Page 87 of I Ran Away to Evil
Keith was suddenly disappointed in, annoyed at, and very envious of Lady Amaryllis. He regretted giving up the shared bedroom idea and decided that he would need to get rid of this young elf travel companionas soon as possible.
As soon as they went upstairs, he connected with a golem and left a message in Green Oak, the elven city. They could come collect their errant saintess sooner sohecould have a romantic date with Henrietta.
Not that it mattered, because Fate had other plans.
CHAPTER 55
A Walking Glow-in-the-Dark Mage
Henrietta
The morning was bright and beautiful and green. Actually, the arm and leg thrown over me were green.
Lady Amy had tossed and turned all night. At some point, she’d kicked off her blanket and was sprawled out in her breast band and bunched-up leaf skirt, hair in a braided state of disarray.
I left her lightly snoring in our bed and slipped on my clothes before popping out to the bathroom.
Between staying up late chatting with the elf, being woken up multiple times from her tossing and turning, and my excitement of going dungeon delving today with Keith, Imightnot have slept very well.
I wandered downstairs in search of strong tea.
To my surprise, Keith sat at a table nursing his own cup of tea and reading. He looked as tired as I felt, but he also had an air of frustration about him.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, slipping into a chair at his table.
Keith put down the report. “Gimtak dropped off two reports. Ria, do you have a habit of hiding things in your sock drawer?”
“I do … but how do you know that?” Keith was here, not rifling through my drawers, so there must have been a story behind his question.
“We’ve found some spies in your closet back home.” He waved a hand over the papers. “I got a report letting me know another was found today. They also managed to kill one of our own before they were captured.”
My heart dropped out of my chest. The thought of one of my new friends not being there when I got back hit me hard. My voice wavered a bit as I asked, “Who?”
Keith double-checked the report. “Chikli. He got stabbed a few times.”
“Oh no!” I couldn’t believe it. Chikli was one of the first people I’d met at the castle. “How is Tulith?”
“She’s fine, why?” Keith cocked his head to the side, giving me a confused look.
“Aren’t they married?”
“Yes?” He was still confused.
We stared at each other in some obvious form of miscommunication long enough for me to just break down and ask, “Wouldn’t she be upset if her husband is dead?”
Keith realized and laughed. “He’s notdead. He just died. Chloe probably sorted it out after they found his body. Considering it was day of? He’s probably been [Resurrected] or [Revived], depending on how much mana Chloe had left after showering Julia with affection. Worst case I left a few revival potions.”
“I can’t believe I forgot you do that for staff. My father never found the expense worth it.” I dropped my face into my hands. “I need tea.”
Keith waved over a girl in an apron who was waiting tables. Olen and Penelope were nowhere to be seen yet. I ordered a sweet tea and raspberry muffin.
“So?” Keith prompted after I’d been poured a giant mug of black tea and sugar and honey with some specialty in-house hazelnut syrup. Lavender wasn’t there to magic up fun drinks, but I would accept any hot, sweet, morning wake up in a cup.
“Not that I should be telling you, and I’ll have to find a new spot now … but whenever I take off my grandfather’s heirloom jewelry, I always stuff them in my socks. This grants a +2 modifier to Constitution.” I held up my pinkie to show Keith a small black ring. Then I lifted my poofy shoulder-length hair and revealed one earring with a mithril chain linked with emeralds draped over the ear. “And this grants a +4 modifier to Charisma.”
“A plus four?” Keith leaned across the table to look closer at my ear. “Who made it?”
I could understand his interest; anything over a plus three waslegendary. Literally. It had the [Legendary] tag. “My great-great-grandfather dabbled in jewelcraft.”
