Page 120 of Happily Ever Witch
His eyes narrowed, thinking and fuming… andnothurt. “She didn’t even ask me to help her in this suicidal lunacy, you know that? Ez just assumed I’d say no.” Her lack of faith in him was galling. “I’m her True Love! She’s supposed to rely on me. Confide in me. Need me! It goes to show hercompleteinability to trust.”
“Did you offer your help?” Galahad inquired pleasantly.
“I’m not helping her!” Trevelyan roared back. “Why would I help? Why would I lift a finger? She went to save the man I intend to murder. She considers Marrok her brother. She gives all her loyalty to her beloved goddamn family.”
Galahad tilted his head. “Seems like you’re not showing much loyalty either, if you’re trying to murder her brother.”
Trevelyan shot him a killing glare. Literally. He was going to kill the man. He didn’t care if it ruined his coffee and marooned him in Wonderland forever. It was worth it.
The gryphon stirred. “Knight?”
Galahad blinked over at him with wide purple-y blue eyes. “Yeah?”
“Stop. I see what you are plotting and it is a pointless idea.”
Galahad frowned. He abruptly looked shrewder than his grinning, blond exterior suggested. Maybe he wasn’t sodimwitted, after all. “But he’s going to regret this, Trys. You know he is. Look at him!” He gestured towards Trevelyan. “Without his True Love, he’s going to implode.”
“So? Let him ruin his life, if he chooses. The dragon would have undoubtedly done terrible things with his remaining years, anyway. He’s a terrible person. He once stole the moon.”
“We have to help him. Just a nudge in the right direction. He’ll thank us later.”
“You want to helpeveryone. It brings us nothing but trouble.”
“It’s the right thing to do. If the witch dies…”
“She’s not going to die!” Trevelyan shouted, slamming his mug down.
Galahad and Trystan looked over at him.
Trevelyan put a hand over his eyes, trying to find some kind of control. He should feel vindication and righteous fury over her choice to assist Marrok. Instead, panic and desolation were eating at his insides. He could barely focus on what the other men were talking about.
Esmeralda had sounded scared when she’d called his name.
But that was impossible. It was his unconscious mind playing tricks on him. You couldn’t just call for someone in your head. Magic didn’t work that way. She hadnotreached for him. Why the hell would anyone reach for him, if they were scared? He was a literal monster.
“All people die.” The gryphon finally intoned. “A clan --afamily-- works to keeptheirpeople alive as long as possible.Even the ones who are crazy and irritating. The witch is correct in her impulses and you are wrong in yours. It is very clear.”
“No,I’m right about everything and she is wrong about even more.” Trevelyan stabbed a finger off in the direction of the Kingdom of Clubs. “She left me here and ran off to save the man Ihate.”
“He is her brother and he is in the custody of a magical madwoman.”
“Who gives a shit? He betrayed me.”
Galahad looked at his husband expectantly.
The gryphon sighed, as if he was giving in. “You will repay me for this later, knight.”
Galahad beamed a smile very similar to the one Esmeralda wore when she’d just won an argument. “Thank you, Trys.”
The gryphon grunted and refocused on Trevelyan. “I once stood at a similar crossroads, dragon. In a hotel room in St. Ives, I had a list of men to kill. It was my dream. But, my knight told me if I pursued my vengeance, he would forsake me and give his love to another.”
“I never said that!” Galahad protested.
“We remember the event differently.” One winged-shoulder lifted in a shrug. “But I had to choose: My past or my future. I could have my family or I could hunt my enemies. I could not walk both paths. I could not have both dreams. Neither can you, dragon. No one can.”
Trevelyan saw his point and he didn’t like it. “My family is gone.”
“Your True Love lives. For now, at least. What greater family is there?”
