Page 193 of I Ran Away to Evil 2
“We are not looking for a porter,” I announced, calmly and only loud enough for the group or anyone with a skill to hear. “We are here to detain Mia for questioning, under orders.”
Jerry frowned and shifted his weight so that he was fully blocking the young elf, who looked confused and terrified. “If you would detain a Hollow elf, I would ask thatyour kinggo through the proper channels. Duke Briarthorn can take her, or no one.”
It was a show of rebellion against the kingdom, but I did not hold it against the elf. The entire situation was unfortunate, and I was already going to look like the villain in the eyes of the insular elves.
“Party Leader Jerry Yarrow,” I announced, pulling out a magical writ and unrolling it for the elf to see the glowing signatures. “I am here on behalf of the Continental Council. Mia is coming with me.”
Jerry looked between me and the elf girl, and I could tell that even as I waved the magical sheet of paper in his face, he was still probably going to stand firm.
“It’s fine, Jerry,” a voice piped up behind me, and I turned to see Lady Amy walking up the stairs to the platform. “I will stay with Porter Mia and make sure she has a representative.”
Bronwynn, Henrietta, and Gerda were at the bottom of the stairs, with my queen waving hello and my bard holding a bag of nuts. Gerda was saying something to the queen that made the human girl laugh.
“Then I will entrust her to you. Sorry, Mia.” Jerry took a step aside, and the lilith gently pushed the girl forward until she walked free of the party. The catkin man reached out for the pack when Mia unclipped her chest strap and let the bundle fall. The catkin caught the pack, and then promptly fell over, crushed under the weight of it. Jerry and another elf stepped forward to help.
“Please keep my herbs safe, Lily …” the girl begged, tears in her eyes, as Lady Amy took her by the arm and escorted her toward the palace.
Overhead, I spotted my missing partners in crime as two grimalcats momentarily blotted out the bright afternoon sun.
CHAPTER 118
Her Own Grimalcat
Brownie
Lady Amy followed Rufus to the palace because she was representing the young elf girl as the future duchess of the Hollow.
Queen Henrietta followed Rufus to the palace because she was the queen, and she should probably hear what the verdict was.
Momo and Slake flew to the palace because they were grimalcats, and they could go wherever they wanted.Technically, Slake was going to report everything back to Their Royal Highness, so he needed to be there.
Gerda and Brownie followed Rufus to the palace because they were nosy.
It wasn’t every day that an international criminal who could single-handedly bring about the fall of nations was captured. Molten ash vane was one of the deadliest poisons known to kind, even if no one had been permadeathed yet, surprisingly but not surprisingly, because Madame Potts alone had prevented half of the poisonings with her predictions.
Brownie knew she probably wasn’t going to see much, but she could be nearby. For moral support.
They all piled into the entry of the palace with the grand staircase that Rufus had been fighting on the night before. The doors closed behind them, blocking out the sound of the festival so severely that it was suddenly, startlingly silent.
The elf girl flinched and promptly burst into tears.
“I’m sorrrrrry,” she wailed. Somehow, Brownie got the feeling that Mia had no idea what she was apologizing for and was just afraid.
“Mia.” Lady Amy patted the girl’s arm that was still linked with her own. “We just have a few questions for you, that’s all.”
“B-But I’m in t-trouble, right?” the girl sputtered through her tears.
Rufus sighed. “Porter Mia, we are here on behalf of the Continental Council to ask you about the molten ash vane.”
“R-Really?” The girl rubbed her eyes with her free hand, calming down a little. “Is that all?”
Gerda choked beside Brownie. The bridge troll had no self-restraint whatsoever and was sucking on an apple fruit leather she’d acquired from somewhere.
“Got any more of those?” she whispered, accepting the snack produced and promptly sucking on the end to see how the flavor was. It was apple with a hint of strawberry. Perfection. She passed one to Henrietta as well. For a queen, Henrietta was very unassuming, and happily joined the two of them at the back of the group.
Mia fixed her glasses from where she’d knocked them askew rubbing her eyes. “I t-took over my nana’s job making p-p-potions after she p-passed away last year. I’ve tried to make one for each delivery, but sometimes, I don’t have enough …”
“That’s what I want to ask.” Rufus’s eyes were scrunched closed like he had a headache during the girl’s backstory reveal, but he tried to smile at the elf while speaking to her. He even handed over a kerchief. “Whyare you making molten ash vane?”
