Page 122 of Apprentice to the Villain

“Go now, Rebecka, and hurry,” Raphael cut in, his voice hard and unfeeling. “Mother is neglecting to mention that she sent for the Valiant Guard. A battalion is on its way here now to arrest The Villain.”

Her father’s eyes widened. “Renna, you didn’t.”

Another vine twined around Becky, like they had when she was a little girl. When she would fall or get hurt, when life would knock her down, they were there.

She’d miss them. But they had to go—now.

Renna whispered brokenly to no one in particular. “I thought she might stay. I thought if they took him, she would have to stay.”

The Villain swept his hands up under Evie’s legs, hoisting her against his chest and holding her there as they walked toward the door, Kingsley still burrowed into her. “Come, Ms. Erring.Let’s go,” he said with a tinge of distaste. Clare and Tatianna filed out after them.

Becky took one last look about the room; she likely wouldn’t see it again for a very, very long time. Her brothers stood in the corner, grim expressions on their faces. With a pained cry, she folded her arms around them, and they held one another tightly. “Come visit me, okay? Tell Rudy and Grandmother I said goodbye,” she told them, tears running down her face.

Roland was red-faced, as was Reid, and Raphael had a somber glint in his eyes as he said, “I’m so sorry, Rebecka.”

Becky smiled at them as widely as she could manage through her tears. “Don’t be.” Brothers were a curious thing, somehow able to lighten even the heaviest of hearts.

She was halfway out the door when Renna grabbed her hand. “Rebecka, please understand. I didn’t want to hurt anyone. I wanted to protect the fortress. I wanted to protect Nura. That doesn’t make me evil.”

Becky stared at her mother with pity. A flash of black hair through the open door caught her eye. Evie stood waiting for her in the hall. “No, Mother, it doesn’t.”

Her mother whispered, “We are your family, Rebecka.”

Evie held out a hand for her. Becky kept her eyes on it. “You are.” She kissed her mother’s cheek. “But so are they.”

And then she brushed past Renna, clasped her hand in Evie’s, and together, they ran for the front doors.

Her mother cried behind them, but Becky ignored it. She ached for Evie at this terrible news, and she knew their mission to her family’s home had ended in failure, but still: she finally felt free of her burdens. Of perfection, of expectation, of being anything other than herself. Her family loved her, and one day she would return to claim her place as heir to the Fortis Family Fortress. But for now, she would remain Becky in HR. And she would be happy.

Fluffy waited outside, and Blade grinned at her softly from his back. “I warn you—he reeks of basil. He ate an entire bush.”

Becky shrugged, pausing before a genuinely wide smile tugged at her lips. “I love basil.” He smiled back.

The clanging of armor sounded in the distance.

Blade started waving his arms. “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go! Show a little urgency, people!”

They climbed atop the dragon and then soared through the skies, solemn and quiet the entire way.

No Nura, no starlight. No prophecy. Which meant no magic. Which would eventually lead to no Rennedawn.

Life as they knew it would end.

They returned to the manor.

And what they found there changed everything.

Chapter 77

The Villain

He’d never seen the manor in such an uproar. At least, not when he wasn’t the one causing it.

As soon as the dragon was near enough to the ground, Trystan had jumped and rolled, immediately throwing himself into the fight beside his Malevolent Guards. Blade had been tasked with landing Fluffy somewhere safe, where Evie and the others could remain hidden. He would have liked to have had his trusted colleagues beside him—Tatianna’s magic, Clare’s inks, even Fluffy’s newfound fire—but the Valiant Guards had nearly conquered the manor already, and his employees’ safety was far more important than extending a losing battle.

Hersafety. She was far away, and still his magic wouldn’t yield to him as it once did.

In all his years as The Villain, he’d never fought so tirelessly, with as much fury as his body allowed. “Argh!” he cried, slamming into another knight. And another. His power aided him, but it wasn’t enough, and there weren’t enough Malevolent Guards to match the king’s numbers.