Assistant to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain, #1)

by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

“Why am I being punished because someone is trying to blow you up?”

Two guvres are also as bad as one male overcome with rage.” “So destruction is his solution?” Evie rolled her eyes, pushing her loosened hair out of her face. “Men,” she scoffed.

“I’m not dead, just a little less alive.”

“Who’s that?” Blade asked, looking uncomfortable. “Oh, and who are you?” “He’s the host of the party.” Evie rolled her eyes. Blade frowned sympathetically. “Oh, well, other than the melting people, I think it’s going really well.”

A man terrified of a woman’s tears? I never would have guessed.

“You all are valiant and brave. I should’ve known better. You see, I have my monthly cycle.” One of the knights choked, and she was pretty sure another dropped his sword on his foot. Women’s tears scared men, but the functions of the female body clearly sent them into apoplectic fits.

The Villain was almost certain that if there had been an attempt made at conceiving with Sage, he would remember. Vividly.

Evangelina Celia Sage was woven into his being; in the blink of his eyes, in the crinkle of his smile, in his rusty unused laughter, she was there. From the moment he’d met her, he thought of her like the sun. Bright and vibrant, untouchable. But he was wrong. She wasn’t light; she was color. Every single one, dancing otherworldly and bright over his unworthy eyes. She was the explosion of the vivid gleams and glows of the world around him, like a constant rainbow, shining not after the rain but during. She was everything he never deserved but longed for anyway.

“Did your parents have you in plays growing up? You’re quite theatrical when you want to be.”

“I suppose we should be concerned for Ms. Erring, since she was with them as well.” Evie waved her hand dismissively. “Oh, she’ll be fine. Evil never dies.”

“I think one assistant against several well-trained royal guards is a bit of an unfair fight. Don’t you?” “I can handle myself just fine.” Evie narrowed her eyes as he spun her around to face him. A twinkle shone in the dark depths of Trystan’s stare. “I wasn’t worried about you.”

“We’re all monsters in the end. At least mine lives in the light.”

“Oh my— My father is a monster, and my mother’s abandoned me. Of course I’m evil now! That’s, like, every villain’s origin story, right?”

“What could be better…for The Villain’s whore.” Evie closed her palm and her eyes, feeling the burn of pain in every pore, feeling it pulse in her blood. “Actually,” she rasped out. She opened her eyes. “I’m. His. Fucking. Assistant,”