Page 118 of Happily Ever Witch
“I’m not doing anything.”
The gryphon slanted him a meaningful look.
Trevelyan ignored them both. He viciously ripped open the letter, shaking out the page so he could read it:
Trev,
Have gone to find Marrok, like we discussed. I went through that creepy mirror that you put in the hallway. Good call on it being enchanted BTW! You leave Wonderland with Trystan & Galahad, once they get here. I’ll catch up with you later. Just try not to kill the knight.
Ez.
PS: If I die, you can have Happily Ever Witch Cosmetics. It’s my baby, so don’t screw it up. And remember to put a warning label on that nail polish that makes people invisible or you’ll get sued. Trust me. It happens a lot.
Trevelyan read the ridiculous words twice, a muscle by his eye twitching.
Alright.
He slowly crumpled the paper in his hand, wadding it into a ball so tight his knuckles went white around it.
So apparently, shehadbeen serious about saving Marrok.Fine.Trevelyan had told her the risks. If she decided to do it anyway, that was on her. Esmeralda was a level six witch. She’d be fine out there on her own, provided she actually used her fathomless magic for more than logs and hogs. Or perhaps she could turn herself into a demagogue.That kind of rhymed with “frog.” She couldincite the Club Kingdom citizens to rebel against the current queen and join her, instead. Either way, she’d made her choice and that was… fine. Everything was fine.
Obviously.
The paper in his grasp went up in flames.
He opened his fingers and let the smoldering ashes fall to the floor, shifting his shoulder uncomfortably as the dragon stormed within him. He hadn’t felt so close to the edge of mindless, blackout rage, since the night he escaped the WUB Club. “So, when do we leave?”
Trystan Airbourne watched him with unreadable brown eyes. “Now.”
Right that second? “No.” The word came out before Trevelyan could stop it. “We can’t leavenow.”
“Why not?”
Trevelyan tried to think of one logical reason for his instant denial. “I need time to…” Fuck, what did he have to do? He had no idea. There was nothing left in the Heart Palace that he cared about. “Prepare.” He muttered anyway. “Give me a moment to prepare.”
Galahad nodded like that made perfect sense. Knights were dumb, so it was no surprise the he accepted the half-assed explanation. “Where would you like us to take you?” He asked in a friendly tone. “Where’s your home?”
“I don’t have one.” Trevelyan stalked over to get coffee. It gave him something to do and it was hot. Was the palace colder than usual? It felt colder. Surely the witch’s presence hadn’t changed the temperature, though. The emptiness chilling the air was all in his imagination. He just needed to take control.
Or maybe he needed to burn down all of Wonderland.
That idea had real potential. It would certainly generate some heat. He looked out the window, into the rainy gardens. He’d ensured that she’d be safe from the weather, but there were so many other dangers. The realm suddenly seemed huge.
And deadly.
Goddamn it, he’d heard her voice in his head. She’d called his name. It had woken him up. It wasimpossible, but it had happened, right? Esmeralda said she’d been able to hear him, as a child. Maybe his powers had somehow manifested that idea into reality to warn him when she left the castle. Esmeralda had been in the Heart Palace withhim, since he’d met her. Now, she was off somewhere and Trevelyan was here alone. No part of him liked that situation.
At all.
He should start leveling the whole godforsaken place until the problem was remedied. That might drive home the point that the greatest villain in the world didn’t appreciate itwhen his mate wentfucking missing.
Trevelyan squeezed his eyes shut and saw flames. Bright and cleansing and wrathful. Losing control really would be… Bad. On some level, he knew that. He cleared his throat and opened his eyes, again. It didn’t help. Everything was still on fire in his mind.
Trystan Airbourne watched him, like he could feel the dragon struggling to get out and destroy everything it saw.
“I didn’t have a home until I found Trys.” Galahad said, still having a normal conversation. “I live in Camelot, butheis home.”
Gryphons were supposedly born without emotions, but Trystan Airbourne somehow smiled. His gaze stayed on Trevelyan, though. Awaiting an explosion.
