Page 68 of Adversary to the Villain

“And a whisk.” Lyssa grinned.

Ms. Erring sighed.

“It has to be enacted where sunlight shines unvarnished,” Clare reminded them, feeding the animal in her hand small cuts of beef. “There you are, darling.”

“We’re not keeping him,darling.” Tatianna gave Clare a playful expression, coming closer to pat the animal on the head. “But weshouldname them in the meantime. I don’t wanna keep calling them Rainbow and Neutral in my head.”

The animals made huffing sounds, and Ms. Erring returned hers to the floor next to the one now at Lyssa’s feet. “This one is Cassandra.” They all stared at her, and Ms. Erring rolled her eyes. “What? I’m not naming her something like Wiggles or Squirt or—”

“Or Fluffy?” Blade finished with amused sarcasm. “Can we name this one something fierce? Like Danger?”

Ms. Erring gave him a long-suffering glance. “We could…if we hated him.”

The door rattled, and they all jumped, knocking into one another to stand in front of the guvres.

Gideon’s face appeared. “There you all are. What are you— You know what? Never mind. I need everyone to begin searching the manor. Quickly!”

“For what?” Lyssa asked nervously, pulling her skirt outward to block the wing coming into view.

Gideon looked nearly gleeful to impart his knowledge upon them. “We think the second book is hidden here. In Massacre Manor.”

Chapter 32

Evie

Evie couldn’t stop staring at it.

“It” being the human-sized pot in the middle of the room.

“Sage… Gold coin for your thoughts,” she heard Trystan’s voice rumble.

“Do you think Greta has a standing appointment with her dentist?” She felt like she was in a daze.

The threat of being cooked alive did that to a person.

“I think if she was eating her house, it would be significantly easier for us to leave it.” With a grunt, he picked up a stool and threw it against the wall. “How could that not have made a dent?”

She lifted a brow, feeling impossibly amused. “We’re surrounded by stale gingerbread. You’re lucky thestooldidn’t crack.”

The door rattled, and Evie’s heart bottomed out. Forgetting that she had a dagger at her waist, death magic somewhere inside her, and a large man shoving himself in front of her. “What’s going on with you?” He stared down at her and not the door, which was vibrating violently from Greta’s fists. “You’re not usually this…skittish.”

“I’m not—”

“Open the door!”

Evie shrieked, twisting his shirt in a death grip, then jumping when his hand landed on her waist. “Okay, I’m alittleskittish.” When she looked up, he was still staring at her intently, like whatever was happening to her right now was far more important than the woman banging on the door so she could roast them like Yule dinner. “The idea of being eaten freaks me out.”

His dark eyes went darker still, glistening with mirth. “As special as I believe you are, love, that is the more common reaction to the subject.”

“Keep that word out of your mouth. It’s lethal,” she accused.

The romantic familiarity between them was supposed to feel unusual. Since she’d met the man, he had been a walking vessel for repression, resolved to keep himself contained and unemotional.

But now his resolve was settled on her.

And she couldn’t even enjoy it.

His lips brushed over her hair.