Assistant to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain, #1) (77)

She’d seen his reactions to her being harmed before, and the last thing Evie wanted or needed was for him to begin to think that she was incapable.

So she’d barely slept.

Of course, the healer did all that after forcing the entire story out of Evie as payment. Including the fact that she’d hidden her ruined hands, by some miracle, from her boss at the time of the injury.

The clanking of glass snapped Evie’s attention back to Tatianna, who was already at her worktable, crunching leaves and all sorts of funny-looking plants into jars. “What’s it like? Living with him?”

Tatianna snorted and continued working, the sun just beginning to come up over the horizon. “I wouldn’t say I live with him. I only ever see Trystan in the office or on the rare occasions his wounds need tending. If I desire company, I go to the nearest pub and find myself a beautiful woman to pass the time with.”

“What about Clare?” Evie said slyly, ignoring the daggers Tatianna glared at her over her bowl of herbs. “It seemed like things might not be finished there.”

“Oh, they’re finished,” she grumbled, mashing the herbs harder than before. “She made sure of that.”

“I think you’d feel better if you talked about it,” Evie said in a singsong voice, ducking when Tatianna chucked a spoon at her.

“I deal in secrets, darling. I don’t give them away for free.”

“Even to a friend?” Evie asked, a little vulnerability slipping through.

Tatianna huffed, but then her face softened. “Oh dear. We are friends, aren’t we? How did I let this happen?”

“Because I’m irresistible.” Evie spun around, running her fingers through her hair, laughing when she nearly lost her balance.

“Oh yes, that must be it.” Tatianna smiled.

“Well?” Evie urged, nodding to the small clock on the table. She still had twenty minutes before the boss would expect his first cauldron brew of the day on his desk, and in truth, she was eager to hear about how the two animals in the cellar were faring. “I’ve got time.”

“It’s a long story.” Tatianna groaned, like talking about her personal life was an offense against her character. “The short version is, I grew up down the road from the three Maverine siblings. Clare and I were inseparable ever since we were children.”

Evie’s eyes widened, both delighted and a little flabbergasted at what this development meant. “Does that mean…you knew The Villain—I mean Trystan—” She didn’t know why, but she’d never once thought of her boss as anything other than being born fully grown.

“Yes. I knew Trystan since we were very young.” Tatianna shifted, looking uncharacteristically uncomfortable in her own skin. Like she was unsure of herself. “It’s not really something I should be talking about with you.”

Sighing and dragging a chair closer to sit right across from the healer, Evie said, “How many of my secrets do you know?”

“You get hurt a lot, so…many,” she said apprehensively.

“So,” Evie pressed. “Don’t you think you owe me at least one? Friend?” She said the last word with wounded innocence in her eyes.

Tatianna groaned again and put her head in her hands. “You are a conniving little manipulator.” She pulled her head up, looking at Evie with a disbelieving smile. “You’ve been here too long.”

“Oh please, we’re just getting to the good part.” Evie grinned, leaning forward, and gestured for Tatianna to continue.

“What do you want to know?” A wicked look crossed the healer’s face, followed by a quirk of her brow. “Why do you want to know?”

The quickening beat of Evie’s heart was certainly just because it made her uncomfortable to be scrutinized so directly.

“Who wouldn’t?” Evie rationalized. “It’s hard to picture that man as anything but that…uh…man.” Why is it suddenly so hot in here? She stood up and walked toward the windows, pushing one out until fresh, cool air brushed against her warm cheeks. “I mean, was he always so…” She weighed her words before turning back toward Tatianna, who finished for her.

“Brooding? Grumpy? Terrible at feeling and exhibiting normal human emotions?”

“Yes.” Evie nodded.

“To which?” Tatianna asked, a confused look passing over her face.

“Yes,” Evie repeated flatly.

Standing up from her chair, Tatianna walked toward the door of the quarters. “If you must know anything, know he was hard to read even then. He always kept to himself, always doing his best to keep any attention off him.”

Evie stared, absorbing every word like precious nutrients, as the healer continued. “He had a quiet kindness to him, though.” Tatianna smiled then. “He never was around much when I would come to be with Clare. He was a few years older, so I always thought it was because he didn’t want two annoying little girls bothering him.”

“But?” Evie asked, sensing the word before it was spoken.

“But on my tenth birthday, my mother had a party for me. My healing magic had shown up a year before, when I’d nearly been crushed by a passing carriage. Everyone was thrilled; they thought I could be a core healer.”

Evie couldn’t believe the absurdity because, from her meager understanding, core healers were so rare, they were practically myth. It was normal for magic to be ignited in someone by something painful, but very rare for that person to have healer’s magic—much less core magic. But that was what core healers were. They could heal minds, bodies; some said they could heal your very soul to your core.