Page 28 of Happily Ever Witch
“This is abouttrust, again?” He still seemed baffled by the concept of having faith in another person. “Why are you so hung up on this idea of ‘believing’ in others? I’ve never believed in anything that I can’t experience for myself and I get along fine.”
She snorted. “Yeah, you’re living your best life, for sure.”
“If Marrok could do magic spells, would you make the deal with him?”
“Yes.” The answer was instant.
“Just that fucking simple, huh?” His voice was snide.
“Marrok would never hurt me.”
“You think I would hurt my True Love?” Trevelyan made a considering face. “I’m not sure that’s biologically possible. At least, onmyend. You seemed fully capable of piercing holes through my foot, though. Those heels of yours are dangerous weapons. If anyone should be worried about their safety in this relationship, it’s me.”
“I don’t think you’re planning to kill me. I just think you’re indifferent to my survival.” All Esmeralda’s pretty, romantic notions of True Love had died about two hours before. Now she was approaching their relationship the same way she’d enter a death-match with a centaur.
Green eyes met hers, his expression unreadable.
Esmeralda kept talking. “Once your energy fully recovers, you’ll be capable of much bigger magic than water protections and hog spells. We both know it. You don’t need me to help you. And I can protect myself. I’ve been doing it my whole life.”
Trevelyan’s fingers drummed on the side of his glass. “I don’t need anyone.” He assured her, his voice cold and unreadable. “I’mall that matters to me.”
“Right. So, if we’re going to deal with the True Love bond, we need to set boundaries and keep our expectations low. I take care of me and you take care of you.” Unless he really needed saving, like with the Walrus. Then, she’d have to step in and do her best to help him, no matter what. …Still, he didn’t need to know that. “Fair?”
“Fair.” He agreed, seeming relieved about the arrangement. She figured he would be. Dipshit. “We’re stuck with each other. But, if this is going to work --and I’m not sure that itwill-- we’ll need to lead separate lives.”
“Separate lives?”
“Yes. Your life is yours. Mine ismine.” His eyes were hooded. “Although, there is some room for… overlap.”
“Let me guess: We’re naked and I’m agreeing with all the stupid crap you say.”
“Great dynasties have been built on less, darling.”
“I wouldn’t build a tent with you, let alone a…” Her hand hit upon a rolled up tube of paper in the bottom drawer of the desk. “Map.”
“What?”
“Map! I found a map!” She yanked it free and held it triumphantly aloft.
“Finally.” Trevelyan stalked over to join her. He walked like a panther prowling, all feline grace and danger. “I wasbeginning to think we’d have to enthrall some idiot cartographer and force him to chart this damn kingdom for us.”
“I’m not enthralling anyone, ever again.” Esmeralda shoved everything else off the desktop so she could spread the map out on the heart-shaped surface. Alice’s belongings hit the floor in a broken jumble. Between the two of them, Esmeralda and Trevelyan had decimated every square inch of the Valentine-y space.
Too Bad, so sad.
“People are always trying to enslave dragons, wanting to steal our magic. Case in point: The Wonderlandians who stuck us here.” He gestured around them. “Why shouldn’t we return the favor and enthrall some servants?”
“Because, everyone’s a hog, for starters.”
“Well, I’m sure someone else will happen along eventually and we can…”
Esmeralda kept talking. “Besides,mymagic is the only one working at the moment and it doesn’t work. Whenever I try to enthrall someone, it ends up in a big mess. Like he thinks he’s a chicken and I have to spend six weeks feeding him corn, until the spell wears off.”
Trevelyan arched a brow at her, saying nothing.
“I just wanted him to fix the roof on my gingerbread house, for areasonableprice.” She defended. “He was overcharging me for the fondant! I wasn’t trying to hurt him, just negotiate. But try explaining that to his stupid wife.” She shook her head at the memory. “God, you never heard such whining. And the roofstillleaks.”
Trevelyan’s mouth twitched upward. “What is it with your magic and livestock?”
