Summoned to the Wilds (Villains & Virtues, #2)

by A.K. Caggiano

“Is this the part where you recap our longstanding rivalry for me as if I am unaware?”

“It’s just occurred to me over the last week that we may be…friends.”

“Because you’re, you know, kind and…and nurturing? Also you happen to have breasts.” Amma glared at him and poked herself in the chest. “These aren’t working, they’re just for show!”

He dropped his voice to its lowest, most villainous pitch. “Well, I am a dark lord, Lady Ammalie. The son of Zagadoth the Tempestuous, Ninth Lord of the—” “Your dad’s stuck in a crystal,” she said, waving at him and wandering off. “Save it for next time.”

“Well, it would make you evil, and isn’t that your whole thing?” “I have standards, Amma,” he insisted. “I’m a much more civilized villain than that.”

In just a moon, your painfully sweet voice has challenged all of my darkest thoughts, your wildly inaccurate yet optimistic outlook has clouded my sight, and your incessant kindness to me—to someone who deserves not a drop of your patience and affection and good will—has undone twenty-seven years of training to be evil. For darkness’s sake, woman, you’ve made me good,

He chuckled as he made his way over to where she was heaping praise on both horses in a sugary, sincere voice because of course she was, she knew no other way to speak to dumb creatures, which was appropriate as dumb creatures seemed to like it quite a bit. He certainly did.

“I can sense your demeanor has grown irate,”—he straightened on his steed—“and I’m unsure there is anything I can say that will not worsen it.”

That sadness in her eyes sharpened, like a furry, forest creature turning feral.

“You know I’ve got a special place in the hole where my heart ought to be for you,

Damien glared up at the broken branches he’d hit on the way down. “I don’t know what Amma sees in you,”

Damien waited a moment, nudged the fallen man’s leg, and realized the dumb kid had knocked himself out. “Well, suppose I’ll take that one for free.”