Naqam stayed right next to Hatter, not wanting to give the King or his Jack any excuse to demand he be chained, locked up, or otherwise restrained. After five days of the closest thing to freedom he had ever tasted, he had no desire to let someone put him back in a cage. 

Once again, he was swept rapidly through the dark stone corridors of Spade Castle. To Naqam, it seemed like they were the only people here in this cavernous place. He didn't see any servants scurrying about, and the only guards he had seen were the ones outside.

Then he glanced at the King walking in front of him. Even now, even after all these years of peace he still carried a gun on his hip and a knife in his boot. With a frown, he thought maybe they didn't have guards because they didn't need guards.

Think they don't need guards, he amended. 

The King threw the doors to the throne room open himself. The glass windows had been turned to mirrors by the darkness of nightfall, and Naqam glanced at their reflections.

In a field of white and black, his hair was a crisp drop of blood.

Killian went to the throne, throwing himself down into it with a weary sigh. He rubbed at his temples, closing his eyes, and Adira immediately asked, "All right, Killian?"

She exchanged a glance with Mad, who shrugged when Killian didn't immediately answer. Tentatively—the first tentative thing Naqam had seen her do—she walked toward the King, before kneeling right by his throne, putting her hand on his arm. 

He startled slightly, eyes flying open. In their reflection, Naqam could see the worried look Adira gave him. Shaking his head, he murmured, "Another supply train to the west villages was raided." His dark eyes came up to look at Mad. "Seven dead, another ten wounded."

Naqam's brow wrinkled as he frowned fiercely. At the same time, Hatter swore, and Adira turned to the Ace with a venomous look.

"What do you know about this?" she demanded, standing up sharply.

Completely startled, Naqam took a step backwards, shaking his head in instant denial. "I-I d-don't..."

His frown turned to a scowl as he stuttered, something he had done often as a child. Swallowing hard, he took a slow breath. Hatter was watching him with a curious frown and a hard stare.

"I don't know anything about supply trains or western villages." When Adira scoffed, he said, "I thought all the Spades were here with you, living around the palace."

They all blinked and glanced at each other. Naqam bit his lip to keep from embarrassing himself further, then let out a small hiss of pain when one of his exaggerated canines punched through the thin skin of his lip.

It was a small sound, nothing that drew the attention of the King or Adira as they talked in low voices about the trouble to the west. Naqam touched a finger to his now bleeding lip, studying the red there.

But then his attention was dragged up by a small, sharp exhale of breath. Slowly, he looked up to find Hatter staring at him, eyes trained on the slow trickle of blood from the side of his mouth. His jade eyes, which suddenly had a shadowed, strained quality to them drifted up to meet Naqam's.

Hatter rubbed a hand down his jaw before turning sharply on his heel to walk to the far end of the hall, away from Naqam. Perplexed, he wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. Red streaked the lightly tanned skin there, and he looked up again to find Hatter watching his reflection in the windows he was now standing in front of.

The man's hands drifted subconsciously down to the guns at his sides, but then the small door at the end of throne room opened. Hatter whirled to the side, then relaxed when Queen Alice stepped through, giving him an odd look.

Hatter shook his head, eyes still clouded with another time. Alice placed a small hand on his shoulder, squeezing lightly, then turned to observe the tableau in the long hall. Her eyes lingered on her husband, then glanced at Adira before looking at Naqam. Just like Mad, her eyes found his bleeding mouth.

She made her way quietly down the hall. Naqam was startled to realize she was dressed in trousers looser than the kind Adira wore, and soft-soled boots that came up to her knees and didn't make a sound on the stone.

Adira and Killian were so deep in conversation that they didn't see her as she glided past them, right over to Naqam, whose eyes went wide as he looked down at her when she stopped in front of him. Glancing up nervously, he found Hatter watching him with a narrowed, hawkish gaze, but then his attention was fastened on the Queen.

She reached into her pocket and extracted a white handkerchief, then cautiously extended it to him. "For your mouth," she prodded gently when all he managed to do was stare at her.

Naqam lifted his hand, then stopped, his eyes going back up to Hatter. The man raised an eyebrow, but his hand was no longer resting on the butt of the revolver at his hip. Blinking, Naqam flicked his eyes to the King, but he was frowning fiercely at Adira as she spoke in a low, intense tone.

With a little laugh, Alice took his hand, making him jump. She put the handkerchief in his hand. Smiling up at him, her blue eyes sparking mischievously, she teased, "I won't bite."

Unsure of how to respond, Naqam just held his silence, pressing the cloth to the tender cut on his lower lip. Alice let out a small sigh, then turned around and walked back over to Hatter. He shook his head at her, and Naqam turned to stare out the window, just to be confronted by his reflection.

Dark crimson eyes met him with a slightly startled look about them, and he dropped his hand to his side, the bloody cloth balled up in his fingers. He blinked slowly at himself, then shoved the cloth into his back pocket unthinkingly. 

The urge to move or speak was stabbing through him, like lightning in his veins, but he knew speaking out of turn here would do him no favors.

He could still smell the Queen's perfume.

A prickling feeling skittered over his skin, and he looked up sharply to find a pair of deep blue eyes staring at him from a balcony situated near the ceiling of the enormous room. He knew it was meant for soldiers to sit, peering over tense proceedings with fingers on triggers in case things got out of hand. 

Tonight, rather than guards, a princess sat, watching him with curious eyes. Naqam didn't blink, staring right back at the young woman. 

His breath softened to the point where he couldn't feel it at all. But then he felt another pair of eyes on him and turned to find the Queen watching him. Hatter had his head tilted back, green eyes narrowed as he searched for what had snared Naqam's attention.

When he finally found the princess, who shrank back farther into the shadows, he smiled a little, then his eyes went back to the King when he stood up and shouted, "I know, Adira! I know. But what the hell else am I supposed to do? Just let people keep getting killed?"

"It won't help anything, Killian," she said as calmly as she could in the face of the King's anger. "Putting any more laws in place won't stop it."

Killian raked his hands through his hair, then stalked down the length of the hall. He stormed through the doors, and Alice sighed wearily. She nodded at Adira, who promptly turned and ran after the King, long legs carrying her easily through the doors.

Hatter made a small sound in the back of his throat that carried throughout the hall. He glanced at Naqam, then raised an eyebrow at Alice, who said, "It's been a bad five days, Mad."

"I can see that," Hatter muttered, pushing his hat back a little. "He was always one to take it too damn personal."

Alice closed her eyes, shaking her head and Naqam saw dark shadows under her eyes. With a helpless shrug, she sat in the throne next to the one Killian had just vacated. "I can't... I don't know how to help him, Mad. The longer I stay here..."

"The more you realize it's not exactly your world," Hatter said easily, like it was something he had come to understand a long time ago. "I know, Alice."

"I would never leave. I would never give up everything I've found here. I love Wonderland. I love my husband and our daughter, but I sometimes feel so useless, Mad, and I hate it." She let out a small, despairing laugh. "Would you listen to me talk?"

"Like you said," Hatter said softly, "it's hard feeling useless."

"It's not just the raids, you know," she said. "We've had some crop failure to the south and the Diamonds are starting to get a little... unfriendly."

"Are they now?" Hatter asked, but there was something sad and dark in his voice.

Without thinking about what he was really doing, Naqam said, "It's not really that surprising. The Diamonds are a Red Deck, after all. You couldn't expect that they would want to live under Killian's rule forever. It just natural."

Alice's eyes blazed with sudden anger and she stood up. "Oh what? Because living under a Red Queen served them so much better?" She took a step toward him, but Hatter was right there with a hand on her arm, stopping her.

"Enough, Alice," he murmured. "The kid just doesn't know any better."

Naqam bristled at the implication of ignorance. A small huff of laughter, silent to anyone without an Ace's sharp hearing, caught his attention. He sent a glare toward the balcony where the princess was hiding, which earned him nothing more than another laugh.

"Do we really not know who's attacking the trains?" Hatter asked, and the Queen instantly seemed to lose a hold of that intense anger.

She had actually surprised him with her ferocity, and he found himself rethinking the idea that Alice was such a soft-spoken, kindly Queen. Briefly, he wondered if he'd end up rethinking everything he thought he knew about the royal family.

Shaking her head, the Queen shrugged and said, "All they leave behind are the..." She took a second to gather herself. "All they leave behind are the dead and wounded. Lately we've been lucky to get word quickly enough that they've been attacked to get help and medical aid to the wounded. They take the supplies we've been trying to send to some of the newer settlements, but we've been unable to track it. It just never resurfaces."

Hatter was frowning intensely, brow furrowed as he listened to the Queen reel out facts about these raids and attacks. Naqam listened with the same intensity. This was news to him. As far as he knew, Naktis hadn't initiated any other plans to bring the Spades to their knees.

But it wasn't something Naqam would put past the militant Jack. Gritting his teeth in silence, he found himself growing angry at the idea that Naktis would do something like this without telling him. Then he shook his head minutely. No, he was mad that Naktis would do something like this, period.

It could undermine Naqam's whole operation. Adira already suspected the Hearts had something to do with the raids, and—though she was probably right—the fact that Naqam didn't know about it wouldn't mean anything as soon as they were able to connect these aggressions to the Hearts. 

And it rubbed him the wrong way, the idea that Naktis would do anything else. He had been under the impression that he was the Hearts' last bid for the rule of Wonderland. Not some stupid little forays against some measly supply trains that could potentially lead straight back to the Hearts with just one well-placed bullet. 

He tuned back into the Real Worlders' conversation when Hatter said, "Chesh and I'll take a look at the last one while we're here."

"You're staying?" Alice asked with no small amount of surprise in her voice. Then her sky-blue eyes widened and she immediately apologized, saying, "I'm sorry, Mad. That's not what I meant. Of course you're always welcome. I dare say you're more welcome than you realize. It's just..."

"I don't tend to stick around," Hatter finished the sentence for her, not flinching away from the hard truth. When she gave him a pained look, he just shrugged. "It is what it is, Alice. I just... I like it out there with the horses. I always have. It's..." He smiled a little. "It's quiet. Peaceful. Reminds me of... someplace. Can't remember where exactly. But it was a good place."

The Queen bit her lip, looking like she wanted to say something, but was pretty sure it would start a fight. Naqam flinched when she turned sharply to him. Not quite as intense, she asked, "Are you sure you don't know anything about who might be behind these attacks, Naqam? Anyone who seemed like they might be looking to cause trouble?"

There was something grimly humorous about that coming from the original troublemaker herself. If not for Alice, Wonderland would still be happily ruled by the Hearts.

But, of course, he didn't voice any of that. Instead, he bowed his head respectfully. "No, my Queen. If I did, I'd kill them myself."

That wasn't exactly untruthful. It brought a sour anger up into his throat to think of Naktis doing something like this behind his back. Maybe sending the raiders' heads back to Naktis would teach him not to undervalue an Ace again.

There was a small intake of breath, and he looked up to find Alice had her hand to her mouth, glancing sideways at Hatter. She blinked those big, blue eyes and Naqam felt an odd, sick feeling wash through him that he couldn't have possibly put a name to.

All he knew was that he suddenly wanted to take those last words back, no matter how truthful they might be. Hatter's mouth was pressed into a tight line, but he didn't seem disapproving. When he found Naqam looking to him, he gave a humorless smile.

He took off his hat and scrubbed his hand through his dark hair. "Don't regret promising that."

Naqam frowned, not quite understanding what Hatter was getting at. 

Which Hatter seemed to understand. "You get Killian to believe you want to work with him and he'll use you. What happens if it turns out these cowards are friends of yours?" the Real Worlder asked, putting his hat back on.

"I don't have any friends," he said simply. And it was just the truth. He had had tutors and training partners, but never friends. An Ace didn't need friends.

For once, Hatter seemed unsure of what to say next, instead looking to Alice. The Queen was giving him a look of compassion that felt like bugs crawling over his skin. He didn't need their pity.

Hell, he didn't need anyone's pity.

He was glad not to have any connections to anyone. Connections to and caring for other people just made you weak. They could be used against you. Killed, tortured, used to lure you into a trap.

At least, that's what Naktis had told him from day one.

So all he could manage to do was return their looks with a blank one of his own.

They all jumped slightly when the doors to the throne room were opened once more, but rather than the King or Adira, Tarian stood in the entryway. She peered hesitantly into the hall, then hurried forward when her mother gestured for her to come in.

Hatter raised a questioning brow at her.

"I know, I know," she sulked. "But it's not fair, Uncle Mad. When he was my age—"

"When he was your age he was fighting for his life," Alice cut her daughter off, then gave her a weary sigh. Just like Killian had, she placed her hand against Tarian's cheek. The princess leaned into her touch with affection.

"I just want to show him that it's different now," Tarian said, her voice plaintive and hopeful all at the same time. "I just want him to know that it mattered, what he did. What you all did."

Nobody seemed to know what to say after that, and once more Naqam found himself unable to tear his eyes away from the outspoken princess. It was comforting to know he wasn't the only one who seemed to have that problem as Hatter watched the girl with a soft expression.

Finally, a new voice joined them.

"It's not about what's changed, Tarian, it's about what stayed the same." They all turned to find Killian watching them from the doors that had remained open after Tarian had come into the throne room.

His dark eyes seemed to sear into Naqam. He opened his mouth, but before the King could say anything, he was interrupted by his Queen.

"Killian, it's late." She glanced meaningfully at Naqam. "Much too late to be making important decisions. We need to rest, and then we'll be able to approach it with fresh eyes."

The King scowled mightily at Alice, but the expression dropped as soon as she lifted an eyebrow. Shaking his head, the movement sharp, he said, "Fine. Where would you suggest we put him then?" He looked at Hatter. "Mad's already decreed we can't just throw him back in the dungeon where he belongs."

Hatter gave a small huff that seemed to say he thought Killian was acting badly.

"Well then I suppose we can put him in the east tower," Alice answered easily, though there was some coolness to her tone. "It has only the one stairway unless he'd like to jump right into the ocean at night?"

Killian closed his eyes, a muscle feathering in his jaw. He nodded curtly.

Naqam watched as Hatter gave Alice a knowing look. Gently, he said, "You and Tarian go with him. I'll keep an eye on the Ace."

The Queen took a moment to throw him a grateful look before she hurried to her husband's side. With care, she twined her fingers through his, and he looked down at her with an expression of true sorrow and exhaustion. At her sweet smile, he nodded again, more gracefully this time.

"Come on," Hatter said quietly. "Come with me."

"You're not taking me to the dungeons, right?" Naqam asked with suspicion. He wouldn't put it past them to say they weren't putting him in one of those soul-breaking little rooms and then do it just to mess with his head.

Hatter shook his head sharply, and with a little more venom to the words, he said, "Follow me. Now."

He puffed out a big sigh, then caught the princess' eye. Her head was tilted as she studied him, and he wondered how long she had been looking at him. More importantly, he wondered why he hadn't felt being watched.

Tarian bit her lip, her eyes going nervously to her parents before she took a step toward him. Naqam instinctively stepped backwards at nearly the exact same moment, making the princess scowl. Tossing her thick mane of hair over her shoulder, she said, "Please. Don't screw this up."

Naqam blinked rapidly, unsure if he should be offended or not. Then the princess was walking away, and Hatter had apparently lost his patience. A small, choked sound of surprise escaped Naqam when he was suddenly being dragged sideways by the collar of his shirt. Immediately, he tried to grab the hand grasping him, but Hatter was too quick.

He let go of Naqam before he could suffer a broken wrist. Not slowing down as he walked to the far door Naqam had seen the Queen enter through earlier, he said, "I'm tired. I'd like to get to sleep if that's all right with you?"

The sarcasm could have been cut with a dull blade.

Naqam looked back one more time to find the princess had disappeared. The King and Queen stood in the shadow of the open doors still, and his cheeks burned with a flush when the King ducked his head, kissing Alice hard. She had one hand on his chest, her other buried in his hair. Naqam turned quickly and ran to catch up with Hatter.

He paid careful attention to the route Hatter took through the castle, but he only went down two corridors, then up a spiral staircase that seemed to stretch up into the very heavens themselves.

The Queen had said the tower was the one closest to the sea. It made sense that it was this close to the throne room, which seemed open to the sea itself.

When they finally got to the top, Hatter nodded at the door set into the stone. Cautiously, Naqam opened it, shocked when he found comfortable quarters with modest furnishings and large windows. He was sure in the morning, those would afford him a spectacular view of the ocean.

A small scuff had him turning back around. Hatter watched him for a moment, obviously evaluating something. Shaking his head, he muttered something to himself in that strange language of his, then he said, "There'll be guards up and down the staircase. They'll have orders to kill you if you so much as peek out the door before either myself or Adira comes to get you. Understand?"

Naqam nodded once, and Hatter made a small 'hmph' sound. He couldn't decide if it was a sound of approval, or just of irritation. The Real Worlder paused at the door.

He glanced at the windows with a half smile, then looked at the Ace and said, "Water's cold this time of year. And there's a nasty current that runs right along the cliff. Just in case you get any ideas."

Naqam resisted the urge to make a rude gesture, instead just nodding. Hatter shut the door, and a moment later he heard as it was locked as well.

He had possibly just traded one cell for another.

Then he looked at the bed, and the books stacked on a shelf near the windows.

At least this one came with some entertainment.