Page 159 of I Ran Away to Evil
Their Royal Highness blinked. “That would mean …”
“Julia’sbrotherwill inherit the duchy.” Keith let go of my hand and took a sip of his own water.
As far as I knew, Grand Duchess Calisto had two children, Julia von Slyke and Julian von Slyke. No one knew why, or at leastIdidn’t know why, but he’d gone north after his father’s death. He’d been little more than a young boy at the time. Few had met him over the years, and rumors had spread like wildfire in his absence.
There was a silence around the table, finally broken by Rowen. “Well. Things will be more interesting at this Spring Ball than I thought … Does Calisto know?”
“She knows Julia and Chloe are getting married,” Keith said. “I don’t actually know what else she knows other than that.”
The ruler of Peldeep chuckled. “A most interesting ball indeed.”
CHAPTER 96
Being a Dark Magician King Was Hard, but Dating the Heroine of Justice Was Harder
Keith
After Keith shared his news that Julia was moving to the Dark Enchanted Forest, everyone became lost in their own thoughts. Dinner arrived, and it was excellent. Henrietta kept throwing looks at Knight Commander Bastian like she wanted to say something, and Keith’s curiosity won over his jealousy.
Just as everyone finished and headed up to bed, Keith called Their Royal Highness to chat outside, distracting the old fox long enough for Henrietta to get the chance to speak quietly to the knight.
Keith leaned up against his carriage, breathing warmth into his hands. “Rowen, I met one of your children in my kingdom. She seems to be getting along just fine.”
Rowen’s fox ears perked. “Ah, my darling Penelope. Howisshe doing?”
“Singing up a storm and befriending a lizard wizard, last I visited.” Out of the corner of his eye, Keith was pleased to see that his plan had worked; Ria was busy whispering to Bastian. It wasn’t that hewantedher to go off chatting with other men … but she was a grown woman with friends of her own. If she wanted to talk to one of them, he needed to figure out his own problems.
Keith missed what Their Royal Highness had just said, but it was something about babies. He simply replied, “I wouldn’t know,” hoping it was the right choice.
Rowen tapped their chin twice. “Then maybe I’ll swing by on the way back home. Is she still at that beastfolk village?”
“As far as I know.” He wouldn’t have normally shared the happy couple’s location, even with her parents, as he didn’t know their circumstances. But if the old fox already knew, there wasn’t much sense hiding it.
“Thank you. Have a good night, we’ll see you at the ball.” Their Royal Highness lead their retainers, Bastian included, upstairs.
Henrietta rejoined Keith and gripped his arm. “Thank you.”
“Did you have a nice chat?” Keith didn’t bother resisting the urge anymore; he leaned down and sniffed her hair. The smell of warm spices with a hint of caramel sugar filled his nose.
Ria leaned in and rubbed her face on his arm. “Mm-hmm.”
Keith waited, arching an eyebrow.
Ria explained, “Madame Potts made his life very uncomfortable. The man isn’t very social at the best of times, let alone after being called out as one of the continent’s most desirable … Come to think of it, why weren’tyouincluded in that list?”
“Good question. Maybe I’m too old? This also isn’t my debut; I had my coming out at sixteen, and I hadnointention of suddenly getting married at the time.” Keith and Henrietta walked up to the top floor and separated, facing their rooms. “And any hopeful partners orstalkerswere easily dealt with accordingly.”
“Oh?”
“Rufus is a very good second in command. His capacity to sniff out drugs, potions, spies, and hidden assailants is exceptional.”
Henrietta shuddered. “I couldn’t imagine being the target of unwanted attention like that.”
“It’s not pleasant, and it might play a part in why I’m still single.”
“Aside from being the Evil Overlord, Dark Magician King of Nilheim, Vicious Ruler of the Dark Enchanted Forest?”
“Says the Crown Princess and Heroine of Justice. Who, I understand, isalsounwed.”
