Apprentice to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain, #2)

Trystan Maverine is a 29-year-old dark-haired, dark-eyed man with a reserved, taciturn nature. His death-adjacent, magic-suppressing powers have labeled him as The Villain; they allow him to visualize opponents’ weak spots and exploit them with lethal precision. Trystan once served King Benedict, but he refused to comply after realizing the king’s intent to exploit his power. This act of defiance led to his imprisonment, a traumatic experience that led to Trystan embracing the villainous persona others projected onto him.

For the past decade, Trystan has played the role of The Villain, though he only killed assassins and stole only from the corrupt. Beneath his hardened exterior, Trystan harbors a poor self-image, believing himself to be unlovable and irredeemable—an identity reinforced by the destructive nature of his magic. His isolation, driven by fear of harming others, has solidified his belief that he is destined to be alone.

In Apprentice to the Villain, Trystan’s relationship with Evie is central to his development. Initially, he keeps his emotional barriers high, fearing that his magic and villainous role will inevitably hurt those he loves. However, Evie’s optimism and persistence gradually break through his defenses, allowing him to open up, albeit reluctantly. Their dynamic exemplifies the sunshine/grumpy trope often used in the romance genre, with Evie’s warmth contrasting Trystan’s brooding demeanor.

As the story progresses, Trystan struggles to reconcile his identity as The Villain with the vulnerability and love that Evie draws out of him. This internal conflict mirrors his broader journey of self-acceptance and redemption. Though Trystan believes his magic defines him as a monster, Evie’s influence helps him realize that his actions, not his abilities, define who he is.

Still, at the end of Apprentice to the Villain, Trystan distances himself from Evie, fearing that he will ultimately cause her downfall. His belief that he is unworthy of love and the fear of hurting those closest to him leads him to push her away. This self-sacrificing decision is paradoxical: He genuinely believes that by removing himself from Evie’s life, he is protecting her, even though it causes both of them great emotional pain. This moment underscores that while Trystan has made significant progress, his journey toward fully accepting his worth and embracing love remains incomplete.

Evie and Trystan’s chosen family fills the offices at Massacre Manor, showing that The Power of Family is not dependent on blood kinship and revealing Trystan’s hidden capacity to care for others.

Alexander Kingsley, known simply as Kingsley, is the crown prince of the Southern Kingdom. Kingsley was accidentally turned into a frog by an enchantress who intended to kill Trystan. Kingsley communicates using small sarcastic signs and often stows away on his best friend Trystan’s journeys, much to The Villain’s frustration. Trystan’s instinct is to protect and shield his best friend, providing a glimpse into Trystan’s true nature. Kingsley uses his signs to poke fun at Trystan, maintaining their close bond despite his transformed state.

Tatianna, a healer, is another childhood friend of Trystan’s. She always wears something pink and lightens Trystan’s dark moods with humor. Once engaged to Trystan’s sister, Clare, Tatianna is now a stable and sage presence who pulls Trystan and Evie out of their emotional spirals, providing grounding when they internalize too much.

Clarissa, or Clare, is Trystan’s sister, though their relationship has been strained for the last 10 years. At the end of Assistant to the Villain, Clare joins the group at Massacre Manor, signaling her capacity for forgiveness and change. Though she still argues with Trystan, the shift in her behavior points to their growing reconciliation. The unresolved sexual tension between Tatianna and Clare mirrors the dynamic between Evie and Trystan.

Rebecka Erring, or Becky, is the office’s HR Manager. She serves as a foil to Evie: Becky is stern and pragmatic, whereas Evie is bubbly and optimistic. However, Becky was not always this way; her family’s betrayal hardened her once-bright personality. She is a symbol of the long-term consequences of betrayal and the healing power of love. Initially gruff and distant, Becky softens on becoming friends with Evie. Becky’s character arc highlights that while betrayal can change a person, love and friendship have the potential to heal even the deepest wounds.

Blade Gushiken, Massacre Manor’s dragon tamer, is Becky’s love interest and the novel’s comic relief. His relationship with Becky echoes Evie and Trystan’s dynamic, with Blade embodying the “sunshine” to Becky’s “grumpy.” Blade’s care for the dragons and guvres is essential to the plot, reflecting his nurturing side. Blade’s pursuit of Becky is persistent but always respectful. He honors her boundaries and, while protective, respects Becky’s ability to handle herself. This gives Blade’s character depth, showing him as someone attuned to the needs of those he loves.

Evie’s birth family includes her father Griffin, mother Nura, brother Gideon, and sister Lyssa.

Griffin starts the series as one of Evie’s greatest motivations; in Assistant to the Villain, she sought work because her father was supposedly too ill to provide for the family. However, Griffin is revealed to be one of Evie’s most significant betrayers: He was never genuinely ill, but working for King Benedict as a Valiant Guard; his interference caused Nura’s magic to spiral out of control, and he kept secret Gideon’s whereabouts. His most significant treachery was selling Evie to the blacksmith without her knowledge or consent. The first novel ends with Trystan imprisoning Griffin, but in Apprentice to the Villain, Griffin becomes the first evidence that Evie is transforming into a morally flexible character: She tortures him for information while he is imprisoned. Later, Griffin escapes, trapping Lyssa and revealing even more fully his self-centered, manipulative nature.

Maehrer initially portrays Nura Sage as an antagonist who lost control of her magic, supposedly killing Gideon and abandoning her family. In reality, while Nura’s magic did spiral out of control, she did not kill her son and repeatedly asked Griffin to allow her to return home. Eventually, Nura’s starlight magic transformed her into a wishing star, making her a key plot motivator: Her magic is integral to the prophecy and Evie longs to reunite with her mother. Nura symbolizes the enduring influence of maternal love.

Evie’s older brother Gideon was originally presumed dead. In reality, he was serving as a Valiant Guard in King Benedict’s castle, losing his memories as a result of Nura’s magic. By the time he regains them, Gideon uses his Valiant Guard status to save Evie and Trystan and to obtain a page from Rennedawn’s Story, a prophetic text key to the novel’s plot. Despite facing hostility and suspicion from other characters, Gideon now perseveres to support his sisters.

Lyssa, Evie’s 10-year-old sister, is independent, strong, and clever. She often takes it upon herself to “help” everyone in The Villain’s office: She teaches the dragon to breathe fire, locks Clare and Tatianna in a closet in a failed attempt to reignite their passion for each other, and leaves Evie’s notebook in Trystan’s office to force that romance to bloom with equally poor results. Griffin later exploits Lyssa’s trusting nature to escape prison. The bond between Lyssa and Evie powerfully illustrates sibling love, as Evie’s determination to protect her sister drives much of the story’s emotional depth.