Accomplice to the Villain (Assistant and the Villain, #3)(99)

In one quick movement, the man grabbed the front of her helmet and swung her body into the cage doors. Gideon growled, unsheathing his sword and slicing at the arm banded around him until he was released. He could hear Keeley clashing with the other knight, but Gideon couldn’t help her if he was run through. His opponent’s sword slammed against his, sending vibrations up his arm. Shoving at the man, Gideon sliced for his thigh, striking a gash through the gaps in the armor; he went down. Gideon raised his sword high again, ready to end this, but before he could, Keeley was behind the knight, slitting his throat.

He dropped beside the second guard, who appeared to already have been dispatched by Keeley seconds prior. Gideon’s eyes found her face, helmet discarded, breathing heavily, knife bloodied in one hand, her chest moving beneath the other.

She nodded at Gideon, and he nodded back, unable to speak properly through his shock, but he managed to finally utter a shaky, “Thank you.”

Keeley stared at him, her gold eyes boring into his with an emotion Gideon couldn’t describe. “You’re welcome, sir knight,” she said softly.

After they dragged the two bodies into an empty cell, out of sight, Keeley dropped to her knees, unfolding the map Gideon had drawn, spreading it out onto the stone floor slowly so as not to tear it. The thoughtfulness she put into caring for something he’d created made him feel funny.

Her golden brows pinched, focused, as she spread out a small wrinkle in the corner.

He hit his chest.

Terrible indigestion.

“All right. I’ll distract her from the front while you slip the leash on, and then we’ll lead her out.”

Gideon shook his head. “That won’t work. We were counting on the female guvre to walk herself out of here, but she’s been sedated. We don’t have enough strength between the two of us to drag her out.”

“How do you know she’s under sedation?”

“Look at her.”

The female guvre stumbled into the rocks, dragging her claws across the ground to get to the meager water bowl, which was filled with bugs and dirt. “Those guards likely just gave her a dose. We’ll have to wait until it wears off.”

Keeley threw her hands up. “We can’t do that! We’re sitting ducks here.” Gideon opened his mouth, but Keeley cut him off. “Don’t make a joke about rubber ones right now or I will kill you.”

Gideon closed his mouth.

Keeley sighed, rubbing at her eyes and wincing when she straightened her back.

“Does it still hurt?” Gideon came up behind her, hovering a hand over her back but not daring to touch her.

“Yes. But I’ve been hurt worse.” She shrugged like that sentence didn’t pulverize his insides. “This is like a beesting.” She looked up at him through her golden lashes. “If we stay too long, another round of guards will come for a shift change.”

“They’ll be a while. They likely had just begun their shift. By the time the new guards get here, most of the sedative will have worn off.” Gideon watched Keeley, swallowing hard.

“And if it doesn’t wear off in time?”

“Then you take her left leg and I’ll take the right.”

In other words?

They’d be dead.





Chapter 62


Evie


Evie Sage had only seen the Lilac Sea once as a child.

It had been on her sixth birthday, the sky had been clear of any clouds, and the funniest little birds had swooped down to steal a piece of her cake. Her father had yelled to shoo them away, kicking up sand as he went, face red with anger, but Evie hadn’t been angry at all.

When her father slipped away with Gideon to fish, Evie cut the largest piece and snuck over to the little cove where the gray birds flapped and cooed. She’d slid down the rock to dip her toes in the water, thinking she’d never seen anything so purple.

“Excuse me?” She’d cautiously attempted to get the birds’ attention. All at once, they had turned toward her, ready to launch at the frosting-covered pastry in her hands, and then halted. Perhaps remembering her angry father tearing after them, scaring them.

Evie hated to be scared.

“It’s okay.” She’d smiled, dropped to her knees. The sand was soft beneath the thin dress she wore. “There’s enough for all of us.” Ripping off a piece, she tossed it to the nearest bird. It crept forward and snuck a bite, and Evie saw that a large notch of feathers was missing on its left wing—a wound that had never healed. “Did someone hurt you, little bird?” she asked, her soft heart squeezing painfully.

The bird hopped forward, pecking lightly at her palm, so she gave it another piece and it nudged its head into her hand. “My mama says scars are signs we’ve lived bravely.” She stood and curtsied. “You are a valiant guard to me.”

She’d spent the rest of her birthday feeding the birds and watching the Lilac Sea ebb and flow, so open, so mysterious.

It was the best birthday she’d ever had.

Although this one was proving to be the most interesting.

Evie, Trystan, Tatianna, and Clare rode down to the docks, hoods over their faces for anyone who looked too closely. They couldn’t afford to be stopped again. Kingsley was growing less and less respondent, and in turn the boss was growing less and less patient.