Page 60 of I Ran Away to Evil
“No,” Keith cut her off. “No. I don’t want to clean up drowned bodies; they’re a disgusting mess.”
“We could eat them.” Patina smiled a shark-toothed smile. Her selkie blood let her walk on land, but her sharp grin and her smooth brown skin as soft as seal hide gave away her ancestry. “Once the bones are picked clean, I’ll even deliver them to Necromancer Chloe—”
“I said no.”
Telling his army the plan was very different fromtellinghis army the plan. Obedience was expected, but some were more persistent than others for an audience. And it was very hard to send away this particular individual.
“You don’t think I’m strong enough to fight on the front lines, do you?” Patina accused. “Come on, cousin, don’t punish my people just because I’m leading them.”
“I’m not saying youcan’t fight,” Keith explained slowly, “I’m saying you can’t drag the entire Drendil army to a watery death.”
“Butwhyyyyy?”
Keith sighed. “Because I don’t want to overthrow Drendil. That would be a nightmare … unless you want to take over their kingdom and reform the government from the ground up?” The look of abject horror on Patina’s face told him how she felt about that. “Which is why the answer is no.”
If he said it once, he said it a hundred times. That line workedwonderfullyon his minions. He’d need to remember it the next time some fool asked him to consider world domination.
“Then what did you want us to do?” Patina asked. “Sing them to sleep?”
“No, of course not—Wait, actually yes!” Keith stood up from behind his desk and walked toward his cousin. She was actually another godchild of Her Eminence Feliwyn, but they had been raised as cousins, and they would foreverbecousins, even if no blood was shared between them. “You’re brilliant, Patina.”
“You know I was joking, right?” She gave Keith a long-suffering look while he patted her on the shoulder.
“A good plan made in jest is still a good plan,” Keith replied. “That would save me so much time and effort! I can’t wait to tell Ria when she gets back.”
“While we’re on the subject, whoisthis Henrietta What’s-Her-Name?” Patina squinted up at Keith, who was caught gazing wistfully out a window. “Andwhathas shedoneto you?”
“You’ll understand when you’re older,” Keith teased, redirecting his stare at his cousin. “Suffice it to say, she is strong, competent, and she isstaying.”
He hoped … That he was still self-doubting meant he needed another session with Rufus.
Patina scoffed. “You’re barely a month older than me.”
“Yes.” Keith smiled. “And that means I’ll forever be older and wiser than you.”
“You still haven’t answered my questions,” Patina pointed out.
“You noticed that, did you?” Keith looked up at the clock above his office door. Right on time, harp music sounded throughout the office. “Too bad, but would you look at that? It’s my break.”
“I know where you have afternoon tea.” Patina stalked after him as he exited his office and walked down the stone corridor. “You can’t get rid of me that easily!”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Patina!” Suddenly, a lyrical voice called out from the break room where a beautiful blonde woman was happily snacking away on tarts. “You’re here!”
A violent shiver raced through Patina’s whole body at the sound. She had just enough time for one scathing look at her king before Chloe shot out of the break room and tackled her. Patina caught the necromancer with ease but had to politely bend down so Chloe could better wrap her arms around the selkie’s bicep in a hug.
Chloe glomped onto Patina and spoke a mile a minute. “I’m so happy you’re here! You can’t believe how bored I’ve been since I returned! Let’s go get manicures—I know your nailsneedthe love. You’re so beautiful, darling! You should take better care of yourself!”
Patina gave Chloe a strained smile. “Please Chloe, not now. I’m trying to have words with my cousin …”
“None of that,” Chloe said sternly. “It’s break time, and you need one!Look at your hair!We simplyhaveto go see Winrith for a spa day.”
“But—”
“Don’t worry.” Chloe dragged the muscular guard off down the hallway. “I’ll tell youall aboutthe princess. I know all the gossip. You’re going to love this.”
Patina actually relaxed at that last bit. “You promise?”
