Trystan narrowed his eyes before saying in a pinched, breathless voice, “Fuck. You.”
“I second that,” Evie said from the ground, drawing the attention of every man surrounding her.
“And that brings me to you, Ms. Sage!” The king turned around and started walking toward her.
“Don’t touch her, Benedict.” Trystan’s voice was raw as he pulled once again at his chains.
“You were supposed to be my sweet little savior, but it turns out you’re just as rotten as your father said.”
She glared at him. “My father was a liar. But you…” Evie slowly stood, brushing the leaves from her skirts and the blood from her lip. “You’re a coward.”
The king smiled at her. Not the charming one he’d arrived with, but a sinister one, a vindictive one. It didn’t look natural; it was almost…villainous.
“I’m afraid I need my guvres back, Ms. Sage,” he said. “You see, without her mate, my guvre was unable to produce any venom in all my time with her. But now, it would seem, she does.”
“You’ll get them over my cold, dead body,” she said, smiling. “Or yours.”
“I’m so glad you said that.” The king’s cape swept behind him as he returned to Trystan, who was still being held back by two knights. “I’m afraid you’re going to need to come with me. It would seem you’re of more use than I originally suspected.”
The king turned to Evie with a sad tilt of his head. “You, my dear, are not.”
Evie felt large arms close around her and a familiar vile scent flood her senses.
“No! Benedict!” Trystan was going wild, tearing at the chains and the knights so hard, a third had to join in restraining him. “Let her go, Warsen, or this day will be your last.”
“Such pretty threats!”
Evie was disgusted to find her suspicions confirmed when she heard Otto Warsen’s voice in her ear.
“Thank you for the cuffs, Mr. Warsen. You’ve been most helpful.” The king nodded at the blacksmith.
“I’m going to kill you,” Trystan vowed calmly. “I am going to rip your heart out of your body, and I will watch the life leave your eyes.”
“I believe I’ll see the light leave yours first,” the king said in a mock whisper before turning back to Evie and Mr. Warsen. “You may finish her off as you please; just be sure to save the body. I’ll have use for it after she’s gone.”
Evie began to shake, the panic at finding herself once again in this situation with Otto washing through her like a fast-acting poison.
“No, Benedict, no! Please.” The Villain’s voice cracked, pained, shattering his composure.
Evie felt tears burn before flowing down her face.
“Please, I beg you. I will do anything you ask, anything you want. Anything, if you’ll spare her. Just please—I beg you to spare her.”
When Trystan, The Villain, dropped to his knees, Evie cried.
“I. Beg. You.”
Stop, she wanted to scream at him, don’t lower yourself for me. Don’t bend your will. I’m not worth it.
The king for a moment had a genuine look of emotion—surprise. With wide eyes, he lowered on his haunches to look Trystan in the face. “I believe I underestimated your attachment to this woman. I merely believed her to be someone who worked for you.
“But I see now. I understand.” King Benedict smiled, placing a hand on Trystan’s cheek. “No, I won’t do this.” He stood up and motioned to one of the knights, who brought a large syringe forth.
Mr. Warsen’s hand closed around her mouth before she could warn him.
“I won’t make you watch.”
Trystan’s eyes widened at the words, and he opened his mouth to yell, but the needle was already thrust under his skin, the liquid being pushed into his blood.
Evie screamed on the other side of Mr. Warsen’s thickly gloved hand, thrashing and squirming, trying to get free.
But Trystan’s eyes rolled back into his head, and he hit the ground with a thud.
“Take him to the back cart and lock him in—that should keep him down until we return to the Gleaming Palace.” The king nodded to Otto, and Evie couldn’t believe that mere minutes ago, she had been laughing with Trystan, planning an office tea party, thinking that things might end up okay.
“You stay behind.” The king motioned to two of his knights. “Allow Mr. Warsen to kill her himself, but then ensure he returns the body to me promptly.”