What a strange day.
“They—” She swallowed hard. “They heard the guvre, and they took off with the core healer on two of the horses. The one they put me on wasn’t moving fast enough, so the knight that was holding me just threw me off.”
Evie’s eyes widened as she took in the dirt and tears on Becky’s dress as well as the bruising on her face. “While it was moving?” she yelled.
She bent over and grabbed the knife from her ankle sheath, then stomped in the direction Becky had emerged from. Evie made it about three steps before one of her boss’s arms snaked around her waist, pulling her backward.
“I think one assistant against several well-trained royal guards is a bit of an unfair fight. Don’t you?”
“I can handle myself just fine.” Evie narrowed her eyes as he spun her around to face him.
A twinkle shone in the dark depths of Trystan’s stare. “I wasn’t worried about you.”
Evie harumphed, but it was impossible to keep one side of her mouth from quirking up as she held his gaze. Becky coughed, and Evie realized her sort of nemesis was watching her make moon eyes at her boss.
Heat blistered up Evie’s cheeks as they faced Becky, a mix between bemusement and disgust on her face. “What is going on between you two—” Her eyebrows shot into her hairline as she gasped. “Gods help me. Is this all because of that little kiss?”
Evie and The Villain both sputtered, stumbling over themselves, denying the claim.
“Absolutely not!” Evie blurted.
“That was all a part of an ongoing and brilliant strategic plan.” They both knocked into each other with the way they were waving their arms.
Becky’s expression didn’t change as she limped over and leaned against a tree. “I think I’ve had enough of both of you.”
The Villain raised one imperious brow. “I beg your pardon, Ms. Erring?”
Becky sighed as she sank to the ground, her head falling onto her hands. “They took off with the core healer. Their mounts were quick, so they’re long gone by now. Probably already back to the Gleaming Palace, by my guess.”
“You’re just full of good news today,” Evie said without bite, looking around for something to warm Becky’s bare arms. “We need to get you to Tatianna, and we need to find Blade.”
Another rustle in the bushes had them all straightening, and a dark head with equally familiar dark eyes appeared. Clare. She looked frightened and, like the rest of them, hopelessly disheveled. “Well, we caught it.”
The Villain gaped at her. “How in the—”
“Don’t give us too much credit,” Clare said, sounding drained. “It got itself tangled in a tree, so we had an easy shot at it. The leaves I found are more powerful when I ingrain them with my magic.” She flexed her long, skinny fingers and pushed a strand of hair from her face.
He pulled the caller’s crystal from his pocket, waiting for it to glow in his hands before speaking. “Bring the cart, and do it quickly!”
“Where’s Blade?” Becky asked.
“He’s watching the guvre, over there.” Clare pointed to the side. When she turned back, she looked to the three of them with a quizzical expression. “Do you know where Father is?”
Trystan’s face went blank, except for the muscle in his jaw clenching ever so slightly.
“Where is he, Tryst?” Clare said, panic prickling her words.
A few heartbreaking beats went by before her boss finally said, “He was taken, assumed as…as The Villain.”
“You bastard!” Clare shouted, running toward him, then pounding her fists against his chest. “How could you let this happen! Our father could be killed, and it will be all your fault!”
Evie’s heart broke, watching him stiffen and take every strike of his sister’s fists against his chest. His arms remained pinned to his sides as he waited for Clare to slow. Her fists came softer and softer until her head collapsed onto his chest. “What if he dies, Trystan?” Clare’s voice broke. “What if he dies?”
“He won’t.” It wasn’t reassurance; it was a vow.
Clare backed up, lips still pouting, eyes still brimming with tears. When she remained silent, The Villain nodded toward all of them but didn’t look any of them in the eye. “I’m going to see if I can scrounge up some horses. I’ll remain with Blade until the Malevolent Guards arrive.”
The Villain reappeared ten minutes later with two horses. “You’ll all spend the night at the manor,” he said. Evie noticed Clare didn’t even attempt to argue, just robotically mounted a horse and held out her hands for Becky, whom The Villain lifted next to his sister.
“Will she be okay?” Evie asked, trying to appear unbothered either way.
“She’ll be fine, Sage,” he said sincerely.
Evie nodded, wishing she could go with them to the manor, wanting to stay near Trystan while he struggled with how to rescue his father. Those wishes were followed quickly by chest-splitting guilt. Her own family needed her more.
“I have to go home.” Evie sighed.
Her boss frowned for a second. “Do as you wish, Sage. Just—” He swallowed hard, then reach out and hoisted her up onto the back of the second horse in a rush of strength. “Just be careful.”
Evie nodded, suddenly not sure what to do with her hands. She nervously reached down and fiddled with the reins. “I will. And don’t worry, sir. We’ll save your father.”
He looked disappointed when his eyes met hers. “Sage, villains aren’t particularly adept at saving people.”
“You saved me,” she whispered, but he was gone, already striding away into the night, slipping into the shadows like they were welcoming him home. Her chest tightened, and she mumbled to herself, “I suppose he didn’t like the idea of sharing a horse with me.”
As Evie motioned her horse onto the road toward her house, she thought she heard Becky mutter under her breath, “Fools. All of you.”
The woman was nothing if not truthful.
As she rode home to her family, she felt a tug back in Trystan’s direction, and she wondered if that pull between her two worlds would be the thing that finally tore her apart.
Chapter 48
Evie
Evie’s pillow wasn’t under her head.
Birds chirping in the window signaled morning had come, but she wasn’t in her own bed. The events of last night came rushing back, along with the fact she’d passed out on the small sofa in her family’s comfy sitting area, with a small blanket and a pillow that had decided it no longer wanted to be under her head at some point in the night.
Groaning, she reached around for it and almost yelped when she felt a human head.
Eyes shooting open, Evie saw her sister standing next to her, a mug of steaming liquid between them. “I made you some tea,” she said so proudly Evie’s heart cracked.
She sat up slowly, her body screaming in protest. Her thigh muscles ached from the short ride home, not used to the motions of riding. When she’d returned, the cottage was quiet, her neighbor knitting on the couch. After Evie had sent the older woman home with a grateful thank-you and a quarter of Evie’s pay from the week prior, she hadn’t possessed the energy to make it to her bed.
She’d collapsed on the couch, still in her dress from the night before, torn and covered in dried blood. Evie’s face heated when she realized, and she clutched the blanket up toward her, but it was too late. It had slipped low enough that Lyssa jumped, her dark head of curls bouncing with her.
“What happened to your dress, Evie?” Her sister’s eyes were wide with horror.
“I ran into a little trouble last night, but I’m okay, and so is everyone that matters,” she said, hoping that was enough.
Lyssa still looked worried, making Evie wince, but she nodded and handed Evie the steaming mug.