Page 145 of I Ran Away to Evil
“Actually,” Ria’s smile was radiant, and she let out a short laugh. “I think I’ve got it! Oh, Gerda, that’s so clever!”
Keith frowned. “What is it?”
“I can’t say.” The princess pointed in the direction of the retreating army. Her eyes sparkled as she teased, “And I’m not telling. You wanted the extra hint! Now you can use it to figure out the riddle yourself.”
“You know, Princess.” Miss Gerda hid a smile behind her hand. “You’ve had alotmore practice with my riddles than His Majesty.”
“Still.” Ria linked both hands behind her head and craned her neck back to gaze up at me. “It’ll be fun.”
“Ah, well then. I’ll just have to entertain.” Keith wanted to bend over and kiss her nose. But he couldn’t afford to get stuck in another dimension right now.
He rattled off a few correct answers: phoenix, world serpents, fox spirits, to various undead or dungeon-born monsters. After another half an hour, he sighed. “We need to leave soon if we’re to catch Minstrel Bronwynn’s show. What’s the third clue?”
Miss Gerda recited,
“Its birth is laborious, it can be bought,
Its flesh is leathery, all over taut,
It lives as long as elves or fae,
In time, its name will fade away.
You need the light to see it clear,
But time in sun, its greatest fear.
It dwells inside and underground,
Fire burns its body brown.”
Wind tears up words you’ve never heard,
Earth will scour, mud mark blurred,
Its body alone, can untold feed,
Only water makes it bleed.”
Keith slapped himself in the forehead, carefully missing his glasses. “I can’t believe I didn’t see it immediately. A book.”
“That’s right.” Henrietta stood up and stretched. “It’s [A Book]!”
The world distorted as countless mana particles dispelled a dimensional veil over the bridge. It rippled in waves down the river to both sides. The sheer force of the spell left Keith breathless; it was a work ofart.
“Would you two like to come in for a cup of tea?” Miss Gerda asked. Keith was about to politely refuse; he really needed to monitor the retreating army, but thought better of it. Portal travel was much faster. He sent his automaton Lulu a new task before turning to a bright and cheerful Henrietta and offering his arm. “Shall we?”
“Thank you.” She took his arm, and everything was right with the world.
They wandered underneath the bridge to Miss Gerda’s portal door. It was artistically ornate with a collection of flowers carved into the arch. He was again surprised by the complex spellcraft the troll had used in creating her home. It had a subtlety and workmanship one didn’t often see in her generally brutish and overbearing race.
If he didn’t convince her to join up with the Dark Horde, then he would kick himself. This tea was the perfect opportunity to do so …
It also portaled Keith and Ria to their home drawbridge.
Even if she didn’t want to join his forces, Miss Gerda would be required to start immediate work as bridge maintenance officer and road waterway inspector. That included signing the usual magically enforced contracts for loyalty and vacation days. And he needed to investigate who in the tax department had failed to notice that a single troll now controlled every one of his major bridges.
He couldn’t have justanyoneopening up a portal into his castle without some assurances. If she refused … they could cross that bridge when they came to it.
