Page 58 of I Ran Away to Evil
“If the plan involves your automata, why are the lizardkin and naga battalion stationed onthisside of Gerda’s bridge?” Rufus inquired, pointing at the map. “And why the line of beastkin set up at the crossroad to the castle?”
Keith smiled, recalling how passionate Ria had been telling him the plan. “Honestly? Theft.”
CHAPTER 37
I’ll Never Turn Down a Bit of Gossip
Henrietta
I came upon the bridge a few hours later and stopped to refill my enchanted waterskin—dysentery was no joke.
If you’ve crossed one bridge in the Dark Enchanted Forest, you’ve crossed them all. I discovered this when a familiar figure hopped onto the path in front of me and drew herself up.
I face the shadows,
The light as well,
Control all water,
Without a spell.
Who am I?
“Gerda?!” I squealed with delight.
My favorite bridge troll winked at me. She was wearing a loose white tunic with a floral print vest on top and a pair of loose tan pants tucked into calf-high brown leather button-up boots. “I’ll not count that as your answer to my riddle. Who am I?”
I scrambled to remember the riddle that had flown past me. After a moment I hesitated and asked, “The moon?”
Gerda chuckled and stepped aside, waving a hand to show I’d guessed successfully. The troll quipped, “I gave you an easy one because I’m a kind and patient troll. Don’t let me catch you off your game a second time!”
“Oh, you did it on purpose?” I countered, not really angry. “What would you have done if I got the answerwrong?”
“I believed in you,” Gerda said, ignoring my question. “Now, did you want to head on or stop in for a bit of tea and gossip?”
“I’ll never turn down a bit of gossip.”
Gerda grabbed the ledge of the sideless bridge and swung herself over. I climbed carefully down the bank and found a familiar door under the bridge. A bit of troll magic later, and I was carefully placing the crate of eggs safely beside my boots inside her enchanted spacial cottage.
“So, are you in control of just these two bridges, or are there more?” I asked, taking a seat at her kitchen table.
Gerda placed a cup of dandelion tea in front of me, and I added a spoonful of honey. She set out a bowl of fresh huckleberries for a snack.
“There are more.” Gerda smiled, looking very pleased with herself. “At least four, though I won’t tell you where. It’s more entertaining that way.”
“What about the other bridge trolls? Don’t they get upset that you’re hogging all the bridges?”
Gerda chortled. “Princess, I’m theonlybridge troll.”
“In the whole Dark Enchanted Forest?”
“In the whole Dark Enchanted Forest,” she said. “Most of the trolls live in the mountains or work in the army. We don’t have a city, just our own caves scattered about. The last bridge troll was an ancient old coot named Larry. He’s retired now, and I happily took over.”
Gerda sipped her own tea. An interesting thing to watch, as the woman had stunning lower canines that peeked just over her upper lip.
We shared a companionable silence for a minute, drinking tea and eating berries. Then I asked, “So … gossip?”
“You’ll never guess who is on their way to the castle right now!” Gerda said.
