Page 166 of Happily Ever Witch
What was the hold up? Loyalty was vital, but so was love. It turned out, he needed both.
“You shut up, too.” Esmeralda ordered, even though he’d been too busy puzzling over his unsettled emotions to say anything.
Marrok moved to wrap an arm around Esmeralda’s shoulders, giving his sister a hug. “I missed you, Ez.” He kissed the top of her head. “I think you did a great job of getting in here to rescue us, even if the dragon doesn’t appreciate it.”
Esmeralda leaned into his side, looking sulky. “Thank you.”
Trevelyan pushed aside the restlessness that still lurked at his core. “Why are you listening to this meddling liar? Marrok’s a verbal arsonist. He sets shit on fire, just by smiling and fucking with people. He literally went to jail for it.”
“Only twice.” Marrok moved to sit on the arm of a club-patterned, club-shaped club chair. “And who are you to talk? You’re anactualarsonist.”
“You’re that, too!”
Marrok hesitated, as if recalling his fifty-count rap sheet. “Okay. Yeah.That.”
Trevelyan focused on Esmeralda again, because he always focused on Esmeralda. “Darling, I completely supportyour villainy. I just want you to be safe about it. I worry about you, like you worry about me. It’s what matesdo.”
She made a slight face, but couldn’t dispute his words.
Trevelyan raised his eyebrows in innocent inquiry and pushed his luck. They were fighting magical enemies and taking over a kingdom, but a man had priorities. “Speaking of mates, are you ready to accept my proposal, yet? You agreed to agree the next time I asked.”
She continued to pout. “Whatever.”
“Is that a yes?”
“It’s an ‘I‘ll marry you, if I don’t kill you first.’”
“Which is a yes?”
“Yes.” She muttered, still annoyed at him.
A win was a win! She hadn’t admitted that she loved him, but this was still a huge step forward. Trevelyan gave her a smacking kiss, not concerned over her grouchy acquiescence. “This moment isjusthow I imagined it.” He teased.
She gave a snort of reluctant amusement, her lips curving.
Trevelyan’s heart swelled. He loved making her smile.
Marrok groaned, his too-handsome face falling into his palms.
“Custom dictates thatyoupay for the wedding.” Trevelyan told him smugly. “The bride’s family always foots the bill. My sister is very clear on that rule.”
“Let’s discuss vendors later.” Esmeralda urged. “I want to get out of here sometime today.”
“Oh, we can’t leave.” Trevelyan protested. “The Queen of Clubs timed her spell to the eight square. It must be a ceremony, of some kind. She thinks she can use it to keep her position secure and then she’ll be safe.” His eyes narrowed in thought. “Instead, we’ll kill her and everyone else standing in our way.”
“God… how many times have I heard you say that?” Marrok lamented.
“Well, it’s always a reasonable plan.”
Marrok was less enthusiastic. “This isnotthe right time for an attack.”
“I swear, if you start lecturing me about the supposed ‘immorality’ of slaughtering a bunch of people,” Trevelyan added quotation marks around the word, “I’ll leave you here to…”
Marrok cut him off. “It’s not morals, dick face. It’slogic. The Mad Hatter is dying, because of you. You murdered the Queen of Clubs’ True Love! She’s going to be out for your blood.”
Esmeralda’s lips parted. “You murdered the Mad Hatter?”
“Murdered?” Trevelyan seesawed a palm, unconvinced about the charge. “When you kill someone in a courtroom, it counts as a legal maneuver. My lawyer will probably agree.”
