Accomplice to the Villain (Assistant and the Villain, #3)(47)

“Lionel. Let’s get on with it,” Trystan commanded, hardening himself back into his stoic mask. His safety net.

Lionel angled his head. “I can’t begin until you tell me what curse you would like my advice on.”

On cue, Kingsley leaped onto Trystan’s shoulder with a little sign that read: Halp.

“The frog prince with the crown on his head,” Clare said, her voice wavering a bit. “Isn’t that obvious?”

Lionel’s lips ticked up, making him look disgustingly smug. “I wasn’t sure if you also wanted consulting on the other curse present.”

Shock waves went through all of them.

Evie glared. “What curse?”

Lionel drove the final nail in the proverbial coffin—and Trystan had never wished so much to be inside it.

“The Villain’s, of course.”





Chapter 30


Evie


“He’s not cursed,” Evie hissed. “What a terrible thing to say.”

“Sage…” The Villain tried to silence her, but she was seething and tired of this man messing with them.

“No.” She looked at him, feeling frantic. “You can’t be cursed.” It didn’t make sense. When he’d kissed Evie’s hand after she ate the sleeping-death fruit, he’d broken the magic; he’d awoken her. They’d kissed multiple times since then—if he was truly cursed and her theory about true love was correct, her kiss should’ve broken it.

Unless he’s your true love…but you’re not his.

Ouch.

Before her emotions could get the better of her, she pretended she was somewhere else. Or someone else. Someone less feeling, someone whose emotions weren’t so potent she sometimes couldn’t breathe.

Lionel looked unfazed as he plucked a blade of grass and squeezed it between his fingers. “I’m afraid it’s true. It’s different from any curse I’ve ever sensed. Doesn’t seem to be enchantress-born.” He hovered a hand near Trystan’s head, and The Villain slapped the consultant’s hand away. Lionel merely laughed. “Yes. All curses have an unnaturalness to them, but this is different. This isn’t just unnatural. It’s unbalanced. You’re unbalanced.”

Tatianna muttered, “We already knew that.”

Evie couldn’t laugh. She still felt like she was choking.

Lionel angled his head at Kingsley, who had been sitting quietly the last few moments. “Now, onto your froggy friend. Hmm?”

He picked up the frog and began his inspection, but Evie was overwrought, and no amount of self-talk could get her feelings under control. She needed privacy; she needed a moment, just one clear breath.

Tears burned behind her eyes, and she couldn’t bear for anyone to see them. “You can brief me when you’re done. I need some air.”

No one stopped her as she turned on her heel and walked toward where they’d left their horses. Everyone in the group had the good grace to not point out that one didn’t typically need air when they were already outside.

She kept walking until she was hidden behind a tree, sniffling and furious at the tears spilling down her cheeks. The branches swayed above her in the gentle breeze, and her dagger tingled against her thigh. She rubbed her knuckles against her leg, trying to rid herself of the feeling, wondering when the last time she’d felt this heartbroken was. A fallen leaf slowly floated down, landing softly on her shoulder.

Think of me when you’re with the trees.

The reminder of the cloud creature was everywhere, all around, in every bit of bark and every branch, and it hurt. It all hurt. This was the price of feeling too deeply. Evie knew she was capable of the wildest, most uninhibited joy…but her pain was just as great.

Pain was something she hid, twisting herself into knots, trying to clear more space for the people she cared for.

And she had only herself to blame for it. This was who she was. It was far too late to change.

Slouching, she bent to put her hands on her knees, taking a large inhale, and then her breath stopped. Because galloping a mere thirty feet away, through an array of trees, was Benedict and a handful of Valiant Guards, riding right for the clearing.

And right for her friends.

Evie bolted, running for the people she loved at a full sprint, reaching them while heaving unsteady breaths. “Benedict.” She wheezed, clutching her middle. “He’s coming!”

Trystan’s hand found her shoulder, and his magic did, too.

“You bastard,” Lionel boomed. “You led the king here?”

“We’re both wanted for crimes against the crown, Lionel,” Trystan bit out, furious. “Why would we ever do something like that?”

“I don’t know, nor do I care. Rennedawn’s magic is fading into the earth, and it seems to strike a piece of land hardest when Benedict’s around. I want you all gone. NOW!”

“C’mon,” Trystan yelled, spinning Sage, then shoving at his sister and Tatianna. “Quickly!”

They ran for the horses, mounting with haste, and when the yelling began behind them, they rode as fast and far as they could. Evie was still not a gifted rider by any stretch of the imagination, but she was a little proud of herself for keeping her seat even when her steed began leaping and bounding over fallen logs and debris.