Assistant to the Villain, #3
Accomplice to the Villain
by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Contents
Chapter 16
Overview
Rebecka juggles sending an urgent missive while managing Lyssa and a wary visit from Nura. Nura apologizes for earlier magical harm, begins mending trust with Lyssa, and recalls ties to Rebecka’s mother. As Rebecka fetches honey for a proposed dessert, she discovers Edwin tied and gagged, signaling an active threat inside the manor.
Summary
Rebecka tries to dispatch a raven-borne summons to her brother, but the bird is distracted by crumbs left from Lyssa’s cookie binge. She wrangles Lyssa from under the kitchen table, bantering about Trystan’s “Rules of Villainy” and the child’s sweet tooth.
Nura Sage arrives cautiously, seeking a fresh start after frightening Lyssa earlier. She proposes making a childhood dessert as a grounding exercise recommended by a magic specialist. Lyssa, protective of the kitchen, accepts Nura’s apology after Nura owns her fear-driven mistake and its consequences.
The conversation turns to history: Nura once was best friends with Rebecka’s mother, Renna, whose betrayal forced Nura into hiding. Nura says she has forgiven Renna. Rebecka, uncomfortable with the emotion, offers to fetch ingredients while Nura asks for honey and patience.
When Rebecka opens the pantry to retrieve honey, she finds Edwin, the household cook, tied up and gagged. The discovery abruptly shifts the mood from reconciliation to alarm, implying that someone hostile has infiltrated the manor and targeted the kitchen.
Who Appears
- Rebecka (Becky) ErringPOV; attempts to send a summons, supports Lyssa, mediates with Nura, and discovers Edwin bound in the pantry.
- Nura SageApproaches gently, apologizes for earlier harm, seeks to rebuild trust through cooking, and speaks of forgiving Renna.
- LyssaCookie-loving child; wary but receptive to Nura’s apology; cites Trystan’s rules and guards the kitchen.
- EdwinHouse cook; found tied up and gagged in the pantry, signaling an intruder.