Page 114 of I Ran Away to Evil
“And how long until you run out?” I demanded. He hesitated. “Keith, how long do you have until you need to rest. ”
He mumbled, “Two hours …”
“Don’t you burn mana every three seconds?” The [Bleed] effect was similar and I had been stabbed enough to know. I tried to do the math but I hated math. I still thought that two hours was an overly generous estimate. I’d guess it was closer to one hour at most.
“Eight seconds, technically.”
“Really?” I gathered the empty bottles and shoveled them all into the bag. I also took the time to grab Jacqueline and put her back in her sheath where she belonged.
He explained, “My perk from Arcane Sage is [Slow Burn], and it’s made it feasible to survive longer before I pass out.”
“How many times have you had [Mana Burn] that you actually got it as a perk choice?”
Keith hesitated. I got the feeling he was counting, but he wasn’t forthcoming with any numbers.
I didn’t know what made me more upset: that he put himself in danger that often, or that he remained silent when I asked him hard questions.
I ground out, “Butwhy wait? You could have popped the mana potions while I was here?”
“I was distracted getting here, then we had company …” Keith groaned, trying to get up but stumbling a bit. I caught him with my shoulder under his armand helped him to his feet, hugging him around the waist for extra support. He admitted, “And I didn’t want to worry you.”
As a bit of payback for worrying me, and because it looked like he could barely stand as it was, I made up my mind on my next course of action.
“That’s it,” I said, sweeping his legs out from under him and dropping him into a princess—I mean, aking’s hold. “I’m taking you back to the Damp Gizzard and straight into bed. Your bed, I mean; I’m putting you in your bed. To sleep.” I would have blushed if I wasn’t so upset.
Keith made an undignified noise and flailed his arms, then groaned as a new wave of headache must have hit him from the sudden movement. I ignored his, “Wait! RIA! You can’t—” and carried him toward the tent flap.
“You shush,” I told the Dark Lord—quietly, because I knew how much headaches were affected by loud noises. Over my shoulder, I said, “Hubert, take care of the bag of bottles,” then I stepped out of the tent and into the glare of sunset as the last bit of light started to fade behind the mountain range to the west.
Outside, the elves were preparing to leave. Lady Amy was in the process of arguing with a unicorn; something about betrayal and learning how to read runic script … but it wasn’t important to me right now.
Everyone stopped what they were doing when they noticed us.
“Something came up,” I said. Keith had the strength to nod politely at the group, as if he weren’t held in my arms with his legs dangling. I addressed Lady Amy specifically. “I’ll see you back in Gren’s Keep!”
With that, I activated [Quick Step] and took off.
The sooner I could get Keith into bed, the better.
IntoHISbed! To sleep!
CHAPTER 68
Actually Communicate
Keith
Keith hadnotbeen expecting to fall into Henrietta’s arms and get carried to bed … but apparently, that was what happened.
The weight of his headache mixed with his exhaustion had caused him to nod off even before they arrived back at Gren’s Keep.
He probably should have protested; he didn’t, though. Henrietta had let him carry her around, so it only seemed fair.
It took him two full rest cycles before he woke up in the afternoon of the next day. A part of him regretted losing so much time, but he wouldn’t have done anything differently.
Alright, maybe he would have drunk the potions sooner. Still, it wasn’t his first near death from [Mana Burn], and it wouldn’t be his last. With Chloe around, it didn’t seem like too much trouble, aside from the headache.
He flinched when he remembered the anger in Ria’s voice last night. He’d have to apologize.
