Page 71 of Accomplice to the Villain

A wave of emotion passed over Tatianna’s features—first speculation, then suspicion, realization, and finally, relieved annoyance. Clare was exhausted just from looking at her.

“Are we at Lord Fowler’s residence?” she asked.

A gust of wind knocked them all off balance as a large basket soared overhead, and a wild-eyed gentleman with a thick mustache and curly black hair waved at them. “We’ll be right down! You two make yourselves at home!”

Clare and Tatianna sprinted for the edge to watch the basket sail into the open air. A large balloon was carrying it up and over them, above the roof, over the tree that Clare could now see held the house aloft.

Tatianna turned around and addressed the butler. “We?”

The butler gestured to the floating balloon sailing higher and higher, giving her a pointed look, his bushy eyebrows raised high.

“I told you.” He smiled. “They’re taking some air.”

Chapter 39

Evie

Evie was on top of Trystan.

Her eyes weren’t even open when she realized this. She couldsmellhim, could feel the solidness of his chest and the strength in his arms and the beat of his heart. There was no need to guess, but when she opened her eyes and looked at his face, it was nice to confirm.

Wait.

She pinched herself. “Ow!”All right, I’m awake. He was still unconscious, but his breaths were even, his face relaxed. Peaceful in sleep, and Evie fell in love with him all over again with a mere glance. The furrow between his brows was soft, his lips lightly parted, no signs of anger or even indifference.

“So pretty.” She laughed softly to herself at the memory of when she’d called him that when they first met. She couldn’t have helped it that day, either. She lifted a hand, placing it against his cheek, and it was slight, but she felt his cheek move harder against her palm.

“I wouldn’t describe him as such, but what do I know?” A voice came from the other end of the wide basket, and Evie yelped, flying backward and knocking against the basket wall. The entire thing rocked back and forth with a force that made stomach acid rise in her throat.

“Who are you? What is this?” She felt around for her dagger, but her thigh strap was empty, causing her heart to beat triple-time in her chest.

The man smiled at her, but it didn’t look at all inviting despite his handsome features. “Are you looking for that lovely little dagger, sweet?”

He took two steps forward, and she stood on unsteady legs until she was in front of Trystan’s still-unconscious body. It would’ve looked ridiculous to an outside viewer: The Villain lying supine and unconscious while his apprentice stood sentry over him. His apprentice, who didn’t reach more than a few inches above five feet tall and likely looked as intimidating as a ladybug.

Evie, of course, was terrified of ladybugs, but that was neither here nor there.

If a bug that small could be scary, so could she.

The man took a gallant bow, his long coat billowing in the breeze. “Lord Edmund Fowler, my lady. Your humble servant.”

She smiled, feeling off-kilter and oddly charmed by the gentleman’s polite greeting.

Lord Fowler?

“You’re one of The Villain’s allies, and you drugged us?”

The lord was unfazed by this accusation, appearing almost delighted by it, actually. “Yes, of course! You were on your way here anyhow, weren’t you? For my wand?”

Before Evie could ask how he knew that piece of information, the lord pulled a lever below the small flame, keeping the large white balloon overhead floating in… Oh no. Evie took a subtle peek over the side and felt her stomach bottom out to her toes. They were so high in the air she couldn’t see the ground. Just dark sky and a cluster of stars surrounding them.

The Villain stirred behind her, and Evie prayed he’d awaken soon. There was no way she could protect them both on her own, and though she considered herself much stronger than she once was, she was also a realist. The unfair smallness of her stature would likely be nothing against this man’s obvious strength; he was bigger than her and therefore a threat.

And right there was the injustice of the world laid out in the plainest terms.

She had to play this the right way. The only way she knew how.

With distracting sweetness.