Page 68 of Apprentice to the Villain

“I think she knew you’d come looking for her, goose. The day before she disappeared again, she handed it to me with this note.” A small, rolled-up scroll, no bigger than Evie’s index finger, was attached to the pouch, wrapped in a red ribbon. “I didn’t read it,” Helena added.

“She didn’t say where she was going?” Evie asked, far gentler than she’d been a moment ago. It felt like there were two versions of herself at war. One who was screaming at the top of her lungs with rage and anger and the other sitting quietly, hurting deeply, waiting for someone to notice. To care.

Helena shook her head, finally showing a small amount of sympathy. “No. She just said to be sure you had it.”

Evie frowned but decided to take the high road. “Thank you, Helena.” And she meant it.

Helena nodded and dipped into a dramatic curtsy. “You should go. I may not be willing to turn you in, but there are plenty here who would.”

She was right; they needed to leave, but she couldn’t resist saying goodbye. “Helena?” Her cousin stopped, shiny hair glossy in the sunlight. Evie continued. “I’m sorry the magic fading…has hurt you.”

Helena’s voice was hollow. “It’s hurting everyone, Evie.”

She gripped the pouch in her hand, along with the scroll, as Helena and her actors started for the back doors to reenter the theater.

Helena halted, turning back to her cousin. “You should check the house. I always had a feeling she’d try to go back there.”

Evie shut her eyes tight, holding the dagger close to her chest. “She never came back, Helena.”

Her cousin shrugged. “Just because you didn’t see her doesn’t mean she wasn’t there.”

The dagger vibrated in her hand, her scar answering it, like they were both warning her not to creep too close to the darkness warring in her heart. Like they were urging her to hold on to herself, on to hope.

But as they all walked silently back to the bridge, with no Nura and even more of the world unveiling its ugliness to her, Evie couldn’t help but wonder if she should be warring with it at all.

Chapter 41

Evie

Once again, they were without any leads.

The ride home was solemn, quiet. Evie ignored the burning pain in her stomach from holding herself upright on the horse and the itching chafe of her thighs. It was odd how discomfort could be ignored when a greater problem presented itself. Her mind was wandering too far away, and Tatianna and Clare’s bad news wasn’t helping.

“The innkeeper said the enchantress who resided in the village hasn’t been seen in eleven years,” Tatianna said, flicking a braid over her shoulder, barely breaking a sweat.

The boss was gripping the reins of his black stallion tightly, all cool composure, almost like he was making an effort not to look at Evie. That was fine—she’d likely never make eye contact with him again anyway.

“Well, that’s wildly unhelpful,” The Villain grumbled. “Is that all the information you obtained?”

Clare looked freakishly like her brother, avoiding eye contact with Tatianna as she spoke, spine rigid. “The enchantress resides in the southern kingdom now, Trystan. Imprisoned by the king and queen for killing the crown prince.”

There was a fierce, unsettling look that passed among all three of them. Even Kingsley, whose expression was normally sweet and innocent, seemed…sharper. She was missing something,and watching them quietly communicate with their eyes made Evie feel even more like an outsider.

Tatianna seemed to notice the frown pulling at Evie’s lips, because she continued speaking where Clare had left off, looking at Evie to include her in the conversation. A kindness. “In any case, the innkeeper mentioned the enchantress’s daughter as another viable option. She was just a girl when she and her mother were in the Heart Village, but she’d be an adult now—twenty or so. Children of such powers usually inherit.”

Kingsley perked up, and he stared at Tatianna.

Trystan shook his head. “We do not have the time to traipse through the southern kingdom on a whim. There must be a better solution.”

Tatianna gave a shallow nod. “Yes, sir. We’ll keep looking.”

They rode on in silence, but Evie couldn’t seem to pull her eyes from Kingsley, who she’d think, if she didn’t know any better, looked quite sad.

…

The night grew dark as they neared the manor. Tatianna and Clare, upon their return, opted to investigate the growing manor concealment issue tomorrow, and the rest of them convened in the kitchens to plan out the next steps in finding Nura. The boss had donned a shirt, tragically, and Evie herself had changed into a comfortable pair of heels to help her stand taller and a warm red wool gown, still feeling chilled from the water and from the revelations of the day.

The smell of fresh pie crust lightened her mood as she wandered into the cozy kitchen space, smiling at her favorite window. Blade lifted a mug of cauldron brew in greeting from where he stood stiffly next to Gideon, who was sipping the brew and wincing at the taste.