“Something stiffened, moved. Just as Alyss realized who it was, standing with bowed head at Sir Justice's grave--Dodge.--He whirled around, the point of his sword aimed at her throat.Not the warmest way to great your..." She was about tosay "queen" but changed her mind. "...friend.”

“Queen Alyss, my guards have discovered something you should see."Her face had relaxed at the sight of him, but her brow at once contracted, her lips thinned with tension.We've found evidence of suspicious activity in the palace," he said.What sort of activity?"You might want to step this way and see for youself. I apologize in advance for you having to set foot in a gaurdsman's quaters."He led her into his rooms. The boyish portrait of Sir Justice, the fire crystals in the hearth, the elegantly arrayed table: Alyss blinked in puzzlement.What is all this?"My best guess, You Majesty, is that it's breakfast, but I can't be sure until we taste it.”

“Dodge," Alyss said, putting a hand to the parrallel scars on his cheek, that brand left so long ago by The Cat. She pressed her lips against each of them--four delicate kisses.When she pulled away, he was smiling.”

“The queen is head. Long live the queen...me." The platoon of renegade soldiers cheered. Redd kicked The Cat where he lay on the floor, tongue lolling in his mouth, the picture of death. "Get up! You still have seven more lives."The Cat's eyes fluttered open.Find Alyss and kill her."With a wave of her hand, the looking glass was once again whole. The Cate jumped through, in prosuit of the only living Heart besides Redd.”

“A Glass Eye leaped out from behind a parcked smail-trasport, blocked thier way. "Did you drop something?" Dodge asked the assassian. "Caus I think I see you..." he unheathed his sword and swung, decapitating the Glass Eye in one blow, "...head over there.”

“Redd's face contorted with a sudden realization. "How could I have been so stupid?"The Cat was trying to decide if this was a rhetorical question when she roared, "It's a construct!"With a dismiissive swing of Redd's arm, Alyss and her army began to shimmer, the billon points of engery that formed them monentarily visible before exploding apart into nothing. Redd scoped the queendom with her imagination's eye. "Where are you, Alyss? Where is my dear little niece?”

“Do you know what they call themselves, all these people?" Alyss shook her head. How could she know? "Alyssians." Bibwit spelled it out. Her heart gave a little jump. Alyssians? No, they ask too much of me. "I don't think I'm ready for all of this," she said.”