Page 157 of I Ran Away to Evil 2
The blood-red flower is cut down—
And she fell in Eleran’s Hall.
CHAPTER 95
Better Battle with a Grimalcat
Rufus
After an amazing night and an even more amazing sleep cuddled up together in my room, we had breakfast and then I escorted Bronwynn to her big show. The contests for the morning had finished with time to spare. She played five songs, a mix of her own and some popular pieces in Peldeep like Sir Eglamore and Tammy’s Tavern. She was fantastic, as expected, and I watched the performance from the comforts of Vivian’s Vermillian Eatery.
Afterwards, we decided to head out right away for the Dark Enchanted Forest. But before that …
Bronwynn had deliberately taken time away from her bonded companion, paying the inn to take care of Donna for the entirety of the time she’d needed space. The mare, for her part, had stayed in her stall without much trouble. As I understood it, that was a first for the murder horse.
I wouldn’t call her a murder horse to her face, of course, but I would admit to thinking it.
“Donna?” Bronwynn called out to the mare.
I took a step back while the two of them talked it out. There wasn’t much I could add when I only heard half of the conversation.
“I know.”
“I’m still angry. And unless you can explain—I thought so.”
“It did mean a lot to me. I’m still upset, but I’m trying.”
“No, I’ve definitely made Rufus apologize … Oh, stop it! Just wait until you find a mate.”
“Alright, we can try. What did you even get—”
I shook my head, knowing the answer to that one already.
“Enchanted carrots? Really?” Bronwynn frowned, and a hint of anger hitched in her voice. “You chose enchanted carrots overme? No, Idothink that’s unreasonable! I thought this had something to do with your obsession with independence …”
By this point, she’d started walking Donna out front of the inn. The mare sniffed at my … her …ourbard.
“Itisan obsession. It took meforeverto convince you to bond, and I was happy to let you wander off and have your own life. I didn’t realize you were delivering packages for poisoners! What if you got caught—Never mind, don’t answer that.” Bronwynn petted her horse on the side of her head. “But still.You’regoing to have to talk to Momo about this.”
The horse turned and butted her head against Bronwynn’s hand, rubbing the bridge of her nose.
“Slake said he’d help, and Rufus is the lead investigator, so I’m sure … I’m sure it’ll befine.” She didn’t sound fine, but I wasn’t going to interrupt Bronwynn in the middle of her own pep talk.
Donna had no such compunction. She whinnied.
“I don’t know, alright?” Bronwynn snapped, and I decided it was a good time to come in as tactical support. I sidled up beside the bard and softly placed a hand on her shoulder.
She turned to me and faked a smile. “It’s fine. I’m just not sure how our trips are going to be going forward. I don’t want to restrict Donna or stop her from having the freedom she needs … but I don’t know if I can trust that she won’t be out there taking jobs and not telling?”
The mare huffed and stuck up her nose, eyeing us.
I had no idea what she was replying, but that didn’t stop me from saying, “Your family let her join the guild on contract because they felt the same way you do; Donna is her own horse and has the right to her own life outside of being your bonded companion. You have never put a stop to her before, and never asked what she was doing.”
The horse stomped her foot in what I imagined was agreement.
“But,” I continued, “she hurt you, and your family realized that the two of you have to work this out. So Marigold took Donna off the contract list, and she won’t be able to take any new jobs until you come to an agreement.”
Donna blew out a breath of air.
