Page 38 of Adversary to the Villain

But when she did—

“Yes. On page ten, the author—” Trystan started.

Evie yelped like someone had just nudged her with a hot poker. “You’re—” She gaped at him as he stared down at her, perplexed. “You’re readingThe Cunning Corset Society?”

If she wasn’t so worried about Lyssa, she’d expire from the shock. Trystan looked perturbed by her astonishment, holding the book a bit closer—like she was going to attempt to snatch it from him.

The absurd picture of it all was enough to fell a horse.

“I’m finding it an interesting study on human behavior, and the descriptions are interesting.”

Evie knewThe Cunning Corset Societywell enough to understand what sorts of “descriptions” he was about to get into when he reached chapter six. She let out an ungodly noise before wringing her hands. “My brain will explode over this later. Put a bookmark in it.”

Trystan looked at her, aghast. “I always use a bookmark. I’m a villain, not a delinquent. Why, what do you do?”

Evie sighed, then yelled Lyssa’s name again, searching through empty hallway closet after empty hallway closet. “I was being metaphorical, but I dog-ear the pages.”

Trystan narrowed his eyes. “You are definitely the kingdom’s doom. I stand corrected.”

“Trystan!” Evie slapped his arm, trying to remember this moment for when her sister was found and she could truly revel in it. The magic now appeared to have a mind of its own, lightly shoving Trystan until he stumbled into the wall. “No! Oops. Sorry.” Her fingers touched her mouth when he came away with a bloody nose. “Oh dear.”

“Never mind it.” He smirked, pulling a handkerchief the same color as her skirt out to absorb it. “Good shot.”

Gideon had been quietly trailing behind them, doing his own searching, pretending not to listen before making his escape. “I’m going to search a few floors up. Come get me when you find her.”

Evie’s fear subsided for the time it took for her to blink, but then her eyes flew back open. Because several Malevolent Guards stood outside the dungeon, murmuring. “What is it?” Evie approached them, and they all straightened at her question, looking to her like she was the one who signed their paychecks.

It was an offense to office hierarchy, she was sure, but when she stared sidelong at Trystan, all she saw was pride in his eyes and a gentlemanly nod of encouragement.

“Ms. Sage.” Min, a guard she knew well, stepped forward. “We are at an impasse.”

“Of what nature?” she asked, wondering why they all kept sending worried glances toward the locked doors.

Min swallowed. “We secured the dungeon at all possible points of exit, in case the magical locks failed and the prisoners were set free. But when the lightning struck, it must have set something in motion…because it’s no longer a hypothetical. The locks have failed.”

Trystan gripped his sword at his waist, his dark eyes turning lethal. “Where are the other guards, the ones who were posted inside?”

Another Malevolent Guard stepped forward, his helmet in his hands, a forlorn look upon his face. “We were just discussing that, sir.”

“What is there to discuss? Open the damn door!” Trystan’s face reddened, a vein bulging in his neck from the stress.

“It isn’t that simple.” Keeley appeared, a bit disheveled but just as calm as usual. “If we open those doors, we have no idea what’s going to be on the other side. We need a strategy to ensure none of the prisoners escape—”

“Evie!” The voice on the other side was muffled by the thickness of the wooden door. But Evie knew it anyway.

“Lyssa!” she screamed, banging on the door until her hands stung.

“Evie, help me! I’m scared!”

Oh gods. Oh gods.

Her stomach lurched, her heart throbbing so painfully, she cried out against it ravaging her chest. She would not lose her sister. She wouldnot.“Open it!Please!”

Keeley began to speak, but the words were muffled as the mist surrounded her, blocking out the others. They all shied away, but she heard Keeley cry out, “Wait! We have to make sure nobody—”

It was too late. Her magic glimmered, ramming into the door so hard, she felt it in her body like a battering ram. The door cracked against the force, splitting in half before it collapsed, revealing who was on the other side.

It wasn’t Lyssa.