Chapter 70: Starlight and Flight
Spoiler Warning: This page reveals major plot points from Chapter 70 of Accomplice to the Villain. Proceed only if you have read the chapter or don’t mind spoilers.
Summary
Becky is caught with her head in a vent near the manor’s entrance by Lyssa, who teasingly suggests she is looking for the traitor because she’s worried about Blade. Becky deflects, but privately admits her concern and confusion over her feelings. She asks Lyssa for Evie’s journal and flips through it. A note falls out—a message from “the boss” ordering Evie to an early morning meeting or face termination. Becky immediately sees that the handwriting, though similar, is not the Villain’s; the flourishes and slanted letters betray a forgery. Connecting this to the traitor, she asks Lyssa to retrieve any notes the girl kept.
Before they can investigate further, chaos erupts in the courtyard. Fluffy panics as the male guvre beneath the grate shrieks and slams against the bars. The grate blows off and the iridescent guvre emerges, its scales shimmering with the Rennedawn sheen said to mark Fate. Guards charge, but Lyssa sprints forward to protect the creature. The guvre exhales a purple mist that envelops Lyssa. Becky screams in despair, only to watch the mist part and reveal Lyssa unharmed, glowing silvery white like a star. The guvre calms, nudges Lyssa’s head, and lowers a wing. Despite Becky’s protests, Lyssa climbs on the guvre’s back, insisting it needs her. Becky clambers after her, unwilling to leave the girl alone. The guvre launches into the darkening sky, carrying both away from the manor.
Key Events
- Becky examines Evie’s journal and discovers a forged note, realizing the traitor is using fake orders.
- Lyssa confirms she kept notes from the boss, which Becky wants to compare.
- The male guvre breaks free of its underground grate, sending the courtyard into panic.
- Guards attack the guvre, but Lyssa runs toward it.
- The guvre breathes purple mist at Lyssa; instead of harming her, the mist reveals her glowing with starlike light.
- The guvre calms, invites Lyssa onto its back, and Becky climbs up to protect her.
- The guvre flies off with both passengers into a stormy sky.
Character Development
Becky wrestles openly with her dread over Blade’s condition and her denial that she loves him. The chapter shows her shifting from hyper-rational efficiency to emotional vulnerability. Her protective instinct overrides fear when she follows Lyssa onto the guvre, demonstrating that love—whether familial or romantic—now guides her decisions.
Lyssa steps out of the precocious-child role and reveals something extraordinary. Her glowing transformation under the guvre’s mist hints at a hidden nature or destiny. She acts with fearless compassion, demanding the guards stop harming the creature and trusting the guvre instinctively.
The guvre moves from a monstrous threat to a creature of Fate. Its attack becomes a revelation rather than destruction, and its choice of Lyssa confirms a supernatural link.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Fate and Starlight: The guvre’s Rennedawn sheen and Lyssa’s silvery glow tie directly to the motif of a fated destiny. The purple mist acts as a revealer, not a weapon.
- Love and Self-Deception: Becky’s repeated denial that Blade is her suitor masks an internal truth she can’t yet voice. Her worry and the frantic “NOOOOOOO” highlight the power of unacknowledged love.
- Forgery and Deception: The forged note introduces a concrete clue about the traitor’s methods, linking the external mystery to the emotional arc.
- Protective Instinct: Both Becky and Lyssa act to shield others—Becky for Lyssa, Lyssa for the guvre—creating a chain of courage that propels them into the unknown.
- Family Echoes: Becky’s memory of her brothers surfaces when she thinks about family’s power to heal or break a heart, underlining her isolation and her motivation to keep Lyssa safe.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 70 pivots the story on two fronts. The forged note finally gives Becky a tangible lead on the traitor, transforming suspicion into investigation. Simultaneously, the guvre’s breakout and Lyssa’s transformation escalate the fantasy stakes dramatically. Lyssa is no longer a clever child but a figure marked by something elemental. Becky’s choice to ride the guvre rather than stay behind cements her evolution from cautious administrator to someone willing to risk everything for those she loves. The flight away from the manor fractures the safe setting and propels both the plot and the emotional arc into uncharted territory.
Study Questions and Answers
1. How does the forged note advance the mystery of the traitor, and what does it reveal about the traitor’s methods? The note shows the traitor is using convincing but flawed forgeries to manipulate manor staff. The distinct flourishes and slanted letters differ from the Villain’s crisp handwriting, proving the traitor relies on misdirection and manufactured urgency. Becky’s request for Lyssa’s notes suggests the forgery may extend to multiple messages, giving the investigation a concrete trail.
2. What does Lyssa’s reaction to the guvre and the subsequent mist reveal about her character and her role in the story? Lyssa’s immediate, fearless dash toward a dangerous creature and her subsequent glowing survival mark her as exceptional. The silvery starlight signals a destined connection, possibly to the magic of Rennedawn or Fate itself. This elevates her from a supporting player to a central figure with powers or a heritage that the plot will likely explore further.
3. How does Becky’s decision to climb onto the guvre reflect her internal conflict and development? Becky begins the chapter denying her deep worry for Blade. When Lyssa mounts the guvre, Becky’s refusal to let the girl go alone overrides her fear and her logical nature. The act mirrors her earlier admission: she is operating on love, not cold calculation. By choosing to fly into danger rather than remain behind, Becky fully embraces the protective, emotionally driven role she previously resisted.