Page 34 of Apprentice to the Villain

She scrunched her nose and scratched the side of her head when she looked at him. “Those made you hallucinate.”

“Precisely.”

The creature’s voice boomed again. “The rules were made by the architects of this world, the creators—gods, you call them,” it said; Sage gave it her rapt attention. “They made every corner of this world what it is. Every person, every living thing exists because of their sacrifices.”

“Oh. They did a very good job!” Sage nodded encouragingly; he could practically see the thoughts spinning behind her eyes. “I’m a big fan of, um—oh, the trees!” She seemed calm, but she was nervous. He could tell by the way she wrung her hands.

She had no need to be, because after the compliment, thecreature looked…bashful?

“I think Iamhallucinating,” Trystan whispered.

Sage knocked him in the shoulder. “Hush!”

“They were my idea, actually.” One of its large fingers began to draw circles in the grass, its attention glued to his assistant. She was charming the thing into a stupor.

He could sympathize with its plight.

She brightened. “And what a grand idea it was!” She did another curtsy, her head bowed in respect. “We owe you our utmost thanks.” She elbowed Trystan, hard.

He rubbed the spot before frowning, then said, “Oh yes…thank you.” He didn’t sound thankful. He sounded befuddled and irritated.

The creature’s attention went back to him, and it turned cold. “I don’t like him.”

Sage waved her hand and patted its finger. “That’s all right.” She stage-whispered behind her hand, “Lots of people don’t.”

“That’s enough small talk.” Trystan wouldn’t stand here idle while Sage conspired with a monster of legend. He was The Villain, for gods’ sake. “We are here for a vial of stardust. We need it to find someone who’s lost. Someone who can help us fulfillRennedawn’s Story.”

The creature’s large eyes rounded on him. “You want to fulfillRennedawn’s Story, Trystan Maverine?”

His stomach dropped into his shoes at his name on the creature’s lips.

Before he could inquire as to how the creature knew who he was, it grinned, marbled teeth shining as it said words that rattled him down to his misplaced soul.

“It took you long enough.”

Chapter 20

Evie

Evie looked between her boss and her new, very large friend. “Do you two know each other?”

Her boss deadpanned, “Yes, we have tea every other Thursday.”

“Really?” she asked, her brow furrowed.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “No, Sage.”

Rocking back on her heels, she clasped her hands behind her, not missing a beat. “How do you know my boss’s name?”

The creature shifted, flurrying more dandelion heads about. The wisps of them danced in the air and tickled her nose. “I know all names. I know all things, as nature does.”

She blurted without thought, “Do you know my mother, then? Nura Sage? Where she is?” It was a dangerous question for many reasons. The first being she wasn’t entirely certain she was ready to face the woman who had abandoned her in a place not unlike this one. A field of wishes. A field of forgotten hope. The second being that this godlike creature could probably crush her for her impertinence…and the third was that her judgment was still incredibly clouded from the haze of passion she’d been trying to clear out of her mind for the last couple of minutes.

Completely,he’d said.

No one could be expected to be of sound mind with the tingling sensations his voice had spread throughout her body. Never hadangering someone felt so sensual, so wanting, so—

This needed to stop, or she was going to pin him to his desk when they returned and do something they’d regret. Well…somethinghe’dlikely regret. She didn’t have the will or the self-control when it came down to the things she wanted, the things she loved.