Page 159 of Happily Ever Witch
“Your mother got rid of them.” Marrok surmised. “All our treasured memories.Gone.”
Snow White let out a wail of horror and fury.
“You son of abitch.” The Queen of Clubs got to her feet, stabbing a finger at Marrok. “You’re not under a spell, at all! I will turn you into a throw-rug for this!”
“What spell?” Marrok taunted. “Explain what you mean,Mom.”
The Knave’s panicked expression stayed on the Mad Hatter. “Sire, I didn’t callyouan unhinged lunatic. I calledTrevelyanan unhinged lunatic.”
Trevelyan shook his head. “You can’t change your testimony, after you’ve already given it. The jury’s written it down.”
“I’m not testifying! I’m the attorney.”
“Andhe’sthe judge.” Trevelyan gestured towards the Mad Hatter. “Smart lawyers don’t insult the judge. I find you guilty. Jury?” He looked their way.
They all looked at the Mad Hatter for a ruling.
“Guilty.” The Mad Hatter intoned. He stood up, pulling out a katana. “The sentence is off with his head.”
Trevelyan had a feeling that wasalwaysthe sentence.
The Knave backed up a step.
“Mommy, what spell?” Snow White repeated, stomping a foot. “How can you be so mean to Marrok? Why did you destroy my wedding pictures?”
“Snow, notnow.” The Queen of Clubs snapped. “Mother is talking.”
Marrok kept his attention on Snow White. “She wants to keep you a child forever.That’swhat this is about.”
“My daughter is not listening to you, wolf. None of this will work. You’re going back to the dungeon!”
Marrok ignored the Queen, his eyes on Snow White. “We need to get our own place, honey.”
Snow White brightened. “Like an apartment for just the two of us?”
“Exactly! Living with the in-laws never works.”
The Queen of Clubs gave a harsh laugh. “Oh, you’re not goinganywhere.”
“You can’t keep us here!” Snow White screeched back.
“I’m your mother and you’ll do as I say!”
Marrok’s gaze never wavered from Snow White. “We can’t lead our own life, with her meddling. You see that, right? Untie me and let’s get out of here. She’ll respect you more, if you stand up to her.”
Snow White rushed over to start unfastening his chains.
“What are you doing?” The Queen of Clubs quickly moved to intercept her. “Snow, I swear if you don’t stop that immediately, I will…”
Her dire threat was cut off by the Knave of Clubs’ terrified howl. “Stop!”
The Mad Hatter didn’t stop. He advanced, an oversized pocket watch in one hand and a sword in the other.
Trevelyan’s eyes fixed on the watch. William the lizard said it was synched to the Mad Hatter’s heartbeat and could control time. Trevelyan only had access to two percent of his powers. Not enough to do anything useful or Bad.
But, exactly enough to piggyback off one of Esmeralda’s not-quite wicked spells.
In his whole life, Trevelyan had never believed in anything he couldn’t see, hear, touch, scent, or taste for himself. It was his bedrock principle. …But he believed in Esmeralda. He believed his True Love was a part of him. He believed that her incredible powers could somehow meld into his own, even though every rule of magic said otherwise. Hebelievedit, a thousand percent.
