Page 154 of Happily Ever Witch
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The Club Castle
It was weird they weren’t killing him.
Trevelyan had expected the Queen of Clubs to murder him (or at least try) as soon as she got him into the Club Palace. Instead, he’d been tossed into the dungeon and now he was being dragged into some kind of insane courtroom.
Just from William the snobby lizard’s descriptions, he identified the Mad Hatter sitting on a raised dais. The gigantic top hat was distinctive. The man’s fingers were drumming on the arm of his throne, like he was unhappy with this whole situation. “How long is this trial going to take, Anna?” He complained.
Beside him, a regally beautiful woman lounged in her own golden chair, looking smug and in control. Three interlocking tiaras rested on her head. Spades and diamonds on the sides. Clubs in the middle.
The Queen of Clubs. Obviously.
“Oh, it shouldn’t take long.” She crooned as Trevelyan came forward. “We already know the sentence, after all. We justneed the verdict.” She cast a meaningful look towards a group of playing-card guards, who were seated in rows of six on the right hand side of the room. They must’ve been the jurors, because they all obediently nodded at her pointed words.
Trevelyan’s eyes flicked to the figure sitting in a smaller throne off to the side. Snow White. Her scent was just as rank as he remembered. Rotting syrup and deceit. He’d always thought the dragon would fly into a blackout rage, if he ever saw her again. They’d both hated the woman, for so long. Theystillhated her, but it wasn’t white-hot and mindless anymore. Esmeralda anchored them, now. Trevelyan was in control of himself and his emotions.
It was freeing.
Snow White seemed oblivious to his chilling stare. One finger twirled in her ebony curls, all her attention focused on a fashion magazine about bridal gowns. Her current clothing was covered in childish ruffles and dried blood, so whatever she was shopping for was sure to be an improvement.
Beside her, chained to a gaudy wooden chair, was Marrok.
Trevelyan instinctively frowned at him.
The wolf stared back with watchful topaz eyes.
A side door opened and a stately woman, with gray hair and the smell of magic swept in. The pointy hat she wore was the preferred formal-wear of witches everywhere. She wasn’tTrevelyan’switch, though, so she didn’t matter.
“Why is there a clown slide in the courtyard?” She asked no one in particular. “It’s playing calliope music and ruining the aesthetic of the castle.”
“Calliope music?” The Mad Hatter echoed in confusion.
The Queen of Clubs faltered for half a second. “I’m sure it’s just as small mishap by the grounds-keeping crew.” She clearly didn’t want to lose face and admit that she had no idea what the woman was talking about. …Even though it was obvious she had no idea what the woman was talking about.
(Neither did Trevelyan, but he was willing to bet his mate was behind it. Maybe “clown slide” rhymed with “frog” in that witchy language she liked to use to swear at him.)
“I’m glad you accepted my invitation, Grimhilde.” The Queen of Clubs went on. “Hatty, you remember Grimhilde, President of the Cauldron Society, don’t you?”
“Nope.”
She pretended not to hear his bored reply, her welcoming smile aimed at her guest. “I have to rip the heart out of a witch later and I’ll need your vast, murderous experience.”
Trevelyan’s eyes narrowed.
“Which witch?” Grimhilde demanded imperiously. “Nobody important, I trust.”
“No, no. Just Esmeralda.”
“Never heard of her.” Grimhilde sat down, with a studied sweep of her ornate black robes. “Is there anything noteworthy about this girl?”
“She’s got a high percentage of Good.” The Mad Hatter chimed in, something ravenous flashing in his horrible eyes. “I’m looking forward to sucking it out of her, before she dies.”
Inside Trevelyan, the dragon snarled.
“Esmeralda’s nothing.” The Queen of Clubs assured Grimhilde, continuing to disregard her husband. “Certainly, no one you’d be interested in saving. I just need her heart in a box.”
Grimhilde’s green skin was clearly pampered, but the color was a pale imitation of Esmeralda’s luminous shade. “To do that, you’ll have to reinstate Bad magic around here, Maryanna. I can’t very well work with Good.”
