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"Bring forth the criminals," she commanded, her voice sending a chill of silence throughout the room.
A group of trembling prisoners was led forward, their faces etched with fear and despair.
As they were lined up before the Red Queen, an official began to read out their charges.
"Sir Reginald Pembrook, accused of sneezing without covering his mouth in the presence of royalty."
"Miss Marigold Winters, charged with laughing at a joke not approved by the court jester."
"Mr. Bartholomew Finch, whose crimes include, but are not limited to: failure to properly groom a Jabberwocky, unlicensed use of shrinking potions, and conspiring to steal the Red Queen's tarts."
The prisoners stared in disbelief, mouths agape at the ridiculousness of their supposed crimes. I could feel the tension in the room rise, and I could hardly believe my ears. The absurdity of the charges was astonishing, but the fear in the eyes of the condemned spoke volumes about the Red Queen's iron grip over Wonderland.
"Enough!" she snapped, her words slicing through the air like a blade. "I have heard enough."
"Wait!" Sir Reginald cried out, his voice shaking with terror. "Please, Your Majesty, we're innocent! We've done nothing wrong!"
"Silence!" she roared, her eyes flashing with anger. "You dare to question my judgment? You dare to defy your queen?"
“No, Your Majesty,” he replied, cowering before her.
The queen sat still for a moment, glaring at the prisoners, tapping her fingernails on the arm of her chair. Meanwhile, everyone in the room held their breath.
Maybe today would be different.
The Red Queen let out a bored sigh.
"Off with their heads," she ordered nonchalantly, playing with one of her razor-sharp nails.
"No, please!" Sir Reginald cried out, but his plea fell on deaf ears as he and the others were dragged away. I could see the color drain from their faces, their eyes wide with fear as they realized the full extent of the Red Queen's cruelty.
Hatter and I continued to watch, our resolve hardening like steel, as the Red Queen reveled in her power. But even as we waited for our chance to free our friend, I couldn't shake the nagging feeling that time was running out for Callister, for Alice, and for Wonderland itself.
We needed to act, and fast.
The Red Queen's guards marched into the throne room, their boots echoing loudly against the marble floor, their faces completely blank. They gripped Callister tightly by his arms, dragging him toward the grotesque seat of power at the center of the cavernous space. His tattoos seemed to squirm beneath his tight bindings as he clenched his jaw, defiant even in captivity.
To my surprise, Dinah elegantly stepped forward and curtseyed for the queen before taking her place beside the throne. My stomach turned as my fears were confirmed—The queen’s loyal servant and Alice’s assistant were one and the same...and she’d been working against us all along.
"Ah, there you are," the Red Queen said, looking down her nose at Callister. "I've been expecting you."
"Really now?" he spat, venom dripping from his words. "I must be quite the catch."
"You're a slippery little worm, but I've finally got my hooks in you," the Red Queen replied with a cruel smile. She leaned forward, her fingers tapping the armrest of her throne. "You're about to become very useful to me, my dear."
With a flick of her wrist, she gestured for her guards to release Callister in front of her. She rose from her throne and sauntered around him like a predator stalking its prey, stopping to admire his ink-covered body with a twisted grin.
"Such lovely artwork," she commented, her sharp nails grazing his skin, leaving thin trails of blood in their wake. "It would be such a shame if anything were to... mar its beauty."
Callister's eyes narrowed, but he refused to give her the satisfaction of a reaction. "What do you want from me, Your Majesty?"
"Oh, Callister," the Red Queen murmured, her voice dripping with venomous honey. "I've heard that you knowexactlywhere Alice is. My spies are everywhere, you see." She glanced at Dinah and gave her a sickly-sweet smile. “And I will find her. You can either make it easier on yourself or suffer the consequences."
Her psychopathic tendencies were on full display, her narcissistic need for control evident in every word she spoke. The room seemed to tremble under the weight of her irrational fury, and I could only imagine what horrors she'd unleash upon Callister if he refused to cooperate.
"Your Majesty, I have no idea where Alice is," Callister replied, the words slipping off his tongue like silk.
"Is that so?" The Red Queen's eyes narrowed, and she rose from her throne. "Well, then, I suppose I'll have to help you remember where you left her."
