Chapter Eight
She didn't know why was she was running. She didn't know where she was going. But that didn't stop her. Leaping over tree roots and dodging low branches, Alice gasped for breath as she headed in some unknown direction.
This was ridiculous. What was she so afraid of? The fact that it was all true? That she really was the Queen of Thieves? Queen of Thieves. What was that even? Weren't there thieves in every land and kingdom? How could one person be the Queen of them all? And how could that one person be her?
It couldn't be. It made no sense.
And yet...
Alice slowed to a stop. It did. It all made sense. Everything. Her name. Her natural thieving ability. And the Vorpal Sword. This newfound truth connected all the pieces.
So why did it shake her to her very core?
"Alice!"
She turned to find Ina sprinting through the trees and bushes. Fear urged her to run, but she held her ground. Running wouldn't solve anything. She had to face this head-on.
"I'm sorry," she said when Ina reached her. "I got spooked. It was all a bit much."
Ina nodded. "I understand. Perhaps I should have eased you in more slowly. But I really had no choice. None of the Swans would speak to me if I hadn't dropped the news on them as I did."
Alice wrapped her arms around her chest. "Why? You led me to believe that you were part of the Swans."
Averting her eyes, Ina gazed off into the woods. "It's complicated. I used to be a part of the Swans. And I'd like to be again. But they don't trust me."
"Should they?"
Ina turned her attention back to Alice and heaved a sigh. "I'll explain everything if you come back with me. Your people are worried about you."
"Please, don't call them my people. I've barely gotten used to the citizens of Hearts seeing themselves as my people."
Ina gave a soft smile. "Your family, then."
A warm sensation spread throughout Alice's chest. Family. She liked the sound of that. Nodding, she let Ina lead the way back to the camp.
The Swans were gathered about the fire when she and Ina returned. They rose to their feet as if to approach her but stopped short. Exchanging glances, they seemed afraid to move any closer. Alice cleared her throat and forced a smile.
"I'm sorry about that," she said. "I got a little overwhelmed. I'm better now."
Still, they hesitated. Finally, the tall woman with the knives took several steps towards her. Her eyes sparkled with what looked like tears as she gazed upon Alice's face. Taking a deep breath, she put out her hand. Alice took it, and the woman gave her a firm shake.
"Bill, Your Majesty," the woman said. "Also known as the Lizard. It's an honor."
"Please, call me Alice. And it's a pleasure to meet you, Bill. Or have we met before? My memory of my past is a little nonexistent."
Bill nodded. "Yes, we have. Your mother often put me in charge of watching after you when she was busy with official duties. You're..." She choked up and had to take a moment to recover. "You're quite grown."
The warmth and tenderness in Bill's voice caused a hitch in Alice's breathing. Before she could respond, though, the other Swans were introducing themselves. So many hands and names, she knew she would never remember them all. At least not tonight. When the introductions were complete, the Swans members began to celebrate her return. A few pulled out instruments and began to play music while others gathered food and drink. Soon the campsite had turned into a raucous revelry.
Bill sat beside Alice, smiling at the dancers. "It's been a while since we've had something to celebrate."
Alice glanced up at her. "Are you really so certain that I'm the Alice you're looking for?"
Knitting her eyebrows together, Bill opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted.
"You're still in doubt?"
Ina approached them, her arms crossed over her chest. As she drew closer, Bill stiffened, and Alice noticed the way Ina shrunk in on herself as she came under the fierce woman's scrutiny.
"Believe me, Alice," Bill said, not taking her eyes off of Ina, "I would know you at a glance."
Ina fixed her gaze on her feet. "I need to speak with Alice privately."
"Anything you need to say to her can be said in front of me."
Hunching her shoulders, Ina dared to meet Bill's cold stare. "I've put forth all of this effort to bring her to you without harming a hair on her head. You really think I would hurt her now?"
Hurt her? Alice's eyes darted between Bill and Ina. Bill's stare grew more intense, her fingers hovering over her throwing knives. Ina grew smaller and smaller until she finally broke eye contact with the Lizard. Lifting her chin, Bill somehow managed to look down on Ina while remaining seated.
"You may use my tent if you'd like."
"Thank—"
In one swift movement, Bill drew a knife and grabbed Ina around the neck, holding the weapon to her throat. Alice jumped to her feet, ready to intervene, but Ina held up a hand to stop her. Despite having a sharp blade pressed against her skin, Ina seemed unfazed. She stood still, her eyes half-closed and her hands dangling at her sides. No struggle, no attempt to retaliate. Just acceptance.
"Be assured, though, that I will be close by," Bill hissed into Ina's ear. "Should anything happen to this girl, I will personally remove every finger, toe, and tooth from your body and stuff them down your throat before gutting you like a fish. Understood?"
"Of course," Ina replied evenly.
Releasing her, Bill nodded at one of the small tents. Ina let out a long breath and made her way to it. Following close behind, Alice glanced over her shoulder to see Bill stationed on a nearby log. She fiddled with her knife, her rapt attention on Ina.
"What was that all about?" Alice asked as soon as the tent flap closed behind them.
Ina waved away her concern as she lit a lantern. "Nothing. It's fine."
"She was holding a knife to your throat. That's certainly not 'nothing.' Why do they hate you so much?"
Sighing, Ina crossed her arms over her chest. "I'll explain. I'll explain everything, just like I promised." Her eyes flickered to Alice but quickly turned to the ground. "Your mother did not just die. She was killed by her husband."
A chill swept through her body. Killed? "Wait, what? He killed her? My father killed my mother?"
Ina shook her head. "No. Your father died months before it happened."
Squinting at her, Alice tried to process this information. "So my mother was having an affair? I'm not—"
"Your father—Reggie Chataway—was your mother's first husband. They were married for nearly ten years before his death. Shortly after it, she married my father, Dodgson Skeffington, who would later betray and kill her in order to usurp her throne. He is now reigning as the King of Thieves, though most would declare him a tyrant before they would call him a king."
Taking a breath, Ina hesitantly turned her eyes to Alice. Did she expect her to speak? After having so many revelations dumped on her in almost a single breath? Her mother was dead. She had been killed by her husband. Her husband who was now the King. But her husband was not Alice's father. He was Ina's father.
Ina's father.
Finally able to work her tongue, Alice looked Ina in the eye and muttered, "You're my sister."
Ina's eyebrows lifted, but other than that, her expression was unreadable. "Stepsister, to be precise."
Alice's legs had suddenly gone weak, and she found herself unable to remain standing. Sinking to her knees, she held her head in her hands, attempting to process this new information. Try as she might, though, she could not focus. Her mind kept returning to a single thought: sister.
She had a sister.
Ina.
Looking up, Alice found Ina kneeling before her, her guarded eyes laced with something like concern. "Are you all right? Do you need water? Food?" she asked.
A soft smile spread across Alice's face. "You're my sister," she said as tears streamed down her cheeks.
The sight of her tears set Ina on edge. She leaned away, and for a moment, her expressionless demeanor crumpled into panic. Alice threw her arms around her neck and pulled her close. Every muscle in Ina's body was tense, and she seemed ready to flee in a heartbeat. But Alice just squeezed her tighter, her tears spilling onto the girl's neck.
"You're my sister," she whispered.
There was a pause before Ina spoke. "Did you not hear the part about how my father killed your mother?"
Alice pulled away enough to be able to see her sister's face, but she kept a firm hold on her shoulders to keep her from bolting. "You don't understand. Since I was a child I've wondered who my actual family is. I mean, Mr. Ferret was a magnificent guardian, and I wouldn't have traded my life with him for the world. But my curiosity about my past, about my family, it was always there. And now here you are! My real family."
"Technically I'm not your real family, seeing as we're only related by marriage. And even then the marriage lasted for little more than a month, so—"
"Are you my big sister?"
Deep furrows crinkled Ina's brow. "I believe I am fifteen months your senior."
"An older sister. How exciting!"
"Alice, I think you are failing to—"
"Tell me about my mother. Was she beautiful? Was she funny? Did she like cake as much as I do? What was her favorite flavor? What's your favorite flavor?"
Finally escaping from Alice's grip, Ina stood and moved to the tent entrance. Alice watched as Ina adjusted her cloak and brushed off her trousers. After releasing a sigh, she faced Alice once more. She bit her lip before taking a step towards her.
"You are more like her than I ever expected," she said.
"Who?"
"The Queen."
Alice's heart fluttered. Though she could not recall even a single memory of the woman, the idea that she reflected her mother's personality brought her a strange feeling of joy and satisfaction.
Taking a deep breath, Ina paced the tent. "I know you have many questions, both personal and strategic."
"Strategic?"
"With regards to taking back your position as the Queen."
"Oh, right. That."
"And I will answer all that I can. But first I must know." She stopped and turned to her. "Now that you finally believe that you are indeed Alice Chataway's daughter and therefore the rightful heir to her title and place as Queen of Thieves, will you help me overthrow my father?"
Another revolution. Hadn't it only been a handful of months since her last uprising? Something told her this one wouldn't end quite so neatly. But when she looked at Ina, she could see the desperation in her expression. She was going to do this with or without her helpl. And without it, based on the icy reception the Swans had given her, Ina would be completely on her own in her efforts to take down her father. Could she really do that to her? The last thing she wanted was to get involved in another rebellion. But this was her sister. Her family. She couldn't abandon her.
Closing her eyes, Alice took a breath. As she exhaled, she opened them again and smiled. "Yes. I will."
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