“I want a bonus, if I’m the bouncer.”
“Sure.” After all, Charming’s royal bank accounts were about to become joint, thanks to the Westlands’ community property laws. “Kill Letty and anyone else who gets in my way, and you’ll have more gold than you can carry.”
“I have something else in mind.” He said softly. “The woman. She really… interests me.”
“Scarlett?” What the hell was going on that every hot guy in the Four Kingdoms wanted an ugly stepsister? First Marrok and now Trevelyan?! The whole world was in chaos! “Fine. Help me and you can do whatever you want with her.” Cinderella promised. “Rape her, torture her, question her… I don’t care. She’s all yours.”
“Good. I’ve been waiting for her to show up for a long time.”
God, it went against all the laws of nature that someone as beautiful as Trevelyan would desire Letty. Wasn’t it enough that she already tricked Marrok into panting after her? Now Scarlett had two gorgeous men, while Cinderella’s loser fiancé plotted to leave her at the altar! Hopefully, Trevelyan really did mate in dragon form. It would serve her stepsister right.
“Well, you can’t keep her for long.” Cinderella warned. “She has to die or she’ll just keep causing problems.”
“I just need her long enough to destroy Marrok.”
Ah-hah! It was about the wolf. “What did he do to piss you off?”
“Marrok chose to stay in that fucking prison rather than help me. He forced me to touch that bitch Snow White in order to get out of there.” The dragon’s voice turned venomous. “And now --after all his bullshit-- now he chooses to escape. That’s a betrayal.”
“Not to defend him, but Scarlett can talk people into anything. He probably didn’t have a choice.” It would be a shame to see someone as pretty as Marrok die for Scarlett’s crimes.
“Oh, he had a choice. And he chose disloyalty over friendship. Now, I choose to take away the only person he loves. I promised him he’d regret screwing me over and he’s about to know exactly what I meant.”
“You believe that crap about Scarlett being his True Love?” Cinderella snorted. “I don’t. I figure she’s using a spell on him.”
“Oh, I believe it. For five goddamn years, I’ve waited for an opportunity to get back at the bastard. Then today, he goes on the web and posts a video starring the one thing he can’t live without.” Trevelyan gave a cold smile. “He’d always talk about finding his True Love. He was sure that she was out there. I knew all I had to do was wait and he’d reveal her to me.”
Yeah… It was never wise to make an enemy of a dragon. They had magical powers, delicate egos and long memories.
Cinderella rolled her eyes. “…So you’re going to kill Letty, then?” She summarized. That was all that really mattered and Trevelyan looked ready to list a thousand more grievances he’d store up against Marrok.
“Eventually.”
“Yeah. Fine. Have fun with her first. I don’t give a shit. Just so tomorrow dawns with Scarlett dead and me wearing my crown, I’ll be happy.”
He smirked. “And shouldn’t every bride should be happy on her wedding day?”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Today in group, we tried a team building exercise.
There were three fatalities.
Psychiatric case notes of Dr. Ramona Fae
Marrok shifted the duffle bag full of weapons he’d gathered from Jana’s vast arsenal and glowered up at Charming’s ridiculous blue castle. “I hate this plan.”
“So do I.” Esmeralda agreed. “We just broke out of an impossible-to-break-out-of fortress and now we’re breaking into an impossible-to-break-into-fortress.” She shook her head. “What’s wrong with this picture?”
“At least you two have nowhere better to go.” Avenant scoffed. “I should be halfway to reclaiming my throne from that fucking usurper, by now.”
“Or just halfway to fucking the usurper, by now.” Esmeralda taunted. “Admit it. You’re totally crushing on the librarian.” She snickered when he sent her a look of frozen death. “Oh don’t be mad. I think it’s sweet. You can bring Belle some roses… right before she has you locked up, again.”
“I told you, I’m going to kill the woman.”
“Before or after you beg her for a date?”
“Both of you be quiet.” Scarlett hissed. “Tomorrow, we can work on convincing Avenant’s True Love not to arrest him on sight. Right now we need to concentrate on Charming.”
“That usurper is not my…!”
“Shhh!” Scarlett ordered right over Avenant’s protest. “Now, does everyone understand the plan?”
“That plan I hate, you mean?” Marrok arched a brow at her. “Yeah, I got all stupid, risky details of it screaming in my head like a funeral dirge, as a matter of fact.”
He’d been trying to talk her out of this disastrous idea all night. Once Gustav had showed up, Scarlett’s creative energies had been unleashed, though. Nothing was going to talk her out of this, short of chaining her up.
Which Marrok had actually considered.
Christ, if Trevelyan was involved in this, it was going to turn into a bloodbath. What was the dragon up to? Marrok couldn’t get their last meeting out of his head. The dwarf guards pulling the dragon away, while he shouted threats. Swearing that he’d have revenge for Marrok’s “betrayal.” Promising to take away everything that Marrok loved.
“You two work on creating the distractions out here.” Scarlett told Avenant and Esmeralda, just in case they’d forgotten their assigned roles. Which, honestly, was a good guess, knowing them. “Start in exactly ten minutes. Make sure whatever you do is big enough to draw the guards’ attention.”
Although they were bickering, annoying, idiots, even Marrok was a tiny bit moved at how readily Avenant and Ez agreed to come to the Westlands and lend a hand. Being part of the Tuesday share circle was like being a part of a screwed-up, criminally-inclined family. Even when they didn’t like you, they were still there to help you blow shit up.
It was touching.
The four of them were huddled in the royal garden of the Westlands, hidden by some oh-so-special singing fountain, waiting for Gustav to return. The rat had gotten them this far, but while he went to clear the next leg of their journey, he’d left them hiding in the most aggravating spot in the Four Kingdoms. That did nothing to improve Marrok’s opinion of the guy.
The singing fountain wouldn’t shut-up.
Show tunes, pop hits, opera… It just. kept. singing. If Marrok owned this ugly castle, he could’ve torn the damn thing out and put up a basketball court. Was there no place else Gustav could’ve stashed them?
“Meanwhile, Marrok and I will find Charming.” Scarlett continued. “I know the layout of the castle and Gustav’s making sure the guards don’t bother us as we sneak in. We’ll go through the servants’ entrance, so we should be able to…”
“What about the dragon?” Marrok interrupted. Letty wasn’t getting how dangerous it was to have Trevelyan around. “What are we going to do if a fire-breathing monster with unmatched magical powers attacks?”
Scarlett grinned. “You’re going to stop him.” She said with total confidence.
Marrok rolled his eyes. “I hate this plan.”
“It’s going to work.” She insisted.
Not unless he did something insane. One-on-one, there was no fucking chance Marrok was going to be able to stop a dragon. It was sweet that Scarlett thought he could do it, but it was literally impossible. If it came down to a fight, there was just one option: Letty had to run. It was the only way either one of them would survive. He could just imagine how well she’d take that news, though, so he wasn’t sharing it until he absolutely had to.
Marrok sighed. “I’m just saying, if I die before I get to live out my ‘you and vanilla pudding’ fantasies, I’m going to be pissed.”
“Honestly, Wolf.” She sent him a look of mock disapproval. “Do I seem like a vanilla girl to you? Think big. T
hink strawberry.”
Just like that, the game was over.
Marrok’s mouth curved in total, desperate love and he knew that Letty had won. There was no way he was going to be able to hold out for her to propose. He’d waited as long as he could. Marrok was opening his mouth to ask her to please-for-the-love-of-God marry him, when Gustav came scampering back over.
“Okay.” The rat was out of breath as he crouched down beside them. He had to raise his voice to be heard over the serenading water. “I sent the guards at the door away. They still think I’m in charge, so they listened to me just like the others.” He’d been ordering guards out of their path all morning. “You have to hurry and get in there, though. Charming’s not in the dungeon, anymore. Cinderella had him dragged upstairs for the wedding.”
“If this is a trap, I will kill you.” Marrok promised him, refocusing on this terrible plan. “And if I’m dead and I can’t kill you, they’ll kill you.” He jerked a thumb at Avenant and Esmeralda.
“I can kill him, now.” Avenant volunteered.
“Nobody’s killing Gustav.” Scarlett must have said that fifty times so far. She smiled at the rat. “Good job. Go back to the Enchanted Forest and stay safe, alright? And thank you.”
“Thank you.” He gazed at her in adoration. “You’ve saved my life.”
Marrok would’ve mocked the rat’s gushing, but he tended to agree with it.
“Nonsense. You saved yourself.” Letty patted Gustav’s hand and headed for the side of the castle. The girl wouldn’t rest until she’d saved everyone.
Marrok followed her, grateful just to get away from the caterwauling fountain. “Cinderella really sings all the time?”
“Yep.”
“No wonder you hate her.”
“It’s aggravating, right?” Scarlett glanced back at the loud water feature with a frown. “I have no idea where that thing even came from, but, if it were my castle, I’d get rid of it.”
“We really do think alike.” Marrok caught hold of her hand. “Listen, when we get in there, you stay right beside me, alright?”
“Where else would I be?”
The two of them quickly reached the base of one of the castle’s soaring turrets. Charming’s ancestors had apparently all been six year old girls. They’d designed the entire Westlands to be full of flowers and rainbows. Everywhere, in every direction, there was nothing but neatly manicured gardens and identical cottages. All the manufactured perfection was topped off by the stupid palace. The whole fanciful structure was a nightmare of pastel colors and carved cherubs.
“So you grew up here?” Marrok whispered as they made their way through the arched door of the servants’ entrance and into a long corridor. Since most of the staff was Baddies, no one had put much effort into making this part of the castle as pretty as the outside. Marrok found the lack of frolicking dolphin statues a welcomed change.
“I grew up in the village. But, my stepfather was an ambassador to the royal court, so I spent a lot of time running around this place with Charming and Dru.”
“And Cinderella?”
“No, she liked to spend her time shoplifting, scrubbing floors, and strong-arming everyone to vote for her for homecoming queen.” Scarlett made a face. “I still say she looked fat in that dress.”
“Have I ever told you it completely turns me on when you’re bitchy?”
She slanted him a grin. “And I’ve noticed you get turned on a lot. What does that say about us?”
“It says we were made for each other.” When they reached the end of the hall, Marrok put an arm up so she’d stop. He peered around the corner and saw the whole place was teeming with servants heading up and down a staircase.
“We have to go that way.” Scarlett whispered. “If Gustav is right and Cinderella’s preparing Charming for the slaughter, she’ll take him to the throne room. It’s the gaudiest spot in the palace. Perfect for her gaudy wedding. Those stairs are the only way up there.”
“Wonderful.” He considered their options. “Are you sure we can’t just rescue Charming tomorrow?”
“He won’t live to see tomorrow.” Letty said flatly. “That’s why the servants are rushing around. Cindy’s prepping for the reception and the execution to follow. Trust me. She’ll chop his head off the second that ring is on her finger.”
Shit.
Marrok sighed. “Serious question: Will the Westlands care if she decapitates their prince?”
“Of course they’ll care, but how can they stop her? Cinderella’s rats have overthrown the guards and everyone else is cowering in their houses for fear of being branded traitors.”
“Not everyone else. Just the Good folk. The servants are still here.” He gestured towards the stairs. “Baddies are all over the castle, because no way is a princess painting her own fingernails.” He arched a brow. “So, the question is, do the Bad folk of the Westlands think Charming is worth saving or will they let him die?”
Scarlett chewed her bottom lip. “Charming works with me to improve villains’ rights and he’s been employing some of these people for years… But, I don’t know if they’ll risk themselves to help him.”
“Well, I know we’re not going to be able to avoid every Bad folk in this palace. Even with Gustav calling off most of the rats, we’ll be spotted by someone. So, the ‘sneaking’ part of the plan is over.”
“So what do we do?”
“So we don’t sneak.” He met her eyes. “If we can’t be sure the Baddies will side with Charming, I’m pretty damn sure they’ll side with you.”
***
“I hate this plan.” Scarlett did her best to appear outwardly calm, but her heart was racing. “Everyone’s staring at me.”
“That’s the point.” Marrok’s fingers stayed locked around hers as they walked side-by-side down the middle of the hall. “Just keep moving and everything will be fine.”
She tried to focus on the stairs, but all she saw were the wide eyes of the servants they passed. People froze in their tracks at the sight of them.
This was never going to work.
“Marrok, we have to get out of here. Someone’s going to raise the alarm and we’re going to get caught and shipped back to the WUB Club. I know it.”
“Baby, Good folk would be too afraid to let you back in there. The next riot would be seen from space.” He gave her palm a reassuring squeeze. “Look around.”
“I am, but…”
“Scarlett, really look around. These people don’t want to turn you in. They’re on our side.”
She blinked and glanced around with new eyes. This time, she noticed that all the hairdressers and maids, seamstress and footman were… smiling at her. No one was rushing to call for Cinderella or report the break in. Instead, they looked thrilled. Several people actually reached out to pat her shoulder in greeting as she passed by.
Clearly, Cinderella hadn’t endeared herself to the Bad folk of the castle.
“Miss Scarlett.” Antonio, the palace baker, beamed at her. “Thank God! You’ve come to save our prince.” His fuzzy green face reflected staggering relief. “Cinderella had him dragged upstairs, screaming that they’d either be having a wedding or his funeral. We’ve been watching the ceremony on TV and it’s like a horrible nightmare. You have to stop her!”
Letty gave the tree ogre a reassuring smile. “Marrok and I have it all under control.” She headed up the stairs. If her confidence still wasn’t a hundred percent, at least she was doing better a faking it. Besides, so many people were counting on her to fix this that she really didn’t have much of a choice but to succeed. “Don’t worry. We’re about to cause some trouble.”
Marrok’s mouth quirked. “We should make that our new family motto, Red. Seems everywhere we go we start something fun.”
“You have some seriously bizarre definitions of fun.”
Scarlett led the way towards the throne room. All around them the trappings of Westlands’ wealth glinted and shone. Marble pillars lining t
he halls. Gold leaf shining on every door knob. Waterfalls of crystal dangling from the chandeliers.
Marrok arched a brow as they passed a twenty foot tall portrait of Charming posing beside his favorite horse. “Nice place Dru’s going to marry into.”
She snorted. “You wouldn’t think so if you’d ever tried to sit and watch TV here. It’s impossible to find a relaxing piece of furniture.” She looked around and made a face. “I would never live someplace specifically designed to make people feel uncomfortable.”
“Does that mean you won’t be building me a castle in our new kingdom?” He pouted. “Because, your grandmother said I could be prince of the Enchanted Forest. She’s going to steal me a crown and everything. We have it all planned.”
Scarlett rolled her eyes. “The two of you should be kept far apart.”
“Oh, don’t be jealous. You know you’re my princess, baby.”
“There aren’t going to be princes and princesses in our kingdom. We’re about equality.”
“Did we vote on that? I don’t remember voting on that.”
She refused to be amused by his teasing. “Would you please concentrate on saving your soon-to-be brother-in-law?”
“I’m a multi-tasker. You should know that by now.” Still, Marrok unzipped the duffle bag slung around his shoulder and began skillfully sorting through the weapons. “And let’s not call Charming ‘my’ anything, okay? I still don’t like the guy.”
“You’ve never even met him.”
“Yeah, but I’m holding a grudge that you were engaged to him.”
“I was never really engaged to him, though.”
“Turns out I’m unreasonable and don’t give a shit about that part. In fact, I also blame him for the fact I spent the past six weeks tortured with your lie about that damn glass slipper.”
“I didn’t technically lie. It was more like an omission…” Scarlett trailed off with a frown as Marrok dug what looked like a glass vial from his bag and shoved into the pocket of his cargo pants. “Do I even want to know what that is?”
Wicked Ugly Bad (A Kinda Fairytale) Page 24
