Page 41 of I Ran Away to Evil
“I didn’t get to try any,” Shade sighed, “but I’ve heard from Janet, Planta’s sister, that it was the most delicious bread they’d ever eaten.”
I smiled. “That’s good to hear. I got the recipe from a beastfolk friend, and I’d be happy to share it. I wasn’t sure if you had any dietary restrictions …”
“Dairy,” Collin answered. “We can eat most everything else. But something about cow milk just destroys us.”
“Hm.” I asked the first thing that came to mind, “Does having [Resist Poison] help?”
“No.” He shook his head. “Though having a monstrously high Constitution does.”
“Interesting.”
“Well, Princess.” Terra slithered around to Shade and put a hand on the naga’s shoulder. “It’s time that we return to our families for dinner. Collin will bring you to the hot spring house where his sister Mera is waiting to show you around.”
“Shall we?” Collin bent down awkwardly to offer me an arm. I took it.
“That sounds lovely, Collin!”
Once I arrived at the stunning, carved wooden villa overlooking the springs, I was given my luxurious soft cotton bathroom suit and arachnid silk gown to lounge in while I ate chicken sausage, garlic stuffed olives, warm rye, unigoat cheese drizzled with honey, and a bowl of salted cashews.
I enjoyed the light charcuterie. They’d been all the rage last year, though no one had been able to figure out whatcharcuterieactually meant.
Then I was escorted to the hot springs.
Mera was in full professional tour mode, and after an hour at the pools and another hour getting a massage and mud wrap, we finally relaxed on an outdoor veranda to eat dinner.
The Kidna clan had set out an elaborate spread of roast lamb, truffle mushrooms in garlic hazelnut oil, and steamed vegetables in oyster sauce. Drinks included a glass of filtered mountain spring water and a smooth white winelabeled Beautiful Stars from one of Peldeep’s famous vineyards called the Glass Apple.
“You know, Mera,” I broached, “you don’t have to play the host. I’m here to relax and just chat.” Spending the day with Planta hadreallyshown me how much time I’d spent with fake smiles and aristocratic etiquette. “Is there anything that you want to talk about?”
Mera warred with herself, and after a moment’s hesitation, her demeanor dropped from rigid politeness to slightly conspiratorial. “There is one thing … Is it true that you came to challenge King Keith to a duel, and when you won, you asked to be the future queen of the Dark Enchanted Forest?”
I didn’t spit take wine across the table because I had only just lifted the glass to my lips and hadn’t actually taken a sip with which to spit.
“What?!”
CHAPTER 26
Interested
Keith
When Henrietta came back the next morning, she did not visit Keith.
In actual fact, he wouldn’t have seen her normally because it was technically her day off … but even so, she had been joining him for lunch on her days off recently.
When he hadn’t seen hide nor hair of her by late afternoon, he awkwardly inquired from Winrith.
Now, Keith was standing outside the Nightshade Rooms and trying to get up the nerve to knock.
After what was definitelynotthirty minutes, he gave up. He could just talk to her tomorrow. He was turning to leave when Ria opened the door and poked her head out. “Hello, Keith …”
“Ah, hello, Henrietta.”
Keith realized he hadn’t bothered to hide his presence in front of a level sixty Sword Master. Her perception alone would have picked up someone standing outside her door this entire time.
“Do you want to come in?”
“Well, yes.” He hesitated. “Would you like to talk here or go for a walk?”
