Assistant to the Villain, #2
Apprentice to the Villain
by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Contents
Chapter 72
Overview
Evie and Trystan fight the invading Valiant Guards after realizing someone has betrayed the fortress. Trystan’s death magic behaves strangely, splitting away from him to protect Evie, which suggests her connection to the magic is far deeper than either of them understood.
When Evie sacrifices herself to save Trystan from an arrow, her scar and dagger awaken with protective power and stop the attack. The chapter shifts Evie from loyal ally to someone with mysterious, active magic of her own, while leaving her collapsed and vulnerable.
Summary
Evie realizes someone has betrayed them because Valiant Guards have breached the fortress. She summons her dagger from the weapons rack with her scarred hand and steps out beside Trystan, ready to fight the six knights now surrounding them.
Trystan attacks with his death magic, but the mist unexpectedly splits. One part fights the guards while the other circles Evie’s ankles and refuses to leave her, weakening Trystan as he struggles against the attackers. When a knight rushes Evie, the mist acts on its own and kills him, though Trystan insists he did not control it.
Trystan becomes alarmed and asks whether Evie caused the mist’s behavior, but Evie denies doing anything. The strange magic continues to cling to Evie, even playing in her hair, while the remaining guards stare in fear.
The danger escalates when one knight aims an arrow at Trystan’s heart. Realizing Trystan cannot turn or shield himself in time, Evie remembers moments that reveal his tenderness, vulnerability, and love for her, then throws herself in front of him without hesitation.
As the arrow reaches Evie, her dagger reappears in her hand, and both the dagger and her scar blaze with iridescent light. The arrow breaks before touching her, revealing a new protective power connected to Evie’s scar and dagger, but the effort overwhelms her, and she collapses.
Who Appears
- EvieFaces the invading guards, discovers strange protective power, and sacrifices herself to save Trystan.
- TrystanFights the guards with death magic and realizes the mist is acting around Evie independently.
- Valiant GuardsSix attacking knights who breach the fortress and threaten Evie and Trystan.