Page 40 of Adversary to the Villain

“Your chambers,” Trystan said. “Where you will stay locked up until morning, do you understand me?No morerunning off.”

Lyssa nodded somberly.

As they ran, Trystan didn’t release Evie, carrying her like he was afraid she’d run in the opposite direction if he let go. It gave her a perfect view of his handsome face, devoid of emotion.

“The locks failed,” he stated matter-of-factly. “We’re about to see a large group of individuals.”

He shrugged, then added what would make most mortals crumble in fear.

“And they all want me dead.”

Chapter 18

Gideon

Gideon Sage was a frequent daydreamer. Though most of them, of late, were wholly unrealistic visions of a golden-haired captain with a snub nose and rose-petal lips.

The nightmares Gideon had tended to be much more realistic by half…specifically the one he was currently living. Where his baby sister was stolen right before his eyes. And he didn’t save her.

“Lyssa!” Gideon bellowed. “Lyssa, where are you?” He rounded another corner of the manor’s tallest tower. The storm raged outside, thunder booming and wind howling.

And then another nightmare appeared.

Gideon stumbled back, nearly dropping the torch in his hand.

It was a nightmare; it had to be. Because there was no conceivable reason one of Gideon’s superiors from his time with the Valiant Guard could be standing before him. The man looked paler, gaunter. But still just as fucking mean.

“Gideon.” Captain Lucius sneered, in possession of a knife that looked frighteningly like the one he had used on the younger recruits when they complained of wounds or fatigue.

Not much had changed.

Gideon’s old captain swung for him, slicing the knife down his arm in a rough sweep. On an inhale of pain, Gideon collected himself enough to move out of reach on the next swing, slamming Lucius hard into the wall. The upper hand was his for only a moment more, though, until a new aggressor wrapped fingers around his neck, shoving him to the ground as another familiar face appeared above him.

Captain Damon. Or, more fondly to his recruits, Captain Demon.

Well, this was bloody fantastic. He was going to die.

Gods, would he leave this world without ever kissing Keeley again? Telling her how he truly felt?

Or worse—never figuring out where the fucking lemon scent came from?

No.

Because his thoughts seemed to summon her, and Keeley appeared like a beacon of golden light, launching at Captain Demon, slamming the horrid man into the wall. “Gideon! Get up!” Keeley yelled as the brute shoved her away. And then struck her hard in the face.

She fell.

And something feral awoke in Gideon Sage.

Seeing only Keeley as she lay crumpled on the ground, he grabbed Demon by the neck, hitting him until blood spurted from his nose, then kicking the knight in the chest so hard he stumbled, crashed through the stained glass window, and began falling toward the earth. The rain blew in, soaking Gideon and Keeley, too, as she pushed to her feet, rubbing at the redness on her cheek for just a second before she launched back into the fray.

“Move!” Keeley yelled, and Gideon leaped aside, watching her drag Lucius—the man who sent most Valiant Guard recruits running for the barracks—by the patchy hair atop his head until he was cornered and held at her knifepoint. She smiled at him in such a sinister manner, Gideon felt it all the way down below his belt.

So not the moment forthatreaction, man.

By the time Gideon had collected himself, she’d already dispatched Captain Lucius, humbling Gideon with her precision, her skill. The way she looked when she dropped the body caused him to lose himself all over again.

Who knew villainy was such a turn-on?