Page 74 of Happily Ever Witch
The Heart Castle
There was a huge golden mirror in the royal bedroom.
The damn thing was hideous, heart-shaped and hypnotic. Esmeralda found herself staring into it and somehow seeingmorethan just a reflection. She couldn’t really explain it. It was showing an exactly reversed image of the royal bedroom, just like it was supposed to. Only she had the weird feeling that itwasn’tthe royal bedroom reflected in the glass surface. It was something else.
Somewhereelse.
Trevelyan came up behind her. He’d been off on his own, for the last couple of hours, and he looked exhausted.
“You okay?” She asked in concern.
“I’m fine. My magic is just…” He shrugged in frustration that his powers weren’t back.
“Don’t push your energy.” She warned. “It has to heal.”
He grunted, his eyes on the mirror. “That thing is unsettling.”
“I like unsettling décor. That thing is justcreepy.” Esmeralda corrected, allowing him to change the subject. He clearly didn’t enjoy talking about his weakened condition. “I don’t trust Wonderland. It likes to generate craziness. I don’t want a big mirror watching me while I sleep. I think it might be enchanted.”
“Big mirrors often are.” He rested his head on her hair, his arms coming around her waist. “More importantly, they gooverthe bed, not beside them. Everyone knows that.”
“Thereisa mirror over the bed.”
“Yes… I noticed that, too.” His voice was full of dirty ideas. He must not betooexhausted.
“Is that why you insisted we sleep in here?” She guessed. “The room we had last night was fine. Hideous, but fine. This one is hideous and creepy.”
Trevelyan shrugged. “The other room has somehow turned into a holiday party. I’m unclear as to why, but I doubt you’d want to sleep there. The furniture is drunk and singing carols.”
Eggnog.
The party was serving spiked eggnog. She’d forgotten about that little mishap. Damn misfiring magic. If it wanted to get stuck on alcohol today, it could’ve at least made some kind of frog-flavored moonshine. That would have beensomeprogress with the spell.
“Besides, you’re the queen, now.” Trevelyan went on, oblivious to the annoying lack of frogs. “Why shouldn’t we claim the royal suite?”
“Because it’s creepy? Have I mentioned that?”
“But no pink-and-purple rugs are lecturing us about a hippopotamus. So, there are still worse places we could be in this abysmal house.”
They were currently situated right next door to the chattering Cheshire Carpet. Esmeralda could hear it talking to itself about Tove, that extra day on Wonderland’s calendar. The rug was either crazy or lonely. Maybe both.
“The walls are too thin, in here.” She said pointedly. “Plus, you set one of them on fire and now everything reeks like smoke.”
He made atsksound, dismissing the scorched paneling behind them. “The smell is a small price to pay to assume your rightful place, in the rightful bedchamber. Royalty means a life of sacrifice.”
“If it did, you wouldn’t be so pleased to be king.”
He smiled at that retort. No cruelty or mockery in his expression, just amusement. Like he enjoyed bantering with her. “Touché, my queen.”
As always, Esmeralda was struck by the absolute perfection of the man. The exotic angles of his face were all placed like he’d been sculpted to represent the idealized image of an invincible hero from legend.
Or the fabulous monster who killed the invincible hero and ate him.
“You’re so beautiful, Trevelyan.” The words were out before she could stop them and she wrinkled her nose. “People probably tell you that a lot.”
“Just soyoutell me, Mate.” He nuzzled her temple.
The beads in his hair made gentle sounds that soothed her and he was sowarm. She found herself relaxing into his hold, her body recognizing it was safe and protected in his hands. Her body was so stupid. Trevelyan wouldn’t catch Esmeralda if she fell. He wanted separate lives. But he was bitching atherabout loyalty, all the time? Hypocritical dick.
