly needed to take care of the small disturbance in the realm before it got out of hand, but on the other she'd rather not send Aless away into potential danger. Her eyes narrowed as a thought occurred to her.

"And why can't you go? Isn't that what I employ you for?" she asked.

Stayne paled slightly and knew he had to tread carefully and smartly. He plastered on a fake smile that he knew she would fall for before launching into what he hoped was a convincing argument.

"Majesty, Alessandra is the best fighter we have, at least in weaponless combat. They will never suspect her, and I'm sure she'd be more than happy to take care of it for you. Personally, I wouldn't dare to face her a second time. And further, Majesty, I also serve as your personal bodyguard, and I would feel most uncomfortable leaving you without protection while I track these men down." He leaned closer to whisper in her ear. "Besides love, she'll do anything for you."

He straightened with a smirk as he noticed her begin to think it over, He only prayed she would send the girl, thereby giving him time to fully gain her affection and perhaps the crown. Iracebeth was truly in a rough spot. She could either send her loyal advisor and protector to quell the rabble, or she could send the one person she was absolutely sure cared for her. It was truly one of the hardest decisions she'd had to make. She sighed, a weight settling on her shoulders.

"Send her," she whispered.

It was all Stayne could do not to grin like a maniac as he responded.

"Of course, Majesty," he replied with a slight bow,

He turned to carry out her orders, not missing the slight slump to her shoulders or the way she buried her face in her hands when she thought he was no longer watching. He'd be lying if he said he didn't find her pain amusing.

Aless would rather eat nails than report to Stayne. Unfortunately, she had no choice as it was Iracebeth's orders and she was technically a member of the army, so she reported to him with as much dignity and respect as she could muster. When she faced him and noted the marked amusement and happiness in his demeanor she knew nothing good would come of the meeting.

"Alessandra," he began, glee practically oozing from his tone, "it has come to her Majesty's attention that there is a small rebellion in the southern regions. There have been threats made to her life, and she believes you to be the only one capable of subduing these men."

Aless' eyes narrowed as she was briefed. Something about this didn't quite add up, and his joyful tone was the complete opposite of what the situation called for. Nevertheless, if there truly were men questioning Iracebeth's reign and threatening her they must be stopped, and she would be more than happy to do it.

"Whereabout in the southern region were they last seen?" she asked.

Stayne smirked internally. It was going far better than he'd hoped.

"In one of the towns near Chevron, further south than Snud," he answered, fully aware he was sending her to the kingdom's southernmost border.

Aless raised an eyebrow.

"So far below? Surely being that far away we can send some knights to tend to the matter."

"No, her Majesty said it must be you."

The brunette sighed. She really didn't want to leave the older woman alone with the likes of Stayne, but she was sensing she had no choice in the matter. She only hoped she could complete the journey quickly and return home.

"Very well, I'll ready myself immediately." She paused to glare at him, and for a moment he worried she knew it was a trick. "Please tell the Queen I wish to speak with her before I go."

Stayne sneered at her retreating back, but not even her disrespect could disrupt his glee. He had done it! The brat would leave and be gone for months, hopefully forever if the two idiots he had hired could complete the job. Now to inform Iracebeth of her departure and revel in her pain.

Iracebeth was not in a good mood. First she had heard of an uprising, and then she'd been forced to send her closest friend to squash it, potentially risking her life. Then there was Stayne, who, rather than show Alessandra the respect she deserved as a departing warrior, indirectly and underhandedly mocked her and her abilities, angering her to the point of nearly asking for his head. She hadn't, her common sense butting in and reminding her she still needed an army commander and bodyguard while Alessandra was away. It didn't, however, stop her annoyance from mounting to the point of eruption.

She had screamed and shouted herself nearly mute, using words a lady of her station shouldn't ever think, much less speak. Stayne had looked suitably cowed by her outburst, not quite trembling but not far from it, and barely had the wherewithal to inform her that Alessandra wanted to speak with her before her departure. Guilt once again washed over her, putting out the ever present fire that drove the majority of her actions. She sank onto her throne, feeling more exhausted and worn than she could ever remember feeling in her entire life, including when she had been planning the uprising against her sister. That was how Aless found her, pale and exhausted with Stayne standing beside her, still looking shaken though his smugness was returning. She gave him a distasteful look before approaching the Queen.

She could tell she was upset, about what she didn't know, but she guessed it had something to do with her trip. She put on a smile for her, hiding her own sadness behind a mask. She walked up to her, taking her hand and gaining her attention.

"Iracebeth," she breathed, the tone carrying every emotion she couldn't speak.

"Alessandra," the older woman replied, eyes shining with grief and regret.

"Hey, don't worry, I'll be back before you know it."

Iracebeth gave her a weak smile and reached out to cup her face.

"I know you will, I have every faith in you. Just promise me you'll be careful."

Stayne watched the interaction with barely concealed disgust, though he couldn't help the small snort he released as the Queen asked for a promise of safety. He was rewarded with a loaded glare from the young girl, though when Iracebeth tried to turn to face him she stopped her, distress warring with her anger.

"I promise," she said, genuine in her assurance.

It seemed to relax the woman, as she sat back and dropped her hands into her lap, though her fingers began to twitch as a signal of her distress. Aless saw and covered them with her own, giving her a level stare.

"When have I ever broken a promise to you?"

"Never," Iracebeth whispered, trying desperately to believe this was something as simple as an afternoon ride in the country.

Aless smiled. "Exactly," she said.

A paige stumbled in, gaining their attention. He nervously tried to right himself, trembling under the Queen's obviously irritated gaze. The longer he took trying to ready himself to speak the angrier the redhead grew. Sensing this, the younger brunette squeezed her hands gently, giving her a focusing point and cooling her temper.

"Y-your horse is r-ready, Lady Alessandra," the boy stuttered nervously.

She gave him a gentle smile, hoping to calm him.

"Thank you, you're dismissed."

He scrambled out with a hasty bow, plunging the room into heavy silence. Aless turned back to her friend, who, despite trying to hide it, was fighting back tears. She dropped to her knees in front of her, ignoring the dagger that pushed against her side.

"Hey, it's alright. I'll be back soon, and then this will all be forgotten. I want to do this, do you understand? You're not forcing me into anything. These people need to be taken care of before something escalates into an uncontrollable wave." Iracebeth stared, transfixed. Aless heard the impatient whinnying of her horse, and when they next locked eyes sadness was reflected from brown into green. "The horse is impatient to begin, I must go. I...I'll miss you."

She had nearly said something else, but she didn't, afraid of the woman's reaction even if what she wanted to say was meant platonically. She leaned forward and wrapped her in a hug, feeling slim arms encircle her shoulders and squeeze tightly. They held on for a good while, neither wanting to be the first to let go. Stayne at one point cleared his throat impatiently, and Aless just knew he was in for it after she left. When they finally let each other go they each had tears brimming in their eyes, though both refused to let them fall. They gave each other a watery smile before Aless stood and walked out of the throne room, head held high and determination oozing from every pore.

Iracebeth watched her go, dread settling in her stomach. It was silent until Stayne shifted, his uniform rustling and reminding her of her irritation with him. She turned to him, her face pinking, and he knew that the next several minutes would not be fun.

"How dare you," she growled lowly, and he was immediately put on edge. A raving Iracebeth he could deal with, a composed and quiet one was never predictable. "How dare you attempt to rush her departure?!" She whirled on him, springing from her throne. "I do not understand why you hate her so, but let me tell you-" her voice cracked, protesting against the abuse of being used so violently so frequently.

She started again, this time in a whisper, which was perhaps more frightening than her screaming.

"You will learn to show her respect or I will have your head as soon as she returns." It took everything he had to keep his lip from curling in disgust. "Get out of my sight."

He left quickly, hatred coloring his thoughts black, though all the while he was thinking of a way to get back into her good graces.

…

He hated playing the supportive lover, he really did, but he could think of no other way to make the Queen happy with him again. He went to her in the night, when he knew she would be the most vulnerable, and began launching his master plan. He'd had to beg to be allowed in of course, especially after how angry she'd been earlier, but her need for comfort won out. She was stressed out, worried, and exhausted, and perhaps the most vulnerable he'd ever seen her. He absolutely loved it.

"What's the matter, darling?" he cooed, false concern oozing from the words.

"I'm worried about Alessandra," she said, her eyes darting to her balcony and the view beyond.

"I'm sure she's alright. If there's anything she's proven in her time here it's that she can take care of herself."

Iracebeth hummed distractedly, obviously still deep in thought. He nearly growled in displeasure, but kept it in check so as not to ruin his progress. He just couldn't understand what made the brat so special. Other than a fantastic body what did she possess? He didn't think she was incredibly intelligent, and she was so much younger than the redhead. He'd have thought the Queen would have wanted someone closer to her own age to converse with, but apparently that wasn't the case. It baffled him, and he was glad he had sent her away when he did. He was no fool, he knew attraction between two people when he saw it, even if said people weren't yet aware of it.

"My love, she will be fine, I am sure of it."

She turned to face him, scrutiny and hope flashing in her eyes.

"You are?" she asked skeptically.

"As sure as I am that the Jabberwocky flies."

She smiled then, wrapping her arms around his middle and pressing close against him. He grimaced above her head, but brought his arms around her shoulders, causing her to sigh quietly. Luckily for him it seemed as though it was one of the nights wherein Iracebeth merely wanted comfort and cuddles, so at least he wouldn't have to make love to her. He held her and stroked her back until she grew tired, only then leaving her to rest with kisses and reassurances of his love and Aless' safety.

Aless had only been gone a few days and already wanted to return home. Fortunately, in alignment with keeping her presence in the various towns a secret she did not have any other soldiers shadowing her, but that also meant she was left alone to her thoughts. Thoughts that became increasingly self explorative, and made her increasingly uncomfortable. She had never had reason to question her feelings for Iracebeth before, but the longer she spent away from the castle the more she longed for her presence, her voice, her scent….and that raised some questions. Did she love her platonically as she'd thought many times over? Or as something more?

She wasn't sure anymore, and the increased isolation forced her to think about it, whether she wanted to or not.

…

As the days turned into weeks Iracebeth grew not only restless but concerned. Why was Alessandra not home yet? Why hadn't there been any news? Stayne saw her predicament and pounced, filling her head with lies, half-truths, and truths spun and twisted beyond recognition.

"She's left permanently."

"She wouldn't!"

"She has."

"She never loved you, only your power!"

"That isn't true!"

"But Majesty, remember the king?"

Her fear slowly faded, shoved into the back of her mind as first depression and then anger took its place. How dare she turn her back on her?! The very woman who held the power to end her! How dare she use her for her own devices?! If she ever came back, she would lose her head.

Stayne watched with glee as his words wormed their way into Iracebeth's heart and mind, turning her against the person she loved most.

…

As Time wore on with no sign of finding the men whom she had been sent to deal with, Aless found herself missing her home more and more, especially a certain redhead. In fact, had it not been for the woman's safety she would have already returned, rebellion be damned, but her love simultaneously drove her and made her miserable. She had seen more of Underland in the past month than she had in the entirety of her stay, and though the scenery wasn't horrible she was more than ready to stop taking it in. As she readjusted her sore body for what had to be the billionth time since the beginning of her journey, she couldn't help but think that if she ever found the men who were causing her such discomfort they would die a slow painful death.

…

Two months. It had been two months since Alessandra had left, and though Stayne had told her things, words and phrases she had begun to believe, she still found herself longing for the girl. She had, after all, been the only one to show her affection in ages-that is, before Stayne had made his feelings known. She glanced back at him, currently asleep in her bed, exhausted after sex as usual. She pulled her dressing gown closer around her body, resuming staring out the balcony doors, feeling as though something was missing.

…

She had found them. It had taken nearly five months and numerous turnarounds and dead ends, but she had found them. She supposed the chase was wearing on them all, because they hadn't covered their tracks nearly as well at the last town, and she had been able to bribe one of the shop owners into disclosing some much needed information. She'd followed them, mere days behind, finally catching up at the last town within Iracebeth's rule. Why they had chosen Sloughsbuy as their final destination she didn't know, as it was incredibly small and impoverished, not to mention the stormy and foreboding mountains that separated Underland from the lands of Stygian. It didn't matter, she supposed, as she was trailing them no further.

The time away from the castle hadn't done her any good physically or mentally, as she had lost weight and was perhaps more angry and hostile than ever. She missed her Queen, and dammit she wasn't going to stand for the separation any longer! Exhausted though she was and eager to finish what she'd started, she stalked their movements, waiting until she was sure she could end them before she struck.

She caught them by surprise, jumping out from the shadows of the building they were using as a hideaway and landing behind them silently. Her hand found the hilt of the small dagger at her side, now poorly concealed due to her baggy clothes, but she stilled her hand, hoping not to have to use it. Smirking as she readied herself, she allowed the thought of home to fill her mind before she pounced, successfully knocking the larger of the two men to the ground.

"What the fuck?!" the other man shouted, rushing to pull her off.

Aless was ready, and instead of allowing herself to be captured lashed out with her left arm, feeling her tightly curled fist connect with a soft stomach. The man gasped as the breath was knocked out of him and hit his knees, giving her just enough time to slam the larger man's head face-first into the ground, not only knocking him out but breaking his nose and possibly cracking his cheek bone. She hopped off his back, gauging the second one and deciding it might be a little harder to take him out as she no longer had the element of surprise. He had just started to stand up, his eyes flashing, and she realized then that she might have a problem.

He was actually a bit bigger than she had first thought, not to mention well built and obviously heavier. Not taking into consideration her current underweight and exhausted state she figured that ordinarily it would be a decent fight, but this was not a normal situation. She was now at least fifteen pounds lighter and sore, her only true driving force her anger at having been sent on the mission in the first place. She soon learned he was also quicker than she would have imagined, as he shot toward her in a blur that barely gave her time to duck to the side.

"You little bitch!" he snapped as he whirled to face her. "I'll end you if it's the last thing I do!"

He pulled out a decent size dagger from a pouch at his side and lunged again, her surprise at the weapon stalling her reaction time. A searing pain shot up her arm where the blade caught her mid-jump, and she hissed, her other hand immediately shooting to cover it. The man looked pleased, and that fueled her rage.

"Didn't expect you to be this weak," he spat, staring at her as she clutched her wounded arm. "But then the Boss did say a few weeks of cat and mouse should have you subdued enough to capture."

"What?" Aless asked, confused. As far as she knew they had no other helpers, much less a higher up. "What boss?"

"Stayne of course," the man said, too conceited and blinded by his ego to notice the dangerous darkening of her eyes. "He hired us to stage that little scene in the square against her royal pain-in-the-ass, told us you'd come after us. Paid a pretty penny, he did."

Aless' wound was forgotten as pure red filled her gaze. She flung herself at him, landing a solid kick to his shin and subsequently bringing him down. He slashed at her again as he recovered, managing to split open her calf nearly to the bone, but she took no notice of the blood now flowing freely down her leg. She couldn't, in actuality, feel it, too blinded by her hate for not only the men in front of her but Stayne as well. The man felt a flash of fear shoot through him as she showed no reaction to the gash, and it was then he realized that Stayne had diluted not only the girl's determination, but her abilities.

He scrambled up, narrowly avoiding another kick, and set himself in a defensive position. She flew at him again, but wasn't careful enough to defend as well as attack. He saw an opening and took it, his fist connecting with her stomach and sending her to the floor. He came at her again with the dagger, but she managed to twist and knock it away at the last second, sending it skidding across the floor. A low moan alerted the two that the third member of the room was waking up.

Seeing his chance, the currently unhurt fighter threw a kick at Aless, propelling her into the opposite wall. He then helped his friend off the floor, wincing at the blood running down his face.

"What happened?" the man mumbled, cupping a hand over his nose.

"The little brat showed up, knocked you out cold. She's over there, already got her pretty good with me knife."

"Good, then we have a chance?"

He, unlike his friend, had heard tales of the young girl and her fighting ability, and by no means underestimated her.

"I hope so. She seems a bit dazed at the moment."

"Good, grab her and we can get on with it."

At the mention of being touched Aless attempted to push herself up, wincing as her back protested. Her movements gained their attention, and before she knew it she was being hauled up by her arms. She screamed as she felt her shoulder protest, bile rising to the back of her throat as what was most likely a break made itself known. Through her watering eyes she made out the man she had initially knocked out coming to stand in front of her.

"Before we end this little get together, I thought I'd pay you back for the broken nose."

He threw a solid punch, hitting her on the right side of her ribcage. She heard something crack and screamed as the pain engulfed her. He threw another punch, this one to the shoulder that was most likely broken. She felt the bone fragments grind together as what might have originally been a crack shattered apart, causing her to nearly pass out. He grinned, satisfaction glittering in his eyes.

Through the tears rapidly multiplying in her eyes she managed to see him picking something up off a nearby table. As he turned to face her she could make out a gun, though it was much older than the ones from her world. Her eyes widened as she recognized the style, realizing quickly that should the bullet miss the intended target it would cause her a great deal of pain by shattering bone and possibly lodging itself inside her. Apparently they had been prepared, because he didn't take the time to load it, merely cocked it, and the sound of the chamber clicking into place caused a cold sweat to break out across her skin.

"Why didn't you shoot her when you first saw her?" the first man asked.

"Well I didn't exactly have time to grab it with her coming at me now did I?" the second retorted.

The one wielding the weapon grunted, obviously unimpressed.

"I wish I could say this has been a pleasure, but there's no need to lie," he said, raising the pistol and taking aim.

Aless began to hyperventilate, knowing she needed an escape and fast. Without stopping to consider the results, she yanked her good arm free of her captor's grip, taking advantage of his surprise long enough to elbow him and yank her other arm free. Hissing at the immense pain the action caused, she darted out of the way of the gun, keeping herself in motion to ensure she was harder to hit. As she bounced and weaved around she pulled her own dagger out, knowing that with her wounds it was her only chance to make it out alive. Sizing them up for a second time, she lunged at the one who had held her captive, sending her dagger deep into his leg and dragging it upwards.

He howled in pain, instantly dropping to the floor without attempting to retaliate. A gunshot sounded, the bullet colliding with the wall to her left. She ducked, rolling out of the way of the second shot she knew was coming. Sure enough, mere seconds after she'd moved, blood sprayed as the man she'd just stabbed was shot. He slumped forward, dead or dying, she didn't really care. Her biggest challenge now would be getting the gun away from her attacker without getting shot. She began her process of dodging again, waiting until he had to reload and very narrowly avoiding bullets several times.

As soon as it became apparent he could wait no longer she dove for him, missing her actual target but still inflicting quite a sizeable wound. Blood began dripping to the floor from the cut to his shoulder, but he knew better than to try to cover it, more concerned with reloading the gun. Aless flew at him again, this time latching onto his back and wrapping her legs around his waist. He began thrashing, backing into the wall several times in an attempt to knock her off. She screamed as her already abused shoulder took more damage, feeling her other one bruising and nearly breaking with each hit. He reached back, digging his fingers into her sides and tearing them open. Glimpsing her chance, she locked her legs tighter around his midsection, bringing her dagger up and drawing it across his throat.

She dropped to the ground immediately after, retreating back a good few feet. She watched as his eyes went wide as he realized what she had done, his hand flying to his throat in a vain attempt to keep his blood from leaving his body. He staggered toward her, but she wasn't afraid, his eyes dimming even as his steps slowed and he collapsed, blood gushing as he attempted to breathe. She smiled grimly at the scene, glad it was finally over.

As he lay bleeding out she explored the little building, relieved at finding some spare clothes stashed in a small saddlebag. They were far too big for her, but were perfect for cleaning her knife and and shredding into bandages. As her adrenaline faded and she inspected herself she realized just how badly she'd been hurt, the many pains and aches returning with a vengeance. Her leg was the worst, the gash still oozing blood even after her exertion, and she felt a little light headed because of the blood loss. Her back stung, courtesy of the scrapes she had received from not only being kicked into the wall but slammed against it. Her shoulder she wouldn't even look at, a brief glimpse in a dirty window enough to tell her that the skin was rapidly purpling and lumpy with bone fragments. She fashioned a sling quickly, tying up her left arm and hoping that by the time she returned to the castle it wouldn't have started to mend.

She limped out to where she'd tied her horse, the animal whinnying in concern as it saw her. She smiled grimly, giving him a pat on the neck before searching her own saddlebags for a needle and thread. Truthfully, Aless would rather not have sewn herself up but, given the circumstances, and how long it would take her to return home, she'd rather not risk infection and most likely amputation by leaving it open. She rinsed the wound with water from her canteen, hissing as the blood washed away and allowed her a generous view of her muscles and tendons. She managed to thread the needle, her already labored breathing becoming ragged as she bit into a mouthful of her shirt before plunging it through her skin.

She screamed, the sensation still hurting despite paling in comparison to the wound itself. She shakily wove the needle and thread through her skin, managing a ragged but acceptable suture, though it was definitely not as tight as it should be and would undoubtedly leave a scar. She tied a strip of cloth around it and the cut on her arm, making sure no dirt could get into the wounds. Shaking with pain, she managed to mount her horse, slumping over his neck and whispering instructions to return home into his ear. He set off gingerly, unwilling to injure her further, but she spurred him into a gallop, wishing to return to Salazen Grum as quickly as possible.

Iracebeth had given up hope of Alessandra ever returning. It had been nearly six months since she had departed from the castle, and not once had she heard from her or about her. She supposed Stayne had been right all along, and felt her anger returning with each day that passed. Stayne was positively giddy, everything going according to plan. He supposed his hired men had found and killed the girl by now, thus permanently removing her from his hair. He was all-but King Consort, and within a few months he could see that happening, and after that, well, ridding himself of Iracebeth would be simple.

The shouting that drew their attention one rainy day was not, however, part of his plan.

It was the guards that found her. Aless wasn't entirely sure by that point where she was or when it was, only that she was in incredible pain and she was wet. She had given up guiding her horse days previous, her concentration marred to the point that directions blurred. She trusted the animal to at least take her somewhere safe if not back to the castle, but when she saw the blurred turrets in her vision tears leaked down her face, cutting through the sweat and dirt. At last, she was home.

Card soldiers, upon noticing the approaching horse, ventured out to meet it at the gate, a surprised shout going up as they made out the crumpled figure atop the the beast.

"Someone alert the Queen, her ladyship is back!"

Soldiers scattered to deliver the message, the remaining cards carefully helping her off her mount. They rushed her inside, scurrying past the Queen, who had heard of her return and wanted to see for herself if it was true. Stayne was right behind her, anger boiling in his veins. Iracebeth gasped as she caught a glimpse of Aless as the cards rushed her to her room, her anger fading as she saw the state she was in. She followed them almost in a trance, an unnameable emotion painting her face.

Stayne growled as the commotion ceased and he was left standing alone in the corridor. She was supposed to be dead! Well, he supposed, one couldn't expect two morons to succeed at such a delicate task.

But there was more than one way to skin a cat.