“We’re on it, Duchess,” Carolus said. “But it’s really hard to find a plausible connection.”
“I don’t take no for answer,” Margaret said. “This is too mysterious. I need to know what the Chessmaster is up to.”
“I say he is up to end the world as we know it,” The Cheshire said. His voice was squeaky and he sniffed between words. His rabbit nose was running as if he had a flu, and his eyes were curiously funny. He stared at everything in such excitement as if it were a miracle, especially the carrot in front of him.
“I didn’t permit you to speak, Cheshire.” Margaret roared.
“As you wish Duchess. Carrots?” He offered. “Good for the temper – and ugly looking women.”
“I thought they were good for the eyes.” Carolus said.
“I can’t speak because the Duchess told me not to,” the Cheshire said.
“But you are speaking,” Carolus argued.
“I could stop speaking if you stop asking.” The Cheshire grinned with the rabbit’s mouth, which was incredulous and creepy.
“Stop it!” Margaret said, reading a message she’d just received on her mobile phone. “I’m told The Pillar and Alice are in China. They found a second piece, part of the puzzle.”
“China!” the Cheshire said. “Never had Chinese carrots.”
Margaret dismissed him. “The next piece is a rook.” She told Carolus.
“A rook?” Carols wondered. “And a White Queen. Hmmm, I have no idea what this means.”
“Neither do I.” Margaret began, but then she suddenly felt ill, clinging to her stomach.
“You pregnant?” The Cheshire chewed on his carrot.
“She looks ill.” Carolus said.
Margaret had lost her speech. The pain inside her was too strong and sudden. She reached out her hands, but the Cheshire gripped tighter to the carrot and refused to share. She reached out to Carolus and he stuck his head forward, wondering if this was some kind of dance.
Margaret dropped speechless on the floor, with a thud.
“Is she dead?” Carolus said.
“I think she was poisoned,” the Cheshire puffed the carrot like a pipe and speculated. “In fact, I think what happened to Fabiola just happened to her, too.”
“Are you saying Fabiola’s poisoning has something to do with them finding the White Queen?” the Cheshire shook his rabbit’s foot. “And Margaret’s poisoning has something to do with them finding the Rook?”
Chapter 37
Tibet’s Autonomous Region
Gliding all the way down to the bottom of the snow, all kinds of questions present themselves. What’s really going on? Why are we supposed to find Carroll’s Knight, and why does the Chessmaster need it? Most of all, who is the Chessmaster?
I end up hitting a bump in the snow and skewing to the right where I hit into The Pillar. Both of us hang onto each other, balling up like a huge snowball that is rolling deeper into the pit of the hill.
The way down reminds me of my journey with The Pillar. We’re both unusual persons with secrets only few people know about — me with what’s still locked in my memory, and The Pillar with whatever grand plan he has in store for me and himself.
But in any case, and even when he proves to be a mad person by the minute, I am stuck with him, just like we’re stuck now. Not because I can’t do it any other way, but because behind all of the masquerade of being a one in a million nutty professor, I am sure he always has my back.
Speaking of backs, I almost crushed mine when we stopped right now.
“Better than a Disney roller coaster,” The Pillar comments standing up.
The monks at the top of the hill stand in a circle from above, scared to follow us down. As much as we’ve escaped them, I don’t see how we’re going to get out of here.
“We’re trapped down here.” I say.
“Pretty much,” he looks around. “Too bad gravity doesn’t allow people to fall up. Why do we all have to fall down and never up? I never understood.”
“Why would anyone want to fall up?” I smack the snow off my clothes.
“Are you kidding me? Fall up to the stars, to the skies, I’d love to fall up in another life.”
“Whatever.” I put my hands on my waist. “So, since we might never get out of here, at least tell me what your theory is.”
“What theory?”
“You said you thought you understood what was going on with the Chessmaster when we were up there.”
“Ah, that. Look, it’s seems like we’re not just on a journey to find Carroll’s Knight.”
“Then what?”
“We’re collecting chess pieces, one by one, and the last will probably be Carroll’s Knight.”
“Sounds plausible. Are you suggesting we’re collecting Carroll’s whole set, the one he had Fabiola make from his bones?”
“I assume so. And since Fabiola can’t tell us what it was for, we’ll have to struggle with finding out why.”
“Are you sure Fabiola doesn’t know the Chessmaster.”
“No, I am not, but how can I be sure?”
“Are you sure you don’t know who the Chessmaster is?”