Page 143 of Happily Ever Witch
Oh Jesus…
“I’m notjusta wife and mother, Hatty. I also have a career.” The Queen of Clubs proclaimed. “I will be empress of Wonderland by tonight. To do that, Trevelyan needs to be captured and this is the best way to accomplish it fast. Do you not understand the kind of pressure I’m under?”
“Which is why it’s better to let Snow do as she wants.” The Mad Hatter circled back to his original objection, triumph in his tone. The Queen of Clubs had a point. Hedidbundle arguments together into one big pot. “None of us will have a moment’s peace until she’s killed him, so let her kill him. What’s the big deal?”
Marrok’s eyes were on Snow White, who’d hefted the knife. “Holy shit.” He whispered. “She’s really going to kill him.”
Bluebeard screamed in his mind, even as the rest of him was still.
Terrible impulses had lurked in Snow White’s head, back when she’d had all her memories. She’d been able to gloss them over with civilized manners, so only her patients ever glimpsed the real her. Now, all her depravity was unmasked, revealing the depths of her power-hungry, sadism for everyone to see.
“No one’s ever, ever,evertaking Marrok from me!” Snow White plunged the knife into Bluebeard’s chest with a gleeful laugh. “He’s mine, mine,mine!” Each word was punctuated by another vicious stab.
Bluebeard couldn’t escape the blade. Couldn’t make a sound of protest or try to fend off her attack. He could only sit there as Snow White murdered him and the smell of omelets filled the air. It dragged on and on andon. Frozen in place, he couldn’t even die. He just lingered in a timeless space, filled with pain and terror.
“Well, I hope you’re happy, now.” The Queen of Clubs swept from the room, with a parting glare in her husband’s direction. “Since you’re such an expert on parenting,youcan clean up the body this time.”
“I’ll feed it to your carnivorous roses, likeyoudid to poor William.” The Mad Hatter called after her. “Pat the gardener will be thrilled and God knows we have to keep the overpaid pigeon happy.”
“I cannottalk to you when you’re in a mood like this.” She swept out through the doorway, high heels tapping on the tile floor.
The Mad Hatter glowered after her, his face both irritated and regretful.
Satisfied with her work, Snow White stepped back from Bluebeard, breathing hard. “Daddy?” She said sweetly. “I’m done now.”
The Mad Hatter sighed and clicked the pocket watch, again.
Bluebeard fell from his chair, freed from the immobilization spell. Landing on the floor, he felt the life seeping from his body. Saw the blood pooling around him. Knew he was going to die. It was almost a relief.
“This is the last time, Snow.” The Mad Hatter scolded. “I mean it. I won’t have your poor mother upset.”
“Sorry, Daddy.” She didn’t look sorry. She looked thrilled, in an unwholesome, vaguely sexual way, as Bluebeard perished at her feet. Lifting a hand to her mouth, she daintily sucked the blood from her fingers.
Even the wolf seemed uneasy about what he’d unleashed.
The last thing Bluebeard saw was Marrok’s frown. Maybe golden boy was pondering how many wolf-killing spells the dragon had memorized over the years. Or maybe he was contemplating how quick his in-laws would finish him off, oncethey realized he wasn’t really enthralled. Either way, it didn’t seem like Marrok’s future was much brighter than Bluebeard’s. Every psychopath in Wonderland hated his guts.
Well, except for his “wife” and she was the scariest of them all. Hopefully, the wolf was terrified and miserable and stuck in his new marriage for a very long time. He deserved it. It was all his fault that… Marrok had ruined… If only…
The world went dark and Bluebeard went still, again. This time forever. He’d known brunch would be a bloodbath.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
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Near the Club Castle
“The Queen of Clubs is definitely doing something to block my magic.” Trevelyan complained. “I’m getting real damn sick of only having partial powers.”
The two of them were trekking through the frozen woods. Everywhere they looked was another picturesque scene of mountains and fragrant pine trees. Pristine and mysterious, with a magic all its own, the Club Kingdom had welcomed them into its timeless forest. Being inside of it made a person feel small and joined to some greater, eternal whole. Clean air filled their lungs and the breathtaking perfection of nature surrounded Trevelyan and Esmeralda, as they walked.
It annoyed the crap out of them both.
