Page 126 of Apprentice to the Villain

Her heart twisted, and Gideon moved Lyssa from his lap gently and got up from the bed, trying for a small smile. “How’s anyone supposed to keep it together with all this sweetness?” he joked. But she could see he rubbed at his eyes.

“Lyssa, you’re not sad?” Evie asked, wanting to borrow some of that strength for herself.

Her sister smoothed out her skirt, feet kicking again. “I think I am very sad. But I won’t be forever.”

Words to live by.

And so they all retired to sleep.

Evie finally settled into the pillows, so weary, so unsure of what the future held beyond her hurt and grief.

Until she shot up, clutching her chest. The small nagging reminder she’d forgotten had become a sharp stab of realization. Lyssa continued to sleep soundly beside her as Evie’s quiet thoughts turned to a roar.

Who in the deadlands slipped Lyssa that note?

Chapter 80

The Villain

“If you’re wondering if this is a healthy way of dealing with your emotions, boss, let me clear it up for you. It’s not.”

It was too early for Sage to be awake and pestering him—foranyof them to be, after the harrowing night. But here she was, with her quick words and her knowing eyes.

He hadn’t slept, so he’d decided to relieve some stress, and Sage was effectively ruining it.

A sharp knife hovered inches away from the Valiant Guard’s eye. “I wasn’t wondering,” Trystan said dryly, keeping his focus.

The manor protections were being refortified as best they could by the staff. Their magic was not nearly as strong as that of an enchantress, but beggars couldn’t be choosers, and this was now a matter of life and death. The patch job wouldn’t keep the manor truly safe—not effectively, anyway. Even if they could have it recloaked, the once-secret location was compromised, likely being whispered into Benedict’s ear as Trystan stood here hovering a knife over his knight’s eye.

No matter. He’d refortify the barrier and then marvel at the small fortune he’d just sent off to his black-market gardener, who had offered the rather gracious solution of large, thorny hedgerows to be planted all around the manor.

If he couldn’t hide the manor, he’d make it the most dangerous place in all of Rennedawn. To the Valiant Guards and anyoneelse who dared to cross him. But right now, he’d focus on the knights. Particularly the one on his table saying the same boring drivel over and over again.

“Do whatever you like to me, Villain. It is an honor to die for my king!” the knight cried furiously, but Trystan could see he was shaking on the table.

Sage stepped forward and addressed the knight directly, with a friendliness that both impressed Trystan and enflamed him beyond measure. “Would you mind waiting here for five minutes while I speak with this one?” She angled her thumb at Trystan, who threw his hands in the air at the ludicrous request.

The knight sputtered, “O-Of course, miss. Take as long as you like.”

She patted the knight’s hand, enraging Trystan further as she said with sickly sweetness, “Thank you.”

There was nothing sweet about her grabbing his ear and pulling him from the room like a dog on a leash. “Sage!” he growled, unable to stop it as she pushed him out into the dimly lit hallway and shut the door. “Are you having a breakdown?”

“Always,” she said far too cheerfully, “but that’s not why I came down here.”Don’t push me,he begged.I cannot take it.

He deadpanned, “I’m on the edge of my seat.”

“Someone in the office slipped Lyssa a note to meet my father, which was ultimately what led to his escape. He had an accomplice.”

Trystan’s headache was making it hard for him to process the information. “Meaning someone in the office…”

“Conspired with my father, yes. They could have even helped him when he was sabotaging your shipments.”

Ice. He was ice; everything was ice. It was in his blood, in his heart, cooling all the emotions trying to burn through him. “Is that so?” he said, low, dangerous.

“I know this is hard to swallow right now, with the guvre taken,your magic acting up, my mother…dead, andRennedawn’s Storybeing… Well, I know everything is absolute shit, for lack of a better word, but I had to tell you right away.”

His fist clenched, the other gripping the doorway so hard his knuckles went white. “Thank you for your candor, Sage.”