Spades: The True Wonderland Awaits. (Of Wonderland Chronicles Book 1) by A.G. Stone Page B

the scent of herbs like thyme and rosemary drifted to my nose. My eyes widened in realization, and I turned to look at Blayke.
    "Yes, the bird is cooked," he said without turning to look at me. "And yes, it is still alive - well, technically. It's animated. Before you ask, the animated bird before you is the handiwork of your Faerie friend, Meadow, and her magic. We animate the bird for the Hunt."
    "'Hunt'?" I repeated, confused.
    "You'll see," Blayke said as he turned to look at me, shooting me his famous smirk that took my breath away. "Now, say 'Let the Hunt begin'. That's all you have to do. Since it's your first Hunt, I won't force you to participate if you don't want to. All right?"
    I nodded, giving him a hesitant smile, and I stood. "Let the Hunt begin!" I shouted, throwing my arms out grandly.
    The mysterious creatures cheered wildly, and they all jumped to their feet. I sat back down and leaned back in the very comfortable chair, watching the goings-on careful. As I watched, the bird reached up and rang the bell around its neck. That appeared to be the signal, for after that, all of the creatures jumped up on to the table and began to chase the bird around. I blinked; this was absolute madness.
    "Is this normal in Wonderland?" I asked Blayke, and he nodded, smiling at me.
    "Even the royals have feasts like this, with Hunts. Except the royals don't do the hunting; they have people to do that for them," Blayke told me. "Personally, I prefer doing the Hunting myself, but that's just me. Most of the royals prefer not to get their hands dirty, but it doesn't make sense to me personally."
    I nodded, deep in thought. "That makes sense," I said, and Blayke chuckled.
    "Do you want some of the Bird Beast?" Blayke asked me. "We'd best get some before the others eat it all."
    "'Bird beast'?" I repeated, and he smiled at me.
    "Yes, that's what it's called. It doesn't have a proper name; the royals never gave it one. So therefore, we call it the Bird Beast. It makes sense, if you think about it. When they're alive, they pitch up such a ruckus and throw such a fit to try to get away when you're hunting them. Therefore comes in the title 'Beast'. When they're dead but animated, they much more amiable of nature and more like birds. Therefore comes in the title 'Bird'. So that's how we came up with the title," Blayke explained, and I giggled.
    "That's very interesting, and funny," I said, and his face lit up with pride. "Yes, I would like some Bird Beast. I am rather hungry."
    "You stay here," Blayke instructed me, and he took off into the air, swooping down and tearing off one of the Bird Beast's wings as the Bird Beast flew through the air, high above all of the guests. He went back and tore off the other wing, sending the beast hurtling down back to the table.
    "Save the lovely Bryony the breast!" Blayke exclaimed as he touched back down, taking his seat next to me as if nothing had happened. Nothing at all.
    The creatures all nodded and gave affirmation that they would do exactly that, and they tore into the Bird Beast. They kept it still animated and tore it apart while it was still breathing. Somehow the Bird Beast managed to keep smiling cheerily, singing a sweet, little tune in the depths of its throat. The song was mournful if you really listened to it, but it was sweet; together, the different emotions in the song turned it into this haunting tune that sounded like a lullaby. I knew this lullaby, as if in a distant, hazy memory someone sang it to me when I was naught but a young child - perhaps even just a babe. And it terrified me that I knew the song.
    "Shut it up!" I exclaimed, jumping to my feet.
    Everyone stared at me in shock - including Blayke - until one little ferret-like creature with the body of a cat and the wings of a bat but the face of a ferret cut the head off of the Bird Beast with its sharp fangs, therefore silencing it forever. The corpse of the Bird Beast fell to the table, and I smiled at the blissful