Page 21 of I Ran Away to Evil 2
And there was no certainty that she’d even accept the prompt. Not everyone was like Henrietta, who’d shown up in my dungeon and accepted the request unquestioning, and then poured out her heart and soul without much effort on my part.
“I felt less shocked and more … I don’t know.Betrayedis a strong word.” The bard shrugged. “Sad that she didn’t trust me?”
There was so much to unpack there, and I was standing on the edge of manipulating her into a full session … but wallowing in the past on such a nice day was a shame.
And, if I was being honest with myself, I respected the bard too much to use my interrogation skills on her. I would, if needed, but Ididn’tneed to. Yet.
I changed the subject. “And now?”
“Now I’m glad she’s found happiness.” Bronwynn grabbed her waterskin. She unwound the top as she continued. “And it’s nice that she’s smack-dab in the middle of the Dark Enchanted Forest. I’ll be visiting often, since I cross the forest every other week.”
On the outside, I nodded politely. On the inside, I was mentally screaming. The idea made my heart race, and at the same time, I could feel my stomach tense. I didn’t think I could see Bronwynn at the dinner table every two weeks for the rest of my life without wanting to confess my sins.
Which sins? All of them. That I was an adoring fan. That she already knew me from her concerts. That I was on a mission to spy on her.
The quest to discover if she was, in fact, a top-secret agent bent on illegally assassinating the world leaders with molten ash vane was theonly thingkeeping me from outright sharing my own dark secrets right then and there.
The hair on the back of my neck stood up as three notifications lit up at the edge of my vision.
We were about to have company. And whoever they were, they were not happy.
CHAPTER 8
[Call of the Wombat]
Brownie
In all the years Brownie had been traveling in the Dark Enchanted Forest, she’d only run into a stoneskin wombat three times.
They were cute, cuddly, and the size of a cart. They were deadly when they attacked with rolling rock-hard butt attacks that could break bones and shatter stones.
The stoneskin wombat was technically classified as a monster race, and defeating one would provide experience points. Any creature that could spawn in a dungeon was called a monster, but only a monster that spawned in a dungeon would be subject to dungeon madness.
This was just a regular, enormous, disgruntled wombat monster with a very hard butt. It’d probably been born the old-fashioned way.
Rufus had tensed beside her a second before they’d rounded a corner and found a caravan being affected by a [Call of the Wombat].
It was an intimidation-based attack that made the wombat everyone’s focused target.
Rufus made to stand up, but Brownie grabbed his furry arm to stop him.
“Stay calm.” The bard reached behind her and pulled out a brown sack from the wagon. She knew from experience that stoneskin wombats didn’t like dogs of any shape or size, and that included beastfolk and beastkin.
The caravan, three wagons pulled by alligator-dogs, looked like a branch of the Dark Horde supply chain. A handful of lizardkin were spreading out to protect their goods while two with spears kept the snarling stoneskin wombat at bay.
“Here, now!” Brownie called, jumping down and slowly walking forward. “What’s happening?”
The creature didn’t appreciate her approach and bared its teeth, digging its front foot in the dirt as if getting ready to roll forward and smack her with its stone behind.
Brownie reached into her sack and pulled out her secret weapon for trips through the Dark Enchanted Forest.
Enchanted carrots.
A small bunch of lovingly grown, sweet farm-fresh enchanted carrots. They were shiny. They were fragrant. And they were instantly of interest to the wombat.
She shook the bunch, letting the creature take in the smell. Wombats, hippogriffs, unicorns, angry humans, and a surprising number of other creatures could be calmed by their delicious scent. “Sorry for any trouble you’ve had on the Great Road, Mighty Stoneskin Wombat. Obviously, you’re a noble creature who didn’t deserve to be bothered. I hope this is enough to let us all pass?”
The wombat closed its mouth and stuck its nose out toward her, sniffing curiously. Donna looked utterly affronted, but Brownie sent a feeling of reassurance to her horse. She’d kept some back for Donna.
