Page 54 of Accomplice to the Villain

Clare propped a hand on her hip. “Obviously.”

Lionel clapped slowly and whistled. “I thank you all. I needed morning entertainment. Now, shall we get down to business?”

Evie felt indignation burning in her chest. “We won’t be doing any business with you, sir, and— That one is glaring at me. Why?” she blurted, waving a hand at the deer.

Trystan sighed beside her. “Unfortunately, Sage, we need him.”

“The glaring deer?” Evie asked, stepping closer to Tatianna when it started pawing the ground like it was getting ready to charge.

Tatianna held on to her arm, her lip curled in disgust. “He’s the Curse Consultant, isn’t he?” the healer guessed on a sigh.

Lionel gave a deep bow, and the bat did, too.

“At your service.”

Chapter 29

The Villain

Trystan hated Lionel.

And if he touched Sage one more time, it would be the last thing the reprobate did, curses and prophecies be damned.

“Was your animal attacking us necessary?” Tatianna huffed. “And the deer brigade? You couldn’t have come out and greeted us with a normal introduction?”

Lionel shrugged. “For Betsy and me, this is a perfectly normal introduction.”

They all exchanged glances.

“Betsy is the bat,” Trystan said sardonically, searching himself for patience. He didn’t find it.

Lionel folded his arms and tapped his lips, contemplating. “Wasn’t there a rumor spreading that the dragon in your care is called ‘Fluffy’?”

“Who told you that!” Trystan yelled.

Lionel snapped his fingers. “Ah, so itistrue.”

Sage tugged on Trystan’s sleeve, and he immediately gave her his attention. She was staring ahead at Lionel in disbelief. “His people skills are even worse than yours, if that makes you feel better.”

“A miracle,” Trystan replied dryly.

Remember when you used to crave quiet?

No.

Lionel tapped the nonexistent watch on his wrist. “Time is money, Villain. Let’s get down to business.”

Trystan had never gotten this far before. Each time he’d visited, Lionel had denied his services immediately, despite the exorbitant amount of money Trystan offered. Now it felt too easy.

Trystan fixed his skeptical gaze on Lionel. “Before you do anything for us, call off the troops.”

“Dismissed!” Lionel instructed, and the deer grumbled as they disappeared back through the trees. “Now, as for payment for my services.” Lionel rubbed his chin. The Curse Consultant’s shrewd eyes scanned over Trystan, then Tatianna, then Clare, then Kingsley, then…Sage. “Her.” Lionel pointed to Sage. “I’ll take the girl. The Wicked Woman would be fun bed sport, I imagine.”

Trystan grabbed the ingrate’s throat. “You will treat my lady with respect, you damn cad!” he bellowed, heat climbing his face and prickles going up his neck when he realized he’d swapped the word “the” for “my.” He hadn’t intended to say that. His mind had not approved it.

Maybe nobody noticed.

Except Tatianna and Clare—the latter with her hand over her mouth, the former cackling into the inside of her arm.