Assistant to the Villain, #3
Accomplice to the Villain
by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Contents
Chapter 26
Overview
Trystan leads Sage and the group to the Curse Consultant’s cove, doubting the plan yet driven by revenge and the prophecy. Along the cautious route, Kingsley secretly tags along and Trystan quietly helps him communicate. At the shimmering waterfall, tension spikes with a swarm of bats, then escalates when Tatianna and Clare suddenly scream, cutting the approach short.
Summary
Trystan pushes forward to the Curse Consultant despite second thoughts, fueling himself with the promise of beating Benedict to the prophecy and toppling the king. His thoughts keep circling back to Sage, whose presence and memories of intimacy complicate his single-minded drive for revenge.
The group rides through Hickory Forest by indirect routes to avoid the king’s men. A large bat startles Sage and Trystan, heightening nerves. They reach the cove and dismount, the waterfall’s magic radiating as a rainbow shimmers overhead. Sage soothes her anxious horse with playful confidence, which unnerves Trystan by how much joy it stirs in him.
Kingsley, still a frog, hops up holding a sign. Anticipating this, Trystan quietly drops chalk pieces so Kingsley can write, a small kindness he tries to hide. Sage catches him and teases about a possible sacrifice; their banter shifts when Trystan calls her tastes frivolous and Sage firmly claims her right to joy, revealing a sore history that makes Trystan regretful and protective.
As Trystan searches for the consultant’s summoning sigil, the tension breaks abruptly: Tatianna and Clare scream. The party’s approach to the cove halts on a cliffhanger, danger or discovery imminent behind the waterfall.
Who Appears
- TrystanLeads the trek to the Curse Consultant, torn between revenge and growing feelings for Sage; discreetly aids Kingsley.
- SageApprentice traveling to the cove; playful yet assertive about her right to frivolity; nearly startled by bats.
- TatiannaHealer uneasy about bats; her sudden scream signals new danger at the cove.
- KingsleyCursed frog prince who stows away; uses a sign and chalk Trystan provides to communicate.
- ClareCompanion on the journey; her scream with Tatianna ends the scene on a cliffhanger.