Page 146 of I Ran Away to Evil 2
“I mean … yes? Again, assuming she doesn’t leave me.”
There was a satisfactory agreement among those present that came about incredibly fast. Frida was the one who nodded deeply and said, “Then it is good that you keep the crystal.”
“But … it’sMinstrel Bronwynn. Why aren’t we all dragging me into a dark alley for a special talk?” I finished petting Slake, who was still my assumed scape-cat.
“Because you’re our leader!” Ross shook his head. “You’re one of us.Of courseyou fell in love with Minstrel Brownie. I’m just envious that she likes you back.”
“If the leader’s courting her, then he can give us updates more often!” Nelly smiled viciously and caged her hands in delight.
“Our minstrel deservesat leasta level fifty member of the Continental Council.” The preela nodded. I wondered if she was Gisele of North Sumbria? She was another fan I’d spoken to only over Crystal Cast.
“But—”
“No buts.” Ross pointed a finger at Slake. There was a hint of fear and respect in the pixie’s voice when he said, “Now go do what the grimalcat wants, or we mightallfind ourselves in a dark alley.”
I twisted my head to get a good look at Slake, who was smiling fiercely at the fan club.
“That would be wise.” Slake’s tail whipped once. “I do not wish to be late.”
The walk to the palace wasn’t far, but it felt like an eternity as I walked away from the Bea’s Bed & Breakfast.
CHAPTER 88
How Could You?
Brownie
Brownie walked straight into the busy stable, past the already occupied stalls, and into a free spot at the back. Donna followed her. The stable hand had recognized them and given Donna a wide birth, so Brownie had some privacy when she turned and threw her arms around her horse’s neck and hugged her tightly.
“Donna.”
The mare snorted, having been privy to the emotions running through her bonded half giantess the entire conversation.
“He’s even more handsome in folk form,” Brownie complained, frowning at the image of Rufus with his shoulder-length hair swept back, and the same piercing golden eyes. She wanted to run her fingers through his hair and draw a finger along the line of his strong chin and see how soft he was compared to his beast form.
Did he have chest hair?
Questions ran through her mind even as she tried to calm down. Donna had limited patience but allowed Brownie a few minutes more to hold on for dear life before the mare sniffed loudly and lipped at the bard’s hair.
“I know, I know,” Brownie said, pulling away and taking a deep breath. “But was thatreallyhis big secret? It’s not so—”
Donna whinnied and stamped a foot, looking imperious and unyielding.
“What? No! I don’t need to make him grovel. He’s literally just the leader of my fan group? What’s the problem with that? I alreadyknewhe was a fan?” Brownie took a step back and leaned against the frame of the stall. She was trying to rack her brain for anything and everything she knew about her beastman and his love of her music.
It would explain why he’d been so nice to her in the castle from day one. And stood up for her during that first dinner when she had come forward to warn Henrietta about the assassins.
Donna turned her head to stare intently at the bard with one eye, incredulous.
“Maybe you’re right … As much as I don’t see the big deal, Rufus certainly felt that it was his dark secret. The look on his face when I told him to go with Slake could have melted a dragon’s heart.” Brownie crossed her arms and tapped a finger to her chin. “But, I mean,I practically already knew? He loves my music, knows the lyrics to every one of my songs, and I figured he was at the fan-run concert this year because he knew the lyrics to ‘Wings of Ash,’ and that was the only place I sang it. So was that really the secret? Are there more secrets? What am I missing?”
Donna almost rolled her eyes.
The horse was very good at conveying feelings and expressing herself, and for that, Brownie was thankful. A bonded companion who could outright talk was rare, but one as intelligent and fun as Donna was even more so.
“I mean, yes, hedidkeep it a secret. And there shouldn’t be important secrets between us …”
The mare suddenly looked away and to the left, and Brownie grew suspicious. “You already knew about Rufus, didn’t you?”
