Page 115 of I Ran Away to Evil 3
“I used one of my powers that doesn’t work very well these days.” She clenched her hands in her skirts, so Julian scooped one arm into his own and started walking them back toward the music.
“Oh?” he urged her to continue.
Gerda explained. “One of my abilities can be used on anyone at any time … but it doesn’t show me what’s going to happen to them next; it shows me the different futures they might’ve had if I hadn’t changed everything.”
“Ah.” He squeezed the hand resting on his arm and pulled her to a clear spot against the wall, close to the dancers but far from the others mingling on the sidelines. “Not very helpful when you’ve done so much?”
She followed his lead.
Lady Amy wanted to know whom she should be with to get a Happily Ever After, so I looked into what Lady Amy would’ve been up to if she wasn’t here, now, and falling in love … and it wasn’t pretty.” Gerda’s voice was full of frustration, angry at a timeline that had never come to pass.
Julian waved away a servant offering them drinks, having had enough poison attempts for one evening. He could pull out his own beverage if need be. “Seeing the future doesn’t mean you can guarantee a perfect partner, even if youcouldsee the best future for her.”
“I told Lady Amy that if she follows the path set out by her father, she will end up alone. Instead, she should follow her heart,” Gerda said, looking up at the floating lights overhead. Warm light brightened her face, showing concern and care etched into her expression. “I don’t know if that was the best thing to do … but itfeltlike the right thing to say.”
“That is all youcando.” Julian dragged his eyes away from the troll, sweeping the room to see who was still there.
King Keith and Queen Henrietta had turned in early, and so had his sister and her new wife. They might already be on their way to the Empire of Sands. The younger debutants they’d spoken with earlier, Shiro and the lot, were standing by the open doors to the patio, enjoying the cool evening air.
“Her father isn’t going to like a rogue son-in-law,” Julian mused. He’d met Duke Briarthorn, and the elf was as stiff as ironwood.
“Her father doesn’t have a say anymore,” Gerda stated firmly. “She’s of age now, so he’ll just have to live with her choices.”
Gerda let out a long sigh before lifting her free hand, drawing Julian’s attention. She was suddenly offering him a teacup. “Would you like some tea? I usually have a cup around this time; I like something warm before bed.”
The image of her snuggled up in her bed, in her room, enjoying a cup of tea before turning off the light made him smile. “I’d love one.” No sooner had he taken the empty cup and she was holding a pot of steaming hot tea. He let out a short breath, impressed. “Your storage keeps things hot?”
“Yes.” She poured, the smell of steeped blackberry tea reaching his nose. He breathed in the warmth rising from the teacup, appreciating the scent. Her storage had to be Epic quality, at least, to keep things in perfect stasis.
He smiled and nodded when she offered him milk and honey and a tiny stir spoon. Then, she made herself a cup with just milk.
They were standing there, watching the dancing and festivities and sipping their tea, when she slowly leaned toward him, her shoulder against his arm, and said, “Thank you for escorting me tonight, Your Grace. I had a wonderful time. Assassination attempt and all.”
“It wouldn’t be a party without at leastoneassassination attempt,” he joked, turning to face her. “And it’s not over yet. You still owe me that dance.”
“Do I have to wait until the last dance?”
“No,” he answered, and a smile lit up her face.
“Good. Because I’m ready for bed.”
She downed the last of her tea and stored it. He was holding back a laugh as he offered her his own near empty cup, which vanished. Making their way onto the floor, they enjoyed a long, slow dance. Holding Gerda in his arms was torture when he was already fighting with himself over the attraction he felt for the troll, and yet, it was even harder letting her go at the end.
It was just past sunset, the stars only beginning to light the sky, when Julian escorted her back to her room. On a whim, he lifted her hand and kissed the back of it. “Good night, Miss Gerda.”
She stared at her hand and then up at him. “Good night, Duke Julian.”
He wondered what it would be like to actually kiss her. Would her cute tusks get in the way? Would her freckles turn pink?
Would he be able to stop with just a kiss?
It was over all too soon. She went inside her room and closed the door, and he was left standing alone in the west wing hallway. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and walked back to his own rooms, all while his mind was a mess of one bridge troll who had turned his entire life upside down in a matter ofdays.
On another whim, Julian downed another potion and left his [Guard] up.
He didn’t think he was going to get much sleep that night, anyway.
CHAPTER 65
