Page 76 of I Ran Away to Evil 3
She straightened at her name.
“I’ll send someone to check on that bridge after the festival. In the meantime, I hope you have a good stay in the Coral Palace.”
Gerda’s white freckles blushed a soft and surprisingly endearing shade of pink.
“Now, if you will excuse me, everyone, I am going to congratulate my daughter and her wife.” The duchess allowed Julian to escort her out, leaning heavily on his arm for support. “To the dining hall,” she ordered; he didn’t argue. The luncheon wasn’t the official reception, it was simply a gathering after the ceremonyto offer Julia and Chloe well wishes. The ball tomorrow evening would act as theofficialreception and toast for the newlyweds.
He quietly passed his mother his last advanced mana potion, and she downed it before walking into the dining hall. She was a stubborn woman, smiling through a mana burn headache.
She came, she greeted, and she even managed a piece of cheese.
After ten minutes, Julian put his foot down and made an excuse to get his mother off to her rooms and straight into bed. He didn’t want Chloe to have to revive her new mother-in-law on her first day in the family.
Despite her grumbling, Julian summoned a healer to check over Calisto’s health, then plied her with another mana potion before leaving her to rest.
And then, he went for a walk.
CHAPTER 43
Physics Played Little Part When Stat Sheets Were Involved
Gerda
The Dark Lord and Lady were the last to leave, everyone else having left shortly after Julian and Calisto. Their Royal Highness had even extended an invite for tea in the Emerald Palace the next time I was in Peldeep, a reminder I was going to have to get used to the new VIP treatment as Madame Potts.
“Doyouwant to be the one to tell Brownie and Lady Amaryllis, or can I?” Henrietta asked while on the way to the dining hall. She held my arm in a tight hug as we walked. I survived.
“I’m sure the whole palace knows by now, but do what you want.” I sighed. “Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to keep it a secret as long as I did.”
“You could have remained elusive,” King Keith said, raising a single eyebrow at me, “if you hadn’t gotten involved yourself.”
“Yes,” I acknowledged, “but where’s the fun in that?”
“Safer,” he countered.
I shook my head. “Sometimes I need to act myself. I can’t be Casting every ten minutes—it would get obnoxious, and it would let the people I’m trying to stop know thatIknow their plans.”
“How muchdoyou see?” King Keith asked. He was trying to be subtle—and failing. The Dark Lord was obviously uncomfortable with my powers.
“Enough to be helpful.”
I didn’t need to share everything, and it was best to keep the Dark Lord on his toes.
“Gerda?” Henrietta said, letting go of my arm. “I’m glad you’re here. And I’m glad I met you. And I want you to know that I am very, very happy with mycurrentfate.”
With that, she reached for her husband, who immediately locked hands with Henrietta.
What Alice said must have hurt them.
“I’m happy to have helped,” I replied. There was a warmth in my chest looking at them. Some of the changes I’d made hadn’t turned out as nice, so I needed a little self-confidence boost now and then. And watching Henrietta and Keith provided ample.
“We’re almost there.” King Keith shot me a look. “Last chance to run.”
All of my fears were founded when the knights on duty outside the dining hall saw me and exchanged knowing looks. They didn’t outrightsayanything, but they were having conversations with their eyes that would put anime characters to shame.
Henrietta jumped in to say, “You don’t want to run away—they have anentire buffetof specialty import dishes from the Empire of Sands.”
The door to the dining hall was open, and I could already smell the rich, heady smells of curry and coriander and turmeric. Even the unpleasant business of making a first public appearance wasn’t going to stop me from trying whatever was making that smell.
