ACCOMPLICE TO THE VILLAIN

In Maehrer’s comic fantasy romance, a bubbly underling continues to rise even as she crushes on her evil boss.

Evie Sage has always been an odd fit for the role of apprentice to Trystan Maverine, who, in his role as The Villain, is responsible for causing mischief and mayhem in the kingdom of Rennedawn. Trystan is, as one might expect from a Villain, curmudgeonly and misanthropic, while Evie is as bright and cheerful as a ray of sunshine. Despite their vast differences in personality, it is becoming clear to everyone who works at Trystan’s Massacre Manor—especially Trystan’s best friend, Alexander William Kingsley (who used to be a man but has spent the last 10 years trapped in the body of a frog)—that Trystan and Evie have developed an unacknowledged romantic connection. Far from making for a productive working relationship, the tension is causing problems around the Manor, as “the two would sooner knock their heads together than confront their unspoken feelings.” The mutual crush could not come at a worse time, since the magic in Rennedawn is waning and the Villain is racing against King Benedict to fulfill a prophecy and become the “true prince” who restores magic to the kingdom. Can a Villain ever accept love and become a true prince…and can a Villain’s accomplice do her job without losing her sunny disposition? In this installment of her Assistant to the Villain series, Maehrer continues to effectively mine the fantasy setting for sendups of contemporary office culture, from uncooperative Curse Consultants to form-obsessed Human and Magical Creature Resource officers. “Trystan knew when he became The Villain that he would always be the one to make the hard decisions, even the unpopular ones,” writes Maehrer with typical wryness. “It was a job he rather enjoyed, in all honesty, but there was one standard office practice even he vowed never to adhere to. Meetings.” The busy plot may prove difficult for new readers to enter, but fans of the series will appreciate this latest episode.

A clever, tongue-in-cheek romantasy about workplace opposites attracting.