“I’m afraid of ladybugs,” she said, nodding seriously.
Trystan gawked openly, looking to the ceiling, wondering how on earth he’d gotten here. Apologizing to an employee—badly, he might add—because somehow the conversation had been diverted to insects.
When he didn’t say anything, she added, “The spots scare me.”
“Of course they do,” he said defeatedly. “Sage, I was attempting an apology?”
“Oh, right! Sorry, go on!” She looked embarrassed as she took a step back and gestured her hands forward for him to go on.
Sighing, he continued. “You have done nothing that would indicate to me you are incapable or unworthy of my trust. I overreacted to the letter, and it was very unfair of me—”
She interrupted quickly. “The letter wasn’t—”
“I know,” Trystan said, holding up a hand to stop her. “Blade told me.”
Sage’s mouth pulled down in a frown. “Sir… You didn’t… That is to say, is Blade…?”
“Still breathing.”
“See, the way I’ve seen you torture the men you drag through here, that somehow doesn’t make me feel better,” she said blandly.
“He’s alive, unharmed, and still has a job here.” Trystan didn’t want to continue speaking of his previous mercy, as it made him feel ill. He quickly added, “As do you. If you would like to start over again.”
The already uplifted corners of her mouth pulled up higher, lighting her entire face. It made his rigid limbs feel softer, like she was liquifying his bones. Stepping toward him, Sage held out her hand.
Hesitating just a moment, The Villain clasped Sage’s hand in his.
“My name is Evangelina Sage. A pleasure to meet you. Shall I call you ‘sir’? Or ‘Evil Overlord’?”
Shaking his head, he pulled a grin, and Sage’s eyes darted to his left cheek, looking pleased. The woman was unnaturally obsessed with his dimple. “I will allow either, if you go get me one of those fried things from the kitchen. And a chalice of sugary cauldron brew.”
“Sold!” she screeched, nearly tripping over her own feet to get to the door.
“Sage?” Trystan called, immediately regretting it when she turned, looking at him expectantly. “I just want to understand…why is it that you want my trust in the first place?”
She leaned a hand against her cheek, and one eyebrow rose thoughtfully. “I want to know you, that’s all.”
That’s all? Like that sentence alone wasn’t enough to knock him completely off his axis. Sage disappeared through the doors, and Trystan leaned against the wall, sliding down until he was sitting on the floor, arms resting on his knees.
I want to know you.
Trystan felt unfettered fear as he sat there, because for the first time in a decade, the idea of that didn’t sound so very bad.
And yet, he somehow knew in his bones she was going to be the death of him eventually.
Chapter 24
Evie
Things were far too quiet.
The last week and a half of work had settled back into its average, steady rhythm. The boss dragging bedraggled men through here by their ears, still for reasons unknown to her. Two imports of weapons and other stolen goods were passed from Roselia to the manor without a single hitch.
Their office informant was slipping.
Evie was enjoying a vanilla drop, standing at the kitchen window she loved so much, which she hadn’t many opportunities to visit as of late. It didn’t hurt that Edwin had just made a fresh batch of fairy cakes, all iced to perfection. She was enjoying catching up until Becky ruined it.
“Must be nice, to act completely unprofessional and be welcomed back like nothing happened.”
Evie’s eyes rolled back in her head. She looked at Becky, who was standing in the doorway, arms crossed.
“Must be nice to be a judgmental shrew and have that excuse as a facet of your personality.” Evie smiled cheekily.
Smirking, moving over to the steaming cauldron, Becky held out her chalice for Edwin to fill. The ogre was twice her size and wouldn’t make eye contact with her. “Better a judgmental shrew than a naive fool always getting herself into trouble.”
Evie’s eye was beginning to twitch. “Don’t you have somewhere to be? Like stealing sweets from children, perhaps?”
Narrowing her eyes, Becky gripped her hot drink and stalked from the room, her skirts bouncing as she walked.
Blade jumped out of her path like his life was on the line as he entered the kitchen and walked toward Evie, all the while keeping his head turned and his eyes on Becky moving swiftly in the other direction.
He grinned wide. “She was damn unpleasant when you were gone. So glad to see her coming back to herself.”
Unlikely.
“Oh yes, because she’s just been an absolute delight all week long.” Evie shuffled back over to her desk, brew in hand, and Blade followed at her heels.
“Forget lovely Rebecka. I have something amazing I want to show you.” Blade grinned, the white against his tanned skin giving him a glow of health and vigor. “Can the boss spare you for twenty minutes?”
“I’m sure he won’t mind, considering he’s not at the manor today.” Sighing, she ignored the pinch of worry. “What is it?”
“Just come,” he urged, grabbing her hand and pulling her along. Tatianna appeared beside them, a bored expression on her face.
“Where are we going? It’s been slow.”
“No interns to patch up?” Evie inquired as the three of them began to descend the stairs. “Or the boss’s sister to tend to?” She grinned wide when Tatianna lightly shoved her.
“The boss’s who?” Blade asked, eyebrows raised. Wrapping a muscled arm around Tatianna’s shoulders, Blade leaned in close. “Share with the class—I love gossip.”
“I didn’t come along on this little excursion to be interrogated, only entertained.”
Evie raised her hand in the air. “I’m pretty entertained.” She lowered her hand when she caught the look Tatianna was skewering them with.
They walked into the courtyard, and the excitement was pulsating off Blade in waves. “Wait till you see the progress Fluffy and I have made. Leaps and bounds over everything else we’ve been trying for months.”
Both women stopped short in the entryway, exchanging a look of startled confusion. “Did you say…Fluffy?” Evie asked.
Blade chuckled to himself. “I know, but believe me when I say— Boss!”
Evie’s heart thundered, and she became achingly aware of a formidable presence hovering behind her. Her suspicions were confirmed when she heard a low voice far too close to her ear. “Are you cutting out in the middle of the workday, you ingrates?” There was no anger behind his voice, just wary exhaustion.
Evie turned to see him standing right behind her, his expression grim, dark circles under his eyes. “Blade has something he wanted us to see.” Pausing, Evie raised a hand and rubbed a finger lightly over one of the dark patches. She and The Villain must have been equally shocked by her boldness because neither of them moved. “Have you been sleeping?”
Tatianna raised a brow, smirking, and Blade seemed to find something very interesting about his shoes.
“Sleep is hardly a concern,” The Villain said, eventually grabbing her hand and pushing it back to her side. She might’ve imagined his fingers lingered on hers a second longer than necessary.
Evie propped a hand on her hip. “You’re not a machine, sir. You can still be your evil, brooding self with a good night’s rest.”
“I don’t know. I think the tired look gives him a menacing edge.” Blade nodded, patting The Villain on the shoulder, then quickly pulling his hand back to his side when he saw the eviscerating look he got as a result.
“I think it just makes him look sleepy,” Tatianna said flatly, angling her head for a better view.
“Can we possibly desist with discussing my nocturnal habits so you three can start explaining why my supposedly respectable employees are away from their posts?” He raised a brow, crossing his arms as he waited for an explanation.
Blade opened his mouth but froze when wind whipped against the back gate. Turning his head, a wide grin split his lips. “Hear that?”