Page 167 of Happily Ever Witch
“You have a lawyer?” Esmeralda sounded skeptical.
“Idid. He might be dead, now.” Such a tragedy for the legal community. “The point is, the Queen of Clubs is distracted with her husband’s dwindling heartbeat, so this is a golden opportunity to get your crowns. Attack when your enemy is weakest.”
“You murdered her True Love.” Marrok stressed. “The woman isn’t weak. She’s never been more dangerous. And with Bad magic blocked, you and I have barely any powers to fight her.”
“Bad magic will come back at the eighth square. You said so yourself.”
“We don’t even know what thatmeans.”
“Chess.” The answer flashed into Trevelyan’s mind, as he recalled the huge tower in the courtyard. “Somehow it’s related to chess. There are sixty-four squares on a chessboard. Eight in either direction.”
Esmeralda and Marrok stared at him.
“What? I like chess. It’s a game of strategy and control.”
“The Cheshire Carpet made me play chess this morning.” Esmeralda said, looking suddenly thoughtful. “It was going on about double queens and inventing rules. I think it was trying to tell me something important.”
“You’re befriending our rug?”
“Who the hell cares about chess and rugs?” Marrok retorted. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“I’m not sure, yet.” Esmeralda shook her head. “Half of everything in Wonderland is nonsense. …But the other halfisn’t. It speaks in codes, if you listen.”
“Ifyoulisten.” Trevelyan corrected. Wonderland’s cheerful anarchy seemed particularly tuned to the witch. It liked her wicked virtue and impossible magic. “It wants you to be empress.” It was the only explanation for all the oddness that came their way.
Marrok grunted. “Well, I’d like to tell Scarlett I’m alive, before I die. The Queen of Clubs was talking about Sir Galahad earlier. Saying he was coming to Wonderland. I know my wife is responsible for that, because she’s working with Midas.”
“Letty sent Galahad to retrieve us.” Esmeralda told him. “She’s been frantic to get you home.”
“So, let’s go home! You have no idea the shit I’ve been through, just today. I had to fake being under a love spell, and listen to Snow White talk about the pekapoo she wants us to adopt, and pretend to make a deal with the Queen of Clubs, so she didn’t murderthisbastard on sight.” He pointed at Trevelyan. “And that last part took some fast talking. Have you ever tried to brainstorm convincing reasonsnotto kill Trevelyan? There aren’t very many!”
Trevelyan casually flipped him off.
Esmeralda frowned. “What’s a pekapoo?”
“A cross between a pekinese and a poodle. Does it seem like awolfwould do well with a cross between a pekinese and a poodle?” Marrok didn’t wait for an answer. “Snow White is dangerous and insane. This whole fucking place is! I have watched them murder two people, during family meals. One was some perfectly innocent maid.” He shook his head. “We should come backlater, when we have the element of surprise, bigger numbers, and a lot more magic.”
“No one here has more magic than Ez.” Trevelyan didn’t want to retreat. As usual, he wanted to play offense. “She’s gotfarmore Goodness than the Queen of Clubs has. She can beat her.”
He believed it.
Esmeralda didn’t seem so sure.
“What about Grimhilde, the fancy-ass witch.” Marrok crossed his arms over his chest. “That woman knows how to rip out hearts or some shit. I don’t like the idea of Ez facing her…”
Esmeralda cut him off. “Grimhilde is here?” Her voice rose in alarm. “She hates me, when she bothers to remember who I am! She’s kicked me out of the Cauldron Society a dozen times, for misfiring spells.”
Trevelyan lifted a shoulder, because he didn’t see an issue. “So, we’ll kill her, too.” (It was justalwaysa reasonable plan. How did everyone not see it?) “You are half Good. She isn’t. You’re a level six witch. She isn’t. You are my mate. She isn’t. You willwin.”
“Against Grimhildeandthe Queen of Clubs?!”
“Against anyone.”
Esmeralda still looked doubtful. “Maybe I can send them out for an exhaustingjog, but otherwise…”
He cut her off. “Your powers fight you, because they’re confined and separated. Let them go --Good and Bad-- andbelievethat they will know what to do.”
Esmeralda studied is face for a beat. “Death or freedom.” She whispered.
