Page 19 of I Ran Away to Evil 3
It took alittlebit of searching, but I found the pendant in the grass beside a bench.
Moonlight glinted off the broken loop of white gold that had previously kept it secure on its chain. Pulling out my Legendary Sunlight Mallet, I lightly tapped it against the locket.
[You have attempted to use theLegendary Sunlight Malletto repairDuke Julian’s Cherished Locket- Epic grade. You are unskilled. 75% chance of success. You have failed.]
I sighed as a piece of locket chipped off. That was fine; I still had two more attempts today. Worst case, I could try again when the mallet ability reset at midnight.
The mallet hit a second time as an angry voice called out behind me, “Stop!”
[You have attempted to use theLegendary Sunlight Malletto repairDuke Julian’s Cherished Locket- Epic grade. You are unskilled. 75% chance of success. You have succeeded.]
CHAPTER 8
She Had Very Cute Freckles
Julian
Julian followed the troll to the courtyard below his window.
At first, he’d lost her in the town square. She’d disappeared so suddenly that it’d startled him into searching for her … but no matter where he’d looked, he couldn’t find the troll.
She’d well and truly vanished.
He didn’t know why he’d cared; heshouldn’thave cared. But she had left his hair on end and his senses reeling. It wasn’t bloodlust or killing intent. She didn’tfeellike an assassin … though she could very well be one.
After a cursory look around the market, he’d forced himself to stop. The festival had suddenly lost its appeal, and he’d turned homeward, disappointed.
That was when he’d spotted the lone green figure walking out of the palace guardhouse. And despite everythinghe’d just told himself…
Julian had followed her.
He’d taken up watch on the palace wall as she’d made her way to just below his window—all right, six floors neath his window—and crouched to pick up something beside the bench.
It was a locket.
Hislocket.
His hands reached up to press against the absent weight on his chest as he activated [Light Foot] and hurried toward the troll. He was midair when she summoned a tiny, unassuming hammer.
And hit his locket.
Anger boiled in his heart as a piece of the latch broke off, panic lacing his voice as he landed behind her and shouted, “Stop!”
But it was too late; the troll hit his pendant a second time.
“What do you think you’re doing?” There was a dark pit in his chest as he desperately lashed out, grabbing her wrist. Wordlessly, the troll stored her hammer and offered him the pendant in her free hand.
It shone like new.
Even the years of wear and tear were gone, and there was a newfound luster to the gold casing and loop. He hesitantly released her wrist.
“Take it,” she said, dropping the pendant into Julian’s hand and taking a step back.
“How …”
“Good night,” she stated firmly. And as if that was the end of the conversation, she turned on her heel to leave. Julian couldn’t let her escape; he followed after her.
“How did you know it was here?”
