Page 167 of I Ran Away to Evil 2
“Thankyou.” The pixie bowed lower than was required, and when she straightened, there was a fierceness in her gaze. “You helped my cousin a few years back, when he was in a very dark place. He’s decided to be a blacksmith now, and is loving life. The Marrowgrove family owes you a great debt.”
I accepted her bow with grace. I remembered her cousin. I remembered all of my patients, and it was good to hear that Lex Marrowgrove was doing well.
“It was my pleasure … and speaking of pleasure, there’s actually one more thing I need.”
CHAPTER 102
[Bond] Level 2
Brownie
Rufus hadn’t returned by the time Brownie checked in on Donna. The mare was not pleased with the prospect of travel today and said as much.
“You know we have to leave now if we’re going to make it to the Hollow … unless you want to get us there faster?” Brownie raised her eyebrows at her horse.
The name Belladonna Windrunner wasn’t for nothing; when she wanted to, Donna could run the length of Servalt in a few hours. It might take a day or so to cross Nilheim, but that was because the Dark Enchanted Forest stretched wide across the continent.
Brownie had never seen Donna push herself to her limit before, so even those were rough estimates. Needless to say, Donna could have them at the Hollow in no time if she so pleased.
Her horse snorted, looking away.
Brownie understood. “You know that Rufus will be with us? We could stay with you until your mana replenishes—No? Alright then.”
The bard didn’t pressure her mare. Donna’s fast travel was an overpowered skill, but it cost her a great deal in stamina and mana, and her cooldown on the ability was cripplingly slow, so if she needed to use it again right away, she would be out of luck. Sometimes, Donna didn’t seem to mind. Other times, especially while traveling through the Dark Enchanted Forest, Donna wouldn’t … Wait.
“Donna …” Brownie eyed her horse suspiciously. Donna, for her part, eyed her back. “Do you use your fast travel while you’re ‘taking a walk’ to go and pick up the poisons?”
Donna looked up and away, feigning innocence. She even tapped her foot once in a nervous twitch.
“It’s not that youwouldn’tfast travel! It’s that youcouldn’t!” Brownie slapped her forehead. “Really?Really?”
Donna gave a very unhorse horse shrug. More like a flex of each shoulder blade, but Brownie recognized her bonded companion’s tells. “You know, I’ve never questioned your love for enchanted carrots … but really?”
It had been a few days and a good cry since Brownie had started to process her steed’s evitable betrayal. It still hurt, and she wastryingto understand. Brownie grabbed her horse by the nose and swung Donna down to face her—sideways, since horses had monocular vision. “Tell me for real: Do you have an enchanted carrots problem?”
Donna made a weak attempt to resist, but her heart wasn’t in it. She blew out in an aggrieved sigh and looked Brownie in the eye.
“Youdo!” Brownie dropped her horse’s chin and crossed her arms. “All this time, I thought you were still anxious over that unicorn that attacked you in the forest!”
Donna stamped her foot and looked out into the heavy sheets of rain pounding the earth outside their stable shelter. She chuffed, almost too softly for Brownie to hear against the storm.
“Are you still anxious?” Brownie reached up and petted her horse’s flanks comfortingly.
Donna continued to stare out into the rain, but she nodded.
After all this time, they’d still never spoken of that day. Brownie kept petting. “Do you wanna tell me what happened? You don’t have to if you’re not ready …”
[You have leveled upBondwith Belladonna Windrunner.BondLevel 2 unlocked.
What started as an unlikely kindred spirit has turned into a true friendship. Belladonna Windrunner has decided to trust you and take the next step forward in yourBond.]
[Bondnow allows you to communicate more than concepts and understand basic directions. Ability to share senses unlocked. Ability to share memories unlocked. Ability to share character sheets unlocked. ]
[Bondnow allows you or your bound to share 30% of Mana or Hit Points as a temporary buff, duration of Constitution 15 x Intelligence 17 = 4 minutes and 15 seconds.
Ability to senseBondcondition unlocked. You will be notified when Belladonna Windrunner is critically low onHit Points. You will be notified when Belladonna Windrunner is critically low on Mana Points. You will be notified when Belladonna Windrunner is under the effects of a physical debuff. You will be notified when Belladonna Windrunner is under the effects of a mental debuff.]
Brownie was surprised by the notification … but she was more surprised by Donna leaning more heavily into her and the new information coming through their shared connection. It wasn’t with words or language, but the information was flooding in with a mix of images and emotions andknowing.
