Page 98 of Apprentice to the Villain

The older male was handsome. He looked like Becky—light-brown skin, wide cheeks, his hair shaved down, and his most notable feature: the set of round glasses sitting atop his regal nose, almost hiding the short scar that ran across it.

“Bex!” The younger of the two—perhaps a year or two older than Lyssa, with longer dark, curly hair—barreled into Becky, throwing both of his arms around her. “You came home! I missed you.”

Becky wrapped tentative arms around the little boy, her mouth pulling up into a small smile. “Rudy, I saw you two months ago, and I send you letters every week.”

“But we never get to see youhere!” Rudy unfurled his arms, and the plants in the room moved and sniffed at his feet like loyal hounds and laid against his shoes in an affectionatemanner. “You always make us come to you!”

Becky’s smile faded when she looked toward the older man, who had a soft look in his friendly expression. The lithe line of his shoulders told Evie he was a warrior, someone who would fight with honor, but his eyes and the curve of his lips told her he was kind.

One of the vines snapped against her foot—probably because she was staring. “Ow!” Evie hissed at it. She swore it shook as if it was laughing at her.

“Sage.” A hard voice behind her made her freeze. “What are you doing?”

She blinked at her boss with an innocent expression. “I’m being made fun of by the houseplants.”

“That means they like you,” a gentle voice cut in from the very man she’d been admiring, and the plant slapped her foot again.

Becky winced only slightly when the man moved forward and wrapped his arms around his sister. “We missed you, Bex.”

Blade’s throat bobbed as he adjusted his vest, trying to keep a steady expression when he questioned, “Bex, eh?”

Becky rolled her eyes as she and her brother parted. “An old nickname. How are you, Roland?”

Roland—Becky’s brother, older if Evie had to guess—stepped back and assessed the rest of them. His eyes arrowed in on Blade with suspicion, protectiveness in his gaze.

Good.She liked that there was someone to look out for Becky the way she seemed to always be doing for other people.

“I’m well,” Roland said. “But I suspect you didn’t come all the way here just to ask after my health.” Roland lifted a brow and folded his arms, stretching the gold-lined white fabric of his tunic. “How did you get in? I thought Mother confiscated your key.”

Becky looked different for a second—more alive, more determined. “I stole it back when I left. If she takes issue withthat, she can pry it from my fingers herself.”

Roland adjusted his glasses, looking to the side. “You never shy away from saying something unpleasant, do you, little sister? Mother misses you dearly; she’ll be thrilled that you’re here. She doesn’t care about the key.”

Becky lifted a brow. “I’m sure.”

It surprised Evie to hear that a family who thrived on goodness and honor would try to cut out one of their own, but then she remembered Rebecka’s warning and the danger of their coming here. It could very well be that Becky had deserved to be ousted from her family for actions Evie wasn’t aware of, but it didn’t matter. She was firmly planted on the side of the HR manager, no matter what.

“There’s already a dinner being planned with all of your favorites. Father is arranging it for our guest of honor, or I suppose…” Roland smiled toward the rest of them. “Guestsof honor. And Grandmother will be so happy to see you. She’s missed you most of all, I think.”

“How is she?” Becky asked quietly.

“The Mystic Illness wears on her, but she perseveres. You know she has a good attitude about these things.”

Becky absorbed the information with a neutral expression. “And where are Reid and Raphael?”

“Where our brothers usually are.” Roland grinned playfully. “I couldn’t pry them from the Trench. But they’re eager to see you, too.”

Evie rounded on Becky. “You havemorebrothers? Are they all this handsome?” She gestured to Roland, and he looked upon her with interest.

So many things should stay in her head. Most things, in fact.

She blushed, and the boss glared as Roland took her hand and planted a kiss on the back of it. “Evie Sage, I take it? Rebecka writes of you often. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Evie folded her hands in front of her, grinning at Becky, who was staring at her brother with treacherous fury. “Becky, you write about me?”

“He didn’t say it was nice,” she grumbled.

Roland laughed, a hearty guffaw. “As for our older brothers, Ms. Sage, I assure you they are far more handsome than I.”