Assistant to the Villain, #2
Apprentice to the Villain
by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Contents
Chapter 38
Overview
Trystan and Evie’s escape attempt worsens when Trystan accidentally knocks the keys into the rising floodwater, leaving them seemingly doomed in the locked cellar. Their near-death situation pushes their romantic tension into the open, but Trystan refuses Evie’s request for a kiss because he believes the village’s flower effects may still be influencing her.
The chapter deepens Trystan’s emotional conflict by showing that his restraint comes from care rather than indifference. Kingsley’s sudden arrival through the shattered window changes the immediate stakes, offering a possible rescue just as drowning seems inevitable.
Summary
In the flooding cellar beneath Helena’s theater, Trystan and Evie remain trapped while water pours in from above. Trystan tries to use a shoe to knock the keys from a table, but Evie’s teasing remark about performance anxiety exposes his frustration and the tension between them.
When Evie clarifies that she meant Trystan’s magic, Trystan reveals that he surrendered his power as the condition for entering Heart Village because Trystan did not want Evie to face the village alone. Trystan keeps trying for the keys, but the attempt goes wrong: the keys fall into the rising water and sink out of reach.
As the water climbs from Trystan’s knees to his waist and nearly reaches Evie’s chest, Trystan lifts Evie to keep her breathing. Evie accuses Trystan of being too nice, which unsettles him because Trystan is frightened of losing Evie and does not want to admit the depth of his feelings.
Facing what seems like imminent drowning, Evie asks Trystan to kiss her. Trystan desperately wants to, but he stops himself because he believes Evie’s request may be caused by the lingering effects of the Heart Village flowers, and Trystan refuses to take advantage of her impaired judgment.
Before the moment can go further, a high window shatters. Trystan shields Evie from the falling glass, and something small and slimy lands on Trystan’s head. Evie recognizes the newcomer as Kingsley, suggesting unexpected help has reached them.
Who Appears
- TrystanVillain POV; powerless in the flood, protects Evie, and refuses to exploit her vulnerability.
- Evie SageTrapped with Trystan, teases him, confronts their impending death, and asks him to kiss her.
- KingsleySmall, slimy ally who crashes through the cellar window at the chapter’s end.