Page 21 of Apprentice to the Villain

They both landed on the back of something scaly and purple.

“Fluffy!” He was here.

They’d done it.

Evie laughed as they soared out of the ravine and into the skies. Blade was at the helm, all the others safe and sound on Fluffy’sback. He steered the animal over the guards as the group of them waved to the confused faces below.

“So long!” Tatianna said, fluttering a pink handkerchief at the knights shouting beneath them.

“Gentlemen!” Blade saluted.

Becky didn’t say anything, just quirked a brow and dropped a large rock over the side. Blade and Arthur both chuckled, the latter being fussed over by Clare.

The echoes of the guards’ shouts faded as they soared through the night sky, every star twinkling brightly around them.

It almost didn’t seem real, as if nothing was between the large expanse of night and them. Her relief was so palpable—we’re all here; everything’s all right—she couldn’t help but laugh again as the wind whipped through her hair, tugging pleasantly on her scalp.

She breathed, “It’s so beautiful.”

Her boss had been silent beside her, but now he replied hoarsely, still gripping her hand, “Yes, it is.” And when she turned, he was looking at her.

Her wide smile faded into something softer, her once fragile heart now strong and bursting at the fact that they were all together, that they were all safe. A separate exit strategy had been in place for the Malevolent Guard—one involving tunnels, disguises, and maybe some fireworks—and she could only hope they had made it out without casualties as well.

Blade yawned and stretched. “I think after that, we all deserve a well-earned holiday.” He waggled his brows at the boss. “A paid one.”

The Villain released her hand, and she frowned at him.

“There will be no holidays,” he said grimly. “Not until we figure out what we are to do about the guvres.”

Becky straightened, her glasses wobbling on the tip of her nose. “What do you mean? They are happily contained.”

The Villain shook his head. “That’s precisely the problem. We don’t know what natural consequences will occur should we keep them that way for much longer. The Mystic Illness could only be the beginning.”

Gods, it wasn’t a dream. That was real. Evie had heard the king’s speech when she’d awoken in the coffin, had hoped her recovering poisoned mind had conjured the terrible lie.Mystic Illness,Rennedawn’s Story, fading magic, cease to exist. It made her head spin so hard her stomach lurched.

“At the very least, we need to separate them again.” The boss kept speaking, not realizing the apprehension creeping into her soft smile. “If they are together too long, nature could take its course, and we can’t risk the consequences of imprisoning one of their hatchlings should the female fall pregnant.”

Blade’s shoulders stiffened.

Tatianna shifted, patting The Villain’s arm. “Oh, mother hen. Do we have bad news for you.”

Chapter 12

The Villain

Trystan’s tentative to-do list early the next morning was as follows:

1. Bathe.

2. Get a report on all he’d missed while he was gone.

3. Avoid thinking about Sage’s thighs.

4. Murder Gushiken.

He’d been successful with the first two, failed at the third, and was about to check the last off his list.

“This is hardly my fault,” Blade grumbled, tossing several slabs of beef in to the mated guvres. The male, resplendent with his iridescent skin, eyed the meat but paused, motioning for the brown-gray female to have her fill first.Rather gallant, Trystan supposed with an eye roll,since sheiseating for two.