Free Seeing Redd by Frank Beddor

death, and that, as her mother requested, I have faithfully kept it safe from Redd.”
    â€œUh-huh,” Molly said, suspicious, “and why’re you only giving it to Queen Alyss now? I mean, why’d you wait?”
    The Lady of Diamonds adopted a sweet, kindly expression. “Because, clever girl, Genevieve left strict instructions that if Alyss ever returned to rule the queendom, it should be given to her after the sixth lunar cycle of her reign had passed. Obviously it contains something of great value to the queendom that requires Alyss to have occupied the throne for a time—intelligence or instructions, I assume. I’ve been curious about what’s inside, but…” the Lady of Diamonds grew sheepish, “…I haven’t been able to open it.”
    â€œI’ll present it to the queen with all possible speed,” Molly said, bowing, acting every bit the professional Milliner and bodyguard that she was.
    With a great show of reverence, the Lady of Diamonds surrendered the chest to the girl’s care. “Will you be returning to the palace through the Crystal Continuum?” she asked.
    â€œIt’s the fastest way.”
    â€œThat it is,” agreed the lady, “although I can’t be seen taking public transportation myself, being of high rank as I am. I’m sure you understand.”
    Molly didn’t understand but kept her mouth shut, not wanting to spend any more time with this snob than was necessary.
    â€œTell the queen I said hello,” the Lady of Diamonds cooed, and before Molly could respond, she was alone in the massive open space of the BOX, the pneumatic hiss of the door lingering after the exit of Wonderland’s most self-important lady.
    She gazed around at the empty room, its blank walls and faraway ceiling, all void of evidence from her recent battles against jabberwocky, card soldiers, Glass Eyes. It was just a big impersonal room. What had felt like a tremendous accomplishment only a short time before—her completion of level Z—now felt small.
    Without bothering to dry herself off or bandage her wounds, Molly hurried out of the Millinery to the looking glass portal located outside a sandwich shop on Bandersnatch Avenue. She entered the glass and zoomed headfirst through the kaleidoscopic, tubular-shaped passage until it linked up with another, larger one—the Crystal Continuum’s main conduit. She was adept enough at continuum travel to focus on her destination while mulling over her interview with the Lady of Diamonds. Queen Genevieve had trusted her ? No way. From everything Molly knew, the Hearts and Diamonds had never been on great terms. The whole story sounded like a lie. The pretty little chest she was carrying to Alyss could be part of a trap. The Lady of Diamonds might be trying to ensnare the queen in a scheme designed to cost her the respect of government officials and the general population. It was easy to believe: the Lady of Diamonds conniving to gain advantage over Alyss in political dealings that a needless bodyguard was not allowed to know anything about.
    And if it were a trap? Well then, she might be able to prevent it, because what was so hard about opening the chest as the Lady of Diamonds had claimed? It had a single clasp and…there, she unlocked it. Now all she had to do was lift the lid. If she could protect Alyss from the Lady of Diamonds’ intrigue, whatever it was, she would thus ensure the still fragile stability of the queendom. Then Alyss would have to let her take a more active part in military and other important meetings. She would have proven beyond all doubt that, halfer or not, she deserved the most the queen could grant in the way of responsibility and honor.
    Impatient, careening past commuters toward Heart Palace, the continuum’s prismatic surfaces a smear of twinkling colors, she lifted the lid of King Arch’s weapon no more than a vein’s breadth