Page 202 of I Ran Away to Evil
CHAPTER 122
There’s No Help for It
Keith
Keith had a headache, and that headache’s name was Chloe Watercress.
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU’RE ELOPING?” She reached out and gripped Julia’s arm for strength.
Grand Duchess Calisto had invited Henrietta and Keith to join Julia and Chloe and herself for dinner that evening, and everyone was talking about their plans moving forward.
“We just thought it would be easier on everyone if we quietly—” Henrietta began.
Chloe shot to her feet. “Easier? EASIER? When were you thinking of eloping?”
Keith, who was the most interested in forgoing a big wedding, answered, “June? Their Royal Highness was invited, so they could be our witness. We would be in Peldeep in time for the Sunstone Festival.”
“That’s in less than a month!” Chloe looked at her fiancée. “They can’t do this.Ican’t do this.”
“It’ll be alright, love,” Julia reassured her with a half smile. “I believe in you.”
“There’s no help for it!” Chloe placed the back of her hand gently to her forehead. “It’ll have to be a dual wedding.”
“What?!” Julia and Keith and Henrietta all shouted.
Chloe threw up her hands dramatically. “What else are we going to do? The king of the Dark Enchanted Forestcan’t just elope.”
“But sharing our big day …” That was the first time Keith had ever seen the paladin pout. “Isn’t there another way?”
Grand Duchess Calisto, who had remained silent until this point, coughed gently. The woman slowly smiled and raised a single eyebrow.
“Fine! You win!” Chloe threw up her hands. “You were right, Julia.”
“I am?” Julia said, confused. Then she saw the pleased-as-punch look on her mother’s face, and something clicked. “Wait—”
“I can’t believe this. I can’t believe you’ve talked me into this!” The necromancer turned and waged a finger at the Dark Lord, who had absolutely no idea what she was talking about. “Lake Loria is ready. It’ll befine. We can issue invites in person for … one month?”
Keith looked at Ria, who was suddenly blushing.
The necromancer started muttering about cake and wandered toward the doorway, everyone watching her leave.
“What’s in one month?” Keith couldn’t help himself and asked Julia. The woman was glaring at her mother.
Grand Duchess Calisto was the one who answered, looking pleased. “Your wedding, of course.”
“The flowers aren’t here! They were supposed to be here anhourago. What are we going todo? Who do I have to murder to get a corpse rose around here?Keith!”
Keith walked up, dressed in his imposing Dark Lord’s robes. His collar was a little rumpled and was hanging open.
Rufus walked up with a flattering array of Venus lily blooms to place on the small tables decorating the clearing. He passed a single corpse rose to Keith.
“I knew there was a reason you were my best man!” Chloe stated, delicately pining the peonies in place.
Keith teased, “I thought he wasmybest man.”
“I asked himfirst,” Chloe snapped. “Also,I am your best man.You are onlygettinga best man because I let you havemywedding, so it’s only fair!”
Despite adamant arguing on his part, Chloe was determined to throw them a wedding, come rain or shine. And she had invitedeveryone. In exchange, the Grand Duchess of North Sumbria was going to host Chloe and Julia’s wedding … and as Keith understood it, the wedding was going to beexorbitant. She would have a three-day celebration and then finish it with the Summer Masquerade.
