Page 10 of Apprentice to the Villain

She was also excellent at keeping to a schedule, a skill the king clearly lacked. How long had they been standing here, waiting for the unmasking to begin?

Blade lifted a brow, following her eyes to the large, gilded clock that hovered between the ornate windows. He cupped a hand around his mouth as he leaned in, his breath tickling her ear. “Wasn’t it supposed to start at nine o’clock?”

“Yes!” she cried, mildly embarrassed by the outburst.

He somehow managed to look incensed on her behalf. “Unacceptable. Do you want Fluffy to singe them into ash for you?”

She arched a brow and folded her arms. “Would the dragon do that on my behalf?” Becky angled her head back to him, startled by the seriousness on his face.

“I have it on good authority the dragon would do anything on your behalf.” He blinked, almost as if coming out of a trance, before returning to his cheery demeanor. “If he ever manages to light more than a birthday candle, that is.”

There was a spell on this room—it was the only explanation for the disappointment she felt when he returned to the sunshine expression he gave to everyone. The intense one had oddly felt…like it was meant just for her.

A subject change was needed, and quickly. “Do you think they managed to—”

But she cut off on a gasp as Blade gripped her by the hips, nearly shoving her until her back landed hard against the wall, his arms caging her in the alcove.

Her heart raced, and a wild excitement heated her blood as she gawked behind the lenses of her large glasses. “Mr. Gushiken, unhand me at once!” She was too close, so close she could smell the cedar on his skin. It was disarming.

He winced, looking apologetic, but he didn’t move his hands. He kept them almost protectively around her head. “It appears my father has decided to attend his first celebration at the Gleaming Palace. I never imagined he’d come. He’s not usually one for social mingling.” Ah, she’d forgotten that Blade had grown up here, his father a political advisor to the king.

She licked her lips, and his eyes dipped along with her stomach. “I suppose it won’t do if you’re recognized.”

“No.” The rasp in his voice made her shiver.

Three loud thuds echoed throughout the vast space, calling the attention of the entire party. It caused Blade to remove one hand so they could both see King Benedict standing atop the grand staircase.

“Welcome! Welcome, my honored guests, to The Villain’s unmasking!”

The crowd bowed before cheering as several Valiant Guards came through the open doors behind the king, dragging a figure with them: a man dressed impeccably in black, from the mask around his eyes to the shiny boots at his feet. The cheers turned to boos.

“Boss,” Blade whispered, his voice laced with concern.

The Villain was dragged down the marble steps, stumbling as he went, wrists chained, mouth set in a firm, harsh line. He never flinched, not even when a Valiant Guard chained him to the pole jutting out from the middle of the raised dais on the back wall. There was already another man chained beside him—one with long red hair and a red beard.

“Arnold,” Blade whispered.

Becky turned to look at him, pausing her tumultuous thoughts.“The Core Healer’s name is Arthur.”

Blade frowned. “Are you sure?”

“Yes! And we hardly have time for this!” she chastised.

A ragged breath escaped the dragon trainer, but he kept his body angled over hers, like he was shielding her from the rest of the room as the king continued.

“Tonight, we finally end The Villain’s decade-long tyranny, and we mourn those we’ve lost by his violent hands.” The king bowed his head in solemn salute, but Becky swore she saw the tiniest of smirks flash across his mouth. “Behold The Villain’s final victim!” he announced as he raised his head. “A light forever extinguished by darkness. The daughter of a beloved knight. Our own Evangelina Sage.”

Becky felt her eyes bug out of her head as a large, adorned glass coffin was dragged through the side doors to the center of the room. The crowd hovered around it, making it difficult to see.

“This is unacceptable,” she bit out when the clock struck ten minutes past.

“Rebecka!” Blade yelled as she pushed her way through the crowd, but she stopped when her path to the gilded coffin was finally clear.

Evangelina lay within, still as death.No, this is wrong. Something went wrong.This was never the plan…

The king’s voice boomed through the room once more as Blade gripped her shoulders from behind, cursing when he saw Ms. Sage.

“Together, on this night, we enter a new era for Rennedawn, as my Valiant Guards and I begin our quest to complete the prophecy ofRennedawn’s Story. For if we fail…”