Accomplice to the Villain (Assistant and the Villain, #3)(132)

Evie smiled, feeling hope. “I have just the way. Sir, a sign?” One was already in her hand before she finished her request. She removed a vase from a pillar, then placed Kingsley atop the marble pedestal so he could be eye level with his parents. “Go on, Kingsley. Show them—show your parents that it’s you.”

There was a surge of sweeping anticipation, the entire room quieting, everyone waiting with bated breath.

But Kingsley did nothing.

“Alexander,” Trystan called, but there was no answer. Just a wide-eyed frog staring back at them, through them. He was blank, no gold left in his eyes—only black. “No,” Trystan bellowed. “No. Alexander, come back. Come back now.”

But there was no answer. No blinking to awareness, no sudden startled awakening from the magic that had faded in him. There was no Kingsley; there was no prince.

There was only a frog.

“Is he gone?” Clare’s eyes welled with tears. “Is that it? He’s not going to come back this time?”

“I’ve had enough of this farce!” the king cried. “This was a brutality. Dangling the possibility of our son before us and then taking it away. Let it be over.”

“Gavin,” Queen Brina said hesitantly. “Please calm.”

The king looked to the Valiant Guards and the Lily Pad Knights, ignoring the queen’s request. “Kill the enchantress. It is done.”

It was only a second after the order was given, with no time for protests. No time to react. No time to beg or scream or ask kindly that they don’t.

Because in one moment, the enchantress was thrown to the ground, and in the next, she was turned…to stone.

Winnie screamed, and Tatianna wrapped her arms around her, dragging her away. “Don’t look.” This was worse than death. Her mother frozen forever on her knees, with the fear of her final moments displayed for the entire room.

The queen shook her head, like the whole scene was distasteful to her. “Take them away to the dungeons and send missives to King Benedict that we have his Villain in custody.”

One of the Lily Pad Knights ran for the large open doors, but he only made it three feet—

Before the windows above the throne room shattered and a large creature came hurtling through.

Glass flew everywhere. Trystan’s arms fell over Evie’s head, guarding her with his body. A familiar creature landed right in the middle of the room as the Lily Pad Knights scattered, several of them ushering the king and queen to safety.

“I said to go through the front door, Fluffy!” Blade scolded, and Evie was so relieved to hear his voice, she clutched at Trystan’s shirt and cried.

“Evie!” Lyssa was on Fluffy’s back, too, along with Becky, who was looking at the damages like she was going to lose it. Lyssa slid down Fluffy’s wing and ran for Evie, and Evie ran for Lyssa.

When they finally had their arms around each other, Evie squeezed her sister tight. “You saved us, Lyssa.”

There was so much loss in the room, so much they would never get back, but there’d always be this. Her sister, her family—and if Evie had her, there was still a reason to continue.

Lyssa pulled away and tugged a crinkled piece of paper from her pocket. “Second Rule of Villainy. Protect what you love most. No matter the cost.”

Evie spied the list and gave Trystan a shrewd look. “Interesting teatime discussions?”

Trystan crossed his arms, unamused. “Little villain. What is the sixth rule?”

Lyssa scanned the paper, eyes widening when she found it. “Don’t tell anyone about the Rules of Villainy… Oh. Oops.” She clasped her small hands behind her back, her braid moving over her shoulder.

“Wicked Woman!” Evie turned her head just in time for a Lily Pad Knight to throw a blade right for her chest. She gasped. And then Arthur was in front of her, eyes wide as the sword struck.

No.

Evie’s eyes burned as shock settled into her bones. Arthur’s brows furrowed as he looked down and saw that the sword had gone right through his stomach.

Blood trickled out of his mouth.

And then he fell.

“Arthur,” Amara rasped, showing her first signs of humanity, outside of her self-serving actions. She lurched toward her husband, fingers closing around her lips.

“Get away!” Clare screamed at Amara. “Stay away from all of us. You awful bitch,” Clare said with more disdain toward her mother then Evie had ever seen. Amara stumbled back, stunned. Clare yelled, “Oh, gods. The blood. Tatianna.”

“Get him on Fluffy. Quick!” Tatianna’s hand was over her mouth when she saw the sword, how deep it was.

“I can’t. Ugh.” Arthur fell into Evie as they helped him atop the dragon. “I can’t feel my legs.”

All sounds became muffled, like they were underwater.

“Time to go!” Trystan said hollowly, picking up Evie in one arm and Lyssa in the other, tossing them toward the dragon in a siege of flying arrows. “Blade!”

“Ready, boss!” Blade saluted as they climbed atop Fluffy’s back. The throne room was in chaos as they shot for the skylight.

They were getting away. And Evie didn’t understand, didn’t know why it felt like the blood was seeping from her. She looked down at Arthur as Tatianna worked, lit hands moving over the wound.