Page 117 of Alice the Dagger
The proceedings continued smoothly. Even if my aunt denied all the other charges, there was more than enough evidence to prove that she had in fact committed every single atrocity she was convicted of. So when, hours later, the jurors and I retreated into a separate room to deliberate, I knew there would be only one outcome.
“This should be quick,” Alran said, echoing my belief.
“Who doesn’t believe that the Red Queen deserves to be executed?” Sansu asked. “Raise your hand.”
No one did.
“Then it’s just a matter of how she’ll meet her end,” Henri said.
“And I think we all know what that will be.” Alran drew a line across his throat, and all the fae in the room, save for me, nodded.
I didn’t disagree, but I felt my verbal agreement would be inauthentic. And if I was to do what I must after the execution, I needed to stay as true to myself—the new me I was discovering—as possible.
“Ready to give the verdict?” I asked.
After what must have been the shortest deliberation known to fae, we marched back into the throne room. All seven of us faced the crowd, and I asked the guards standing around the accused to step back so that we might see her face when we delivered the sentence.
“I, Alice White, head judge, alongside the six jurors, have come to a unanimous conclusion. Each juror will state their conviction at this time.” I nodded to one end of the line.
“I, Alran Rivers, sentence Sela White to death by beheading.”
“Death by beheading,” another fae said.
“Death by beheading,” Sansu echoed.
Two more went the exact same way until we got to Henri, whose eyes hadn’t left Sela’s since we entered the room.
“I, Henri Hatter, son of Ernie Hatter, who you mercilessly killed, sentence you, Sela White, to death by beheading.”
Everyone turned to me. It felt as if the entire room was holding their breath, waiting for my word.
“I, Alice White of the royal line White, daughter of Isabel White and Frederic Torna, and rightful heir to the Wonderland throne, sentence you, Sela White, to death.”
The crowd leaned forward, waiting for the final ball to drop.
I sucked in a breath. “Off with her head.”
Everyone in attendance burst into applause. Some fae hugged their neighbors; others wept, clearly so relieved that they would see justice for the wrongs that had been done to them.
I just stood there, silent, soaking it all in.Finally able to breathe.
The execution would take place within a few days. Until then, I would keep busy by helping rebuild the Wonderland Court. Soon, I’d set off to find Elise.
Hatter’s hand found mine, and squeezed it tight. “Thank you for giving us our lives back.”
“Thank you for bringing me here,” I said, meaning every word, and for now, allowing myself to believe that the hand that held mine would always be there.
“You know that, when you’re ready, I’m coming with you to find Elise, right?” Hatter’s green eyes gazed deep into mine.
“I know,” I said with a smile. “I would expect nothing less.”
