Page 109 of Adversary to the Villain

Alexander took Tatianna’s shoulders; his earnest expression was met with her eyebrows shooting up. He spoke slowly, had to be understood the first time. “The king’s crest?”

Tatianna nodded, softening. “It was them, but it wasn’t. A different them, I think. It was who they would’ve been in the story. If Evie had kept her powers, if Trystan grew up…the prince. I’ve seen the outcome of that, and believe me—it’s ugly.”

Alexander went rigid.

Becky, who appeared too dazed to add anything, leaned on Blade for support. “Did you have to choose whose side you’d be on?”

Tatianna swallowed. “No. I had a choice to change the past, which in turn would change the future. A future in which Clare and I had never separated. We were married—” The healer choked on her next breath, and Clare flinched. “I said no; of course I said no.” Shivering. “It wouldn’t have been right, and I— Well, I like us now.” Tatianna gave Clare a reassuring look before asking Becky, “Yours?”

But before Becky could speak a word, Moira appeared in a cloud of sparkling mist. “Hello, my little doves. What a splendid job you did!”

Blade glared, releasing Becky only to step closer to the woman. “You put all of us through deadlands-level torment, and for what?”

Moira folded her hands in front of her. “I’ve been alive a millennium too long. I like a little entertainment occasionally, too.”

Alexander swallowed around a lump forming in his throat. “Then we’re done?”

Moira’s blue eyes glittered. “I’m afraid not.”

Tatianna tugged herself up, regaining some of her strength—enough to argue, “We all passed!”

Alexander believed it was Moira’s genuine amusement that pushed the group to catch on. Just in time for the woman to murmur, “Not all of you.”

And then, Rebecka Erring fell to the ground.

Chapter 54

Becky

Dying did not feel much like dying, to be honest. It was a lot like living. Loud.

Overly loud, now that she thought of it. There were several voices going at once. Was she in the deadlands? Were these sophisticated apparitions here to escort her to the afterlife?

“BRING HER BACK NOW, OR FLUFFY WILL FLAME YOU WHERE YOU STAND!”

An eloquent threat.

Bladen. So…she wasn’t dead, then.

In her mind’s eye, she was in a tiny room.Herroom, in fact. The cottage she’d made her home after her separation from her family and before she met The Villain. It was modest, boasting merely one bedroom, but it had a fireplace with a large, cozy chair for reading. Life’s luxuries were sweeter when she earned them for herself.

“It’s true. She did not pass,”another voice said. Moira? The librarian lady. Who didn’t pass what? Not her, surely.

“But I can grant one grand favor to those who did. Any favor.”

“Could you—save Rennedawn?” Clare asked carefully.

“Indeed,” Moira answered.

“Her.” Blade’s voice urged. “You’ll save her. And I’ll save the kingdom. But only if she’s in it.”

No one argued the point.

It was done.

And with that thought, she was sucked out the window of her cottage, her eyes shooting open. Office. She was in the office, the sunset upon them.

“Lovely Rebecka.” Blade’s hand was on her cheek, his face above hers, so tense, so panicked.