Page 162 of Happily Ever Witch
Trevelyan kept going. “I’m a Bad person! Even I can’t keep track of the thousands of threats I make, but I don’t carry them all out! You no doubt know every crime I’ve ever committed. Were any of them for assaulting some unwilling girl?”
“No.”
“No.” Trevelyan agreed, disgruntled that this was an issue. “I know what it feels like, so I wouldneversink so low. And I certainly wouldn’t have hurt your True Love. Not even I’m that big a bastard.”
Tension eased from Marrok’s shoulders.
“I was quite impressed with Scarlett, as a matter of fact.” Trevelyan went on. “She can dofarbetter than you, if you want my opinion. You’re being completely unreasonable.”
“To get at me… you scared Letty.” Marrok slowly reiterated, like Trevelyan still wasn’t understanding something.
“But you’re the one who…”
Marrok cut him off. “Youscared my mate.” He stressed each word for emphasis. “How angry would you be if somebody scared Ez?”
Trevelyan’s righteous indignation hit a wall.
Marrok arched a meaningful brow.
“Alright.” Trevelyan said after a long moment. “I see your point. We’ve both crossed some lines in our friendship.”
“I didn’t cross any lines.” Marrok insisted. “I did nothing to ruin our friendship. That was allyou. My mate is half your size and has no magic. She isGood. You terrified her! Reverse the goddamn situations and tell me again how I’m overreacting.”
Shit.
Trevelyan closed his eyes. He remembered how furious he’d been when he’d learned that the Walrus had dragged Esmeralda into that interrogation room. The panic he’d felt when Haigha had sighted on her as a prize. His violent wrath at the yetis who’d trapped her in that cave.
No one would ever touch his mate and live. Not for long, anyway.
“I screwed up.” Denial was a losing position, so Trevelyan abandoned it. “But now I have Esmeralda and I am a kinder person. Scarlett is giving me another chance.”
Marrok suddenly looked worried. “No.No. Letty’snotgoing to give you…”
“She’s at least considering it.” Trevelyan interrupted. “She told Ez that I should help you and so here I am helping you.” He spread his arms. “I’ve been sent in to hero this situation, dickhead. You’re welcome.”
Marrok pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, like his wife’s Goodness was a never-ending struggle. “Scarlett and Ezreallybelieve we can work together and not kill each other?”
“Our True Loves think we’re better people than we really are.”
Marrok grunted. “Speak for yourself.MyTrue Love is going to be blown away by my non-violence. I’m even impressing myself. The fact that I’m not ripping your throat outshows how goddamn magnanimous I am. …And proves that I’m awaybetter friend than you are.”
“I’m a fantastic friend!”
“In my place, you’d be setting me on fire and you know it.”
Trevelyan made an aggravated sound, because he couldn’t argue otherwise. “My God, you’re always so stubborn. I’ve apologized for scaring your mate andstillyou can’t…”
“You didn’t apologize for anything!”
“I’ll apologize toher. And you haven’t apologized to me, either!”
“What doIhave to be sorry for?Notblowing up the WUB Club?”
“I would have died, if I stayed there.” Trevelyan pointed off towards the Four Kingdoms, even though he wasn’t certain which direction it was in. “That was supposed to be my last day alive. Marion knew the future and she told me that Ihadto get out. You refused to help. What kind of friend isthat?”
“You were supposed to die? For real?”
“Yes.”
