Page 2 of The Heart of a Villain

Showtime.

I extend my wooden sword, jumping out of the bushes with George hot on my heels, and I shout, “This prince is mine!”

George assumes the position behind me, a stick in his hand, with a bottle of water in the other in case we get thirsty.

William blinks and then looks at Rafael, silently asking what to do, and Rafael mutters from the corner of his mouth, “No, he is mine. Get away, or I’ll kill you!”

“What he said,” our butler tells me, and amusement sparks inside me at how lost he seems in this game. William rarely participates in our antics, preferring to stand on the side and watch us carefully so we won’t be harmed.

Now, George? A whole other story.

He puffs his chest forward and speaks up, steel lacing his tone that manages to send chills down my spine. “Step away from the prince if you want to live, bastard.”

“Bastard,” William mouths in shock, and my brows furrow in confusion.

What did he call him?

“Hey! He is a royal guard,” Rafael shouts back at us and then nudges William with his shoulder, which makes the ropes around his middle that weren’t tight to begin with loosen a bit. “I’ve got your back, man.”

“Just stay in character, Rafael!” At this speed, we will be here forever. I’m already hot all over, and my stomach grumbles, demanding food.

Not to mention, worry still dances at the edges of my mind. Everything in me wants to run back to the castle to check on Mom, but Dad brought several doctors here, so it should be all right.

I can’t imagine living in this world without my mom.

My twin sticks his tongue out at me, not appreciating being told what to do, although he loves barking orders himself. That’s something he and Dad have in common. “Fine. Oh, please, save me from him!” Then his jaw drops open in shock as he drills his stare into me. “A pirate! A thief!” He sways to the side, studying George for good measure, who barely holds back his laughter.

Rafael acts any role so realistically, adapting the wardrobe and expressions like a true chameleon, that you’d think we really came to kidnap him. Sometimes, I think if one were to give him enough freedom, he’d use it to trick people around him by wearing different masks of deceit destined to lure people into his traps.

My twin loves to prank everyone, testing his boundaries, and the only person he never tries to impersonate is me.

And thank God for that because he’d play the role of me better than I would.

“I’m a pirate with integrity!” I tell him, stepping closer, while William waves his sword again, and it slides from his fingers, but he catches it just inches away from the ground. “A king sent me to save his son from the claws of the man he trusted the most.” I bow a little. “Your highness, the help has come.”

“Nice!” Rafael mouths, giving me a thumbs-up before resuming his role. “If my father sent you, then I trust you, Pirate Rush!” He ponders his words for a second and then scrunches his nose. “No. Villain Rush.”

Villain Rush?

Snatching the mask from my face, I place my hand on my hip and hiss, “Villain Rush?” What kind of insult is that?

Why would I get a role like all the despicable men in fairy tales who destroy someone’s life and always end up in a bad situation afterward?

“Well, I can’t call you a pirate. A pirate wouldn’t save a prince.” Rafael wiggles a little, letting the ropes slide down his form, and walks to me, but not before saying over his shoulder to William, “We’re done. You can drop your prop.”

Our butler does just that as George goes to him, already giving him water while gazing at him adoringly. William blushes to no end, his gold ring glistening in a ray of sunlight.

Mom calls them love birds, while Dad just rolls his eyes, although he was the one who paid for their wedding. He even gifted them a huge house on the other island—for all the good they do for our family and how they stayed devoted to my father through the years, no matter what. I think he considers them some of his closest friends because we often see them sharing a drink and a laugh in the living room when the whole house goes to bed.

Or we used to see it, at least. A lot has changed.

During the day, George and William never allow anyone to think they get special treatment or have more power in the household.

After all, friend or family, it doesn’t matter.

We all live by my father’s rule, and those who break it don’t stay long enough to complain about it.

However, they always face consequences for their decisions.

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