The Grey Queen

By J.M. Sullivan

When Alice defeated the Red Queen, she thought the worst was over.

Until the Grey Queen rose.

Ever since her sister, Dinah, contracted the momerath virus, Alice Carroll’s world has been twisted upside down. Spurred by a desperate determination to save her sister, Alice has braved every peril Wanderland has to offer--rogue momerath, hostile survivors, and treacherous queens. But now, there is a new threat creeping in on Alice, one that leaves her facing an impossible choice.
Does she follow her heart and save her sister, or abandon her to save the world?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Owl Hollow Press
• Release date: Nov 10, 2020
• ISBN: 9781948583282

J.M. Sullivan

Teacher by day, award-winning author by night, J.M. Sullivan is a fairy tale fanatic who loves taking classic stories and turning them on their head When she is not writing, J.M. prefers to cat, choosing instead to stay at home and spend time with her husband and their four amazing kids. Although known to dabble in adulting, J.M. is a big kid at heart who still believes in true love, magic, and most of all, the power of coffee.

Book preview

Prologue

The time has come.

As our numbers continue to grow, so does our strength. I feel my brothers alongside me, nettling in my mind, strengthening me with their presence. It does not matter if they are near or far, their presence is an undercurrent to my every thought. Listening, wanting, waiting.

For me.

After the uprising, they all turned to me, tuning their thoughts to mine. At times, their company gets to be too much. Surrounding me with their hunger, with their need until all I am, is a single, buzzing, thought.

Feed.

It scares me sometimes. Or, perhaps it would if I remembered fear. But I don’t remember anything. There is nothing in my past except a wall of grey, a clouded blur that fogs over anything that doesn’t further the hive. Except the girl.

Small and pale, she’s not especially remarkable, except for her eyes. They spark under her silver hair, casting back the shadowed recesses of my mind. There is no fear in her, unlike the rest of her kind. The sniveling, moaning Unkept—those that would be our prey.

But this girl is different.

She reaches for me, calling as her delicate hand stretches from the void, staring intently as her lips form a silent word repeated over and over again until I finally make it out: Dinah.

I wonder what it means.

It is no matter. There is no time to worry about this fragile creature. There are more pressing matters at hand. My brothers grow impatient. Their whispers swelling with every eager breath. Louder. More fervent. More ravenous. They clamor to feed. Filling the frequency with angry, impatient howls that only dissipate when they are dissolved by the screams of our prey.

There is a word they yell. A word that rips from the lips of each Unkept as they shriek in agony and terror before falling blissfully silent.

A silly word; Momerath.

That’s what they call us, but it is not our name.

We are the Marked.

It is fine. Let them keep this—word—for now. Soon it will disappear completely. It will be lost in the void as the past is swallowed and we become the future.

We are mobilizing. Shifting like sand, scouring the earth. And with the power of my brothers rippling, gathering together, we will be a force undeniable. The Unkept will soon be ours.

Chapter

One

The thing about flighters is, they bring more ‘rath your way. A fighter might be a beast, but it’s only one, Chess countered as he raised his shovel from the pile of gravel he had collected to swing it at an imaginary assailant. He had been arguing his point about which type of momerath he would prefer to face after Alice had posed the question in the game of ‘Would You Rather’ that Chess had started to distract himself while they worked. It was their fourth shift on cleanup duty for the week, and though the camp was looking decidedly better, the monotony was beginning to set in. Alice paused to sip from her canteen as Chess finished his mimed attack and continued his explanation. With a fighter, you knock it out, and you’re done. But flighters, those buggers can bring a whole swarm.

Not if you can get out of there before they get you, Alice pressed, settling into her role as devil’s advocate. Chess was always so certain about things, and she enjoyed countering his convictions—it helped to keep him humble.

Chess cocked his head as he considered, and his face pulled in an easy grin. And when have you ever run from a fight? he argued, leaning to rest his elbow on his shovel. He wiped the sweat from his brow, leaving a dirty smudge under its ashy arch. It stood out against his russet skin, adding a rugged touch to his already robust features. Because if memory serves, you have a tendency of running towards trouble, Princess.

That’s probably why I can’t seem to shake you, Alice snickered.

That, and my innate intriguing appeal, Chess agreed.

Alice’s snort turned into a grunt as she returned to her task and dug her shovel under a heavy clump of debris. They were working with the cleanup crew to clear the piles of rubble that had been left after the Red Queen’s attack. It was one of the final tasks needed to complete the front gate. After the Battle of Eden, the first goal had been to repair the walls surrounding the camp. Though the fixtures went up relatively quickly, the real work came in bolstering the camp’s defenses. The first few weeks had been dedicated to building up the exterior blockades as well as equipping the interior guard posts with more access points and weaponry. The Battle might have proved a setback at first, but Alice had to admit, Eden made the most of it. Alice turned to Chess, who watched her from where he stood behind a knee-high pile of rubble.

Yes, she agreed snarkily. I’m sure that’s it. Not the fact that you keep turning up uninvited and unannounced.

Chess grinned. And look where it’s gotten us, he said, extending his arm to the landscape around him before he dropped it and brought it to sheepishly scratch the back of his head. On second thought, maybe hold off on that last part.

Alice laughed. Maybe, she agreed before returning to her work. They fell into a contented quiet as they picked up the mess around them, with only the sounds of their shovels scraping into the ground against the lull of hushed conversations surrounding them before Chess’ voice broke through the crisp afternoon air.

If you got sick, would you rather turn, or die?

Alice froze mid-shovel, and straightened to stare at Chess. Die, she said resolutely, then paused. Could it be that simple? she wondered. She thought about everything she knew about turning, how the hacking, shoulder-wrenching cough transitioned to a wheezing rattle in the chest that quickly turned into the hissing chitters of the momerath. She had heard too many stories of families being decimated after a loved one fell to the Plague and then woke up an insatiable beast. It was too risky—even with Fawn and Carroll working to replicate the cure, until things were more certain, it wasn’t safe. Or fair. She had learned that from Dinah. She wouldn’t want anyone to feel the way she did. Death was final, but it was less painful in the long run. Her brow furrowed as she looked at her friend. Wouldn’t you?

Of course, Chess said with a theatrical gesture to his face. I’ve seen what happens to the ‘rath. That kind of damage to this beauty would be a travesty against humanity. It is my solemn duty to prevent that kind of suffering.

Alice snorted and chucked a chunk of cement at Chess, who nimbly darted out of the way. The only travesty against humanity is your ego, she snarked.

Snickering, Chess leaned to retrieve the rubble then sighed at the mess still surrounding them.

Man, they did a number on the camp, he said, weighing the cragged stone in his palm before he tossed it into the wheelbarrow Luke had supplied from the garden. How much longer do you think it’s gonna take to clean up this mess?

Alice surveyed the landscape around them. The gateway was dotted with volunteers, Eden’s residents milling together in small groups working to rebuild. A few soldiers manned the gate itself, but the crews were dedicated to cleanup for the most part. Her brow furrowed as she scanned the growing stacks of debris and released a heavy breath. There was just so much, and it wasn’t the only mess left from the battle. The infirmary was overrun, filled with injured soldiers and civilians who had rushed to defend the camp, safeguarding it first from the Red Queen’s attack and then from the momerath horde following on her heels. Alice’s chest tightened as she thought of the battle, and her gaze drew involuntarily towards the memorial park. The peaceful garden exhibit had long ago been transformed into the camp’s cemetery—Eden’s way of providing the most tranquil resting place they could. Still, now, the collection of cobbled headstones had more than doubled, filling the space far more than anyone ever intended.

Alice’s nose pricked as she looked at all of the headstones bathed in white flowers. They were the markers for the voluntary resting places of those who had contracted the virus in the battle—brave soldiers who, instead of risking turning and harming others, laid down their lives. The white flowers were Luke’s contribution. Though the gardener was completely overrun with his other tasks, he had still found time to gather and lay out flowers over all the deceased, washing the green patch in an explosion of color. Blue bouquets marked the oldest graves, while purples denoted those who fought bravely in the Battle of Tulgey, and whites depicted those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. And far in the back, a smattering of red indicated the fallen Tulgey soldiers, those who stayed to fight with Eden even after their battle was lost. Alice scanned the memorial. The staggering loss pressed against her chest, stealing her breath until a light tap on her shoulder startled her from her thoughts.

Dee, Alice breathed, whirling towards the intruder and exhaling the spike of adrenaline bubbling in her chest when she recognized her friend. The small girl stood before her, clad in dark combat gear that matched her to the guard beside her, a boy whose burly features complemented her dainty ones. Focusing on the pair, Alice nodded at him in greeting. Duncan.

Duncan didn’t answer until Dee grinned and tossed her head, brushing her dyed pink bangs from her eyes as she elbowed her brother in the ribs. Duncan grumbled but tilted his chin in a terse greeting before retiring his attention to the small silver gear spinner in his hands.

Hey boss, Dee greeted Alice before nodding to Chess with a flirtatious wink. Handsome.

Alice scowled at the greeting, but Chess’ swelling ego cut off her protest. Finally, he announced with a delighted grin. Someone recognizes my contribution to society, he said, fixing Alice with a pointed look. Ignoring him, Alice rolled her eyes and clapped her shovel against his chest.

Wonderful. You can contribute more by holding this, she deadpanned, smiling sweetly as she thrust her shovel against his chest, then clapped the extra dirt from her hands before turning to Dee. I told you, I’m not your boss. That’s Bug’s rodeo, she reminded curtly. And, you really gotta stop encouraging him, she added, thumbing at Chess over her shoulder for emphasis. His head is already almost too big for his neck as it is. We’re gonna lose him if it gets any larger.

And thrust yet another tragedy upon Eden, Chess declared.

Alice rolled her eyes. See what I mean?

Dee giggled, and her eyes travelled over her shoulder to where Chess stood. Oh I see, boss, she teased. It’s too bad you don’t.

Alice turned to Duncan with an exasperated sigh. Help me out, Duncan, she begged. There has to be a reason you’re here. I know you wouldn’t just drop in.

A begrudging smile tugged at Duncan’s lips as he glanced up at her from his tinkering and shrugged. He tilted his head toward his sister, who exhaled theatrically and cocked her hands on her hips. Her fading bangs drifted over her eyes, making her look like an apocalyptic pixie.

You never let me have any fun, she grumbled, forcing a pout. Even turned down, the traces of a smile tinged her lips before Dee brightened again. We had to report for Wall Duty and Fawn asked us to get you on the way.

Dee’s mention of the botanist pulled Alice’s brow in a worried crease. She had learned from her stay that Fawn wouldn’t ask for her unless it was important. She wondered what she needed--she hoped it wasn’t Natalie. The young girl had been staying with her in the labs since she had been released from her quarantine, and even though she had been medically cleared, it was evident that she was still recovering in other ways. Remembering how Dinah had cared for her when she was young, Alice had taken to watching after her. Before she had left the lab in the morning, Natalie had been on edge and skittish, murmuring in agitation as she poked at her breakfast. After talking with her a few moments, she calmed, but Alice told Fawn to contact her if anything got worse.

Is everything ok? she asked, immediately concerned. The girl had been steadily improving under Fawn’s care, but Alice still struggled with leaving her alone for too long. In fact, it had only been in the past week that she spent more of her time with the citizens of Eden than the recovering soldier.

Everything is fine, Dee reassured, halting Alice with a quick wave of her hands. Natalie is fine, she said. She even went for a walk in the gardens. It helped bring some color back to her cheeks. She’s finally starting to look alive again.

Yeah, not like a moldy loaf of bread, Duncan muttered.

Shut up, Dummy! Dee’s angelic face twisted in a ferocious scowl as she slugged her brother’s shoulder. She was dead—or, undead--less than a month ago. It’s gonna take time. You’ve been alive for seventeen years, and you’re still ugly.

Says my twin, Duncan countered, his focus on the rusted metal gears of the fidget in his grip. After a series of clicks and whirs, it aligned together to form a tiny cog. Duncan held it up to the sun to examine it against the light, avoiding his sister’s impish glower.

Fraternal, Dee clarified. I’m the pretty one. Obviously. She added with a wink at Chess, who flushed and glanced nervously at Alice. Alice’s brow quirked, but she turned to Dee.

Fawn needed something? she prompted. Alice liked Dee, quirky and fun, the spry soldier was one of the first friends she had made in Eden, but sometimes getting her to focus was like trying to catch a pinball on cocaine.

Dee’s expression turned serious as she nodded. There’s a Council meeting in ten minutes. She said you should be there.

Chapter

Two

Alice groaned. As much as she whined about reno-tasking, she’d rather shovel the rubble from a thousand decimated gates than go sit in another incessant meeting. What’s this one about?

Don’t know. Dee’s perky demeanor returned with her shrug. Didn’t ask.

You’re super helpful, you know that? Alice grumbled as she rubbed the needling pain prickling at her temple.

I do what I can, Dee announced. Beside her, Duncan snorted, his gaze buried in his metal fidget before he squinted against the blazing Arizona skyline.

New toy? Chess asked.

Something like that. Duncan said, dropping the fidget into his pocket to readjust his grip on his gun. Weapon in place, he cast a bored look at his sister. Let’s go. We told her. Lilith’ll have your head if your late again.

Dee blew her bangs in a huff, emboldened outside of her commanding officer’s gaze. Lilith will be fine. She likes being mad. I just provide her with opportunity, she said, glancing roguishly at Chess. Consider it my contribution to the commune.

His words brought a wry grin to Alice’s lips until Duncan scoffed and pointed at her with the butt of his rifle. Pretty sure that’s her job.

Chess’ cackling laugh silenced Alice’s protest. He’s got a point, he said innocently, raising his hands to stave off Alice’s furious glower. Lieutenant Stick-Up-Her-Ass gets extra irritable whenever you come around.

And I thought we were making progress, Alice deadpanned before studying the mess behind them. It was daunting. Their reno-tasking hours had helped, but there was still a lot to be done. Clapping the dirt from her hands, she glanced at Dee.

Thanks for letting us know, she said, but Duncan’s right. You should probably get going.

Dee nodded and saluted. Later, she chirped, then bounded off, leaving Duncan to trudge after. She slowed, allowing her twin to catch up, then spun back to Chess. Until we meet again. Blowing a kiss, she grinned then hurried to catch up to Duncan who had continued storming toward the gate.

Alice smiled and laughed as they bumbled off, polar opposites bound by an invisible string. But her smile faded as she remembered their message. What if we just didn’t go? she asked, pulling a face.

Did you have something else in mind? Chess asked with a suggestive wag of his brows.

Alice snorted. I have about a million other things I can think of, she answered, then dropped her shovel and she started heading toward the path to the Council’s chambers. Behind her, Chess sighed heavily, then hurried to join her. Falling in step beside her, he shortened his long strides to match her pace until, after a tense moment, he gave her a furtive look, then slowed to a stop and pulled her with him.

Does it bother you? Chess asked, glancing up from the rock he toed nervously to cast a shy sideways glance at Alice.

Alice frowned. Duncan? She shook her head. I’m pretty sure he’s like that with everyone.

Chess grinned. Mr. Charisma that one, he chuckled before sobering again. He rubbed his hand up the back of his head, then let out a tight cough before continuing. But I meant Dee.

Dee? Alice’s face scrunched in genuine confusion. What’s wrong with Dee? Does she smile too much?

Chess snorted. No Princess, he groaned, then looked around awkwardly as his anxious scratching intensified. Are you really gonna make me say it?

Considering I have no idea what you’re talking about, you’re gonna have to.

The flush in Chess’ cheeks darkened as he exhaled and turned to face her. Does it bother you when she, you know… his hands flapped in a cryptic gesture as his words trailed into the wind. Alice blinked dumbly before exasperated, Chess abandoned his dismal pantomime for a theatrical eyelash flutter followed by a high-pitched giggle.

Alice had to physically press her hand to her lips to stifle her blossoming laugh. Does it bother me that she flirts with you? she asked, unable to keep a straight face. Chess, It’s Dee. She isn’t serious, she—

When she realized that he wasn’t answering, she paused and turned to Chess, who stood, gaping. She scoured his expression for the glint of his hidden joke. When he still didn’t say anything, she raised her arms in a helpless shrug.

Should it?

Blinking, Chess raised his arms in a wild shrug. I don’t know, he groaned, eyeing her meaningfully before echoing her words in frustration. Should it?

Alice winced. She had been waiting for this discussion—and dreading it—since their kiss before the Battle of Tulgey. It hadn’t been a bad kiss—it was quite nice, actually--but it was Chess. The boy who had picked her up on the outskirts of Wanderland and left her in the back of a van. The boy whose presence proceeded to come and go as quickly and mysteriously as the tide, while at the same time, remaining as constant as the moon.

Chess was complicated.

Alice didn’t have time for complications. There were so many other things happening that she just didn’t have the time or energy for the emotional inventory it would take to process. She liked Chess, loved him even—she’d undoubtedly lay down her life for him if it came to it, but was that romantic love? Or something else? What if they tried romantic love, and it didn’t work? Her stomach twisted at the thought. As much grief as she gave Chess, she couldn’t imagine her world without him. He had become a permanent fixture, like Lewis or Dinah. The loss of her sister already had her splintering. She would completely break if she lost him too. Grimacing, she forced the thought from her mind, freeing the space for another opportunistic idea accompanied by a flash of blue eyes and a golden smile. What if she wanted to kiss someone else? And, above it all, what did kissing really matter in the middle of an apocalypse?

Alice dropped her face in her hands as she tried to force the dizzying thoughts flooding her mind. When their churning finally stilled, she dropped her arms and dared a glance at Chess, who watched her patiently, his amber gaze filled with hope.

I don’t know, she answered softly.

The crestfallen look filtering over Chess’ face matched the dip in his sagging shoulders. It tugged at Alice’s conscience. Apologetic, she placed her hand gently on his shoulder. There’s just so much going on, she tried to explain.

Chess quirked a tiny grin. I get it, he answered. He expelled a heavy breath and reached for her hand. The calluses on his palms had gotten rougher with the work they had been doing, but his grip was still warm and tender against her skin. I can wait as long as you need, he supplied with his crooked smile. Just don’t forget about me.

Well, if you get lonely, you can always talk to Dee, Alice teased.

Groaning, Chess clapped his hand to his heart, bringing her hand along for the ride. Her palm pressed against the firm muscles in his chest, and she forced her focus as he gazed down at her. He had pulled her close to him once again, and his breath tickled her hair as he searched her face with his smoldering amber eyes.

Or, you could choose me, he murmured, his voice a low, rumbling purr. His heart thrummed, vibrating erratically under her touch, and suddenly Alice was filled with the urge to lean forward and close the last few inches between them. Her breath caught, but before she could react, something hard bumped into her from behind and sent her stumbling. She let out a surprised cry as Chess helped her balance, then whirled to find Lewis, her best friend from the Sector turned Bug’s personal assistant, staggering down the walk, his face buried under a mountain of disheveled papers.

Lewis! What are you— she stammered, looking at her scattered friend. His mousy brown hair poked out from behind the precarious stack he carried, but besides the thin wisps and his oversized ears, the rest of his slender body was hidden under the messy pile. Chuckling, Alice reached to grab one of the pages escaping from his grip. Nevermind, I don’t wanna know, she said. Let me help you with that.