Page 31 of Assistant to the Villain

“It was a very cute bird,” Evie said defensively.

He nodded, unfazed. “I’m sure it was.”

“Are you a prince?” Honestly, had her sister found a pound of sugar before they’d arrived here?

“I am not.” His voice was flat. He somehow didn’t seem irritated by this interaction, but then again, she supposed, he was used to dealing with her ramblings every day.

Lyssa didn’t seem to hear him, staring at him with quiet wonder on her face.

Evie narrowed her eyes at her sister’s bedraggled clothes. “Aren’t you supposed to be at school?”

“It’s a holiday,” her sister said quickly, looking guilty.

“Oh, really?” Evie tapped her chin, crouching down to look her sister in the eye. “What holiday is that?”

“Your hair is a mess, Evangelina,” Lyssa said, scrunching her nose.

“You’re changing the subject.”

“So? You do it all the time.”

“Not on purpose!” Evie threw her hands in the air, abruptly remembering their audience. The Villain, orTrystan, was eyeing them like a zoo exhibit, a faint twinkle in his dark eyes.

“We’ll discuss this later. Where is Papa?” She rubbed her temples, trying to stave off the beginnings of a headache.

“He went into the village to have a drink with some of his friends.”

“A drink?” Evie asked incredulously. His mood and health had been noticeably better the last couple of days, but he hadn’t had the energy or the will to venture into the village for anything other than visits to their local healer inyears.

It wouldn’t last, and Evie wouldn’t let herself hope for it. But she could see the joy radiating from Lyssa, finally seeming to have one healthy parent, and she refused to be the one to take it away from her merely because of her suspicions. “That’s…wonderful.”

Lyssa nodded, tossing a wide grin at The Villain like a weapon. “Are you staying for dinner, Mr. Maverine?”

The magnificent horses with the carriage chuffed impatiently, drawing her boss’s eye toward them.

“I cannot, I’m afraid. There is much work to be done, and the day is not yet over.” He removed one of his black gloves and reached out a hand toward Lyssa. She immediately put her hand in his as he bowed over it.

“It was a pleasure to meet you, Lady Lyssa.”

She giggled, and Evie felt like her chest was about to erupt for all the fluttering going on inside it.

A stray “ribbit”from the carriage caught Lyssa’s attention as she leaned past both Evie and The Villain to look. Her face scrunched, but her young eyes were delighted. “Is that frog wearing a crown?”

Evie and her boss turned back toward the carriage. Kingsley was holding another of his signs, this one reading HALP.

The Villain reached back, quickly ripping the sign from the animal. “Give me that, you little traitor.” His words came out on a growl, which morphed quickly into a cough when he saw Evie’s and her sister’s amused expressions.

After dipping into a small curtsy, Lyssa spun on her heel, then ran back toward the edge of the house, where two other little girls waited. All of them giggled as they ran off.

“She’s in big trouble,” Evie said grumpily.

“Go easy on her—she’s young,” The Villain said diplomatically.

Evie turned toward him, planting her hands on her hips, a look of mock outrage on her face. “Aren’t you supposed to be evil?”

“Encouraging children to neglect their education fits under that bracket, does it not?” He tilted his head as if considering it.

Plucking a stray weed from the walkway and then another, Evie said, “Where did the name Trystan come from, anyway?”