Assistant to the Villain, #2
Apprentice to the Villain
by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Contents
Chapter 11
Overview
Evie leads Trystan through a dangerous escape from the palace, trusting a ravine plan that ends with Fluffy carrying the group to safety. During the flight, Trystan’s trust and protectiveness make Evie realize she is in love with him.
The escape is not a true resolution, because Trystan shifts focus to the imprisoned guvres and the potential consequences for magic, nature, and the Mystic Illness. Tatianna’s final warning suggests the guvre crisis has already escalated.
Summary
Evie and Trystan flee the palace terrace through the gardens toward Hickory Forest while arrows and guards pursue them. Evie notices that Trystan is physically and emotionally worn down by the king’s captivity, which stirs protective anger in her. Trystan warns that Evie’s taunting of the king has made her a target, and his intense reaction to her joking about danger reveals how seriously he fears threats to her life.
Instead of heading directly for the manor, Evie insists on going to the ravine, telling Trystan to trust her plan. When her gown slows her, Evie asks Trystan to tear off the hem. The charged moment heightens Evie’s awareness of their mutual attraction, though she believes Trystan will not act because of his professional restraint.
Guards discover them, and Trystan shoves Evie ahead, urging her to run. Evie sprints for the ravine, and Trystan deliberately keeps pace with her rather than escaping faster. When Evie takes Trystan’s hand and tells him not to let go, he follows her over the edge with only minimal hesitation, convincing Evie that he would trust her even off a cliff and making her realize that she loves him.
Evie’s plan succeeds: they land on Fluffy, the purple, scaly creature waiting in the ravine. Blade pilots Fluffy, and the rest of their companions are already aboard. The group escapes into the sky, taunting the baffled guards below while Evie feels immense relief that her friends are alive and together.
As they fly away, Trystan refuses Blade’s joking request for a paid holiday because the imprisoned guvres remain a serious problem. Trystan explains that keeping the guvres contained may worsen the Mystic Illness, disrupt nature, and risk catastrophic consequences if a hatchling is imprisoned. Tatianna then warns him that they already have bad news, implying the guvre situation has become more urgent.
Who Appears
- Evie SageLeads the escape plan, trusts Fluffy will be waiting, and realizes she loves Trystan.
- TrystanEscapes palace captivity, protects Evie, trusts her ravine plan, and warns about the guvres.
- KingsleyClings to Trystan during the escape and remains with the fleeing group.
- FluffyPurple, scaly creature waiting in the ravine to carry the group to safety.
- BladePilots Fluffy during the escape and jokes about deserving a paid holiday.
- TatiannaTaunts the guards during the flight and hints at bad news about the guvres.
- BeckyBelieves the guvres are safely contained and drops a rock on the pursuing guards.
- ArthurEscapes with the group on Fluffy and laughs at Becky’s retaliation.
- ClareTravels with the escaped group and fusses over Arthur after the battle.