Page 62 of I Ran Away to Evil 2
They were such soft and tempting paws.
“Because she knows enough about the slave trade, the Assassin’s Guild, and what its members look like that she might be able to recognize someone. I only stayed with the actual transport crew; Minstrel Bronwynn here could recognize the undercover agents in Duchess Calisto’s employ, or in town, or—”
“The only person I know who got away that I could recognize isyou,” Brownie retorted.
“I’m easily recognizable, it’s true,” Jack shot back, “but we didn’t captureeveryonethat night. An extra set of eyes would go a long way. I heard the young spy that Marquess Dorset captured escaped as well.”
“He wasn’t working for the slave traders or the Servalt Assassin’s Guild. He was a Blackfog spy,” Brownie pointed out.
“Still—”
“Minstrel Bronwynn,” Pjori cut in. “Are you coming or not?”
Rufus looked like he wanted to say something, but he held his tongue. She had originally been planning on joining him in the capital anyway. She wanted to go shopping and maybe start a sudden citywide musical number or two.
Servalt’s capital had some very on-key shopkeepers.
This sounded as good as a sudden citywide musical number … and who said she couldn’t still fit one in on the new timetable?
Brownie smiled. “Of course I’m coming.”
CHAPTER 35
Bramblebriar
Rufus
I was going tothrottleJack Laverick.
The man had happily invitedmybard—ahem,travel companionto accompany us on a highly dangerous trip … and Bronwynn was a civilian, no less. Seeing how friendly Jack was being to Bronwynn, I was starting to suspect that maybe, justmaybe, the duke was also having suspicions about her.
He wasn’t an idiot. And despite how certain I was that she was innocent, Bronwynn was consistently at or around every molten ash vane sighting. It wasn’t advanced mythical magery.
“Are you sure?” I spoke as gently as my turbulent thoughts allowed. This could be a set up. Or dangerous. Or—
“I’m sure.” Bronwynn smiled at me, and my worries faded. They were still there, but they were insignificant and small when faced with her enthusiasm. She was going to have a blast; I could already tell. My stomach flipped in anxious spasms, but I pushed away the feeling.
Bronwynn was her own person and could make her own decisions, I reminded myself for what felt like the thousandth time. “Then we need to have a plan before we go.”
Up until this point my plan had been to go to the Assassin’s Guild, shake down the “boss,” get her to sign a new treaty, and maybe find out something about the molten ash vane. And of course, watch Bronwynn from afar to see if she had any shady dealings about the capital. Now, she’d be coming toourshady dealings. Sigh.
“I can be ready to go within the hour,” Bronwynn offered.
“I’ll make my own way to the capital and meet you there,” Pjori said.
Jack nodded. “Likewise. I still have a few things to finish up here before I leave. I’ve heard that one of our staff was unkind to Minstrel Bronwynn?”
“It wasn’t that bad.” Bronwynn shrugged, and as much as I wanted to unleash my frustrations about the staff … it wasn’t my place to do that. It was Bronwynn’s.
Jack raised an eyebrow. “Then I’m sure a simple talk will suffice.”
“If we’re all meeting in the capital”—I crossed my arms—“How will you find us?”
It was only a few hours’ ride to Servalt’s palace city, but if we weren’t traveling together, then we needed a meeting point.
Pjori and Bronwynn turned to Jack. The human returned their gaze confidently. “We can meet at the Wistful Cup Inn. I know the owners, so just say Jack sent you, and we can use one of their private rooms going forward.”
With that, we all left to get ready.
