Page 72 of Accomplice to the Villain

Dipping into a light, off-center curtsy due to the rocking basket, Evie smiled demurely at the gentleman. “Evie Sage, my lord. What an honor to be presented to nobility under such…”Dire, desperate, disastrous? Good grief, that was too much alliteration.She finished wincing. “Suchuniquecircumstances.”

Lord Fowler took her hand and bowed over it. “A pleasure to finally be introduced to The Wicked Woman. I apologize if the sedative left you feeling groggy. I asked my men to ensure they got you all to my home as gently as possible.”

Evie nodded solemnly. “I’ve always found sedation to be so.”

Lord Fowler pulled the lever below the flame again, and they sailed higher, sending Evie falling into the wall of the basket, gripping one of the ropes so she didn’t spill over the side.

What a time to have a terrible center of gravity.

“The Villain is a hard man to pin down,” Lord Fowler said with a good-natured laugh.

“I’ve never had trouble doing it,” she blurted. Were the effects of the drug still wearing off? Or was it just the damn altitude making her thoughts fall out of her head like her mind was being used as a saltshaker?

Lord Fowler seemed amused by the innuendo, however, as he scanned her—not in a leering manner but a curious one. “That, my dear, is evident. I had my men place you side by side one moment, and the next The Villain was clutching the back of your head to his chest, muttering something about taking you on a picnic.”

Even amid her panic and worry, Evie grinned. “Outside dinner, my arse.”

Fowler continued. “At first I thought he’d awoken too soon, but it appears it was something subconscious on his part.”

“Were you watching us this whole time?” she accused, her lip curling in disgust now. “You creep!”

He held up a quelling hand. “I’m no creep, Ms. Sage. I only observed for the last half hour and only for the sake of curiosity.”

“If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck…” She folded her arms, and he chuckled.

It pissed her off.

She began walking around him to the other side of the basket, hands still clasped behind her back as she stared at the night sky, noticing that the brightest one she used to watch and wish on with such reverence was no longer there. That star was now human, sitting back at the manor, and the only thing Evie had wished upon her before leaving was to be left alone.

“Ms. Sage, I can sense your distress, but as The Villain’s assistant, surely you’ve heard of his business dealings with me?” Lord Fowler asked, backing Evie up until she hit the edge. So distracted by her was he, the lord didn’t notice Evie was slowly forcing him to turn in the other direction, away from her boss’s supine form.

Until a strong arm banded around Fowler’s neck from behind and squeezed, a cool voice breaking the silence and raising gooseflesh on her arms. “Apprentice.”

Formerlysupine form.

“Ah! Villain, you’re awake. Excellent!” Lord Fowler did not seem distressed in the slightest that the kingdom’s greatest foe had his arm wrapped around his neck and, judging by the bulging vein in her boss’s forehead, he was mere seconds from squeezing until Fowler turned blue.

“Apprentice.” Trystan repeated the word, somehow managing to make it sound more scathing than he had the first time. “Address her properly or I throw you over the edge and watch as you hit the earth.”

Swoon.

Oh, wait, that’s bad. Too high up. No swooning.

Not right now, at least.

Lord Fowler smiled his deference at Evie. “Apprentice, of course.” He nodded in a gesture of respect. “Congratulations on the promotion, my dear.” She waved back awkwardly, unsure of what else to do.

“Sage. I’m threatening him. Stop waving.”

“Sorry.” She halted abruptly.

“Stop apologizing,” he ground out.

Lord Fowler’s eyes were moving between them when he said, “Fascinating. It appears you two have something of a special language.”

“Yes,” Trystan said dryly. “It’s called irritation.”

Evie’s hackles were raised at the slight, and she narrowed her eyes, addressing Lord Fowler but looking right at Trystan. “Exactly. He’s like a rash that won’t go away.”