Page 133 of Apprentice to the Villain

Nura looked at Evie, then at Trystan, then at the sky, winking. “I had a very good view.”

Her mother had seen, had been watching. And so Evie had to ask. “Mama, then you know that Gideon… You know that he’s alive?”

Nura’s hand came up to clutch her chest, her smile watery as she replied, “Yes. I do.”

Evie pressed further, knowing that she probably shouldn’t. “And Papa? You know about…him, too?”

There was no force in the world, no wrath greater than the burning rage in Nura Sage’s eyes. Her voice was as hard as granite. “I do.”

But at that moment, the time for questions had ended, as the cave around them began to rattle and shake like the earth was quaking. “What’s going on?” Evie cried, holding tight to her mother’s hand.

“I don’t know!” Trystan answered. He turned to the creature. “What is happening?”

“The magic is fading.” The creature’s voice was booming in its sadness, and the room seemed to weep with it. The stars surrounding them dripped with silvered drops, almost like tears. “It’s found us. Go—you must go now!”

A dark cloud bumped into Evie’s knees from behind, causing her to fall back onto it alongside her mother and Trystan, whose arm wrapped around her, pulling her the rest of the way onto the creature’s platform. They soared up as the cave shook again, the stars winking, the clouds misting into the air.

The cave was going to collapse, and the creature with it. She couldn’t stand any more destruction, couldn’t bear losing another thing that was pure and good. “Stop!” Evie screamed. The cloud halted as she pleaded with the creature, “Come with us. Please.”

The creature shook its head. “I will not abandon my piece. I’m sworn to protect this land for the rest of my days—no matter how numbered. But please: save Rennedawn, save the magic.” They were lifted higher still, and Evie cried out in despair. As they continued toward the exit, they heard one last refrain from the creature, and Evie knew it would haunt her for the rest of her life. “Think of me…when you’re with the trees.”

The cloud soared out of the cave, back to Blade, back to the dragon. They all fell to the ground, the very air around them shaking with debris and dust. It was impossible to see; Evie clung to Trystan’s arm, to her mother’s hand, and when the smoke cleared and they finally opened their eyes…

The cave was gone.

Chapter 83

Evie

Nura Sage was hugging Gideon so tightly and fiercely that Evie was certain her brother would never escape their mother’s clutches.

It had been agreed, upon their return, that they would wait until Lyssa woke in the morning before breaking the news. The poor girl needed at least one good night’s sleep before her world turned upside downagain. At least this time, the changes were for the better. Her mother was alive, her power subdued for the foreseeable future. As a star, she’d exerted so much energy that it had put her magic in periods of dormant sleep. Plus they had The Villain and his power, no matter how fraught. As soon as they got the mother guvre back, every tool they needed to fulfill the prophecy ofRennedawn’s Storywould be in their arsenal.

Or so she’d thought.

“What do you mean, there are four parts of the prophecy?” Tatianna asked as she examined Nura for injuries.

Nura took a sip of tea before gently placing the cup back on the table and answering Tatianna with a small smile. “I did not see everything up there. There were periods of unconsciousness, stretches where I wasn’t awake, and I could only see so much at a time even when I was. But I do know there are four objects to make the story real. I heard Benedict name four during one of his meetings. The Villain who was once kind; the youth of Fate’screatures, the guvres; the wishing starlight; and there is one more…”

Trystan was trying to temper his patience—Evie could tell by the way he started to say something and immediately stopped himself. “What is it?”

Nura looked forlorn. “I am sorry, but there are still pieces of my memories that I can’t quite grasp. I’m certain it will come back to me.”

Evie held her mother’s hand. “I’m sorry we didn’t find you sooner. Your letters were ruined, and we couldn’t sort it out.”

Her mother smiled shakily, mischief in her eyes. “Hasibsi, my darling love. The letters wouldn’t have given you a single clue to find me anyway. I knew they could fall into the wrong hands, so I left clues only my clever girl could solve.” She tilted Evie’s chin up and planted a kiss on her forehead.

Gideon stood near his mother, keeping determined eyes on her and then on Trystan. “I’ll find out what the fourth object is. Evie’s done enough. I’ll go back to the Gleaming Palace and get the book.”

“No!” Evie said defiantly. “That is too dangerous. We’ll find another way. We’ll steal the book, rescue the female guvre, find the fourth object, and fulfill the prophecy before Benedict.”

Gideon raised a brow. “Oh, is that all?” he asked dryly.

Trystan stared at her from where he leaned against the wall, eyes hard, jaw shadowed, and so much passed between them as he nodded. “Get some rest, everyone. We’ll begin our work first thing tomorrow.”

As he walked by her to leave the room, the back of his hand brushed hers, and he stumbled like the sensation had stung him. He only paused a moment, though, and then was gone.

Evie breathed in slowly. That one touch felt a little too much like a goodbye. A farewell from everything as they knew it.