Assistant to the Villain, #3
Accomplice to the Villain
by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Contents
Chapter 34
Overview
Evie finally confronts Nura about years of tiptoeing around her mother’s fragility, admitting anger and stolen childhood. Nura confesses mistakes and longing but loses control of her magic, which Evie deflects with her dagger. Evie sets boundaries and leaves. Trystan unexpectedly intercepts her and pulls her into a closet.
Summary
Evie enters the shared chamber to find Nura tenderly showing Lyssa blue butterflies, a scene that triggers Evie’s envy and memories of managing her mother’s moods. Evie masks her feelings, sends Lyssa to check on Edwin, and prepares to broach long-buried grievances.
Alone with Nura, Evie admits fear that honesty will wound her mother. When Nura invites candor, Evie reveals how she learned to be endlessly pleasant to avoid upsetting Nura, sacrificing parts of herself without being noticed. Nura, tearful and glowing with starlight, confesses abandoning her daughters after believing she killed a child and later fleeing the king, leaving clues only Evie could follow out of longing and hope for forgiveness.
Evie acknowledges Nura’s suffering but asserts her own: her girlhood was stolen, and Nura did nothing to stop it. She asks for time and moves to leave. As Nura’s magic flares uncontrollably, Evie catches and reflects the beam with her dagger, averting harm and ending the exchange.
Evie departs, refusing to resume the old pattern. Outside, she collides with Trystan, who steadies her and immediately pulls her into a dark linen closet, abruptly shifting from family confrontation to whatever urgent matter he brings.
Who Appears
- EvieProtagonist; confronts Nura about abandonment and caretaking, sets boundaries, deflects a stray magic blast, then is pulled away by Trystan.
- NuraEvie’s mother; attempts reconciliation, admits past mistakes and fear, loses control of starlight magic during the tense exchange.
- TrystanEvie’s boss; appears at the end, steadies her, and pulls her into a dark linen closet, signaling urgency.
- LyssaEvie’s younger sister; shares a tender moment with Nura, then leaves at Evie’s request to give them privacy.