Page 110 of Apprentice to the Villain

Moving to leave, she then heard Reid call after her. “Little assistant!”

She turned slowly, wincing when she saw all three of Becky’s older brothers staring at her, weapons in hand.

Reid stepped forward with a wide, welcoming grin. “Care to try your hand at combat?”

Her mouth dried out and her heart did an odd stutter at the prospect, but the dagger at her thigh hummed, the scar on her shoulder with it. “Oh, no thank you. I’m not much of a fighter.”

Raphael stepped forward then—the one who seemed to like her the least, perhaps because she’d called him an asshole… But his hazel eyes weren’t angry, merely stern as he assessed her with a speculative glance. “Perhaps you should change that, Ms. Sage.”

She took a step toward them, a sharp clarity cutting through the fog that had fallen over her senses, along with a pounding resolve.

Perhaps she should.

Chapter 67

Evie

“Remember, you want to get the dagger from me.”

“Iwantyou to get off me. So I can stab you with it.” Evie glared at Reid hovering above her, his boyish face grinning as he pinned her to the ground for the fourth time in the last half hour. Her training thus far had the success rate of a wet blanket.

The night had grown dark beyond the torches circling the sparring gardens. Stars twinkled above in greeting, as if waving down to the lush gardens below; the brightest star seemed to glint harder when she looked at it. The back garden was clearly designed for training and combat. Even the plants that sprouted up from the ground were as deadly as a Fortis warrior—and as pretty. Reid had explained that the pink flowers twisting up in the air caused instant death the moment they hit a person’s tongue…or instant healing. It depended on which one you picked.

Becky had wandered out shortly after Evie to watch her flounder. She’d nearly had a heart attack when Becky plopped one of the pink flowers right in her mouth.I’ve yet to choose wrong, she’d said.

The HR manager stood off to the side, rolling one of the weapons from the small armory cart in her hands. “Reid, your knee is about to go into her kidney.”

“Reid, your knee is already in my kidney,” Evie gritted outas she shoved at him. The scene was almost uncomfortably reminiscent of when Otto Warsen had her pinned to the ground, hands wrapped around her throat. The memory brought back the panic, the fear…the rage.

She brought her knee up to his groin—hard. Every man within a twenty-foot radius winced as Reid toppled over and Evie climbed to her feet. Reid wheezed, “That was a cheap shot.”

Evie pouted. “I’m afraid there are no cheap shots when one is defending themselves.” She leaned down, and Reid gulped. “The last man who pinned me down like that has his head adorning our rafters. I think I was gentle just then…all things considered.”

Reid crawled away, nodding gratefully.

One of the torches encircling the sparring grounds flickered, drawing her attention to a tree that was dotted with glowing fruit. One she recognized.

“The sleeping-death fruit you got me came from here?” Evie asked Becky, wandering over and plucking the peach-like fruit from the lowest branch. The soft fuzz tickled her palm. She smiled wistfully, shaking her head.A poisoned peach.

Raphael ripped the fruit from her hand and squashed it under his boot, waving a finger at Becky. “I told Reid not to honor that request, Rebecka. What in the deadlands would ever goad you into eating one of the world’s most deadly magical fruits?”

Evie stared at him, deadpanning: “I thought it would taste better than regular poison.”

Raphael clutched his head with both hands. “You keep odd company, Rebecka. What manner of beast is she?” The man was incredulous, clearly not used to being challenged—on anything.

Becky picked at her nails. “I don’t know. I’ve been trying to figure it out for months.”

A cry sounded from behind her as Reid slammed into her back, and Evie panicked. She hadn’t realized they were still sparring! Her arms flew everywhere until her elbow connected hardagainst— Oh gods. Reid’s nose. He released her instantly, blood dribbling down his face.

“You’re bleeding!” Evie sounded a little too delighted. She hoped no one noticed.

“Amazing,” Reid said, bringing a handkerchief up to dab at his nose. “What would you call that move?”

“Flail until you hit something.”

Reid playfully slung an arm about her shoulders. “If it works, it works! Right, Raphael?”

Raphael grunted, moving to pick one of the pink flowers. The color made her realize something odd.