Page 147 of I Ran Away to Evil 3
“Incoming!” John pointed at a glint of light further up the stairs.
Jeffry launched himself back in the air while Julian brought up a [Barrier]. Visha ran sideways on the wall up and over our party in some gravity-defying perk, while pulling out curved twin blades.
Tully stood with me. He wasn’t allowed to use his war hammer on the stairs.
“Ice spiders,” Jeffry called out from the sky. “Three ahead, two behind, and one above.”
“I’m never letting you take over scouting again, Jeffry,” John said. “It’s an ambush.”
“They’re literally see-through, John!” Jeffry defended, pulling out his sword and immediately swiping it. “[Sword Slash].” There was an angry hiss as the attack hit a spider like iced-over glass the size of a Great Dane that had tried to jump on top of us.
It stumbled over the edge.
“Okay, that’s going to give me nightmares,” I said, more casually than I thought my racing heart would’ve allowed. Up ahead, Julian and Visha were battling three spiders, Jeffry was attacking one from the rear, John was cutting the spurs, and Pram was concentrating on the overhead.
Tully just mumbled a dejected, “This sucks.”
“I know, it’s not fun waiting it out.” I patted him on the pauldron. “Do you have any buffs?”
He shook his head. “Nothing. I can’t do anything but fight. I’m a paladin of Justice, total damage dealer.”
“He’s also good with sewing,” Pram commented. He had a bow with a large magical ice arrow set on it, aiming for the spider above. “You made that plushie for Phoebe for her birthday.”
“That’s not helpful, Pram,” Tully said.
Frozen spurs latched onto the side of the stairs, piercing and anchoring into the ground at my feet. Two more followed as one long leg climbed up over the edge.
“Mine!” Tully pushed me up the stairs and out of the way as he swung his war hammer. It hit the spider and sent it flying out into the ravine. Unfortunately, the spurs were still connected to the spider, and it ripped the stairwell apart beneath us. Despite knowing I could portal to safety, I still screamed as I fell into open air.
“I’ve got you!” Julian was suddenly there, grabbing my hand. Far below me, Jeffry had caught Tully and was cursing loudly as he flew the paladin back up to safety.
“Don’t let go!” I told Julian.
“Of course.” He pulled me up with one hand, the other using his Valarian Royal Shield to defend against a web spur shot. When my feet were on solid ground, he took the extra second to kiss me on the cheek. “I would never let you go.”
“Feliwyn swooped in and lifted me clean out of the garden! Can you believe it?” Henrietta was beaming at me over a mug of ale.
“I can,” I said, remembering the sheer ferocity of the dragon.
We were on a girls’ night at a tavern in Peldeep. As soon as she had returned from her trip with her dragon mother-in-law, I’d abandoned Julian at the Northern Fortress and dragged Henrietta out for an evening of fun.
“Her Eminence flew us straight to the Depths of Despair Dungeon to test me. It was amazing!” Henrietta regaled. “She took over the entire dungeon so she could watch my battle technique. And she was so nice! She told me that I cleared it faster than Keith did whenhewas my level. And she told me I was doing a great job as Dark Lady.” The smile on my Henrietta’s face softened. “She’s more than I could’ve hoped for in a mother-in-law.”
“I’m glad.”
“I do feel bad for my husband, though.” Henrietta set her chin on the palm of her hand and leaned on the table. “She’s thrown everything into chaos since coming home, and he was very worried when she kidnapped me without notice.”
“He’ll be okay,” I assured her. “It’s always hard when family comes to visit—let alone when they are a dragon.”
“She wasn’t even going to stay with us, but someone ransacked her cave in Thistlecrick, so we are just waiting for her while she picks out a new lair. How is living with Julian?” Henrietta’s eyes lit up with curiosity.
“Good.” Unbidden, I thought about exactly how wonderful it was living with Julian. “He leaves me notes.”
“Notes?”
I showed her one that I’d found under my plate the last time he’d made breakfast and had to duck out early for work.
I hope you enjoy breakfast.
