Page 116 of I Ran Away to Evil 3
A Menace to Society
Gerda
“Is that your official statement on the matter, Miss Gerda?” Grand Duchess Calisto asked.
I was standing in front of the Continental Council, having just explained my part in the wedding attack and the interrogation. I’d politely refused to use my powers to read the future for the council; I had a residual headache from using them this morning that made me less than charitable, and I didn’t want to set a precedent.
Besides, there wasn’t much to say.
Carter Watercress, the Guardian of Death, was going to hold a wake for Menlomin, king of the unicorns, later this week. If I played my cards right, I could get one of the season two’s treasures during the tragedy: a unicorn’s horn.
Ihatedlooking in on Carter. More than anyone else, his personality and mine were the least compatible. If his scenario wasn’t literally titled “The Treasure for Death,” I’d have skipped. But I was an avid treasure hunter who couldn’t resist completing a season without at leasttryingfor a hundred percent completion.
The second one was actually the easiest. Guild Master Warren Jones, the Arbiter of Shadow, was as laid-back as they came. He was the epitome of sloth, and using [Oracle] on him just made me unnaturally chill afterward.
In Warren’s, he decided to officially retire and run away while Their Royal Highness Rowen was distracted in North Sumbria. His demon contract ended on the solstice, and now that he was free, there wasn’t much to stop him leaving … excepting, perhaps, his accidental lover, the Assistant Guild Master Gemma.
I was rooting for Gemma every step of the way.
After downing a mana potion, taking a relaxing bath, and preparing myself for the worst, I’d decided to watch athirdoracle.
The last thing it’d revealed still left me with a grip on my heart.
It was me.
Specifically, it was me at this council meeting, and Henrietta’s thoughts. The Dark Lady was standing in the far back, closest to the door. My power only allowed me to assume her future for the four and a half minutes, and it’d revealed the end to my trial.
One that I’d decided wasn’tnearlyimpressive enough.
“Yes, Your Grace … though before I finish my statement, I have a question.” I drew a deep breath and looked over the room. The official council members were the highest-level elite from each nation, but any elite was welcome to attend. And apparently, Madame Potts was interesting enough that we had a crowd.
The official council members sat, while others stood behind.
“As my hidden identity is now revealed to all and my status as an elite has been confirmed, I have been dealing with my first run of assassination attempts,” I began, trying to find the right words to explain my dilemma. In the pause left for breath, Master Thomas cut in.
“As soon as you reached level sixty, you were no longer protected under the council treaty. You are as fair game a target asanyof us here. No sense whining about it now.”
Yes,thatMaster Thomas. He had shown up at council this morning as if he hadn’t been one of many working behind the scenes to ruin the Summer Solstice Festival. Grand Duchess Calisto’s eyebrow had twitched almost imperceptibly when he walked in … and I was impressed that she’d managed to keep civil.
I was not so courteous.
“Master Thomas,” I retorted, deciding now would be the perfect place to finally speak my mind, on behalf of myself, Henrietta, and all. In front of our peers. “I don’t know how to tell you this, but you have the social graces of an alligator dog.”
The mage’s mouth dropped open. Just because Thomas was integral to the plot didn’t mean I had to be nice to him. My words solicited a variety of responses around the room ranging from shock to amusement.
I continued. “Of courseI expect assassins and intrigue as befits my station. Your inability to put two nonmagical thoughts together is astonishing; I have never met another so void of humor, humility, and basic common sense.”
I tried to hide the joy in my voice as I unloaded on the man. Julian, standing behind his mother, bit his lips hard enough to bleed, while Witch Agatha slapped Wizard Lorthar on the shoulder in unbridled delight.
“Youdarespeak to me this way—” Thomas slammed to his feet, knocking over his chair. There were no direct attacks allowed during council meetings, but that did not include aura. Magical pressure erupted from the mage, hitting me with the force of his rage.
“Stating the obvious will get you nowhere fast. I’m on trial, and sworn to speak the truth.” Unfortunately for him, I was a few levels higher than he was, and had a handy [Mental Resistance] perk. I shrugged. “What I wasgoingto say before being sorudelyinterrupted is that I don’t know what to do with the bodies after each attack.”
The mage stared at me like I’d grown another head.
To clarify, I added, “Do the assassin guilds have a return policy? Do I just leave them on the road? Is it my job to Revive their guild members and forward them the potion bill?”
“Sit down, Thomas.” Wizard Lorthar ran a hand over his shoulder, defrosting the ice that had formed from Witch Agatha’s blow. “You know that there are no challenges allowed in the council room. And I will remind you, for Miss Gerda’s sake, that our laws state you must wait one rest period following the meeting before you are allowed to issue any duels.”
