Page 177 of Happily Ever Witch
“What do you think?” She asked, after a long moment.
Trevelyan dragged his attention off of his mate and took in the changes to the castle. Before, it had resembled an oversized chalet, with a steeply-pitched roof and half-timber walls. Nauseatingly charming. Completely unsuitable for any professional villain.
Now, the formerly pleasant exterior was far more… witchy. Multicolored cobwebs, bat-shaped windows, and an ominous bell tower dominated the exterior. Along with a huge neon sign that read, “Green Dragon Records.” The glowing tubes curved into the shape of a mighty dragon, its jaw opening and closing with the blinking of bright green lights.
Trevelyan’s mouth curved. “I approve of the teeth.”
“I got the idea from the clown slide.” Esmeralda surveyed her work in obvious satisfaction. “Let’s just hope your nefarious infamy doesn’t scare off all the customers.” She headed for the palace, wanting to get a closer look at her efforts.
“It’s your name up in lights, too.” He called after her. “And you’re far more likely to terrify people than me, now. Under our hopefully despotic rule, I’m just the lowly emperor. It’s my empress who wears the crown.”
Esmeralda gestured to the glitzy, interlocked tiaras on her head. “Four of them.” She could remove the unified crown at will, now that it was hers. But now that it was hers, she didn’t seem to be in a hurry to take it off.
“Fourso far.” Trevelyan stipulated. “There might be more lands in need of our leadership.”
“Don’t even think about it, you deranged maniac.” She sent him a saucy look over her shoulder and Trevelyan’s heart stopped.
Her eyes had a spark.
Not justaspark. The brightest spark he’d ever seen. Life and purity and ideas, beamed out at him.Forhim. No spark had ever been intended for him, before. His magic had been able to see it in others, but he’d always known it was meant for someone else. Esmeralda’s special shine was directed solely at Trevelyan.
It was his.
Just his.
And then Trevelyan suddenly understood what he’d been seeing in the other people with that glow. Understood why their mates were so passionately protective of them. Understood whyhe’d never been able to tempt the women away for meaningless sex to assuage his curiosity. Understood what that spark meant to anyone lucky enough to receive it.
It was love.
He was seeing the person’s unguarded, absolute love for their mate. The life they shared, and the purity of their bond, and their ideas about their future. He’d been peering straight into their souls and he’d seen nothing but True Love shining back.
And he’d had no fucking clue what it was.
How could he? Before Esmeralda came into his life, the very concept of love was foreign to him. How in the hell was Trevelyan supposed to know what it looked like, until his Good little Bad witch was there to teach him?
Trevelyan let out a shaky breath.
Esmeralda loved him. The evilest evil-doer in the land had just claimed the biggest prize of all. He’d known he’d come out on top! Was there even a doubt? No one could stop him. His treasure was held safe in his claws and he’d never let her go. Esmeralda didn’twantto go. She’d chosen him. She’d decided.
She loved him. He believed it.
That was the sixth impossible thing he believed and it waseverything.
“You okay?’ Esmeralda asked, seeing his stupefaction.
“How mad would you be if I seduced a girl with a spark?” He whispered. “Just one. Only one.”
Her eyebrows slammed down. “You would rue the fucking day. …But not as much as that glittery bitch would.”
He nearly purred at the witchy threat in her voice. “What if I told you, she had the most beautiful crimson eyes I’ve ever encountered and the spark makes them positively glow?”
“I don’t give a shit if she’s covered in chocolate sprinkles and orgasms, you’re not going totouchher.” Esmeralda marched back towards him. “I have never been so serious about…” She stopped short, abruptly processing his description. Big crimson eyes blinked. “Wait.” She pointed a black fingernail at her chest. “Me?”
Trevelyan gave her a slow smile. “You.”
“You never told me you saw a spark before.” She shook her head. “You would’ve said something.”
“It wasn’t there before. I don’t think you loved me, yet. Or perhaps you were too guarded to let it show.”
