Page 160 of Happily Ever Witch
Fifth impossible thing.
Trevelyan’s fingernails were painted in the enchanted color that Esmeralda had made for him. Her magic was literallyonhim. The microscopic amounts of Good energy he possessed reached for it. Instantly, Esmeralda’s powers surged beneath his command, flowing like his own. Enough to help him and give his almost-margin-of-error-Goodness the boost it needed.
His gaze flicked to the Alice-log, which was also seeped in Esmeralda’s beautiful, green magic. Filled with the one spell she cast, again and again. Calling to him, with all its poetic possibilities.
Log, hog, grog, smog…Cog.
Pocket watches were made of gears and springs and cogs. It’s how they kept time. If some deranged maniac just happened to vaporize all those cogs, who knew what might happen to the watch?
Trevelyan was just the deranged maniac to find out.
Esmeralda’s words came back to him. Her sweet little pep talk, as they faced down an army with limited magic and no clue how it would all turn out:You’re the best at being Bad. That’s got nothing to do with your powers.You’re just a horrible fucking person, through and through.
The Mad Hatter’s swirling eyes cut in Trevelyan’s direction, somehow sensing his own sudden peril.
“You threatened my mate, right in front of me.” Trevelyan’s smirk held all the darkness in his soul. “That might just make you the stupidest man alive. …But you won’t be for long.”
The Mad Hatter’s mouth opened to scream, but it was too late.
Trevelyan ruthlessly exploded all the cogs in the pocket watch. Bad magic or no Bad magic, there was nothing he couldn’t destroy. It was a gift. Springs loudlyspronged,from within the mechanism. The case bulged and cracked open. Bits of glass and metal rained down, scattering across the black-and-white floor.
The Mad Hatter let out a cry of shock, clutching at his chest. His fingers dug into his purple shirtfront, as his heart slowed and his magic ebbed. His body hit the ground, writhing in pain, his lips already turning blue.
Trevelyan blew across his nails, satisfied with the man’s suffering.
“Hatty!” The Queen of Clubs screeched.
Even Snow White was distracted by her father’s distress. “Mommy, what’s wrong with him?”
Forgetting about Marrok, they both raced to the Mad Hatter’s side.
“Grimhilde, help me!” The Queen of Clubs cried. “You have to keep his heart beating!”
“How can I, without Bad magic?” Grimhilde demanded, even as she rushed forward. “I’m a wicked witch!”
“You wrote a whole thesis on using mystical spells on hearts!” The Queen of Clubs shrieked. “Do something!”
As everyone else aided the Mad Hatter, Trevelyan headed for Marrok. God only knew why, but he couldn’t leave the wolf behind. His powers weren’t strong enough to break through the enspelled chains, but he wasphysicallystrong enough to help Marrok break the damn chair. Wonderland wanted to see himsucceed without magic? Fine. He’d create havoc with his bare hands.
Trevelyan slammed his weight down on the back of the chair to hold it in place. At the same time, the wolf wrenched up on the armrest, using all of his strength. Wood splintered and the chains slipped free.
“Go!”Marrok roared.
Trevelyan was already moving. The two of them bolted from the room, before anyone could try and stop them.
And so seven years after they were cellmates in prison, Trevelyan and Marrok finally escaped together.
Chapter Thirty
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Simple Revenge Taupe: ATTENTION: THIS PRODUCT HAS BEEN CANCELLED. We know that everybody’s been looking forward to seeing this uncomplicated shade of justified vengeance, but the formulation is impossible. Not even magic can keep the pigments from getting all muddy and the color from becoming something wholly unintended.
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The Club Castle
