Accomplice to the Villain (Assistant and the Villain, #3)(117)

Amara huffed, and then silence permeated the air with a deep, nervous tension, the mood punctuated nicely by the crack of thunder and a sudden downpour outside. “Winnifred. Bring more candles!” Amara barked.

Her quiet kitchen maid crept into the room, hunched over as if to make herself smaller, and she lit candles carefully, leaping over Kingsley when he appeared by her foot.

“What is all the squealing about, Winnifred? I’ve had enough of your misconduct today.” Amara stood, moving to rush for the frightened young woman before Trystan interceded.

“Oh, Mother. Don’t tell me after all this time you’ve forgotten your greatest achievement?”

Trystan stood, sauntering for the other side of the room and scooping up the frog with one hand. “You remember Prince Alexander Kingsley of the southern kingdom.”

Amara gripped her chest, as if she had been shot. “You dare bring that thing into my house? That abomination that you caused!”

“Amara.” Arthur grabbed her elbows, trying to soothe her. “You agreed to be peaceful.”

“I agreed on the condition that he would be!” Amara waved her hand. “Instead, you bring before me my treacherous daughter and my evil, monstrous son.” She poked her finger into Trystan’s chest. He kept his eyes forward, not looking down at her but not moving, either. “Do you know what a mess you have made for us since revealing your identity? I have friends of twenty years who avoid me in the streets. The entire life Arthur and I have built for ourselves here—ruined because of your selfishness.”

“Surely they suspected something off about our family long before now.” Trystan’s voice was steel, hard, cold. “Where did they think I’ve been all these years?”

“Dead,” Amara spat. “As I wish you had been.”

“That is enough!” Arthur grabbed Amara, but it was too late. Evie’s anger had taken hold; the thoughts of making peace left her in a flood of protective anger, and she was submerged in it. It was all she knew, just the pulse in her ears and the fury in her heart. She stood, stepping in front of Trystan.

And slapped Amara Maverine across the face.

Unfortunately, Evie’s anger seemed as quick to leave her as it had been to take over, and she knew her anger usually left behind its most tried-and-true friends.

Guilt and regret.

Though only guilt seemed to show up this time. Regret was currently doing a jig and cheering for Evie to do it again.

Everyone stared at her, slightly slack-jawed.

“A deer growled at me once,” she stated.

Amara just stared.

“My point is to say that if a deer can growl, it likely can find a way to attack. So if I look wide-eyed and confused to you, know that I’m not, but you’re welcome to underestimate me anyway.”

Amara looked seconds away from swinging at Evie herself but stopped, choosing a different course. “Take Alexander and leave this room, Clare. I’d like to have a conversation alone with my son and his…” Amara took Evie in and seemed to find her lacking as she finished. “Partner.”

Irritating two generations at once? Evie wondered if that came with a medal—or jail time.

Clare lifted Kingsley onto her shoulder, planting herself in a seat directly across from her mother. “No. He stays. We all stay, for once.”

Tatianna slowly sat down, watching the scene unfold with undue interest.

“Do you know why we’re here?” Evie asked, shoving a sandwich into her mouth.

Amara frowned as she took her seat once more, picking up her wineglass. “Yes. You’re going to ask me for the glass slippers.”

Trystan swallowed. “Arthur told you?”

“The short version,” Arthur explained, standing in the corner like a guard on duty, only moving when a windowpane flew open, spraying cold rainwater across the room. “Damn old wood,” he grumbled, grabbing tools from the nearby cupboard to reattach it.

Evie continued over the pounding of the rain and now the pounding of a hammer. “Are you going to give them to us?”

“No.”

“Shocker.” Evie slouched in her chair.

“Far be it from me to assist you on a fool’s errand, but I have a vested interest in Alexander becoming a prince once more. And I would be willing to give you the glass slippers, if you’d be willing to do something for me.” Amara glared as she glided to the wall, where she pushed a panel open to reveal a hidden compartment. She returned with a small scroll, unrolling it to reveal a map of Alexander’s kingdom. “The southern kingdom is against our border, meaning you have very little time to put the wand you’ve acquired to use.”

“How did you know we have the wand?” Evie asked.

Amara took a hearty sip from her wineglass as she sat again, ignoring her question. “Enchantresses are typically the ones wands are most effective for. She’d be the only one who could help you gain access to the southern kingdom. Wands don’t work for just anyone. I told Clare as much in the letters I sent her.”

Clare paled.

“What letters?” Tatianna asked. “Clare?”

Clare looked cornered, eyes turning red. “I messed up. I know that I messed up. I was going to tell you.”

Evie slowly put the sandwich back on the plate, chewing so fast she choked a little on her last swallow. “You.” She coughed. “You messed up how, Clare?”